Best in the NFL | Sports Daily Newsletter
The 7-1 Eagles are getting their passing game in gear.
Can someone please explain how the lowly Washington Commanders give the mighty Eagles such a hard time? No, I can’t, either. Somehow, Washington still had a chance against the Birds in the fourth quarter Sunday before the Eagles flipped a switch and scored 21 straight points.
They even got old pro Julio Jones involved in the 38-31 comeback win at FedEx Field. Now they stand at 7-1, the best record in the NFL, and it feels as if the Eagles’ passing game is starting to flex its muscles. Case in point: Jalen Hurts with 319 yards and four touchdowns. Another one: A.J. Brown with 130 more receiving yards, now the owner of an NFL record.
It was far from perfect, of course. Second-year quarterback Sam Howell strafed the Eagles secondary for 397 yards and four touchdowns. The defensive backs know they’ll be in for some embarrassing film review today, but they’ll also see Reed Blankenship’s interception that helped turn the tide.
Blankenship chose to focus on his mistakes afterward. “We know who we are and what we can be,” he said. “So that’s what kind of makes us mad, but at the end of the day, a win is a win.”
— Jim Swan, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.
If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.
❓ It’s Cowboys week. How will the Eagles fare against them this Sunday at the Linc? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.
Jalen Hurts was asked how his left knee felt after the victory in Landover, Md., and the quarterback deftly dodged the repeated questions. “I’m here,” Hurts said. “I told you guys I don’t really want to speak on it anymore. I’m out there.”
The pain in his knee is still there, too, to be sure. Reportedly, Hurts has been recovering from a bone bruise for weeks. It was obvious that he was struggling with the injury, Mike Sielski writes, and his health has to be a concern for the Eagles.
Hurts clearly wasn’t playing near 100%, but he battled through and had one of the better passing performances of his career, Jeff McLane writes in his Eagles grades.
The Eagles walked away with a win in part because Nick Sirianni outcoached Washington’s Ron Rivera, David Murphy writes.
The celebration after Julio Jones’ TD reception showed how his new teammates feel about the 34-year-old veteran.
Next: The Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys at 4:25 p.m. Sunday (Fox29).
The James Harden saga has been fun fodder during the summer and early stages of the regular season, but it’s just that — fodder. The real story of the 76ers’ 2023-24 season will be written by Joel Embiid, as it has for the last several seasons. How much he buys into Nick Nurse’s new concepts and keeps up his conditioning will control how much success is had in Philly, The Inquirer’s Keith Pompey writes.
Embiid collected 35 points and 15 rebounds Sunday in a 126-98 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Next: The Sixers host the Raptors at 7 p.m. Thursday (NBA TV).
Backup goalie Sam Ersson has not been good enough in his first two starts in relief of Carter Hart. Ersson put the Flyers in a hole last weekend in Dallas before the team eventually lost in overtime. And Saturday at home against Anaheim, he allowed seven goals on 25 shots in a 7-4 loss. Flyers coach John Tortorella is preaching patience with Ersson, however.
Next: The Flyers host the Carolina Hurricanes at 7 p.m. Monday (NBCSP).
The Union opened the MLS playoffs with a 3-1 win over New England and Kai Wagner was outstanding, piling up 63 touches, two scoring chances created, the assist on the third goal, and 42-of-46 passing. If this was Wagner’s last home game, Jonathan Tannenwald writes, it was a great way to go out.
Next: The Union visit the New England Revolution for Game 2 of their playoff series on Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. (FS1).
Brett Myers can vividly recall when the Phillies sent him to the minors in the middle of the 2008 season. The right-hander bounced back from that disappointment and helped the Phillies win the World Series.
These days, Myers is a baseball dad with a son, Kolt, who is a top high school prospect at shortstop. Matt Breen reports on the lessons Myers is passing on to his son.
Worth a look
Top 25: Penn State moved up to ninth in the AP college football rankings.
Lions survive: Drew Allar bounced back from an interception in a win against Indiana.
‘Nova rolls: Connor Watkins passed for 361 yards in a Wildcats romp.
Costly loss: Penn’s Ivy League title hopes could be dashed.
For the first time in over a decade, the Eagles wore their kelly green uniforms, last seen in the hectic 2010 season. That year, the anticipated Kevin Kolb era was derailed due to his concussion and injuries to other key players — that’s until Michael Vick emerged as a surprising savior, sparking a quarterback debate. In Episode 3 of unCovering the Birds, Eagles beat reporter Jeff McLane explores this chaotic Kelly Green era and the unexpected season that followed. Listen here.
On this date
Oct. 30, 1980: Wilt Chamberlain and Julius Erving of the 76ers were named to the NBA’s all-time team to commemorate the league’s 35th anniversary. The 1966-67 Sixers were named the best team in NBA history.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Olivia Reiner, David Murphy, Mike Sielski, Jeff McLane, Josh Tolentino, EJ Smith, Keith Pompey, Matt Breen, Jeff Neiburg, Jonathan Tannenwald, Seth Engle, Colin Beazley, and Matthew Frank.
That’s all for today, newsletter getters. We’re just starting to gear up for Cowboys Week. See you tomorrow. — Jim