The Philadelphia Eagles just have to win one of their final two games to officially clinch the top seed in the NFC playoffs this season. Unfortunately, that might be easier said than done given the recent shoulder injury that Jalen Hurts has been dealing with, which has forced backup quarterback Gardner Minshew into the spotlight for the time being.

Hurts' shoulder injury held him out of the Eagles Week 16 contest against the Dallas Cowboys, and it has initially sounded unlikely that he will play in Week 17 against the New Orleans Saints. Despite that, Hurts was on the practice field Thursday morning participating in some drills, which is more than he had done in recent practices, making it a big sign of encouragement for the Eagles and their fans.

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While this is obviously good to see, it's clear that Hurts isn't fully out of the woods just yet. He isn't participating in all the drills he usually would participate in, which likely means his shoulder is still healing. Still, it's good to see him get on the field and get some work in, as the Eagles are going to need him if they intend on winning a Super Bowl this season.

For now, it seems like Minshew will likely be the starter for the second straight game in Week 17. If Minshew can lead the Eagles to win against the Saints, that would buy Hurts even more time to recover from this injury, as it would ensure Philly would be the number one seed in the NFC, regardless of what happens in Week 18. So while the Eagles will likely be favored to beat the Saints even without Hurts, his status could bear watching over the next few days.