Nigel Bradham and Jordan Hicks are usually the Eagles' linebackers in the nickel formation, but they came off the field Sunday during the third defensive drive in the loss to the Detroit Lions.
Coach Doug Pederson said Monday that the Eagles rotated the linebackers then because of the heavy workload the players endured in the first half of the game, when the Lions put together three long drives and had the ball for nearly 18 of the 30 minutes. Mychal Kendricks and Stephen Tulloch played in place of Bradham and Hicks.
"If you saw the third series of the game, it was a 14-play drive [with] 12 total plays," Pederson said.