Week 12 of the NFL season is just about complete, and while several of the league’s top teams picked up big wins on Sunday — the Chiefs, Eagles, Lions, Packers and Vikings all kept winning — there were some big losses on the injury front on Sunday. Two key veteran members of the Philadelphia defense left the Eagles’ 37-20 Sunday Night Football win — also known as The Saquon Barkley Show — with one of them saying he’s done for the year. Also, the Las Vegas Raiders will need some help in their quarterback room after their starting QB was lost for the remainder of the season.
Also on the NFL injury front — off the field — NBC Sports’ Mike Tirico (torn Achillies) was in the Sunday Night Football broadcast booth and plans on finishing the season as usual, despite the injury.
Brandon Graham out for the year with torn tricep, Darius Slay exits with concussion
The 14-year veteran defensive end was having a great game against the Rams when he exited after having moved into third place on the Eagles’ all-time sack list. After the game he said he’d been dealing with some tendonitis in his left triceps, and confirmed the tear. He’ll miss the rest of the season — one that could be his last, after signing a one-year, $4 million contract this past offseason. He’s one of just three players on the team, alongside tackle Lane Johnson and kicker Jake Elliott, who won Super Bowl LII at the end of the 2017 season.
Also on the Eagles’ defense, cornerback Darius Slay Jr. suffered a concussion and did not return to the game.
Gardner Minshew to miss the rest of the season with broken collarbone
The Raiders’ signal caller suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of the team’s 29-19 loss to the Broncos. He finishes the season with 2,013 passing yards and nine touchdown passes with 10 interceptions in 10 games played. Desmond Ridder finished the game in his place. The Raiders have a short week and take on the Chiefs on Black Friday, and could welcome back Aidan O’Connell — he’s been on IR since October with a fractured thumb, and could be activated this week.
As far as other potential options, rookie quarterback Carter Bradley is on the Raiders practice squad and outside of the organization, ex-Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, who was released on Friday and is a free agent, is “excited for the next opportunity” and said “there’s a lot of good football” left in his future.