Most of the playoff dust has settled, with six of the participants locked in on both the AFC and NFC sides of the draw, but for a top NFC contender and an AFC playoff hopeful, quarterback issues are hanging over Week 18 and the first weekend of the NFL playoffs.
The Eagles are locked into the No. 2 seed in the NFC, but will Jalen Hurts be back in the fold for their wild-card weekend playoff opener? The Miami Dolphins got a huge win in Week 17 over the Cleveland Browns to stay alive for one more week behind backup QB Tyler Huntley, but Tua Tagovailoa could return from a hip injury against the Jets to help get Miami a win and — if the Broncos lose to the Chiefs — the final AFC playoff berth.
Jalen Hurts still in concussion protocol
The Eagles made short work of the Cowboys on Sunday in a 41-7 win to clinch the NFC East with backup quarterbacks Kenny Pickett and Tanner McKee leading the way, but are those the names that will be running the show in the playoffs? Jalen Hurts missed the game, still in concussion protocol after a Week 16 injury, and coach Nick Sirianni isn’t saying much about how far along Hurts is in his recovery. Philadelphia closes its regular season at home against the Giants on Sunday, and will host a wild-card weekend game against either Green Bay or Washington.
Will Tua be back for Miami in Week 18?
A Browns-Jets finishing kick didn’t look terribly daunting on paper for the Dolphins heading into Week 17, and Miami was able to take care of the front end of that deal with a win over Cleveland without starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Now, with one game to play and needing a win to remain in the playoff hunt, Tagovailoa could be back from a hip injury for Miami’s finale at New York. The Dolphins would need a win over the Jets and a Broncos loss to the Chiefs to snag the No. 7 seed in the AFC and lock in a date at the Bills on wild-card weekend.
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