Washington vs. Eagles NFL injury report, odds: Spread rising as Kyle Shurmur or Garrett Gilbert likely will start at QB with Taylor Heinicke, Kyle Allen on COVID list

At this point, it might be easier regarding NFL games to say which key players aren't out due to COVID, and I'm not about to list every single player on the Washington Football Team currently on the list, but the news got much worse for the WFT on Friday with starting quarterback Taylor Heinicke and backup Kyle Allen landing on it, meaning that just-signed Garrett Gilbert or promoted practice squad player Kyle Shurmur likely will get the call Sunday in Philadelphia, which doesn't know its starting QB, either.

At one point, the WFT was a 2.5-point underdog at Caesars Sportsbook for this game but with so many players now on the COVID list or in question due to injury – receivers Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel and running back JD McKissic to name three injured guys – Coach Ron Rivera's team is now +12.5. At least five defensive starters are on the COVID list, but this changes by the hour.

Adam Schefter reports that the WFT won't name a starting QB until pregame Sunday, and he also throws in Jordan Ta'amu, but I'd be shocked if he's in the mix.

Gilbert, a fourth-round pick in 2014 out of SMU by the Rams, has seen very brief regular-season action over his career with the Panthers, Browns and Cowboys, completing 23-for-44 for 283 yards, a TD and a pick. His lone start was last year for Dallas, a 24-18 home loss to the Steelers. He played decent. Gilbert does have history with Rivera and offensive Scott Turner from his Carolina days.

Most believe that it will be Shurmur because he knows the system but also isn't as experienced in the NFL compared to Gilbert as Shurmur, who originally signed out of Vanderbilt as an undrafted free agent in 2019 with the Chiefs, has never taken a regular-season snap. He then spent some time with the Bengals but has been on the WFT practice squad all season and is the son of former Browns and Giants head coach Pat Shurmur — now the offensive coordinator of the Broncos. Shurmur would become the first QB from Vandy to start in the NFL since Jay Cutler.

Since 1993, Washington has started 32 different QBs and obviously that number will grow to 33 on Sunday barring Allen testing out of protocols – which isn't impossible under the new NFL guidelines. It's too late for Heinicke.

As for the Eagles, they come out of their bye, but Jalen Hurts still might not be ready to play with an ankle injury that forced him to miss Week 13 vs. the Jets. Gardner Minshew was great in his place, leading seven straight scoring drives to open the game and would get the call Sunday if Hurts isn't cleared. FOX Sports' Jay Glazer has reported Hurts' injury is actually a high-ankle sprain, which comes with a longer timetable to recovery. Reid Sinnett is the third-string QB.

This game is crucial in the playoff race with both teams at 6-7 – Washington currently holds the NFC's final wild-card spot. The Eagles enter on a five-game skid against NFC East teams (Hurts is 0-4 career against them). That's the third-longest active losing streak in division games around the league. 

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