Giant question | Sports Daily Newsletter

Familiarity breeds contempt, but for the Eagles players who found out that the New York Giants upset the Minnesota Vikings, their comfortable victories over the Giants this season probably led to mostly delight at the news.

After all, with quarterback Jalen Hurts still on the mend from his shoulder injury, why wouldn’t the Eagles welcome an opponent that many would classify as the easiest possible of the playoff options?

However, the past isn’t always a prologue to the future in terms of performances. Teams can turn things around and the playoffs certainly provide an incentive for any team to produce a surprising performance. Until they meet, it remains an open question as to whether the Eagles will again dominate the Giants.

The Inquirer’s David Murphy has thoughts on the topic.

— Andrea Canales, Inquirer Sports Staff, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

❓What is your score prediction for the Eagles versus the Giants? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

The last Eagles quarterback to throw a pass in a home playoff game is Josh McCown. He came on in relief of Carson Wentz and suffered a torn hamstring in that loss to the Seahawks. During his time on the Eagles practice squad the following season, McCown got to see second-round draft pick Jalen Hurts put in work. And based on what he saw, McCown could see how Hurts would have risen to become what appears to be the team’s franchise quarterback.

The Eagles have spent the season watching their weight, and among roughly a dozen players polled on the process of staying within a specific weight range, the consensus is it comes easier to some players than others.

After two straight underwhelming seasons, Travis Konecny has bounced back in a big way in 2023. The winger leads the Flyers with 24 goals and 46 points and is on pace for a career-high 50 goals and 94 points.

His secret? Giana Han has the inside story on the offseason analytics project behind Konecny’s offensive explosion.

Next: The 18-18-7 Flyers are back in action this afternoon against the first-place Boston Bruins (1 p.m., NBCSP).

P.J. Tucker is trying to figure it out, too. He’s missing corner threes and sitting on the bench in clutch time and trying to pick up the pieces.

While this summer’s biggest 76ers acquisition has played hard on the defensive end, he’s struggled to produce on offense and is still recovering from offseason surgery and a shoulder injury. Tucker admitted that his first half of the 2022-23 season was “not as good as I wanted it to be.”

In their latest test, despite a record-setting game by LeBron James, the Sixers prevailed against the Lakers.

Next: The Sixers continue a five-game trip to the West Coast with a 10 p.m. Tuesday game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Preston Mattingly knew what he and the Phillies have in pitching prospect Andrew Painter, but he found out he wasn’t alone across baseball. A poll of general managers, farm directors, scouting directors and analysts specialists voted Painter the No. 1 pitching prospect in baseball. That’s what a 1.56 ERA and 155 strikeouts in 103⅔ innings at age 19 will do. Now the focus is on getting Painter, who will be in the mix to crack the starting rotation, through his first full big-league season.

Among the international signings made by the Phillies on Sunday include a teenage switch-hitter who one scout says is the best defensive shortstop prospect he’s ever seen.

So you’re saying there’s a chance for the Copa America tournament to come to the United States again? Jonathan Tannenwald put the question to U.S. Soccer leaders.

Also, Paxten Aaronson is no longer a member of the Union, but he’s still contributing, as his performances in Germany can help his former club earn more money.

Bad blood: The enemy of my enemy is — also my enemy — which is probably what some Eagles fans are thinking about Monday’s night game, according to Mike Sielski.

Tough loss: Temple players are usually pretty stoic, but there’s something about a buzzer-beater defeat that is especially deflating.

Ties that bind: Even Eagles fans who hate teal were probably watching and rooting for Doug Pederson on Saturday night, and if so, they were rewarded with an amazing game.

In 2001, Dajuan Wagner scored 100 points for Camden in a 157-67 win over Camden County Tech, adding to the lore of his high school career.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Jonathan Tannenwald, Marc Narducci, Mike Sielski, Marcus Hayes, Cayden Steele, Alex Coffey, Giana Han, Keith Pompey, Gina Mizell, EJ Smith, Josh Tolentino, David Murphy and Matt Breen.