Swift retribution | Sports Daily Newsletter

Welcome home, D’Andre Swift. The former St. Joseph’s Prep star returned to his hometown when the Eagles signed him in the offseason. Last night marked his first regular-season home game with the Birds, and he gave everyone at Lincoln Financial Field something to remember.

Just when the Minnesota Vikings thought they had a chance to pull off a late comeback win, Swift broke off a 43-yard run, then capped it with a touchdown tote a few plays later for a 13-point lead. On a night when the Eagles’ running game ruled, Swift finished with 175 yards on 28 carries in a 34-28 victory.

The opportunistic Birds defense gobbled up four Vikings fumbles as the Eagles improved to 2-0. For good measure, Jake Elliott dropped in a 61-yard field goal. Oh, and DeVonta Smith racked up 131 yards on four catches, including a 63-yard beauty of a touchdown.

The Eagles’ offense struggled early on, though, and fans at the Linc booed a few decisions by new offensive coordinator Brian Johnson. He turned things around by relying on the team’s greatest strength, an awesome offensive line. Simply put, Marcus Hayes writes, Johnson learned to run the damn ball.

Jeff McLane graded the Eagles after their latest win. Running backs are at the head of the class and Jalen Hurts is not.

Just like in the opener, the Eagles gave their fans some anxious moments down the stretch but prevailed. They’ve been ragged, and they’ve been ugly, and they’re still unbeaten, Mike Sielski writes. They’ll take it.

Comedian Kevin Hart made an appearance at the Linc on behalf of DraftKings. He talked about being a “little-guy” fanatic, following Duce Staley as a child, and much more.

— Jim Swan, Inquirer Sports Staff, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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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 2 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.

There’s a rapidly developing parallel between Aaron Nola and the 2009 season for another top homegrown pitcher, Cole Hamels. When Nola goes to the mound Friday night in St. Louis for his 30th start of the season, he will bring a 4.64 ERA, nearly a run higher than his 3.74 career mark. And his problems have grown familiar.

Next: The Phillies open a three-game series in St. Louis at 8:15 p.m. Friday (Apple TV+). Nola (12-9, 4.64) will start against Cardinals left-hander Zack Thompson (5-5, 4.06).

Thursday brought the first day of rookie camp and all anybody wanted to talk about was how good Tyson Foerster looked.

The 21-year-old winger, who spent most of last season in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, looked noticeably bigger, and, as Phantoms coach Ian Laperrière described it, had the “swagger” of someone who knows bigger things are ahead. Those bigger things start next week as Foerster will go to Flyers training camp looking to earn a spot on the NHL opening-night roster for the first time.

Laperrière, for one, seems convinced he’s going to do it.

The Flyers also righted a long-term wrong on Thursday by announcing that they will be inducting longtime winger Mark Recchi into the team’s Hall of Fame. The 55-year-old Recchi, who holds the team’s single-season points record with 123, will be inducted on Jan. 27.

Next: The Flyers rookies will play the New York Rangers’ rookies at the PPL Center in Allentown on Friday night (7:05, no TV).

For all the progress and improvements MLS has made in recent years, it remains a selling league, especially when teams from Europe’s top leagues come to the negotiating table.

That is why the Union’s decision to turn down multiple bids for star forward Julián Carranza this summer, including a Union club-record offer from Greek side Olympiakos, was such a breath of fresh air. In holding firm and retaining Carranza, Union sporting director Ernst Tanner made a clear statement to his team and the rest of MLS that the Union are all-in on winning the MLS Cup.

Was it the right decision? We had Jonathan Tannenwald make sense of the Carranza transfer ordeal and why the Union decided to zig when many would have zagged.

Next: The Union host first-place FC Cincinnati at Subaru Park on Saturday night (7:30, Apple TV).

We asked you: Are you in favor of Thursday night NFL games? Why or why not? Among your responses:

I am not in favor of Thursday night games. This is a very violent sport and the players need to rest their bodies after a Sunday game. And it doesn’t give the coaching staff enough time to prepare a game plan and practice it in 3 days. I’m sure the players would like to see the Thursday night games be eliminated, but I don’t think that is going to happen. They could bring it up when the current CBA expires, but there is too much money involved with the TV contract for the owners to give that up. — Skip B.

I am very much against the Thursday night games. In the NFL as in all our professional sports today, it is all about the money. I think it is insane to require players who just played a game 4 days ago to play again. It is a ridiculous scheduling that can facilitate injuries and be especially hard on the older players. If to keep the cash flowing in they really need Thursday night games, then they should be played only by the teams just coming off a bye week. — Everett S.

Thursday games should not be played if a team has already played Sunday. Football is a rough sport and by scheduling two games in a week you are taxing their bodies in every way. The NFL needs to prioritize players’ health over making money. — Kathy T.

No, I am not in favor of them! There’s just no way that an NFL player can fully physically recover from a Sunday game and be ready to play again on Thursday. It’s ridiculous, but we all know why they do it! $$$$$$$$. — Bill R.

Thursday nite football is a complete and utter disaster. Not only is it detrimental to the players’ health and well being, it is hard on the entire staff of the teams playing. It is awful for the fans: if you are younger, you likely have to go to work the next day; if you are older, like me, and a season-ticket holder, getting home near 1 a.m. is horrible on our bodies and biorhythms. In addition, it dilutes the “specialness” of Monday nite football, which at one time was the only nite game in town, and we all watched and waited. And now, if your team is not playing, you have to subscribe to Amazon Prime to watch. It needs to be eliminated! — Myra R.

Thursday night football is ridiculous. Bad for the players and players’ health. The only one organization it’s good for is the NFL, who makes zillions in TV revenue, and have even put it on Amazon Prime ... more money ... so out-of-market viewers can’t even watch it. How much money do these owners and the NFL need? — Bill M.

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We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Olivia Reiner, Marcus Hayes, Mike Sielski, Jeff McLane, Scott Lauber, Giana Han, Jeff Neiburg, Jonathan Tannenwald, Gina Mizell, Aaron Carter, Kerith Gabriel, and Seth Engle.