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As any longtime fan can confirm, injuries are simply an unfortunate reality of professional sports. That acceptance, however, won’t make things less painful for the Philadelphia Eagles and tight end Zach Ertz.

During Week 6, Ertz limped off the field with an apparent ankle issue. While everyone accepted that the big tight end would need to miss some time, the Philadelphia Eagles just received some brutal news about their $42 million star.

2020 is looking like a lost season for the Philadelphia Eagles

Last season, the Philadelphia Eagles struggled but backed into the playoffs thanks to the weakness of the NFC East. While the division is still pretty terrible, the Eagles haven’t exactly improved.

After six weeks of the 2020 NFL campaign, the Eagles sit in second place in the NFC East at 1-4-1. That disappointing record, however, doesn’t tell the whole story; on the field, things have looked even bleaker.

While the Eagles defense hasn’t exactly set the world on fire, their issues pale in comparison to Philadelphia’s offense. Through six games of the season, the unit is averaging 23.5 points and 329.3 yards per outing. Injuries have been an issue, and Carson Wentz, who, in theory, is theory responsible for leading the Eagles up and down the field, has struggled.

“Everything with Wentz is a mess,” John Stolnis wrote for Bleeding Green Nation at the end of September. “His mechanics are off, his decision-making has been faulty, and yet there are still moments where he makes a terrific play and you see the ability that lies beneath. But you don’t get to be the lowest-rated passer in the NFL by being anything other than awful, and whether it’s confusion with the coaching staff, the lack of cohesion in the gameplan, the injuries, or some other mental block, Wentz just ain’t right.”

Zach Ertz’s injury will keep him out of action for 4-6 weeks

It’s safe to say that Zach Ertz and his 24 receptions, 178 yards, and one touchdown haven’t exactly lived up to his $42.5 million contract. With that being said, though, the tight end’s injury is still bad news for football fans in the City of Brotherly Love.

After Week 6’s defeat at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens, everyone knew the tight end would miss some time; initial reports pegged his recovery at three or four weeks since the injury was theoretically less severe than Miles Sanders’. On Thursday morning, we received some clarity on just how long he’d be out of action. It turns out the tight end’s problem is worse than suspected.

“NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported Thursday on Good Morning Football that Ertz is expected to miss four to six weeks due to the injury, per a source informed of the situation,” Kevin Patra wrote on NFL.com. “The team later announced Ertz has officially been placed on injured reserve.”

Zach Ertz’ injury could put the Philadelphia Eagles in a time crunch

On paper, the Philadelphia Eagles have time in their favor; they’re within touching distance of the top spot in the NFC East and have the second half of the season still to play. Zach Ertz’s injury, however, could cause some conflicts with that timeline.

Assuming Ertz is out for four weeks, he’ll miss two games against the Giants, one against the Cowboys, and the bye week; a six-week absence would add games against the Browns and Seahawks.

It’s not exactly groundbreaking to count from seven to either 11 or 13, but it is worth noting that the season will be in a much different place when Ertz returns to the lineup. Right now, the Eagles have plenty of time to make up ground and move into a playoff spot; if things fall apart in the next six weeks, however, the home stretch of the season could be irrelevant.

While the sorry state of the NFC East leaves some room for optimism, losing Zach Ertz for four to six weeks is a brutal blow for the Philadelphia Eagles. If he misses six weeks, then struggles to get up to speed in the seventh, his return to the lineup could simply be too little, too late.

Stats courtesy of ESPN and Pro-Football-Reference

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Senior Writer, Programmer

Joe Kozlowski

Joe Kozlowski began his career as a sports journalist in 2013 and joined Sportscasting in 2019. He covers the NBA and soccer for Sportscasting, with specialties in legacy NBA players such as Michael Jordan and Premier League club Arsenal. Off the clock, he’s a Kansas City Chiefs fan and a hockey goalie.

Growing up loving Shaquille O’Neal and reading everything he could about the great big men throughout NBA history — likely because he was still tall enough, at least relative to his peers, to play center — he’s continued to love learning about and exploring the historical and story-based sides of the basketball archives.

As for Arsenal, Joe spent a year living in London and latched onto the local support of the club. He’s barely missed a match since, loving Arsene Wenger, enduring the Banter Era, and following along through rebuilds. The Premier League interest developed into a passionate following of the Champions League, Europe’s big five league, and international soccer as a whole when played at the highest level.

Regardless of the sport, Joe is captivated by the stories of athletes beyond the box scores and how they push the envelope — both in terms of what we think a human is capable of accomplishing and how they find new competitive tactics to win.