The Washington Commanders’ ability to combat NFL rushing leader Saquon Barkley in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game took a hit on Saturday. The Commanders announced defensive tackle Daron Payne would be unable to play against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Knee and finger injuries were cited by Washington as the reasons that Payne will be kept out of the contest.
The injuries will end streaks of 88 starts and 93 games played for Payne, a former Shades Valley High School and Alabama standout. He has started every game since the beginning of the 2020 season. Since joining Washington as a first-round selection in the 2018 NFL Draft, Payne has missed only one game – a 19-16 victory over the Detroit Lions on Nov. 24, 2019.
Payne’s absence seems likely to put second-round rookie Johnny Newton back into the lineup. Newton got 11 starts during the regular season when another former Alabama standout, Jonathan Allen, was sidelined by a pectoral injury. Allen has played in Washington’s past four games.
The Commanders and Eagles will square off for a spot in Super Bowl LIX at 2 p.m. CST Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. FOX will televise the game.
In the AFC Championship Game, the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs meet at 5:30 p.m. Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. CBS will televise the game.
On Saturday, the Bills elevated former Alabama defensive back Kareem Jackson from their practice squad to active status for Sunday’s game. Each NFL team can elevate two members of its practice squad for each game.
Buffalo brought up Jackson with safety Taylor Rapp set to miss Sunday’s game because of back and hip injuries.
Now in his 15th NFL season, Jackson has appeared in nine playoff games, all with the Houston Texans.
Buffalo’s opponent also elevated a practice-squad player with Alabama football roots. Wide receiver Justyn Ross, a former Central-Phenix City star, will be eligible to play for the first time since Nov. 10. Ross’ only action this season came in back-to-back November games. He played seven offensive snaps in each.
Two other players with Alabama football roots were elevated from practice-squad member on Saturday to active status for Sunday. The Philadelphia Eagles announced linebacker Nicholas Morrow from Huntsville High School and fullback Khari Blasingame from Buckhorn High School would be eligible to play.
Blasingame has been elevated for all three of Philadelphia’s playoff games and got on the field for two offensive snaps and 25 special-teams plays in the previous two.
Morrow joined the Eagles’ practice squad on Jan. 14 after being release by Buffalo. He got on the field for 18 special-teams plays in last week’s 28-22 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.
