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Eagles' Fletcher Cox leaves, comes back, gets a big sack of Rams’ Jared Goff

The Eagles' marquee defensive player gave the team a scare but soon returned to the game.

Fletcher Cox gets carted off the field during the second quarter on Sunday. He returned and laid down a big-time sack on Jared Goff.
Fletcher Cox gets carted off the field during the second quarter on Sunday. He returned and laid down a big-time sack on Jared Goff.Read moreDAVID MAIALETTI/ Staff Photographer

LOS ANGELES -- The Eagles' nightmarish luck with injuries seemed to be continuing early in Sunday night’s game, when Fletcher Cox left the sideline on a cart with a hip injury, but he missed only one defensive drive.

Cox seemed to have trouble jogging off the field after the Rams' only touchdown of the first half, on the Rams’ second drive. After the medical staff evaluated him in the makeshift blue tent on the sideline, he went to the locker room.

Cox soon returned to the sideline. He sat on the bench but remained in uniform, and he rejoined the defensive line with 8 minutes, 29 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

Cox’s sack of Rams quarterback Jared Goff on third-and-1 from the Eagles' 15 forced the Rams to settle for a field goal. That gave Cox 7.5 sacks, his highest total since 2015.

The Eagles are already undermanned at defensive tackle, where Tim Jernigan has back spasms that sidelined him again Sunday. Haloti Ngata, Bruce Hector, and Treyvon Hester are the only other defensive tackles on the roster, and that’s whom the Eagles turned to while Cox was sidelined.

» READ MORE: Fletcher Cox wanted DPoY, but the likely winner is on the opposite sideline

Avonte Maddox returns, and picks

The Eagles got corner/safety Avonte Maddox back from a three-week absence with ankle and knee problems. He had been listed as questionable, as had defensive end Michael Bennett (foot), the team’s best defensive lineman the last several weeks, but Bennett also was active.

Inactive were linebacker Jordan Hicks (calf), defensive tackle Tim Jernigan (back), cornerback Sidney Jones (hamstring), offensive lineman Matt Pryor, just-acquired running back Boston Scott, offensive lineman Isaac Seumalo (pectoral), and quarterback Carson Wentz (back).

Pryor and Scott were the only healthy scratches.

Nick Foles started at quarterback in Wentz’s place. Cre’von LeBlanc was the nickel corner, with Rasul Douglas and Maddox starting outside. Stefen Wisniewski started in place of Seumalo. Nate Gerry continued to fill in for Hicks, and Haloti Ngata continued to replace Jernigan.

Defensive end Daeshon Hall (No. 74) and linebacker BJ Bello (59) both made their Eagles debuts. Hall was pushed aside easily on Todd Gurley’s 5-yard first-quarter touchdown run.

Maddox made a nifty interception of Jared Goff, hugging a ball that bounced off intended receiver Josh Reynolds, but the Eagles couldn’t do anything with the only turnover of the first half.

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» OBSERVATIONS: Five quick takes from the Eagles’ win

» INJURIES: Fletcher Cox leaves, comes back, sacks Jared Goff

» JEFF McLANE: Alshon Jeffery and the deep passing game come through, finally