Philadelphia Eagles fans were dismayed when their defensive tackle, Fletcher Cox, suffered a groin injury during the first half of the game against the Buffalo Bills. Although he tried to tough it out and returned in the third quarter, he couldn’t play and had to be sent to the sidelines again. He also missed the entire week of practice sessions and was listed as “questionable” in the game against the San Francisco 49ers.

But then, just hours ahead of the game, Nick Sirianni announced that he would play against the 49ers. Eagles fans heaved a sigh of relief. Cox had emerged as an important defensive weapon, and without him, the opponent team’s RBs would have had a field day. But some fans wonder if having an injured Cox would hurt the team more than help them.

Will Fletcher Cox bring the Eagles down with him?

Cox, who is 32, has only missed six games in his more than a decade of playing for the Eagles. He has established himself as a reliable player who is not easily injured and can be trusted to block the opposing team’s wide receivers. But with his groin injury, will he be able to bring his game against a team that is 8-3 in the season so far? The greatest threat to him is currently the 49ers’ running back, Christian McCaffrey.

McCaffrey has recorded 939 rushing yards this season and 11 rushing TDs. If Fletcher Cox cannot stop the offensive weapon, he will wreak havoc on the gridiron. The Eagles have only lost one game in the season and have a confirmed playoff berth. For the 49ers, however, the future hangs in the balance, and today’s game will offer a clearer picture of their prospects going forward.

Read More: If Rumors Are to Be Believed, Taylor Swift’s Absence Has Affected Kansas City Chiefs and Travis Kelce’s NFL Campaign

But it seems McCaffrey will not have his QB Brock Purdy protecting him as his father advocated against it.

McCaffrey will be an open target for the Eagles defense

When NFL GOAT Tom Brady said football had become mediocre in recent years, Ed McCaffrey, CMC’s father, came out in support. The senior McCaffrey had played 13 years of professional football and even won two SB Championships. “But yeah, quarterbacks don’t have to protect him as much anymore. That’s a good thing,” he said, advocating that the QB shouldn’t spend too much time and energy protecting other offensive players and that they should defend themselves.

Will Brock Purdy heed Ed’s advice and leave CMC defenseless against Cox? And considering he is still injured, will he be able to take advantage of this and stop CMC in his tracks before he makes any big plays and puts the Eagles’ NFC dominance in jeopardy? Only a few hours remain before we get the answers to all our questions.

Watch This Story: Amid Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce engagement rumors, speculations emerge, foreshadowing a gloomy end