Don’t panic! | Sports Daily Newsletter
Here’s why the Birds will be OK.
After that performance in Week 1, was anyone else wondering if this Eagles team would replicate last year’s successes?
Don’t worry, David Murphy writes.
For starters, that was one tough Patriots defense, not to mention a team that has seen plenty of success historically in season openers.
As for the Eagles, they have not one but two elite receivers in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Defensively, Jalen Carter appears as skilled as advertised.
And if you look at Nick Sirianni’s last two teams, they’ve improved as the year progressed. Let’s give this year’s squad time to see if it’ll follow that trend, Murphy writes.
— Maria McIlwain, Inquirer Sports Staff, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.
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After his first regular-season game as the Eagles’ play-caller, Brian Johnson knows the offense didn’t perform well enough. There was frustration. There are corrections to be made. The Eagles were “sloppy.” But they did beat the Patriots, and, as Johnson noted, it’s better for lessons to be learned after a win.
Along with Nakobe Dean, who was placed on injured reserve, the Eagles look like they’ll be without James Bradberry (concussion) against the Minnesota Vikings. But they feel confident in Josh Jobe stepping in for the All-Pro.
Next: The Eagles host the Vikings in the home opener at 8:15 p.m. Thursday (Fox 29, Amazon Prime).
A.J. Brown is a fierce competitor; brash at times, and clearly one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Off the field, family, friends, and mentors see another side of the Pro Bowler. To them, he’s “Jay,” the mellow, somewhat introverted, humble kid from Starkville, Miss.
On the Season Two premiere of unCovering the Birds, take a trip down to Mississippi with The Inquirer’s Eagles beat reporter Jeff McLane, as he learns more about the people and places that shaped one of the most important members of the team’s roster. Listen here.
Pitching is precious. There’s never enough. Over a six-month season, attrition is real. And with 2½ weeks to go, in front offices of contending teams across baseball, including the Phillies, nervous executives are asking a variation of the same question: Are we going to run out of pitching?
The Phillies came all the way back from five runs down to tie it up in the bottom of the ninth, but the Braves prevailed in 10 innings Tuesday night.
Weston Wilson doesn’t have much major league service time, but he has one quality that could make him a perfect fit for the Phillies’ postseason roster.
Next: Cristopher Sánchez (2-3, 3.26 ERA) will start the series finale against Braves right-hander Spencer Strider (16-5, 3.83) at 6:40 p.m. Wednesday (NBCSP).
As the Flyers embark on their rebuild, the kids and the future come into focus.
Part of that future will be on display this week at the Flyers Training Center, where several of the team’s top prospects will gather for rookie camp. The six-day camp, which is open to the public and includes two games in Allentown against the New York Rangers’ prospects, begins Thursday.
Which of the 25 players should you be paying attention to? Tyson Foerster headlines our list of prospects to watch.
The United States women’s national team released its roster for the upcoming September friendlies, and it features players at both ends of the career spectrum.
The friendlies against South Africa will serve as the final games for U.S. legends Julie Ertz and Megan Rapinoe but also as a runway for exciting young players like Jaedyn Shaw and Mia Fishel. Jonathan Tannenwald on the end of two eras and the beginning of another.
Next: Ertz’s swan song is set for Sept. 21 in Cincinnati (7:30 p.m., TNT), while Rapinoe will play her final game Sept. 24 in Chicago (5:30 p.m., TNT).
Worth a look
Going for gold: Catching up with Episcopal Academy grad Ashley Sessa, who has her sights set on the Olympics.
The climb begins: The WNBA playoffs start today, and there are local ties in each first-round series.
Winning Westtown: A look back at when the Sixers’ Mo Bamba starred for the Chester County school.
Tall task: Villanova is off to a strong start with a showdown against Central Florida looming. Here are three strengths heading into that contest.
Trivia time answer
We asked you: Who was the last Eagles coach to win the Associated Press NFL coach of the year award?
Answer: C: Andy Reid. He won the award in 2002. Stephen T. was first with the correct answer.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from David Murphy, EJ Smith, Josh Tolentino, Scott Lauber, Alex Coffey, Gustav Elvin, Jonathan Tannenwald, Isabella DiAmore, Maria McIlwain, and Matt Ryan.