So basically, what the title says is the issue right now. Jamaal Jackson, the only player on the entire Philadelphia offense to play every single snap this year, has a torn ACL and is going to miss the rest of the year, and the playoffs.
The loss of Jackson is probably bigger than most people think. He had started 71 straight games on the offensive line, and if anyone needs to know how big of an impact he has on the game, just look at how poorly the Eagles played on offense after he left the game. While Jackson was in there, the Eagles were able to move down the field like a well oiled machine. Once he left, they struggled, and the Broncos were able to get back into the game.
The worst part about this injury is that it can sometimes take a year to come back from, meaning Jackson might miss a good part of the 2010 season as well. If that's the case, the Eagles need to look into drafting either a center in the middle rounds of next year's draft, or finding another guard to take Nick Cole's place on the line while Cole moves over to center. For the rest of this year, Max Jean-Gilles will take Cole's spot at right guard. This is the point where the failure of both Shawn and Stacy Andrews really stands out, because their lack of success and playing time this year now has come back to really bite the Eagles in the ass.
I'm not saying that this injury is going to derail the Eagles' season. In fact, it's far from it. I think the Eagles still have a great shot to move through the NFC playoffs and head to the Super Bowl, since the Vikings seem like they're a sinking ship, and the Saints have dropped their last two games at home. Without Jackson, though, things are going to be a lot harder. He was the anchor on the offensive line this year. While everyone else that was supposed to start on the line missed games, or the entire season, he was still there. For the last four and a half seasons, he's been the man at center for Donovan McNabb, and now, someone else is going to be there. It won't be easy, but I think the Eagles can make it through. I just hope Jackson is able to come back and play well again next year and beyond.
ESPN.com: Jackson has season ending ACL injury
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