Gang Green II? | Sports Daily Newsletter

What’s the best chance for the Eagles to reach the Super Bowl and repeat as champions? Given the hit-or-miss performance by the offense this season, maybe it’s time for their dominant defense to seize the moment.

In 1991, an overpowering Eagles defense did just that after Randall Cunningham was lost for the season in the first game. Led by Reggie White and Jerome Brown, the Birds put together one of the best defensive campaigns in NFL history, surrendering the fewest passing yards and rushing yards in the league that season. Not only did the Eagles want to keep opponents from scoring, the defensive players wanted to score themselves.

“We knew that we were going to go as far as the defense could carry us,” linebacker Seth Joyner says. “And that just turned the intensity up.”

Joyner sees some of that great fire in Vic Fangio’s defense these days. So do former teammates Clyde Simmons and Mike Golic. The three ex-Eagles can see Fangio’s group taking charge this season the way they did under defensive coordinator Bud Carson in ’91.

So which member of the current Eagles D would have fit right in on Gang Green? They say it’s Jalen Carter. “I mean, put him on that line, with Jerome [Brown] in the middle, would have been ridiculous,” Golic says.

Alex Coffey has the story.

— Jim Swan, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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Adolis García is the new Nick Castellanos. That’s the simplest way to look at the Phillies agreeing to a one-year, $10 million contract with the former Rangers star on Monday. It’s true on a lot of different levels, including some that will make you scratch your head about why Dave Dombrowski decided to go in this direction. Not only is García likely to replace Castellanos in right field, his batting profile looks an awful lot like Castellanos’. Uncomfortably so, writes David Murphy.

The Phillies’ agreement with García comes 361 days after an identical one-year, $10 million free-agent deal with outfielder Max Kepler. It represents a similar bet, too.

At 4-10, the Washington Commanders are not as sad as the Las Vegas Raiders, but they’re not far from the bottom of the NFL’s barrel. The Commanders ended an eight-game losing streak on Sunday thanks to a date with the even-worse New York Giants.

Good news for the Eagles, who will visit the Commanders on Saturday: Washington allows a league-worst 7.5 yards per passing attempt and a sixth-worst 4.7 yards per carry. So the offense should continue to thrive against lousy competition. Washington’s offense hasn’t been setting the world on fire, either. Olivia Reiner has her early look at Saturday’s matchup.

With one more Eagles win or Cowboys loss, the Birds would clinch the NFC East and become the division’s first back-to-back champions since the 2004 Eagles.

One thing is for sure: A rushing-focused offense, with Jalen Hurts back in a running role, is a winning formula for the Birds, Jeff McLane writes.

Paul George was called the worst free-agent signing in franchise history. He was going to set the Sixers back a decade. He was washed up and untradable. You sure about that?

Finally healthy after a litany of injuries ruined his 2024-25 season, George appears to be finding his rhythm and changing the narrative that has surrounded his Sixers tenure. Ask the main himself and he’ll tell you just how bad last season was from his own vantage point.

“Oh, my God. I mean, it was rough, man,” he said of last season. “It was brutal. And when you play for Philly, it’s brutal, man. I had an expectation coming into the year, and for me, me alone, like not even the noise outside and whatever people said, you know?”

The Flyers weren’t at their best on Sunday evening, but they still managed to salvage a valuable point against the Metropolitan Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes.

How did they do it? Jackie Spiegel’s takeaways focus on two players who helped the Flyers force overtime in Raleigh, N.C.

The Eagles earned a shutout Sunday for the first time since they blanked Washington in 2018. Who led the Eagles with six combined tackles and posted an interception in that 24-0 victory? First with the correct answer here will be featured in the newsletter.

A) Brandon Graham

B) Rasul Douglas

C) Malcolm Jenkins

D) Avonte Maddox

Who said this after the Eagles pitched a shutout against the Raiders? Think you know? Check your answer here.

We asked: What’s the greatest performance you can remember by an “aged” athlete? Among your responses:

Chuck Bednarik’s performance in the 1960 NFL championship game playing both linebacker and center at age 35. — Dom R.

Gene Dykes, Bala Cynwyd, ran a world best marathon time for men 70 and over. ... By the age of 60 most have lost over half the muscle fibers in your legs. His accomplishment is far beyond anyone else including Brandon, Wilt, Bednarik, and Schmidt. — Harry N.

Editor’s note: Dykes set a record for his age group in 2:54:23 at the Jacksonville (Fla.) Marathon in December 2018.

The first thing that came to my mind regarding a performance by an aged athlete was 35-year-old Chuck Bednarik, former Penn All-American and WW2 Vet, who played the entire 1960 NFL championship game at Franklin Field. Chuck played every minute of this game while holding down the center position as well as linebacker. — Everett S.

Jurgensen to McDonald, Norm Van Brocklin and Concrete Charlie ‘s performance in the 1960 NFL Championship game ... — Bill M.

Roger Bannister’s mile! — Hunter L.

Editor’s note: Bannister was 25 when he broke the four-minute mile on May 6, 1954.

In my opinion, Jack Nicklaus winning the masters in 1986 at the age of 46! — William M.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Alex Coffey, Scott Lauber, David Murphy, Olivia Reiner, Jeff Neiburg, Jeff McLane, Ariel Simpson, Jackie Spiegel, Mike Sielski, and Keith Pompey.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

Greetings from Siberia, also known as the Philadelphia suburbs. Do your best to stay warm. Bella will bring you Sports Daily on Wednesday. — Jim