Guard Mike Iupati makes it three Seahawks inactive for playoff game of attrition at Eagles
The Seahawks are without the starting left side of their offensive line. The Eagles are without their starting right side.
This playoff game will be a test of attrition.
Seattle had guard Mike Iupati join injured Duane Brown on its list of inactive players for Sunday’s NFC wild-card game at Philadelphia. Iupati had been playing through a nerve issue in his neck for weeks. Sunday was the first game the 32-year-old veteran has missed this season.
Jamarco Jones was set to make his fourth career start, his first at left guard.
Brown had knee surgery the Monday before Seattle’s regular-season finale against San Francisco. The Seahawks hope he might be back to play next weekend in the divisional playoff round, if they could beat the Eagles Sunday.
George Fant made his second consecutive start for Brown at left tackle.
Mychal Kendricks was Seattle’s third injured starter inactive. The former Eagles Super Bowl linebacker tore knee ligaments in the NFC West title-game loss to the 49ers.
Rookie Cody Barton was making his third career start at strongside linebacker in the Seahawks’ 4-3 defense.
The Eagles were without injured right tackle Lane Johnson. Right guard Brandon Brooks was already on Philadelphia’s injured-reserve list.
The Eagles were also missing their top three wide receivers and starting running back to injuries.
But Philadelphia tight end Zach Ertz, a key to its offense, was playing despite a broken rib.
Seahawks wide receiver Jaron Brown was inactive because of an undisclosed family matter that took him away from the team Friday.
“Jaron Brown had a family situation. We’re all praying for him,” Seahawks general manager John Schneider said on the team’s pregame radio show.
The rest of Seattle’s inactive players Sunday were not surprises: wide receiver Malik Turner (concussion), rookie first-round draft choice L.J. Collier (the defensive end was inactive for the sixth time in 17 games) and rookie defensive tackle Bryan Mone.
The injuries to Brown and Turner left the Seahawks with just four wide receivers active Sunday: Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf, David Moore and John Ursua. Ursua, the rookie seventh-round draft choice, was poised for the largest role of his debut season. He had his first career catch down the 1-yard line on fourth down late in Seattle’s previous game against San Francisco.
Ursua seemed ready for his role Sunday. The native of Hawaii came out for early pregame warmups in a 29-degree Philadelphia wind chill wearing shorts.
This story was originally published January 5, 2020 at 12:38 PM.
