Why Eagles decided to make Lane Johnson inactive vs. Bills after groin injury MRI
The Philadelphia Eagles will look to improve upon their NFL-best 9-1 record on Sunday without a key player, as offensive tackle Lane Johnson was declared inactive for the team's Week 12 matchup against the Buffalo Bills .
Johnson, who was added to the team's injury report on game day, experienced tightness in his groin. An MRI showed inflammation, and erring on the conservative side due in part to wet conditions in Philly, the Eagles decided to sit Johnson, per NBC Sports Philadelphia's Dave Zangaro.
The Eagles face the San Francisco 49ers in Week 13. That game could have major seeding implications in the NFC playoff picture.
Making the decision out of an abundance of caution makes sense for Philly's coaching staff. After all, Johnson has missed significant time as the schedule as wore on in three of the last four seasons.
Johnson, Eagles hoping to avoid past injury woes
In 2019, Johnson was inactive for four of Philadelphia's final six regular season games, as well as the team's 17-9 playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks. His 2020 season ended after Week 10; Johnson played parts of just seven games that campaign.
He also sat out the Eagles' last two games of the 2022 regular season. The star tackle did return to the lineup for all three playoff games.
Unsurprisingly, the Eagles' offense has struggled with Johnson on the sideline in the past.
With the NFL's eighth-ranked rushing attack and 12th-best passing one, the Eagles look well on their way to another Super Bowl appearance. At 9-1, winning the NFC East is almost foregone conclusion. Keeping an eye on hitting the postseason as healthy as possible has to be a priority for coach Nick Sirianni.
The decision to sit Johnson feels like a “better safe than sorry” choice. It's one that makes sense for a team in the Eagles' position.
