Nnamdi Asomugha (US Presswire)
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The Philadelphia Eagles may be without facing one of the best QBs in the NFL without two of their top DBs on Sunday. Asomugha carted off field, unlikely to play Sunday.
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Asomugha sustains knee injury
PHILADELPHIA (AP)
Eagles cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, one of Philadelphia's celebrated
free agency acquisitions, injured his left knee during practice
Thursday and was taken off the field on a cart.
Cornerback Joselio Hanson told The Philadelphia Enquirer he heard the
injury was not serious.
“It looked bad, but they said he was going to be all right, expecting
to come back (Friday) and practice,” Hanson said.
Asomugha was participating in a non-contact drill on the grass fields
adjacent to the team's NovaCare Complex when he was hurt. The
30-year-old, a three-time Pro Bowl pick and four-time All-Pro
selection, leads the Eagles (4-6) with three interceptions — two in his
last four games.
With Pro Bowl cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie already out with
an ankle injury, the Eagles could be down to just one of their
celebrated Pro Bowl cornerback trio of Asante Samuel, Rodgers-Cromartie
and Asomugha when they face Tom Brady and the New England Patriots
(7-3) at Lincoln Financial Field Sunday.
The Patriots have the second-ranked offense in the NFL. The Eagles have
allowed 18 touchdown passes. Only three teams have allowed more.
''It's a short-lived career, and to see a guy go down, you just hope
it's not as severe as what you saw initially,'' said cornerback Brandon
Hughes, who would likely receive expanded playing time if Asomugha
can't play Sunday. ''That's what we're hoping.''
Because Asomugha plays so many different roles — outside corner, inside
corner and safety — it could be difficult for the Eagles to replace him
with just one player. They have only one more practice before Sunday's
game.
''We've got to stick to the game plan,'' strong safety Kurt Coleman
said. ''Nnamdi's definitely a big piece of what we do on defense, but
we have guys we can rotate in, guys who can do similar things.
Everybody has to step up their game if he can't go. Everybody has to
pick up the slack.''
Samuel will start at one cornerback spot Sunday. The other healthy
cornerbacks on the roster if Asomugha can't play are veteran Joselio
Hanson, who has started 18 games for the 49ers and Eagles since 2003;
Hughes, originally a fifth-round pick of the Chargers in 2009; and
rookie third-round pick Curtis Marsh.
''One guy goes down, next guy goes in,'' Marsh said. ''That's why
everybody goes to meetings every day, so when you step in, you know
exactly what's going on.''
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