Eagles coach Nick Sirianni says the Birds can’t look past the Panthers

PHILADELPHIA – The Eagles could be without two of their top safeties and their starting tight end against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Neither Reed Blankenship (concussion) nor Sydney Brown (knee) participated in Thursday’s practice.

Brown could be ready by Sunday, but Blankenship likely won’t play. CJ Gardner-Johnson appears to be playing safety, but tight end Dallas Goedert (knee) also likely won’t play.

The Panthers (3-9) are one of the worst teams in the NFL, but the Eagles don’t want to give this game away.

“We know this is a talented team that continues to play good football,” Nick Sirianni said of the Panthers. “You can look at their last four games. They played really good football. If you take anyone lightly in this league, you will quickly be humiliated. This is a good team that has our attention and our job is to focus on the task at hand each week and commit to it each week.

“You don’t have to go there (to avoid disappointment) if that’s just your mission. This is our standard, this is our culture and this is what we do every week. Put your head down, work, and control the things we can control.”

Carolina is 2-2 in its last four games, but two of those matchups were decided in overtime and all games were by one point.

The good news for the Birds is that receiver DeVonta Smith should be back after a hamstring injury.

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Eagles running back Saquon Barkley was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for November. He could break the single-season rushing record.

“That’s your goal,” Barkley said. “You want to come here and leave a legacy at a place, at a franchise. … That’s not the driving factor. The driving factor is winning football games and putting ourselves in a position to win everything.”

Barkley is on pace to break the record, set by Eric Dickerson in 1984 with the Los Angeles Rams at 2,105 receiving yards. Barkley has rushed for 1,499 yards in 12 games with five remaining. Dickerson set a new standard in a 16-game season that would still keep Barkley busy.

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Sirianni doesn’t believe quarterback Jalen Hurts is merely a “game manager” just because he hasn’t thrown as much lately.

“I think the thing is he’s cut down on his interceptions and he’s still explosive as a player,” Sirianni said. “This is a very delicate matter. … I think what he does so well is he reads the defense and takes what they give him. And when it’s not there, he throws it away or makes an explosive play with his legs.

“This is something so unique to Jalen. Again, he’s just doing all the little things, all the tiny, boring details that a quarterback has to do for his team to be successful. … There are things that aren’t obvious to everyone, things that he does to help us win. Whether that’s checks, whether that’s throwing away when he has to throw it away, whether that’s messing up when he has to throw it away.

“We all see the outstanding plays he made, but he just plays really clean football and does a great job leading this football team.”

Before the Week 5 bye, Hurts had a 10-week turnover streak dating back to last season.