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  • Eagles still favorites for ‘Monday Night Football’ vs. Chargers; plus, Week 14 odds for Jalen Hurts, more

    Eagles still favorites for ‘Monday Night Football’ vs. Chargers; plus, Week 14 odds for Jalen Hurts, more

    Following consecutive losses, the Eagles will travel to Los Angeles to take on the Chargers on Monday night. The matchup will mark Philadelphia’s fourth nationally broadcast game over its last five. Both teams sit at 8-4.

    Although the Eagles defense still ranks in the top 10 in points allowed, Vic Fangio’s unit will be looking to get back on track on Monday Night Football. Two weeks ago, Philadelphia allowed the Cowboys to score 24 unanswered points, en route to the Birds’ biggest blown lead since 1999. And on Black Friday against the Bears, the Eagles allowed 281 rushing yards, the ninth-most total they’ve allowed in team history.

    While Los Angeles has won four of its last five games, the win-loss record doesn’t tell the whole story. None of the Chargers’ recent wins have come against teams with winning records, and two of them were against the Las Vegas Raiders (2-10) and Tennessee Titans (1-11). Additionally, quarterback Justin Herbert recently underwent surgery for a hand injury he suffered during last week’s game, though he is likely to suit up on Monday.

    Eagles star defensive tackle Jalen Carter out Monday vs. Chargers after shoulder procedure

    Here’s a look at the updated player props and game lines for the Eagles’ Week 14 matchup against the Chargers …

    Eagles vs. Chargers odds

    The Eagles opened as 3-point favorites, and the lines have only slightly shifted since, even with encouraging news regarding Herbert’s injury status and with Jalen Carter missing Monday’s game for Philly.

    FanDuel

    • Spread: Chargers +2.5 (-102); Eagles -2.5 (-120)
    • Moneyline: Chargers (+130); Eagles (-154)
    • Total: Over 41.5 (-105); Under 41.5 (-115)

    DraftKings

    • Spread: Chargers +3 (-115); Eagles 3 (-105)
    • Moneyline: Chargers (+130); Eagles (-155)
    • Total: Over 40.5 (-115; Under 40.5 (-105)
    Numbers and trends that could impact Monday’s Eagles-Chargers game in Los Angeles
    Jalen Hurts has thrown for 519 combined yards over his last two games, but the Eagles have lost both.

    Passing yard props

    Jalen Hurts has thrown for 230 and 289 yards, respectively, in the Eagles’ last two games but did not reach 200 in the three games prior. Season-long, Hurts ranks 16th in the NFL in passing yards per game (209.5 yards).

    Herbert ranks eighth in passing yards. The former Pro-Bowler managed just 151 passing yards last week, in a game where Los Angeles’s ground attack led the way. And against Jacksonville a week earlier, Herbert threw for a career-low 81 passing yards, with none in the second half. Since Herbert’s status has not been confirmed for Monday, DraftKings has not posted odds for the sixth-year quarterback.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 14 vs. the Chargers

    Passing touchdowns

    Hurts and Herbert have both thrown for three touchdowns in their teams’ last three games, with two of the scores occurring last week. Season long, Hurts has thrown for 19 touchdowns, while Herbert has thrown for 21.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

    Running back Saquon Barkley hasn’t found the end zone since the Eagles’ Oct. 26 win over the Giants.

    Rushing yards

    Saquon Barkley has reached 70 rushing yards in just one of his last four games and is at just under 62 rushing yards per game this season, less than half the 125 yards the Penn State alum averaged last season. While his stats have declined, Barkley has continued to get the lion’s share of Eagles rushing attempts. The three-time Pro-Bowler has 198 carries; next up is Tank Bigsby with only 18. Barkley was notably the only back to receive carries against Chicago last week.

    Los Angeles’s running back situation is a bit more of a mystery. The Chargers’ primary running back, Omarion Hampton, has been sidelined since Week 5. Kimani Vidal has filled in as the team’s main back and registered his third 100-yard game of the season last week. But Hampton has a chance to return off injured reserve this week, muddying the waters for active prop bettors.

    As a result, FanDuel has not yet opened markets for rushing props, while DraftKings has only opened ones for Barkley and Hurts.

    DraftKings

    Jason Kelce’s belly bucking competition, concerns with Eagles offense, and more from latest ‘New Heights’

    Receiving yards

    A.J. Brown has come alive over the past two weeks. The 28-year-old receiver is averaging 121 yards and has caught three touchdowns in that span. DeVonta Smith averaged just under 70 yards per game against Dallas and Chicago across 11 combined receptions.

    The Chargers’ passing game has been more spread out. Ladd McConkey, Keenan Allen, Oronde Gadsden II, and Quentin Johnston have all recorded between 500 and 700 receiving yards this season. However, Los Angeles’s aerial offense has been extremely quiet the past two games, with only 278 total passing yards.

    Due to Hampton’s unknown status for Monday, FanDuel has yet to post receiving props.

    DraftKings

    Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown has three touchdowns in the last two games.

    Touchdown scorers

    Across the last three games, the Eagles have had two touchdown scorers: Hurts and Brown. All of Philadelphia’s other offensive weapons have not seen the end zone in nearly a month. Smith last scored against the Packers on Nov. 10, while Barkley and Goedert last saw the end zone on October 26th.

    The Chargers, meanwhile, had four touchdown scorers in their last game alone. Herbert found both McConkey and Johnston in the end zone Sunday, while Vidal and Jaret Patterson both had rushing scores. If Hampton is to return on Monday, both other running backs’ opportunities would likely decline. Hampton scored in two of his five games this season.

    FanDuel

    Marcus Epps’ return, Jalen Carter’s injury could be factors for Vic Fangio’s defense vs. Chargers

    DraftKings

  • With Jalen Carter out, the Eagles’ defense faces an ‘accountability’ test at a critical juncture

    With Jalen Carter out, the Eagles’ defense faces an ‘accountability’ test at a critical juncture

    Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter will miss Monday’s game in Los Angeles and be considered week to week after undergoing a procedure on both of his shoulders, a source confirmed to The Inquirer on Thursday.

    ESPN was first to report the news on Carter, who has been dealing with a shoulder injury since the beginning of training camp. It has bothered him at times during a season that has featured a slight decline in production.

    “He does have a shoulder issue,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Wednesday. “He has been playing with it.”

    Marcus Epps’ return, Jalen Carter’s injury could be factors for Vic Fangio’s defense vs. Chargers

    The Eagles were dominated by the Chicago Bears’ rushing attack Friday, and Carter was ineffective at times. He was removed from the field on some first- and second-down plays.

    “There was some runs out there I got drove back or I wasn’t making an effect on the play,” he said.

    “It’s my problems to deal with. I ain’t fitting to tell y’all what I’m going through.”

    Apparently the shoulder injury reached a breaking point.

    Jalen Carter has been dealing with a shoulder injury since training camp.

    In October, Carter described the injury as “a little serious, but I’m working through it, fighting through it.” That came after a game at Tampa Bay in which he was forced to the sidelines for some defensive snaps because of the injury.

    “Everybody has injuries, depending on if it’s small or if it’s big, but when the right time comes, if I need to stop and take a little break to work more on my shoulder, that time is going to come,” Carter said.

    Two months later, his words were proven true.

    “It’s always hard when you don’t feel 100% or not healthy,” defensive tackle Moro Ojomo said. “I think that it’s most important to get your body right. This is a sport that wears and tears on you, so that was kind of the whole idea.”

    It does not appear that Carter is heading toward a stint on injured reserve, which would force him to miss at least four games. The Eagles play the Chargers on the road Monday before returning home for a game vs. the Las Vegas Raiders on Dec. 14. The Eagles’ priority probably will be getting Carter as healthy as possible before the postseason begins, but they’re still trying to clinch a trip to the playoffs.

    “I think he should get right and get his body feeling as good as possible, and we’re going to be ready when he gets back,” Ojomo said.

    Carter had a breakout 2024 season and emerged as one of the better interior defensive linemen in the NFL. He was selected to his first Pro Bowl and was named second-team All-Pro.

    Fangio was critical of the shape Carter was in earlier this season, but Carter had worked his way back to a large workload after playing more snaps last season than any other interior defensive lineman. Carter has missed two games this season. He was ejected before the first snap of the Eagles’ Week 1 game vs. Dallas after spitting at Dak Prescott, and he missed a Week 6 loss to the New York Giants with a heel injury.

    While his pressure rate has dropped (8.9% to 7.8%, according to Next Gen Stats) and he has at times not been as effective against the run, Carter’s presence is still a key factor for the Eagles. They are a much better defense with him on the field than with him off.

    With Carter out, expect to see rookie defensive tackle Ty Robinson, who has at times been a healthy scratch, in the rotation for depth. Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, and Byron Young likely will see an uptick in snaps. The Eagles could also use Brandon Graham on the interior, especially on obvious passing downs.

    Ojomo, who is playing nearly 65% of the snaps on defense, said he was expecting to see more time on the field with Carter out. Since Carter likes to line up on the left side of the ball, Ojomo said there are “little nuances” and different things to study to prepare for a bit of a change.

    The Eagles entered the 2025 season with limited depth on the interior after losing Milton Williams to free agency. They drafted Robinson to backfill, but he has played just 35 snaps. Gabe Hall made the initial 53-man roster after spending last season on the practice squad, but he has played 13 snaps and has spent most of the 2025 season back on the practice squad.

    The Eagles also in August traded Thomas Booker, who could have been a rotational piece, to the Raiders for cornerback Jakorian Bennett, who has been used sparingly and also missed time because of an injury.

    The depth will be tested greatly with Carter out. Davis and Ojomo have made improvements, but Young hasn’t been consistently effective when he’s on the field.

    The Bears racked up 281 rushing yards on the Eagles last Friday. That happened partially because of Carter’s weakened shoulder, but there were other factors. Ojomo said the mistakes were seen on film.

    “As a defense, we just have to have accountability,” he said. “Everybody look themselves in the mirror and realize, ‘OK, we have to be more accountable. I’m not going to mess up here, take this chance here,’ and get back to the defense we know we can play.”

    That won’t be as simple without Carter, and it comes at a critical juncture in the Eagles’ season.

  • Paul Staico, owner of South Philly bar dedicated to Kansas City Chiefs, dies at 59

    Paul Staico, owner of South Philly bar dedicated to Kansas City Chiefs, dies at 59

    He became the bar’s owner before he could legally drink, taking it over at 16 years old when his dad died. The two-room corner bar with wood paneling and a jukebox soon became the place to watch the Kansas City Chiefs, a South Philadelphia haven to watch a Midwestern football team just a few blocks from where the Eagles play.

    But many of the people who packed Big Charlie’s Saloon every Sunday had a secret: They weren’t really all that crazy about the Chiefs.

    “I get heat for being a Chiefs fan,” said city councilman Jimmy Harrity, who does not miss a game at 11th and McKean Streets. “But I wasn’t a Chiefs fan. I’m a Paul Staico fan. If I could name three players, that’s a lot. I was there cheering for him. Some are there to watch the game. But for the most part, they were there for Paul.”

    At Big Charlie’s Saloon, the Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl is a matchup ‘we never really wanted’

    Mr. Staico died suddenly Sunday morning, a few days after his bar stayed open on Thanksgiving night because the Chiefs were playing. He was 59.

    “It was sudden,” Harrity said. “Nobody saw it coming. He had no problems. No issues. The bar did well. I was with him the day before. I knew he wasn’t right, a little depressed. But I didn’t think it was like this. It was shocking to everyone. It’s so tragic. He didn’t deserve to go out like that. He protected people. He didn’t let bad eggs around.”

    Mr. Staico was born on March 10, 1966. He attended Bishop Neumann High School, boxed as a teenager, and stayed in shape as a bodybuilder. He looked like a linebacker but was as gentle as a kicker.

    Kansas City Chiefs fans, including Big Charlie’s Saloon owner Paul Staico (far right) celebrate their teams Super Bowl win at the bar in 2024.

    He became a Chiefs fan as a boy when his dad — Big Charlie — hit on a bet in 1970 for the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl. Big Charlie told his boy he would buy him a bike if the team in red won. The Chiefs won, giving Big Charlie’s boy a new ride and a new favorite team.

    The Chiefs fell off after that championship, but Mr. Staico remained loyal to his team. The South Philly Chiefs fan bought a satellite dish in 1986 to air games at Big Charlie’s, slowly converting his friends from the neighborhood like Anthony Mazzone to cheer for the red and gold instead of the Birds.

    The bar was dubbed “Arrowhead East” as Mr. Staico covered the walls in Chiefs memorabilia, turning the corner bar into a shrine for the team that helped him land that bike.

    Mr. Staico’s bar was packed shoulder-to-shoulder for big games (a back room is invite-only) and even shut down 11th Street a few times to watch the Chiefs outdoors on a projector screen.

    At Big Charlie’s Saloon, South Philly’s mecca of Kansas City Chiefs fandom, Super Bowl dreams live on

    He paid a guy from the neighborhood to sweep the sidewalk every day and offered wisdom to anyone who sat at his bar.

    “We make people feel at home,” Mr. Staico said in an NFL Films feature about the bar. “It’s not like it’s just our thing. Everyone is invited.”

    Harrity moved into the neighborhood when he was 18, living in an apartment on Emily Street. He was an outsider — an Irish kid from Southwest Philly dating an Italian girl in deep South Philly — but Mr. Staico made him feel welcome. Harrity would walk his dog past Big Charlie’s and talk to Mr. Staico outside.

    “I didn’t drink. I was sober,” Harrity said. “The reason they have water in there is because I didn’t drink. He bought spring water so I’d have something to drink when I went in to watch the games. That’s the kind of guy he was. If you met him once, you were his best friend.”

    A memorial appeared on the front step of Big Charlie’s Saloon, located at 1953 S. 11th St. in Philadelphia.

    The guys at Big Charlie’s root for the other Philly teams but not the Birds. They have Chiefs tattoos, Chiefs jerseys, and raised their children to be Chiefs fans.

    Charlie Staico’s winning bet spawned a generation of Chiefs fans. The allure of Big Charlie’s continued to grow, almost like a quirky roadside attraction. Is there really a spot in Eagles country devoted to a team from 1,100 miles away?

    NFL Films stopped by occasionally, TV news trucks pulled up whenever the Chiefs were gearing up for a Super Bowl run, and even some Chiefs players and coaches sat at the bar. The regulars made pilgrimages to Arrowhead Stadium and wore Big Charlie’s sweatshirts with pride. Mr. Staico’s South Philly bar was known as a place to watch the Chiefs, but the brick building was more than that to the people who filled it.

    Photos of Paul Staico are part of a memorial for the late owner of Big Charlie’s Saloon.

    “It started out with 10 of us in the back bar crying every game because the Chiefs stunk,” Harrity said. “Then it grew to 300, 400 people for the first game every year. That’s not because of the Chiefs. That’s because of Paul. He made you feel at home. He made you feel like part of the family. One time in there, and that was it. The kind of place where you walked in there, threw $20 down on the bar, bought a round, and didn’t pay for another drink all day. It was just a friendly place.”

    Mr. Staico is survived by his longtime girlfriend, Gloria Quinone; his sister, Linda Staico; and brother-in-law, Mark Mancini. A funeral service is planned for 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Epiphany of Our Lord Church at 11th and Jackson Streets.

  • Jordan Mailata named Eagles’ 2025 Walter Payton Man of the Year

    Jordan Mailata named Eagles’ 2025 Walter Payton Man of the Year

    Left tackle Jordan Mailata is the Eagles’ 2025 Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, the team announced Thursday.

    The award recognizes players who excel on the field and make an impact off it. Mailata is one of 32 nominees (one from each team). The winner will be announced during the NFL Honors ceremony on Feb. 5 during Super Bowl week in the San Francisco area.

    Since the award was established in 1970, three Eagles have won it: Harold Carmichael in 1980, Troy Vincent in 2002, and Chris Long in 2018.

    “Jordan Mailata’s recognition as a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year club winner is truly well deserved and speaks to his profound impact, both on and off the field,” Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said in a news release. “One of the highest honors bestowed upon players in the National Football League, this award celebrates those who proudly represent their teams with class and dignity — all in the name of the great Walter Payton. We congratulate Jordan and thank him for always being a person of high character who leads with kindness, compassion, and integrity.”

    The team also revealed how it informed Mailata of the honor earlier this week:

    Mailata is a converted rugby player from Australia who was a seventh-round pick by the Eagles in 2018 and has developed into a reliable long-term starter at left tackle. Besides his run of success on the field, Mailata, a second-team All-Pro selection in 2024, has been involved in multiple charitable endeavors. Mailata and his wife, Niki, were honored at the Philadelphia Children’s Alliance’s Bear Affair this year for their ongoing support.

    Mailata also supports the American Association for Cancer Research and has been involved in the Eagles Autism Foundation. Additionally, his “Jeff Stoutland University” vignette on Sunday Night Football that went viral in 2022 inspired the creation of an apparel line that has raised more than $200,000 for the foundation.

    Mailata also lent his singing chops to Christmas albums with Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson that have raised more than $10 million for local charities. Last year, the trio organized Operation Snowball, a project aimed at providing a gift to every student in the Philadelphia public school system thanks to funds raised by the singing group’s third album.

    The charitable beneficiary of each team’s WPMOY nominee will receive $40,000, and the nonprofit chosen by the national winner will receive $250,000. All donations are courtesy of the NFL Foundation and the Nationwide Foundation.

    Mailata will wear a Man of the Year decal on his helmet for the rest of the season.

  • Chargers preparing as if QB Justin Herbert will play vs. Eagles

    Chargers preparing as if QB Justin Herbert will play vs. Eagles

    EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert did not practice Wednesday, two days after undergoing surgery to repair a broken bone in his nonthrowing hand.

    Coach Jim Harbaugh said the Chargers (8-4) are preparing as if Herbert will start against the Eagles on Monday, though he repeatedly stressed a formal determination on Herbert’s status would be made later in the week.

    “Not gonna practice, but he hasn’t missed a beat,” Harbaugh said. “Already back today in meetings and out on the field for walk-through.”

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 14 vs. the Chargers

    Herbert said he had a plate and screws placed in his left hand Monday afternoon. He kept his hand out of sight in the pocket of his sweatshirt during a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

    “The doctors were happy with how they performed, so I guess that’s always a good thing,” Herbert said. “It’s just the next couple days of seeing how the swelling handles and what goes on from there.”

    Herbert, who was injured in the first quarter of a 31-14 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, is treating this week as if he will play. He has only missed four games because of injury in six seasons with the Chargers, having been sidelined for the last four games in 2023 because of a broken finger on his right hand.

    “It’s obviously a situation where you’ll see how it goes throughout the week, and you’d love as much time as possible,” Herbert said. “I think having an extra day doesn’t hurt, so see how it goes and adjust from there, I guess.”

    Backup Trey Lance worked with the starting offense in practice. Harbaugh had previously said Lance, who was drafted third overall by the San Francisco 49ers in 2021, would see additional snaps in case he needed to play in situations where the Chargers might need to operate from under center, such as at the goal line or in short yardage.

    “Better to be prepared and not have your opportunity come than have your opportunity come and not be prepared,” Harbaugh said.

    The Chargers played exclusively out of the shotgun and pistol for the final three quarters after Herbert returned to the game with his hand in a hard cast and wearing a glove for additional protection.

    Numbers and trends that could impact Monday’s Eagles-Chargers game in Los Angeles

    “We’ll be preparing the same exact game plan for both quarterbacks,” Harbaugh said.

    Herbert does expect to be able to try taking snaps from under center later this week. Herbert also believes he would be able to start even if he cannot practice, while admitting it would not be an ideal situation.

    “It’s definitely difficult in this league, but if that’s the case and Coach (Harbaugh) feels like I’ll give the best shot for the team, you know that I trust his decision,” Herbert said.

  • Numbers and trends that could impact Monday’s Eagles-Chargers game in Los Angeles

    Numbers and trends that could impact Monday’s Eagles-Chargers game in Los Angeles

    The Eagles are off to the Los Angeles area for the third consecutive season, although this time they’ll face the Chargers and not the Rams at SoFi Stadium, a building they could have to travel to again in the playoffs if they want to reach another Super Bowl.

    The 8-4 Eagles have lost their last two games, while the 8-4 Chargers have won four of five.

    Here are some key numbers and trends from the Chargers that could play into Monday’s result in California:

    281

    Eagles fans probably don’t need a reminder, but it’s worth repeating just how badly the Eagles were beaten up by Chicago’s running game Friday to the tune of 281 yards.

    Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said he “didn’t do a good enough job of preparing our squad for the quality and the diversity of their run game” and that the defense needed to play better technique and needed to be coached better.

    Well, here comes a Chargers offense that just got 126 yards on 25 carries from Kimani Vidal in a 31-14 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 13. The Chargers limped into their bye week after a 35-6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but they emerged from the week off with a dominant running game that could give the Eagles fits if they don’t make fixes fast.

    Vidal, according to Next Gen Stats, forced a career-high 12 missed tackles. The Chargers chose to run away from Maxx Crosby’s side of the field and got 80 yards and a touchdown on nine carries outside the left tackle, according to Next Gen.

    Marcus Epps’ return, Jalen Carter’s injury could be factors for Vic Fangio’s defense vs. Chargers

    The Eagles should be prepared for the Chargers to try to attack whatever weakness they can find up front. Right now, that might mean running at Jalen Carter, who is dealing with a shoulder injury and got pushed around at times Friday.

    “They’ve rushed for 200 yards on two teams this year,” said Fangio, who added that Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman has “always done a good job running the ball schematically.”

    “They have a big tight end, big fullback, pretty big O-line, good backs. They run it very, very [well],” Fangio said.

    Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter has been slowed by double teams and a shoulder injury.

    26.9%

    The good news for the Eagles is that they could be either dealing with a limited Justin Herbert or could face backup quarterback Trey Lance.

    Herbert underwent surgery on his left hand Monday, and his status for the game remains unclear. Fangio said the Eagles will prepare for both quarterbacks and know that if Herbert goes, he’ll be playing a lot out of the shotgun and pistol sets rather than under center.

    Regardless of who plays, the Chargers did a much better job protecting Herbert last week. He faced a pressure rate of just 26.9%, according to Next Gen, his second-lowest rate of the season. Herbert, who has been dealing with a banged-up offensive line, entered Week 13 facing pressure on 42.7% of his dropbacks in 2025, the highest of any quarterback this year with 375 dropbacks.

    He completed 15 of 20 passes for 151 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

    The Raiders have one of the lowest pressure rates (26.9%) in the NFL. The Eagles pressure the quarterback at a 34.3% clip and should be able to find some more success getting after Herbert.

    An alternate history of 2023, and why the Eagles are preaching the right message

    36.8%

    The Eagles were torched by the Bears on third down last week. Chicago converted 10 of its 17 third downs. It’s an area in which the Eagles have struggled at times in 2025.

    Against the Chargers, they should at least know where to focus their attention most. No player on the Chargers gets targeted more on third down than Keenan Allen, who entered Week 13 with a 36.8% target share on third downs, according to Next Gen. Allen, who has had a resurgence in his return to the Chargers, entered Week 13 with a league-leading 22 receptions on 35 targets on third down, good for 259 yards and a touchdown. His 20 first downs on third down also led the NFL.

    It will be interesting to see how the Eagles defend the Chargers’ top two targets, Allen and Ladd McConkey, who both align inside and out. McConkey is in the slot 62.5% of the time, according to Pro Football Focus, while Allen is inside just 35.5% of the time. Expect Quinyon Mitchell to see a lot of Allen while McConkey will likely be matched up frequently with Cooper DeJean.

    The Eagles could have the advantage there, considering how elite Mitchell has been. Mitchell is first in the NFL in catch rate allowed (41.9%) and second in tight windows forced (40.5%).

    Stopping the run will be key because getting the Chargers into obvious passing situations likely will play into the Eagles’ hands.

  • Jason Kelce’s belly bucking competition, concerns with Eagles offense, and more from latest ‘New Heights’

    Jason Kelce’s belly bucking competition, concerns with Eagles offense, and more from latest ‘New Heights’

    For the second straight week, Jason Kelce went on his New Heights podcast to break down an Eagles loss — this time, to the Chicago Bears. Reacting to the offense’s struggles, Kelce is hopeful that right tackle Lane Johnson’s return and the Eagles’ continued use of motion will be the key to the team’s turnaround.

    Along with his brother and co-host Travis, Jason discussed his pregame tailgate at Lincoln Financial Field, and was joined by George Clooney to end the episode.

    Here’s what you may have missed …

    Jalen Hurts takes the blame, Nick Sirianni is ‘thankful for adversities,’ and more from the ‘Hard Knocks’ premiere

    At least one Eagle showed up

    Despite the lackluster product on the field, Kelce made his Black Friday tailgate one for the ages.

    Dubbed the belly bucking championship, Kelce hosted his first-of-its-kind tournament in which Eagles fans were pitted against each other in shirtless sumolike wrestling.

    “No Shirt Dom came out victorious,” Jason said. “We were kind of making up the rules as it went … I mean, go figure, a guy who is committed to not wearing a shirt wins the belly bucking competition.”

    Retired Eagles center Jason Kelce greets fans at an impromptu appearance at a pregame tailgate before an Eagles game last year.

    The winner wore a chain featuring a pendant depicting a crossed-out shirt, acting as a fitting celebration for the event. Kelce, not one to be undone, also went shirtless and entered the ring.

    “I’m not going to lie,” Jason said. “I did kind of make the belly bucking competition just so there was something that, at one point, I knew I would eventually get in some belly action.”

    “Me and No Shirt Dom … we decided to have a little friendly one,” Jason added. “That wasn’t really a bucking, that was an offensive linemen duck walking, getting the hips in there. … I don’t think Dom was ready for it.”

    Bad news Bears

    Travis opened up the show’s segment on the Birds by complimenting Chicago’s turnaround from their 5-12 record last year under new head coach Ben Johnson, who took his shirt off in the locker room to celebrate after the team’s Black Friday victory in Philly.

    Watching the carnage unfold, Jason reminisced on how Nick Sirianni brought similar vibes to the Eagles locker room.

    “Nick Sirianni has had that,” Jason said. “That’s what’s frustrating, I think right now the Eagles are trying to figure this thing out, they are trying to get this offense going, and playing the Bears … you can feel the energy and excitement that team has.”

    Confident in the team’s desire to get better, Jason believes the improvement of the offense hinges on Johnson’s return — despite the offense struggling even with Johnson on the field earlier this season.

    Former Eagles attend third annual ‘Team Dinner’ to support Connor Barwin and Chris Long’s foundations

    “Lane Johnson coming back will be huge,” Jason said. “Even though Fred has done well, especially in pass [protection]. I think the run game is close, I know it hasn’t manifested yet. It’s frustrating watching because you know it can be so much better. I think with the health that is starting to come, it will only improve.”

    The six-time All-Pro center was happy to see the Eagles’ improvements in the passing game — specifically moving wide receivers around the field more often as the team currently ranks in the bottom five in pre-snap motion in the NFL. Admitting he doesn’t know much about route trees and coverages, Jason let Travis take over to breakdown how movement can benefit an offense, with the Chiefs tight end being plenty familiar with motion under Andy Reid.

    “You watch the Chiefs play, you see me moving around all the time,” Travis said. “I move from one side of the line to the other side of the line, and what that does for the defense is it changes passing strength, it changes rules on how they’re going to pass off routes, it changes how they have to fill gaps.”

    “All of a sudden, you’re snapping the ball while they’re still trying to figure out how they need to adjust,” Travis continued. “If you use that to your advantage, [expletive] is only going to make things way easier as a route runner and as an offense.”

    Despite all the injuries, recent struggles, and added pressure applied through the recording of Hard Knocks, Jason is confident it will all come together by the end of the season.

    “More than ever, the NFL is wide open,” Kelce said. “We’re 8-4, we got time to figure this out.”

    George Clooney joined the Kelce brothers on the latest “New Heights” podcast.

    George Clooney was there?

    In an odd turn of events, famous actor Clooney joined the show — taking over the mic to choose sides between the two hosts.

    “Jason, I dig you man,” Clooney said. “You’re NFC, you’re a Hall of Famer, I can show some love for you. Travis, you broke me man. I’m a Bengals fan dude, I grew up in Cincinnati.”

    Taking 30 minutes to haze Travis, discuss his new movie Jay Kelly, and to talk ball — Clooney bonded with Jason before the end of the episode. Normal Batman shouting out fat Batman (Jason) wasn’t on my bingo card, but Clooney is a welcome addition to the team nonetheless.

  • Marcus Epps’ return, Jalen Carter’s injury could be factors for Vic Fangio’s defense vs. Chargers

    Marcus Epps’ return, Jalen Carter’s injury could be factors for Vic Fangio’s defense vs. Chargers

    Vic Fangio’s defense could feature a different starting safety on Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers.

    On Tuesday, the Eagles opened the 21-day practice window for Marcus Epps, who has been on injured reserve with an undisclosed ailment for the last month. Fangio answered affirmatively on Wednesday when asked if Epps would be ready to play on Monday and if he was in contention to start.

    “He’s an experienced safety,” Fangio said. “He’s got good instincts. Got [a] good feel for the game. We’ll have to get a feel and a barometer about where he’s at missing the last four, five weeks, whatever it was where he couldn’t practice, anyway.”

    Kevin Patullo on egging incident: ‘When it involves your family, it obviously crosses the line’

    Epps, 29, returned for a second stint with the Eagles when he signed to the practice squad in late August. Epps appeared in 59 games as an Eagle, including playoffs, from 2019-22. He had been elevated from the practice squad to the game day roster for the first three weeks of the 2025 season before he signed to the active roster in late September.

    Before going on injured reserve, Epps was the third safety behind Reed Blankenship and Drew Mukuba, who went on injured reserve with an ankle injury last week. When Blankenship was injured in the Week 6 loss to the New York Giants, Epps entered the game in the third quarter ahead of Sydney Brown, the Eagles’ 2023 third-rounder out of Illinois.

    With Epps out for the last four weeks, Brown earned his first full-time start of the season in place of Mukuba in Friday’s loss to the Chicago Bears. According to Pro Football Focus, Brown finished with six tackles and one missed tackle. He also conceded two receptions on five targets for 13 yards. Fangio equated Brown’s individual performance to the rest of the defense’s.

    “It was a lot like the rest of us,” Fangio said. “Some good, some bad.”

    Fangio could prioritize Epps’ experience if he decides to make a change at safety. Epps was a starter on the 2022 Eagles team that fell to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. He first joined the Eagles in November 2019 after he was waived by the Minnesota Vikings, the team that drafted him that year in the sixth round out of Wyoming.

    Epps spent 3½ seasons (one as a full-time starter) in his first stint in Philadelphia before moving on to the Las Vegas Raiders from 2023-24. He played just three games last season before he suffered a torn ACL.

    Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter has been dealing with a shoulder injury, which coordinator Vic Fangio acknowledged Wednesday.

    Carter still nursing shoulder injury

    Speaking of players who had some good and some bad moments against the Bears, Fangio discussed Jalen Carter.

    Carter played just 70.1% of the defensive snaps, his second-lowest share of the season. But Carter’s issues run deeper than one off game. In the locker room afterward, the 24-year-old defensive tackle said he didn’t want to get into what he has been “going through,” seeming to allude to a shoulder injury that he had been playing through earlier in the season.

    Fangio confirmed Wednesday that the ailment is still plaguing Carter.

    “He does have a shoulder issue,” Fangio said. “He’s been playing with it. Late in the game, he had a great play with it. But, yeah, it’s definitely something there.”

    The injury limited Carter’s playing time and his effectiveness on the field, especially while the Eagles conceded a season-worst 281 rushing yards. He still managed to sack Caleb Williams in the second quarter and finish the game with four tackles (including two for losses) and two batted passes.

    Before Friday’s game, Carter had played a single-season career-high 87.5% of the defensive snaps. When asked whether Carter can continue to play the high volume of snaps that he had previously been accustomed to this season, Fangio said, “We’ll see.”

  • Kevin Patullo on egging incident: ‘When it involves your family, it obviously crosses the line’

    Kevin Patullo on egging incident: ‘When it involves your family, it obviously crosses the line’

    Kevin Patullo said Wednesday that he’s ready to “move on” after becoming the victim of a vandalism incident in the aftermath of the Eagles’ loss to the Chicago Bears.

    According to the Moorestown Police Department, Patullo’s home was vandalized with multiple eggs early Saturday morning, just hours after the Eagles dropped their second consecutive game and fell to 8-4. A video of the act had spread online on Monday morning.

    Speaking for the first time since the incident, Patullo acknowledged that the vandals crossed a boundary. Still, the first-year offensive coordinator expressed a desire to move forward and direct his attention to the Eagles’ next opponent, the Los Angeles Chargers.

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 14 vs. the Chargers

    “At this point, we’re ready to focus [on] winning the game,” Patullo said. “Unfortunately, it happened. I’ve been here for five years now, and it’s been awesome. This is such a unique place to coach and play. It’s very special. We’ve been to two NFC championship games. We’ve won at Lincoln Financial. The Super Bowl, the parade. It’s an amazing atmosphere to be a coach and a player.

    “As coaches and players, we all know that part of our job is to handle criticism. So it’s perfectly acceptable to sit up here and talk about what’s going on, how to fix it, what we’re going to do going forward, and we know that. But when it involves your family, it obviously crosses the line.”

    Patullo continued: ”And so that happened. And at this point, we’ve just got to move on. We’re trying to win. That’s all we want to do is focus. Whether it’s my family, whether it’s the team, all we’re trying to do together is focus on this week. We’ve got a long week, which has been good to have an extra day of preparation and go out to LA and beat the Chargers.”

    The 44-year-old Patullo is in his first year as Eagles offensive coordinator but has been with the team since 2021. Before his promotion, Patullo was the team’s passing game coordinator. He previously served as the wide receivers coach (2018-19) and passing game specialist (2020) with the Indianapolis Colts while Nick Sirianni was the offensive coordinator.

    Kevin Patullo (right) served as passing game coordinator under OC Kellen Moore (left) last season, including in the team’s Super Bowl LIX victory.

    Despite the incident, Patullo emphasized that he and his family have “had a great experience here” throughout his tenure in Philadelphia.

    “Us as a family, we know we’ve got to stick together, and to be honest, there’s a lot of great people in the community,” Patullo said. “I have great neighbors. So many people have reached out to my wife and I and our family. So it’s not anything at one specific person. It happened, and we’ve just got to move on from it at this point.”

    Patullo will move on by continuing to serve as the Eagles’ offensive play caller. Sirianni reiterated Monday that Patullo will retain play-calling duties, and Patullo confirmed as much on Wednesday.

    Sirianni said the Eagles would be “evaluating everything” before the mini-bye to improve the team’s overall performance. The offensive numbers are particularly glaring, as the group ranks 19th in the league in scoring and 24th in yards.

    NFL Week 14 power rankings roundup: Faith in the Eagles is dwindling after another ugly loss

    But don’t expect one of those changes to include Patullo moving from the sideline to the booth to call plays. Nick Foles, the Super Bowl LII-winning quarterback, has been one of the more outspoken advocates of Patullo making that transition.

    However, Patullo unequivocally shot down that suggestion on Wednesday.

    “I think the communication with the players is important,” Patullo said. “ … since I’ve been here, in ’21, I’ve been on the field every time. I think there’s a lot of communication with players, coaches on the field. Making sure adjustments are done correctly. Conversations I have with Jalen [Hurts], with the O-line, with the receivers, that are very important.

    “I’ve been on the field for a long, long time. I don’t think I’ve been in the box since maybe 2011 as a coach. So it’s been a while. I think just the relationship I have with the guys and the communication has been good and we’ve just got to continue to improve in other areas, and we’ll be all right.”

  • Jalen Hurts takes the blame, Nick Sirianni is ‘thankful for adversities,’ and more from the ‘Hard Knocks’ premiere

    Jalen Hurts takes the blame, Nick Sirianni is ‘thankful for adversities,’ and more from the ‘Hard Knocks’ premiere

    Hard Knocks has come to Philadelphia … in more ways than one.

    The famed HBO documentary series premiered the first episode of its in-season special Tuesday, bringing NFL fans a behind-the-scenes look at each team in the NFC East.

    The episode is the first of eight, with subsequent releases planned each Tuesday night until Jan. 20.

    The premiere gave viewers a look into Nick Sirianni’s leadership, the Eagles’ loss to the Dallas Cowboys, and explanations for crucial missed plays against the Chicago Bears.

    Here’s what you may have missed from the first episode of Hard Knocks: In Season With the NFC East …

    The Eagles have lost two in a row — and four of their last eight games — as Nick Sirianni continues to look for answers.

    ‘Thankful for adversities’

    Before any flashy credits or highlights came across the screen, Hard Knocks provided coverage on the reigning champion Eagles, just not in the way Philly fans like.

    An alternate history of 2023, and why the Eagles are preaching the right message

    The show opens with a conversation between Sirianni and Brandon Graham inside the Eagles’ practice facility. Discussing the Eagles’ upset loss to the Cowboys, Sirianni celebrates having to overcome adversity while commenting that players need to focus more on improving instead of complaining.

    “Little setback,” Sirianni said. “No one wants to go through adversity until they go through it and be like, ‘Man, I needed that [expletive].’ Like last year, we had to go through that. Unfortunately, we had to go through ’23 to get to where we got last year.

    “Same [expletive] here. Sometimes we get like, ‘Man, I don’t like what I am going through right now.’ Then fix it.”

    Replied Graham: “It’s good, because it’s shaping up to see who you are, too.”

    Following a quick introduction to the docuseries by narrator Liev Schreiber, which included tongue-in-cheek remarks about the Tush Push while the Impressions’ “Keep on Pushing” played in the background, the episode’s focus transitioned back to the Birds’ 21-point blown lead at AT&T Stadium.

    Listening to the Cowboys’ sideline, lowlight after lowlight is shown of the Eagles’ poor second-half performance — rubbing salt in a still-fresh wound for Philly fans.

    The show checked in with the Cowboys, Giants, and Commanders — who all seemed to show more positivity than the Eagles throughout the episode, despite having a worse record, a head coach fired, and an injured starting quarterback, respectively — before cycling back to left tackle Jordan Mailata addressing media criticism on 94 WIP.

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 14 vs. the Chargers

    The former seventh-round pick claimed that criticism toward Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, the offensive line, and Saquon Barkley has brought the team closer together — echoing Sirianni’s previous comments regarding adversity.

    “It’s bringing us closer,” Mailata said. “It’s bringing us closer, man. We know what we have, and we’ve just got to keep going to work. When crap hits the fan, what I know how to do best is just go back to work and put your head down, and you go out there, and you have another chance on Friday — just play your heart out.”

    Sirianni brought the point home in a continuation of his talk with Graham when he doubled down on his positive outlook on the Eagles’ struggles.

    “I’m always thankful for adversities because I see every adversity as a way to come together as a football team,” Sirianni told Graham. “It’s not that you’re enjoying it or it’s pleasant going through it, but I am sure thankful for the adversities I went through to be where I am today.”

    Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo has received much of the blame from fans, but quarterback Jalen Hurts took responsibility for the team’s loss to the Bears.

    Hurts takes the blame

    Hard Knocks also brought fans directly into the Birds’ preparation leading up to the team’s 24-15 loss to Chicago on Black Friday. The episode showed a focused Sirianni projecting the Bears logo on the screen at a team meeting, and Hurts delivering his signature “keep the main thing the main thing” line.

    There were also small glimpses into Jeff Stoutland’s offensive line meetings, Scot Loeffler’s quarterback room, and Kevin Patullo’s presentation to the offense — providing insight into the team’s sense of urgency in fixing that side of the ball.

    “When we look back, we don’t want to say, ‘Oh woulda, coulda, shoulda,’” Patullo said. “[Expletive] that. We’ve got to fix it now.”

    Yes, Jalen Hurts is the ‘problem’ for the Eagles, not Kevin Patullo: So what? | Marcus Hayes

    When the show reaches the moment when the Eagles have their chance to fix it — last week’s matchup with the Bears — viewers get a glimpse into what actually went wrong for the Birds against Chicago.

    First on the docket was Hurts’ uncharacteristically errant pass to DeVonta Smith in the second quarter — one that turned a would-be touchdown into a field-goal attempt — which we now know was caused by a missed hand signal Hurts sent Smith before the snap.

    “When I pointed like this — that’s my fault, I thought you was going to settle down,” Hurts said to Smith after the play. “… [Expletive], that’s a play I’ve got to make.”

    “Y’all keep doing what y’all doing,” Hurts said while addressing his wide receiver group and offensive line. “Here we go, we’re going to finish the next one, that’s a play I make.”

    On the verge of scoring once again, another mistake prevented a score — a fumble during a Tush Push play in the third quarter, for which Hurts once again took the blame.

    “That’s me,” Hurts said after the play. “[Expletive] I did. Trying to secure the ball and he came straight in there and gutted it out. That’s on me, I’ve got to protect the [expletive] ball.

    Despite all the negative attention toward Patullo, including the recent vandalism of his home, it seems Hurts is the first to step up to take the blame for the Eagles’ poor performance.

    NFL Week 14 power rankings roundup: Faith in the Eagles is dwindling after another ugly loss
    Wide receiver A.J. Brown had his best game of the season against the Bears, but the Eagles still lost.

    Keep an eye on these two

    Hard Knocks, known for its drama and fireworks, surprisingly did not feature anything from A.J. Brown after his recent comments regarding the Eagles’ struggle on offense.

    But after Brown scored coming out of halftime against the Bears, the star wide receiver did share a brief interaction with Patullo — an interaction that may interest those who want to learn more about the pair’s relationship.

    “I told you,” Patullo said after Brown’s touchdown. “You told me, I told you.”

    As the series and the Eagles’ offensive woes continue, interactions between Brown and Patullo will continue to be scrutinized. And all Eagles fans can do is hope that Patullo and Brown keep telling each other whatever it takes to put more points on the board.