Philadelphia Moving

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The fact that the Eagles won the Super Bowl last year without the services of running back Darren Sproles sparked fascination regarding what the team could do if it had access to him this year. But the Eagles have had access to Sproles for only one game this year.

As of Sunday, Sproles will have missed seven games and counting after suffering a hamstring injury in the regular-season opener against the Falcons. Upon arriving in London for the Week Eight showdown against the Jaguars, Eagles coach Doug Pederson insisted that it’s only a hamstring strain.

“He’s definitely a day-by-day case,” Pederson said. “We continue to work him out and put him through a rigid protocol. I’m not going to get into the details of the injury and all that, but he continues to work, and again, he’s one of those guys that with that type of injury, you want to make sure that it’s definitely 100 percent. . . . There’s nothing really beyond that. It’s just a matter of getting that thing right.

Pederson said he thinks Sproles will play again this year.

“I believe each day he gets better, he gets stronger, so we lead up to that,” Pederson said.

Pederson added that Sproles, when he returns, could instantly become the team’s return specialist.

“That’s something we have to decide when he comes back,” Pederson said. “He’s very good at that, obviously, and so it’s a lot like the quarterback. When Carson [Wentz] came back, he was the guy. We know Darren is the guy at that position, so we’ll make that decision at that time.”

Time is indeed running out for Sproles. He has said that this will be his last year in the NFL. With the Week Nine bye looming, Sproles possibly could get back on the field in Week 10, when the Eagles face the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football.