The injuries are piling up for the Eagles' struggling offensive line, but it looks like at least one starting tackle will be able to face the Saints Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
Right tackle Lane Johnson, who re-sprained his MCL and injured his ankle in the Eagles' Week 4 loss to the Redskins, said he should be good to go against New Orleans.
"We're 1-3," Johnson said. "We ain't got nobody else."
Johnson suffered the injury blocking on an extra-point attempt. He initially sprained his MCL blocking on a Tim Tebow two-point conversion try in the Eagles' third preseason game in Green Bay.
"It looked a lot worse than what it was," Johnson said. "If I wouldn't have had the (knee) brace on ... I would've been done."
A sprained MCL usually costs a player multiple weeks, but Johnson thinks he can play through it, saying his pain tolerance is "pretty decent" and "they've got pain-killers for that."
"We've got a bye week coming up in a few weeks, so I'll have some time to heal then," Johnson said. "Other than that, I'm just going to roll with the punches. Whatever happens happens."
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The Eagles are indeed lacking options to replace Johnson. Starting right guard Andrew Gardner is out for the season and Matt Tobin initially replaced him. But when Jason Peters aggravated his quad injury against Washington, Tobin shifted from right guard to left tackle and Dennis Kelly entered at RG.The subs have been pressed into duty.
Johnson said Tuesday that his ankle is a little worse than his knee, but that he expects to play. The Eagles had better hope the injuries don't affect his performance too much, because the running game is already in shambles because of missed blocks and assignments.
"I'm going to try to do my best to play the level I need to," Johnson said. "This past Sunday wasn't a good example of the type of player I am."
