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  4. title => "Eagles Injury Update: Doug Pederson \u2018optimistic\u2019 about a possible DeSean Jackson return "
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  6. article_body => "<p>DeSean Jackson will practice on Wednesday for the first time in about a month and a half and Eagles head coach Doug Pederson is \u201coptimistic\u201d Jackson will return on Sunday against the Bears.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Jackson, 32, has now missed six straight games after suffering an abdominal injury early in the Eagles\u2019 Week 2 loss in Atlanta.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The Eagles\u2019 speedy receiver opted against surgery, but the injury hasn\u2019t been quick to heal. Even when he returns, Jackson is not expected to be 100 percent again this season.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDeSean\u2019s been looking really good, he\u2019s been working hard through his rehab,\u201d Pederson said Wednesday morning. \u201cI expect to get him into practice a little bit today and see where he\u2019s at physically. I\u2019m optimistic, obviously, but we\u2019ll take it day by day.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And, yeah, Jackson was practicing. He was a limited participant.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">DeSean is indeed practicing. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Eagles?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Eagles<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/T6fTIURqTD\">pic.twitter.com\/T6fTIURqTD<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Dave Zangaro (@DZangaroNBCS) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DZangaroNBCS\/status\/1189591214338854913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 30, 2019<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n \n<p>And so were a few other key Eagles.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Wednesday Injury Report <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/b6zYQYHUCc\">pic.twitter.com\/b6zYQYHUCc<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Eagles\/status\/1189633101204471818?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 30, 2019<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n \n<p>Back to Jackson: He is a 32-year-old speed receiver with an abdominal injury that has lingered, so the obvious question is: Why not just hold him out this week before the Week 10 bye? That would give him extra time to heal without forcing the issue.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>That seems like it would make some sense, especially for an injury that might not heal completely this season. But Pederson made it pretty clear that if Jackson \u2014 or any other injured player \u2014 can play, he will.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201c[The bye week] factors in a little bit,\u201d he said, \u201cbut if these guys are healthy and can play and can help us on game day, without risking anything further, then we\u2019ll see if we can get them out there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Without Jackson, the Eagles have really missed his deep threat and his production. In his absence, Mack Hollins has been filling in at the Z receiver position and his production has been pretty awful. Hollins, despite playing 141 snaps in October, failed to record a catch.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Sure, Hollins isn\u2019t playing as much as Jackson would have because the Eagles are using other personnel groupings more, but check out their season production:&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Jackson in 62 snaps: 8 catches on 10 targets, 154 yards, 2 touchdowns<br><br>Hollins in 337 snaps: 10 catches on 21 targets, 125 yards&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Obviously, Hollins isn\u2019t as talented as Jackson, but this drop-off in production has killed the Eagles. And the lack of a downfield threat like Jackson has, at times, made this offense very stagnant. Getting No. 10 back would be huge this week \u2026 or whenever it happens.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/eagle-eye-philadelphia-eagles\/episodes\/7c0b6419-a25e-40ea-971d-1ed80d58dd48\/embed\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><br><br><em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/smart.link\/5bb788a3d5b83?site_id=Web_NBCS_Philly&amp;creative_id=nbcsphi1356&amp;cp_4=www.nbcsports.com&amp;cp_1=washington&amp;cp_2=myteams-nbc-sports&amp;cp_3=nbcsphi1356\">Click here<\/a> to download the MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Flyers, Sixers and Phillies games easily on your device.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">More on the Eagles<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/eagles-need-fletcher-cox-brandon-graham-lead-defense-2nd-half-push-nfl-playoffs\">More than anyone, these 2 players need to lead D in 2nd-half push<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/eagles-film-review-how-eagles-pulled-their-longest-touchdown-season\">How Eagles pulled off their longest touchdown of the season<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/eagles-sit-idle-nfls-trade-deadline-officially-passes\">Eagles sit idle as NFL trade deadline officially passes<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/desean-jackson-could-return-eagles-sunday-against-bears\">DeSean back on Sunday? This is most optimistic he's been<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/jordan-howard-giving-eagles-what-theyve-lacked-years\">Howard giving Eagles what they've lacked for years<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"
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Eagles

Eagles

DeSean Jackson will practice on Wednesday for the first time in about a month and a half and Eagles head coach Doug Pederson is “optimistic” Jackson will return on Sunday against the Bears. 

Jackson, 32, has now missed six straight games after suffering an abdominal injury early in the Eagles’ Week 2 loss in Atlanta. 

The Eagles’ speedy receiver opted against surgery, but the injury hasn’t been quick to heal. Even when he returns, Jackson is not expected to be 100 percent again this season. 

“DeSean’s been looking really good, he’s been working hard through his rehab,” Pederson said Wednesday morning. “I expect to get him into practice a little bit today and see where he’s at physically. I’m optimistic, obviously, but we’ll take it day by day.”

And, yeah, Jackson was practicing. He was a limited participant. 

And so were a few other key Eagles. 

Back to Jackson: He is a 32-year-old speed receiver with an abdominal injury that has lingered, so the obvious question is: Why not just hold him out this week before the Week 10 bye? That would give him extra time to heal without forcing the issue. 

That seems like it would make some sense, especially for an injury that might not heal completely this season. But Pederson made it pretty clear that if Jackson — or any other injured player — can play, he will. 

“[The bye week] factors in a little bit,” he said, “but if these guys are healthy and can play and can help us on game day, without risking anything further, then we’ll see if we can get them out there.”

 

Without Jackson, the Eagles have really missed his deep threat and his production. In his absence, Mack Hollins has been filling in at the Z receiver position and his production has been pretty awful. Hollins, despite playing 141 snaps in October, failed to record a catch. 

Sure, Hollins isn’t playing as much as Jackson would have because the Eagles are using other personnel groupings more, but check out their season production: 

Jackson in 62 snaps: 8 catches on 10 targets, 154 yards, 2 touchdowns

Hollins in 337 snaps: 10 catches on 21 targets, 125 yards 

Obviously, Hollins isn’t as talented as Jackson, but this drop-off in production has killed the Eagles. And the lack of a downfield threat like Jackson has, at times, made this offense very stagnant. Getting No. 10 back would be huge this week … or whenever it happens. 



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