Smiles from Miles | Sports Daily Newsletter
The Eagles’ Sanders has 1,000 yards in his sights.
Much of the focus on Sunday will be on Derrick Henry, a two-time Pro Bowl running back for the Tennessee Titans who certainly is worthy of attention. Henry has rushed for 1,048 yards and 10 touchdowns already this season. Not too shabby.
But let’s not overlook Miles Sanders, who is in the midst of his best season with the Eagles. Sanders has run for 900 yards and eight touchdowns, but his most impressive stat might be this one: zero fumbles. Hanging onto the ball had been a problem in the past for Sanders, who is in the last year of his contract (and looking to get paid).
“It’s been a long time coming, man,” Sanders said. “It’s my fourth year in the league, and it’ll be my first time getting 1,000 yards. It’ll mean a lot. I’ve just got to get there first. I’m only 100 yards away, but I’ve got to get there first.”
This game could be a good test for the Eagles’ vaunted running attack. The Titans’ run defense ranks third in the league with just 84.5 rushing yards allowed per game.
— Jim Swan, Inquirer Sports Staff, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.
Why in the name of Mel Kiper Jr. are we thinking about the NFL draft? Because the Eagles will have the New Orleans Saints’ top pick, which would be at No. 6 based on their shoddy record at the moment.
The Eagles will have their own first-round pick, of course, and it turns out that the 2023 draft class’ strengths suit them well. One of the deepest positions in this class happens to be at edge rusher, a position the Eagles value. EJ Smith explores the draft possibilities.
Next: The Eagles host the Titans at 1 p.m. Sunday (Fox29).
Inquirer Eagles beat reporters EJ Smith and Josh Tolentino preview the team’s Week 13 game against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. Watch at Inquirer.com/EaglesGameday
James Harden is expected to finally make his return from a strained right foot tendon, rejoining the 76ers just in time for their Monday night game against the Houston Rockets.
Harden, who played in Houston for eight seasons, will be welcomed with open arms, Joel Embiid said. The Sixers star said he doesn’t expect any issues reintegrating Harden, who has missed 14 consecutive games, even though they have produced mixed results as a pairing this season.
“We need a lot of help,” Harden said. “You know, he’s one of our best players. And he’s so ... good.”
Doc Rivers created a stir after a loss to Cleveland on Wednesday when he said, “It was a schedule loss. That’s how I felt.” But the Sixers coach was simply speaking honestly about an itinerary that made the game virtually unwinnable, Marcus Hayes writes.
Next: The Sixers visit the Grizzlies on Friday at 8 p.m. (NBCSP).
Chuck Fletcher spoke publicly for the first time in a while on Thursday at the Flyers Training Center. The Flyers GM provided a handful of injury updates and also addressed the team’s recent struggles and long-term plans.
Giana Han was in Voorhees and sums up what Fletcher had to say about John Tortorella, the team’s progress, and the future.
Win one, lose one. As soon as the Flyers broke their latest losing streak, they started another one.
Next: The Flyers host the red-hot New Jersey Devils on Saturday at 7 p.m. (NBCSP).
Once upon a time, arguably the biggest current star of the USMNT was more of a little squirt running around on Pennsylvania’s soccer fields. But even then, Christian Pulisic had something special.
Now, what he’s got is a dream of how far in the World Cup the United States can go and a band of brothers dedicated to helping that come true.
Also, The Inquirer’s health writers have undertaken the task of explaining just what is a pelvic contusion. They’ve also spoken to sports medicine experts who work with athletes to give a best guess as to Pulisic’s return to the field.
As talented and driven as the USMNT players are and have been at the World Cup, Jonathan Tannenwald foresees the end of the road.
But there are also other teams in action today, including Joel Embiid and Olivier Mbaizo’s Cameroon.
Next: Keep up on all our World Cup coverage!
Worth a look
Moving on: Former Phillies right-hander Zach Eflin has agreed to a three-year, $40 million deal with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Top Dawg: Former Imhotep star Tykee Smith is a mainstay in the Georgia secondary as the top-ranked Bulldogs seek to wrap up a College Football Playoff berth.
What you’re saying about the Big 5
We asked you: Do you think the Big 5 rivalries have lost some of their intensity? What can be done to remedy that? Among your responses:
In the Palestra heyday, there were very few college games on TV. Basketball was watched and savored in person. Yo-Yo and the Bob Hope ice cream look-alike guy roamed the arena. We knew many of the players from their high school teams. They grew up in our neighborhoods. We were tribal. You could only be a fan of one team. La Salle, St. Joseph’s and Villanova were Catholic League guys. Temple had Public League guys. Penn had less identity. That world is gone. — Robert M.
I graduated from St. Joe’s in 1969. I was a four-year member of the Booster Club, the closest thing we had to a fraternity. The demise began with Villanova’s rise to national status. I think they went arms-length from the rest of the teams. When my daughter visited the campus as a prospective student, the student tour hosts had no sense of the intense rivalry those two schools had nurtured over decades. My school de-emphasized sports a bit in the interest of “academic relevancy.” Philly is a pre-eminent sports town exemplified by the Big Five, but once, Nova went high-end, the air slowly leaked out of the balloon. — Frank P.
A “rivalry” game starts with the students. You can’t create students from St. Joe’s walking from Hawk Hill to Palestra banging a drum and singing fight songs. The " Big Five” era (’60s to mid-’70s) cannot be duplicated. A full house at the Palestra with ten thousand screaming students from city schools with all the traditions (streamers onto court, roll-out signs, drums pounding, etc.) can never be duplicated. Enjoy the memories, Philly. — John S.
In the distant past, at least two of the Big 5 teams were nationally ranked. In the present times only Villanova fits that bill. Sad but true. — Joseph R.
Top teams have top coaches that build an identity and establish a standard of winning that the players are proud of. The Big Five identity is in the past — “how great it was.” It’s time to look at the new Big 5 going forward.
The New Philadelphia going forward is leading the way, easy to follow. Phillies, Eagles, Union, Villanova maybe the Sixers too, do what it takes to be the best!
Or fade away … into the past. — John H.
I watched the games on TV and the first thing in noticed in the La Salle-Temple game was how empty the Palestra was. I’m a ‘Nova fan, and I know people blame Villanova and Rollie Massimino for the demise of the Big 5. I think the bigger issue is when the schools joined conferences. These games have not mattered as much since probably the 1980s if not earlier. There used to be a big buildup to the Big 5 games. Now it’s more about conference games and which games will be on ESPN ‚CBS or Fox. This doubleheader on a Wednesday night at 6 (bad time for work and traffic) and 8:30 (late) for tip and terrible weather did not help. Also, all Big 5 teams are currently under .500. One possible idea, Big 5 doubleheader games should be on Saturday at the Palestra. It may have been a great tradition, but Wednesday made me think interest is low, and sadly maybe its time has passed. — Chris N.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Scott Lauber, Marcus Hayes, EJ Smith, Josh Tolentino, Keith Pompey, Olivia Reiner, Giana Han, Devin Jackson, Meg Swanick, Matt Breen, and Jonathan Tannenwald, and Abraham Gutman.