On New Year’s Day, DeVonta Smith was seen using crutches to get around and wearing a hard-shell walking boot on his right foot after the Philadelphia Eagles suffered a 35-31 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. He is unlikely to play in the upcoming game against the New York Giants, which would mark his first absence since being drafted. Smith has played in 50 consecutive games since being drafted.

With the Dallas Cowboys poised to win the NFC East title, the Eagles may miss out on the opportunity to end the division’s 18-year drought without a repeat winner. The Cowboys simply need to win against the Washington Commanders, who are likely to dismiss head coach Ron Rivera at the end of the season. However, given the Cowboys’ struggle to win away from home, it remains to be seen whether they will defeat the Commanders. If the Eagles become the No. 5 seed, they will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers if the latter wins their upcoming game against the two-win Carolina Panthers.

Considering this, Eagles’ head coach Sirianni mentioned on Monday that there is a possibility of not playing key players or even all the starters. He emphasized that their focus is on winning the game and that they are considering various options in light of their reliance on the outcome of the Cowboys-Commanders game. The game between the Eagles and the Giants is set to start at 4:25 p.m. ET, so there may be a measure of scoreboard-watching, and Sirianni may opt to pull his starters or limit the playing time of certain players if the Cowboys take an early lead. Sitting key players could also serve as a pseudo bye week for the Eagles.

However, Sirianni needs to be mindful of the team’s recent performance, having lost four of their last five games. He may want to build momentum heading into their third straight postseason appearance. Yet, risking a loss to the Giants in an attempt to build momentum is a concern.

Regarding this, Sirianni stated, “We have to get out of the rut we’re in. I’m not saying yes, I’m not saying no, I’m saying to you everything’s discussed. There are some unknowns about the game with Dallas and Washington, and we have to play and coach good football, too, to be able to go into the playoffs. Not that I’m thinking that far into it, but to not go into the playoffs, not in a run. Everything is on the table. We’ll think through everything on that. We’re preparing to play the Giants, and that’s been our big conversation so far later this (Monday) evening. (Tuesday) we’ll discuss more about who’s playing, who’s up, who’s down, so we’ll see.”