Isaac Seumalo fills in capably at tackle

BALTIMORE - Isaac Seumalo made his first start at right tackle in Sunday's 27-26 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, becoming the fourth lineman to start at that spot this season and the fifth to play it.

Seumalo replaced Allen Barbre, who was out with a hamstring injury. The rookie is an interior lineman, but the Eagles needed him at right tackle. Barbre, Halapoulivaati Vaitai, and Matt Tobin are all injured, and Sunday was Lane Johnson's final day of suspension.

"First time at right tackle, I thought he played extremely well," coach Doug Pederson said.

It was Seumalo's third start of the season. He started two games at right guard this year when Brandon Brooks was absent because of illnesses associated with anxiety. Brooks was back in the lineup Sunday.

The Eagles are expected to put Johnson back at right tackle for Thursday's game against the New York Giants. Johnson can rejoin the team on Monday, and Pederson called it "almost a no-brainer" for Johnson to get his old spot back.

Running back Kenjon Barner exited the game in the first half with a hamstring injury and did not return. Barner finished with three carries for 6 yards, two catches for 25 yards, and had a 22-yard punt return and a 26-yard kickoff return.

He was supposed to play a big role in the game because Darren Sproles was out with a concussion and Wendell Smallwood is on injured reserve. When Barner left the game, rookie Byron Marshall became the No. 2 running back and Nelson Agholor became the punt and kick returner.

Marshall finished with nine carries for 22 yards and two catches for 6 yards. It was his Eagles debut after earning a promotion from the practice squad on Tuesday.

"Once I got settled, the game came to me," Marshall said. "I felt like I made the right reads and the right cuts. So I thought it was a decent day. It could have been better, but not a bad day. The blocks were there."

In addition to Barbre, Sproles, and Vaitai, the other inactive players were wide receiver Paul Turner, cornerback Dwayne Gratz, defensive end Steven Means, and defensive tackle Taylor Hart.

Means and Turner were both active last week but were caught in a roster crunch Sunday. Offensive lineman Dillon Gordon made his Eagles debut as a backup tackle. Linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill was active after sitting last week. Wide receivers Jordan Matthews (ankle) and Dorial Green-Beckham (abdomen/oblique) were active even though they were on the injury report.

The Eagles have a quick turnaround because of the Thursday game. Tuesday will be on their only day with a full practice.

"We've got four days, three days to prep? It's insane," linebacker Jordan Hicks said. "Everybody in the league has to do it, right? . . . It is what it is. We've got to come back."

The Eagles can play spoilers to the Giants, a division rival who can clinch the playoffs with a win at Lincoln Financial Field. Hicks said that will "absolutely" be a motivating factor on Thursday.

"Obviously we're playing for ourselves, playing to turn the season around," Hicks said. "But anytime you can throw a wrench in a division opponent's season, you've got a little bit more to play for."