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Either Gannon or Steichen could be elsewhere soon.
Perhaps some Eagles fans won’t be sorry to see defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon or offensive coordinator Shane Steichen leave for another NFL team, given how the assistant coaches have turned in some head-scratching moments from their respective Eagles sections this season. At the same time, they’ve both also been part of the best moments for the Eagles this season. Now they’re drawing interest from other teams and it’s looking less likely that Nick Sirianni will be able to keep his coaching staff intact after this season.
That’s the problem with finishing the season with the league’s best record. It doesn’t count as a championship, but it brings many of the expectations and pressures of one. Whether it’s Lane Johnson or Jalen Hurts playing through pain or the assistant coaches realizing that the success they’ve achieved leads to other teams asking them to replicate that achievement with entirely different player personnel, it’s a lot.
After all, Philly fans criticize what they love, because they want better. They’re also brutally honest in their assessments. No matter where Gannon or Steichen go, or if they stay, they’re both tougher from receiving that tough love.
— Andrea Canales, Inquirer Sports Staff, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.
❓ Gannon or Steichen — who is more likely to be hired away from the Eagles and why? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.
The playoffs are upon us. And well, for the Eagles, not quite yet as they have the first-round bye, which gets Jalen Hurts another week to continue his recovery from a shoulder injury. We saw how his ankle injury during last year’s playoffs hampered his ability to, in his words, “get freaky” in the running game. The shoulder injury we saw on Sunday against the Giants affected him in the running game as well as the team wanted him to protect himself in that situation. Now we’ll have to see which version of Hurts emerges in the divisional round.
The end of the regular season concluded with the Eagles ascending to 14-3 — a fine achievement. We saw how Howie Roseman’s additions to the roster had a tremendous effect on the Eagles. With the team winning the NFC, we also now know its opponents next season. And since Roseman did well in trading for the Saints’ first-round selection, New Orleans finishing 7-10 secured the No. 10 overall pick in April’s draft.
Georges Niang played with his back to the basket before entering the NBA. But he has since reshaped his game and become one of the league’s most reliable shooters from deep, knocking down 42% of his three-pointers for the 76ers this season.
He’s hoping that sharpshooting will land him in the three-point contest at this year’s All-Star Weekend: “It would be an honor.”
Next: The Sixers play the Detroit Pistons in the second game of a two-contest series at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Center (NBCSP).
It’s no surprise to learn that the Phillies spoke with the Tigers at the winter meetings last month about hard-throwing Gregory Soto — or that Dave Dombrowski recast a line and reeled in the lefty reliever late last week when Detroit president of baseball operations Scott Harris dangled him once again in trade talks. Dombrowski has always loved power arms. But while Soto possesses the grade of gasoline that has long attracted Dombrowski and was the primary draw for the Phillies in the five-player swap that was finalized Saturday, there were a few other notable takeaways. Here’s some of what we learned.
The Phillies made another move on Monday to try to beef up their bullpen, adding a power arm from the Giants.
Winger Wade Allison has struggled to stay on the ice the last few seasons due to injury, so missing a month beginning in mid-November was the last thing the 25-year-old wanted to endure.
The good news for Allison is that he’s now back on the ice, having returned eight games ago, and is starting to make a positive impact.
The Flyers dominated their latest game, holding the Buffalo Sabres without a goal.
Next: The Flyers host the Washington Capitals on Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center (7:30 p.m., NBCSP)
The Union started off their preseason training with two familiar faces going through the paces — Olivier Mbaizo and Kai Wagner. So clearly, Union fans can exhale and count on those defenders all season, right?
Not so fast, explains Jonathan Tannenwald. In fact, it’s quite possible that either or both of those players don’t last on the team to start the actual Major League Soccer season next month.
Along with that intriguing news, coach Jim Curtin also weighs in on the ongoing Berhalter/Reyna controversy.
There are also historic bans handed down from the NWSL to a number of coaches for harassing players, including to former Philadelphia Independence coach Paul Riley.
Worth a look
Camden controversy: A judge has delayed the hearing on whether the basketball team broke NJSIAA rules.
They are the champions: Tykee Smith and Georgia rolled over TCU for the national championship.
Trivia Tuesday
Who scored the game’s first touchdown as the Eagles beat the Atlanta Falcons, 27-10, for the NFC championship on Jan. 23, 2005? First with the correct answer at sports.daily@inquirer.com will be featured in the newsletter.
A) Brian Westbrook
B) Donovan McNabb
C) Josh Parry
D) Dorsey Levens
What you’re saying about NFC opponents
We asked you: Which NFC team poses the biggest threat to the Eagles and why? Among your responses:
49ers, no doubt. Why? Best offense and defense. Simple. — Stephen L.
The biggest threat to the Eagles chance at the Super Bowl is San Fran. — Jim O.
Honestly, I can’t pick one team. In the playoffs, it’s been proven that anything can happen and any team can emerge victorious. The Eagles have to take each game seriously and play their best football to make it to the promised land. I feel confident that they can do that. — Kathy T.
I subscribe to the “best QB usually wins” theory. Let’s review playoff-team QBs in NFC: Seahawks - Geno Smith; Giants - Daniel Jones; Vikings - Kirk Cousins; Buccaneers - Tom Brady; Cowboys - Dak Prescott; 49ers-Brock Purdy; Eagles - Jalen Hurts.
If Brady was 10 years younger, I’d be concerned about the Bucs. Currently, the best QB is Jalen Hurts, therefore the team that is the greatest threat to Eagles is ... the Eagles. If Hurts can recover from sore shoulder, the Eagles can beat any of these teams. — John S.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Keith Pompey, Jonathan Tannenwald, Scott Lauber, Alex Coffey, Olivia Reiner, Josh Tolentino, Aaron Carter, Colin Beazley and EJ Smith.