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  • Flyers hold off the Chicago Blackhawks for a 3-1 road win heading into NHL’s holiday break

    Flyers hold off the Chicago Blackhawks for a 3-1 road win heading into NHL’s holiday break

    CHICAGO ― It’s 760 miles to Chicago from Philly. Despite playing Monday night, the Flyers had a full tank. It was dark, and by the end, they were wearing sunglasses because things are looking bright.

    The Flyers defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1, giving them a two-game winning streak heading into the NHL’s holiday break. It is the Flyers’ third win in five games and fifth in December.

    And they now sit two points back of the Metropolitan Division’s top team, the Carolina Hurricanes. Add in that they have the sixth-best points percentage in the NHL (.625), and things are looking good 36 games in.

    But the win may have come with a cost. Forward Denver Barkey did not return for the third period. He was called for boarding and was hit hard in the ensuing scrum behind the Blackhawks’ net. According to coach Rick Tocchet, “He got hit from behind on that penalty. Just get reevaluated from the doctors.”

    Garnet Hathaway knows he has struggled this season. But he’s working to get back to his impactful self

    Defenseman Travis Sanheim, the Flyers’ top minute muncher, was clipped by Alex Vlasic in the third period. Per Tocchet, he did not play the final 12 minutes, 33 seconds, as he was pulled by the NHL’s concussion spotters. “I think he’s fine, though,” Tocchet said.

    Travis Konecny gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead with, fittingly, his 11th goal of the season 10:17 into the first period.

    After the Flyers killed off a tripping penalty on Trevor Zegras, he stayed on the ice, and Konency tried to find him as Zegras tried to get open near the right post. Zegras was covered by Blackhawks defenseman Wyatt Kaiser so it didn’t connect, but he stayed with it and picked up the puck behind the net.

    Skating untouched, Zegras carried the puck around the net and curled before finding Konecny. The alternate captain evaded detection before cutting to the net to receive the pass.

    Zegras has 13 points in 12 games in December and 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists) in 36 games this season. The New York native is riding a career-high nine-game point streak, with five goals and six assists.

    Konecny wasn’t done collecting points, and in the second period, he helped the Flyers double their total with a power-play goal off Noah Cates’ stick.

    Handed a gift when the Blackhawks got called for too many men in the second period, the Flyers’ five-man unit of Konecny, Zegras, Cates, Bobby Brink, and Jamie Drysdale hopped onto the ice after the other unit got a chance. Set up in the offensive zone, they worked it around the perimeter, going from Zegras on the right flank to Brink at the point to Drysdale on the left flank.

    Konecny, with Drysdale in his spot, glided down to the left post and received the puck from his defenseman. The forward turned his back net-front, drawing in Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy, giving him the ability to send a no-look pass under his lifted right leg to Cates in front.

    Despite having Vlasic all over him, Cates banged in the puck for his ninth of the year and second power-play goal of the season. His career high on the man advantage is three, set in 2022-23. Cates is riding a four-game point streak (two goals, two assists) while the assist was the 300th of Konency’s career in 682 games.

    Konecny now has 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 36 games this season. In December, he has six goals and 14 points — spearheaded by four multipoint games — across 12 games.

    Flyers left wing Noah Cates, shown on Dec. 11 against Las Vegas, scored his second power-play goal of the season against the Blackhawks.

    Through two periods, Sam Ersson allowed one goal on 14 shots, with Natural Stat Trick noting that he faced just one high-danger shot. For the most part, he saw the puck well — the goal by Chicago’s Ryan Donato from the high slot during four-on-four action looked like it was screened by up to three members of the Flyers — and played his angles.

    Ersson didn’t face his first shot of the night until 7:57 into the opening frame, making a glove save on Ilya Mikheyev. He later stopped a Murphy slap shot and robbed Donato on a two-on-one that also saw the Boston native try to bury the rebound.

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    In the second period, the Swedish netminder moved well to make a save on a Matt Grzelcyk point shot with Oliver Moore standing in front. He stopped Donato from the right circle and then again when he went to the front of the net and tipped a shot.

    And in the third period, with the Flyers up by one, he made a nifty glove save on a wide-open shot by Louis Crevier. Ersson made 20 saves on 21 shots for his best save percentage (.952) of the season. He snapped a four-game losing streak — losing two in a shootout — to earn his sixth win of the season.

    Breakaways

    Carl Grundström scored an empty-netter to seal the win. … Defenseman Noah Juulsen and forwards Nic Deslauriers and Garnet Hathaway were healthy scratches. … Drysdale has two points on the power play this season, coming in the past three games.

    Up next

    After the NHL’s three-day holiday break, the Flyers return to the ice on Saturday for a practice in Seattle before taking on the Kraken on Sunday (8 p.m., NBCSP, NHLN).

  • Sixers takeaways: Winless with their Big Three, Joel Embiid injury scare, and more from loss to Nets

    Sixers takeaways: Winless with their Big Three, Joel Embiid injury scare, and more from loss to Nets

    The 76ers are winless when Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey play together.

    It’s always a scary moment when Embiid falls on the court.

    Eric Gordon can still shoot.

    And the Sixers must get healthier for their upcoming five-game road trip.

    Michael Porter’s 28 points leads Nets to a 114-106 win over the Sixers

    Those things stood out in Tuesday’s 114-106 setback to the Brooklyn Nets at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Winless with star trio

    The Sixers (16-12) know much of their success ultimately will depend on how they play when Embiid, George, and Maxey are available.

    Well, let’s say they have a lot of work to do.

    Tuesday’s loss dropped the Sixers to 0-3 this season in games in which all three play. They suffered a 142-134 double-overtime home loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Nov. 30. And the Sixers lost, 112-108, at home to the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 7.

    The team was missing several rotation players because of illness and injury. The Nets (9-19) also have won two straight and six of nine games. However, with their best three players, the Sixers were expected to beat Brooklyn.

    Sixers forward Paul George scores two of his 19 points on Tuesday night.

    So what’s the next step to a victory?

    “We all just got to figure out how to find rhythm, playing off one another,” George said.

    But early Tuesday, the Sixers lacked ball movement. It was a game in which Embiid and George tried to get themselves going. Meanwhile, Maxey was a bystander, despite entering the game as the league’s third-leading scorer at 31.7 points.

    He was scoreless on 0-for-1 shooting in the first quarter and finished with 13 points. He missed 11 of 14 shots — including all five of his three-pointers. Maxey also finished with three rebounds, two assists, four steals, and four turnovers.

    Afterward, Maxey said he didn’t get into rhythm.

    But was only getting one shot attempt in the first quarter a result of that? Or was that a matter of trying to get others involved?

    “I feel like I was trying to make the right play,” he said. “But I got to stay aggressive.”

    ‘This is who he is’: High-flying rookie VJ Edgecombe has exceeded Sixers’ expectations

    Embiid had 27 points on 8-for-13 shooting along with six rebounds, four assists, three turnovers, and two blocks. George had 19 points on 5-for-14 shooting to go with four rebounds, two assists, four steals, three turnovers, and two blocks.

    As a team, the Sixers shot 40.7% — including making just 7 of 27 three-pointers. They also committed 17 turnovers.

    “Just being stagnant,” George said of what led to the Sixers’ struggles. “We got stagnant, loss of rhythm, team-wise. And we just played slow. I think our pace was a little slow, which, give them credit. They were making shots, which made it tough to get out, and play, and run fast.”

    Embiid scare

    Embiid went back to the locker room after falling to the court 25 seconds into the second half after being fouled by Terance Mann. It initially appeared that Embiid turned his ankle. However, he reached down and grabbed his right knee.

    The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder returned with 6 minutes, 49 seconds remaining in the quarter. Embiid has already missed 16 games this season because of injuries to both knees. The Sixers had to be elated that this wasn’t serious.

    Embiid returned to the bench midway through the quarter with both of his knees wrapped.

    “Just hyperextended it,” Embiid said. “Went to the locker room, checked it out, and we’ll see how I feel.”

    Before the injury, he was off to a solid start, with 19 first-half points on 7-for-10 shooting.

    Embiid had missed the previous two games because of an illness and right knee injury management.

    “It’s all right,” he said of his hyperextension. “We’ll see how it feels. Obviously, when you’re hurt, it’s kinda hard to judge, so we’ll see how it feels tomorrow.”

    Sixers center Joel Embiid (left) attempts a layup against the Nets. He scored 27 points.

    Gordon is still a sharpshooter

    Gordon, who turns 37 on Christmas Day, has had a solid NBA career. But now in his 18th season, the shooting guard rarely plays because the Sixers have younger, more athletic guards in Maxey (25), VJ Edgecombe (20), Quentin Grimes (25), and Jared McCain (21).

    While he’s not as mobile as before, Father Time has not impacted Gordon’s shooting. He shot 61.5% from the field and 62.5% on three-pointers in his first five appearances of the season.

    He made his sixth appearance on Tuesday with Edgecombe and Grimes sidelined by an illness.

    And Gordon again had a solid shooting night.

    He finished with a season-high 12 points on 4-for-8 shooting. He made his first three shots.

    The Indianapolis native entered the game with 3:56 left in the first quarter. He made a layup at the 3:00 mark. Then he drained a three-pointer to tie the score at 27 with 16 seconds left in the frame. He hit his third shot attempt, a three-pointer that gave the Sixers a five-point cushion, 1:28 into the second quarter.

    He added a three-pointer in the final second of the third quarter.

    “I’m going to be ready for whatever opportunity comes,” Gordon said. “I played in this league for a long time. I can still move. I can still shoot. I can still create my own shot. I don’t know, maybe we will see when the times get harder, play against tougher teams, or whatnot.

    “But I know we got a lot of young guys that we need to continue to play and whatnot. I’ll just be ready when it’s my time because I know I can fit in and gel with these guys and keep the floor open for these guys. As you can see, whether I play, miss 10 games and don’t play, come in, you know, I’m still going to be ready to go.”

    A need to get healthy

    Before the game, the Sixers were excited to have Embiid, Maxey, and George together on the floor.

    But they didn’t like the fact that several of their key rotation players were sidelined.

    Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) have been out for several weeks. Dominick Barlow also missed Tuesday’s game because of illness.

    With Edgecombe and Barlow sidelined, the Sixers started McCain and Jabari Walker alongside Embiid, George, and Maxey.

    Grimes and Barlow initially were listed as questionable on Monday evening’s initial injury report. The team announced Tuesday morning that Edgecombe also was questionable. Moments later, they canceled the morning shootaround.

    But the team has been dealing with illness for a couple of weeks.

    Paul George (left) and Tyrese Maxey celebrate after George made a shot against the Nets on Tuesday night.

    Maxey missed the Sixers’ games against the Indiana Pacers (Dec. 12) and Hawks (Dec. 14) with an illness. Embiid sat out both games of Friday and Saturday’s back-to-back against the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks with an illness and right knee injury management.

    “It has kind of gone for a bit,” coach Nick Nurse said. “It probably started with Tyrese, but that would seem to be an isolated case, and now it’s kind of making its way a little bit, obviously. The guys that weren’t feeling great yesterday didn’t report to practice. This morning, when we didn’t see much improvement and added another to the list, we postponed shootaround, as you guys well know. You probably would have been here this morning. Just keeping the guys away until we can bring them to the game.”

    Michael Porter Jr. (center) is defended by Paul George during Tuesday night’s game.

    The Sixers can only hope Edgecombe, Grimes, and Barlow are back when they embark on their five-game road trip against the Chicago Bulls (Friday), Oklahoma City Thunder (Sunday), Memphis Grizzlies (Dec. 30), Dallas Mavericks (Jan. 1), and New York Knicks (Jan. 3).

    With the trio out, Justin Edwards was the sixth man. Gordon was the seventh man, and Kyle Lowry was the ninth. This was the fifth game for the 39-year-old Lowry, who’s in his 20th NBA season.

    “You know what we missed? We missed three athletes,” Nurse said. “Other than Tyrese, that’s our speed, right there. We got Q, explosive. Barlow, athlete. VJ, athlete that we [depend on]. We missed all three of them. And it kind of made it hard for Tyrese to not … have other guy [Edgecombe] out there to crack into the paint a little bit and do some of the things that VJ does for sure.”

    This was a bad loss to a team over which the Sixers had averaged 18-point victories in their first two meetings.

    “They were definitely missed,” George said. “Their energy, their extra plays. Those guys have a great feel for the game and just understanding where to be the defensive mindset. So they were for sure missed.

    “But, you know, this is a very winnable game with [the Nets also being] down [players.] So you can’t make excuses that they weren’t there.”

  • Jordan Davis says he’s at peace with Pro Bowl snub: ‘I can sleep at night’

    Jordan Davis says he’s at peace with Pro Bowl snub: ‘I can sleep at night’

    Jordan Davis says he was initially disappointed that he wasn’t voted to the Pro Bowl roster, then he took a step back.

    “I’m like, hmm,” Davis said Tuesday. “That’s very selfish of me.”

    His initial reaction might have seemed selfish to Davis, but it was also relatable. Every player aspires to be the best. Davis, who is finally hitting his stride in Year 4, is no different from his high-achieving counterparts.

    But the Pro Bowl is an individual accolade within a team sport. Davis said he doesn’t need the external validation to know he’s a star player — all he needs is to keep working and supporting his teammates.

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    “Selfishly, you want to get all the accolades, you want to be the best, you want to be considered one of the top guys in the league,” the defensive tackle said. “But at the end of the day, when you take a step back and you play selflessly, I’m satisfied. I’m more than satisfied, because I know I’m adding and I’m contributing and I’m being a force and I’m being dominant, and I can sleep at night with that.”

    Davis ought to be well-rested. The No. 13 pick in the 2022 draft out of Georgia is having the best season of his career, even if he doesn’t have the gaudy sack stats to curry favor with the fans, coaches, and fellow NFL players who make up the Pro Bowl voting pool. Davis is playing a career-high 62% of the defensive snaps as he evolves into the every-down pass rusher that the Eagles had hoped he would become when they drafted him.

    Even Vic Fangio, the Eagles defensive coordinator known for his brief responses, used Davis’ case to call for an overhaul of the Pro Bowl voting process.

    “He should have, for sure,” Fangio said about whether Davis should have made the team. “I think they need to form a committee for the Pro Bowl. Get a couple retired coaches, couple retired personnel guys, couple retired players that will take pride in it and they name it, not all … everybody and their mother’s got a vote.”

    Jordan Davis has been instrumental in the defense’s success this season.

    Saturday’s win over the Washington Commanders typified the success Davis has had this season. He was a force against the run, posting six stops, including two tackles for losses and two for no gain.

    The Commanders learned the hard way what happens when one player is tasked with blocking Davis. On three of his four tackles for losses or no gain, Davis beat a solo block. On the other, he penetrated the backfield on a stunt.

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 17 vs. the Bills

    Davis is the mountain at the center of the Eagles’ operation on defense. According to linebacker Zack Baun, the 25-year-old defensive tackle makes the whole operation go.

    “I feel like everything we do is built around him,” Baun said. “First, stopping the run. He’s able to two-gap. If he’s single-blocked, he’s getting off and making the play every time. He played a terrific game last week, by the way. Just such a big part of this defense.”

    Davis is worthy of earning a spot on the Pro Bowl roster, Baun said.

    “He’s definitely playing at that level,” said Baun, a 2025 Pro Bowler himself. “It’s definitely recognized by us, the linebackers, the DBs, everyone in this building. If you talk to him, he doesn’t really care about Pro Bowl or All-Pro. I’m sure he would like to have that honor. But he just wants to see the team succeed. Pro Bowls and All-Pros come with it.”

    Zack Baun (left) has seen the growth and impact of Jordan Davis firsthand.

    Perhaps Davis hid his initial dismay from his teammates. But the fourth-year defensive tackle concurred that his focus is on the immediate future for the 2025 Eagles, an accomplishment that Pro Bowlers on teams that have been eliminated from playoff contention can’t claim.

    “We’ve got more things that we’re fighting for,” Davis said. “We’ve got bigger and better things. We’ve got fish to fry. We’re actually going to the playoffs. I know there’s a couple Pro Bowlers on there that’s not going to the playoffs. So, not a diss at them, but it’s just an opportunity for us to grow and get better, and we’re going to be playing our best ball in a couple weeks. So we just have to get ready for that.”

    Davis is eager for more. As he looked up at the digital clock affixed to the wall of the locker room in the NovaCare Complex, Davis noted at 4:54 p.m. that he would stay in the facility for another four hours, long after the conclusion of practice.

    He takes pride in the after-hours work. His growth this season has been fueled by the extra time poured into perfecting his craft, not necessarily the promise of an award.

    “I spend a lot of time here because I want to get better,” Davis said. “I want to be the best I can be. I don’t think I would be at this point in my career, I wouldn’t be at this point in this season, if I didn’t spend that extra time getting better.”

    Davis sees his investment paying off. His teammates and coaches feel his impact. It’s only a matter of time before the greater NFL ecosystem notices it, too.

  • Garnet Hathaway knows he has struggled this season. But he’s working to get back to his impactful self

    Garnet Hathaway knows he has struggled this season. But he’s working to get back to his impactful self

    CHICAGO ― Garnet Hathaway’s path to the NHL wasn’t a typical one.

    He called it a “roundabout way” to The Inquirer two years ago, during his first season with the Flyers. The kid from Maine was signed as a free agent by the Calgary Flames organization in 2014 after playing four years at Brown University, and has agitated, banged, and fought his way to 639 NHL games.

    But now he’s facing a new battle: Hathaway has been a healthy scratch for the past two games and will sit out a third in a row on Tuesday.

    Before this spell, the last time Hathaway watched from the press box when healthy was Feb. 23, 2023, when the Washington Capitals held him out for trade-related reasons. He was traded that day to the Boston Bruins.

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    “It’s an opportunity to look at my own game. Find out what I can be doing better to help the team more,” he said while sitting in the Flyers’ locker room at Xfinity Mobile Arena after the team’s morning skate on Monday.

    “I don’t want to put a reset word on it. I think it’s an opportunity, and there’s two ways I can take it, and I want to use it positively. I want to use it to be more impactful and help us win more games.”

    To say it’s been a difficult season for Hathaway would be an understatement, as he has no points and is a minus-8 in 33 games. But Hathaway, 34, knows his game isn’t judged by how many goals or points he has. After all, he only has 75 goals and 160 points in his NHL career.

    What he brings is an unwavering commitment to the team — whether it’s throwing his body in front of high-velocity slap shots or being a leader in the room — and effectiveness on the penalty kill, which he prides himself on.

    “I know when I’m successful and how to be successful. So I think, rather than talking about the things that haven’t worked [this season], it’s talking about things that I need to do to be successful,” he said.

    “I play my best when we get the puck below the other hashmarks, when we hold possession, when we create chaos with the other defensemen, make them turn, create physicality, and really just have the puck in their end.”

    Chaos is a good way to put it. Hathaway is a grinder. He’s a throwback to guys like Dave Schultz, who may not have the flashy goals or the high point totals but play a critical role on and off the ice.

    After scoring 10 goals last season, Garnet Hathaway hasn’t found the net this season.

    Since his NHL debut on Feb. 29, 2016, for the Flames, he is third in NHL hits (2,046) behind former Flyers defenseman Radko Gudas (2,442) and current San Jose Sharks forward Ryan Reaves (2,131). For the record, Gudas has played 35 more games than Hathaway and averages almost seven more minutes a game.

    Hathaway ranks ninth in penalty minutes (705) in that time frame, but more importantly, he is also ninth in penalties drawn (275). The nine guys above him include some of the game’s top agitators — Nazem Kadri, Matthew Tkachuk, Brad Marchand, Tom Wilson, and Brady Tkachuk — and the best players who draw all the attention — Connor McDavid, David Pastrňák, and Nathan MacKinnon.

    “When he plays fast, he’s really good, and I think sometimes that line’s played a little bit slow, puck possession-wise, and I think that has affected him. … He knows he has to play better,” coach Rick Tocchet said. “But I also think we have to put him in a situation where he’s playing a faster game; I think that’s when he’s at his best.

    “… It’s tough for guys like that. He’s a predictable guy. He’s got to know where the puck’s going. That’s when he’s at an effectiveness, right? He’s a good F1, a good forechecker getting in there, and then obviously, a PK guy when he’s on. So I think, he’s frustrated in his game, but he knows what he’s got to do.”

    According to Natural Stat Trick, when Hathaway is on the ice at five-on-five this season, the Flyers have 43.24% of the shot attempts and have been outscored 10-2. It’s not the lowest Corsi For percentage of his career — that came in his 25 games with the Boston Bruins — but it is the second lowest. And it’s his second-lowest expected goal share at 41.87 and lowest scoring chances for percentage of his career (39.18%).

    The interesting thing is that Hathaway’s individual shot attempts have dropped considerably. He is at less than one per game (30 in 33 games), when he averaged 1.90 shot attempts per game across his first 606 career games.

    Flyers Q&A: Brent Flahr talks Denver Barkey, Alex Bump, Jack Berglund, and the 2026 NHL draft

    But he is right there with his hitting (tied for eighth in the NHL with 117) and drawing penalties (16th in the league with 2.31 penalties drawn/60).

    “A lot of what we talk [about] is predictability,” said Hathaway, speaking about himself and the coaching staff. “I strive on predictability. I think for me, I need to get below the hashmarks in the other zone, and the fastest way we can get there, the least time we can spend on our zone.

    “That’s what I look back in my career and highlight when — points or not — I’m being a contributor to a successful team. It’s moving fast through the zone and possession, but keeping the game in that end each and every shift, the majority of the time, rather than it flip-flopping or being a little too short for the time you need. “

  • St. Joe’s hoops standout Deuce Jones II is no longer a member of the team, Hawks say

    St. Joe’s hoops standout Deuce Jones II is no longer a member of the team, Hawks say

    In a statement on social media, the St. Joseph’s men’s basketball team announced Tuesday that Deuce Jones II is no longer a member of the squad.

    “St. Joseph’s thanks Deuce for his effort this season and wishes him success in the next chapter of his career,” the statement read.

    A sophomore, Jones missed the last two games because of what was called an “illness” against Delaware State and then “personal” reasons against Coastal Carolina. The 6-foot-2 guard averaged a team-high 15.8 points, starting in eight of the 10 games he played in. St. Joe’s lost to Coastal Carolina, 68-62, on Monday without Jones and four other players.

    This offseason, Jones transferred to St. Joe’s from Big 5 and Atlantic 10 rival La Salle. As an Explorer, Jones averaged 12.5 points and 4.2 rebounds, making 39.7% of his shots from the field. The Trenton native was the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year and was a seven-time Rookie of the Week.

    The Hawks, who saw their former coach Billy Lange leave the program weeks before the start of the season, are off to a 7-5 start with one game remaining before Atlantic 10 play under new head coach Steve Donahue.

    Villanova’s Big East opener is taking Kevin Willard back to a place he loves. The game has big stakes.

    Jones reposted the team’s statement in an Instagram story with two shrugging emojis. He has since deleted the story and replaced it with posts featuring his St. Joe’s teammates, including captions such as “THWND [The Hawk Will Never Die]” and “My bruddas 4L.”

    It is unclear whether Jones was dismissed from the team or left the program on his own. Requests for comment were not answered by Jones or the Hawks.

    Follow the Inquirer’s complete coverage of St. Joseph’s athletics right here!
  • Jalen Carter returns to practice and the Eagles are hopeful he’ll play against the Bills

    Jalen Carter returns to practice and the Eagles are hopeful he’ll play against the Bills

    Jalen Carter’s three-week hiatus while recovering from a pair of shoulder procedures may soon come to an end.

    The 24-year-old defensive tackle returned to practice Tuesday ahead of Sunday’s penultimate regular-season game against the Buffalo Bills. Before practice, Vic Fangio said the team is “hopeful” that Carter will be available to play.

    The coordinator also noted that he’s going “full steam ahead” with the starting defense against the Bills, even though the Eagles have clinched the NFC East and could be locked into the No. 3 seed if the Seattle Seahawks and the Chicago Bears win their respective games on Sunday.

    Carter hasn’t played since the Black Friday loss to the Bears. The following week, he underwent procedures on his shoulders, but he did not go on injured reserve and was considered week to week. Carter had been dealing with a shoulder injury since training camp and had played through the pain.

    The Eagles’ defensive front has fared well in Carter’s absence. Fangio’s group has mustered a league-high 13 sacks in the last three games without Carter. The Eagles have limited opposing rushing attacks to 4.0 yards per carry, which is tied for the fifth-lowest clip in the NFL.

    Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter tries to work past two Detroit Lions blockers on Nov. 16.

    To bolster the interior defensive line, Brandon Graham has kicked inside, registering three sacks in his last two games. Jordan Davis has been dominant against the run (16 run stops in the last three weeks, according to Next Gen Stats). Byron Young is also playing a higher volume of snaps and making the most of them, posting 2½ sacks in his last three games.

    Still, the Eagles will welcome back a healthy Carter. Davis said the interior defensive line is even deeper now that Carter is nearing a return.

    “It’s just another force on the line that can go out there and ball out,” Davis said Tuesday. “We’re just excited to have him. Hopefully, he just goes out there and has the game of his life. Really just want him to be healthy. Because he’s a dominant force when he’s healthy, when he’s out there and he’s balling, he’s playing.”

    Even though Carter experienced a dip in production as a result of his injuries (two sacks in 10 games), he was named to his second Pro Bowl on Tuesday. He is listed as the lone Eagles starter on the initial NFC roster.

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    If Carter is cleared to play this week, he could use the final two games of the regular season to ramp up ahead of the playoffs. In Week 18 against the New York Giants last year, tight end Dallas Goedert returned to action following a knee injury while the other starters rested.

    “Every situation’s a little bit different, every injury’s a little bit different, every guy’s a little bit different,” coach Nick Sirianni said Monday. “So you do think about your past situations and when you’ve been through those things before, but you’re trying to do and trying to make the best decision for each guy and everyone’s just a little bit different. Just always trying to do what’s best for the guy and their health first and foremost.”

    While Carter returned to practice, Nakobe Dean (hamstring) and Landon Dickerson were sidelined. Lane Johnson (foot) was not present.

    Jalen Carter (right) with fellow defensive tackle Jordan Davis late in the victory against the Packers at Lambeau Field.
  • Nakobe Dean is ‘iffy’ for the Eagles this week; Does Jalen Carter’s return impact Brandon Graham?

    Nakobe Dean is ‘iffy’ for the Eagles this week; Does Jalen Carter’s return impact Brandon Graham?

    Nakobe Dean’s return to a full-time role after his recovery from a patellar tendon injury helped ignite an Eagles defense that was a bit unsteady in the early portion of the season.

    Dean has impacted the run defense and has been an effective blitzer. But the Eagles may temporarily be without the fourth-year linebacker after he left Saturday’s road win over the Washington Commanders with a hamstring injury.

    Dean is “doing better than I think they thought he would,” Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Tuesday. But Fangio called Dean “iffy” for this week.

    Sure enough, not long after Fangio sat for his weekly news conference, Dean entered the indoor practice bubble at the NovaCare Complex on Tuesday afternoon in a sweatshirt and with no helmet.

    “The good news is I don’t think it’s too serious, and I don’t think we’re done seeing him for this season,” Fangio said of Dean.

    Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell stops Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson on Oct. 19.

    If Dean misses Sunday’s game at Buffalo, the Eagles will turn to rookie Jihaad Campbell.

    Campbell, the Eagles’ first-round pick, started and had a big role in his first seven NFL games with Dean still recovering from his knee injury. But his playing time drastically decreased when Dean returned and looked like he hadn’t missed a beat. Campbell played 11 defensive snaps in Week 12, zero in Week 13, nine in Week 14, and six in Week 15 before being forced back onto the field Saturday and playing 36 when Dean went down.

    Fangio said Campbell’s development at inside linebacker was stunted a bit when the Eagles were forced to use him as an outside linebacker and edge rusher when they “ran out of guys” earlier this season.

    “It’ll be good to get him back there and focused on that,” Fangio said.

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 17 vs. the Bills

    What happens to Brandon Graham with Jalen Carter back?

    One key player out, another one in.

    Jalen Carter returned to the practice field Tuesday for the first time since he underwent a medical procedure on both of his shoulders following the Eagles’ Nov. 28 game against the Chicago Bears.

    Fangio said the Eagles are “hopeful” that Carter will make his return to game action Sunday.

    Brandon Graham and Jalen Carter during a 2024 game.

    The Eagles have played well without Carter. Jordan Davis’ emergence as a force on the defensive line is a big reason the front hasn’t missed a beat, as is Moro Ojomo’s presence. But Byron Young and, notably, Brandon Graham also have provided a spark.

    Graham has three sacks in 16 snaps over the last two weeks. The Eagles have been playing him exclusively as an interior lineman with Carter out.

    Will that change?

    “We’ll see,” Fangio said. “It’s kind of fluid with a guy who has not played in a month.”

    Fangio for Pro Bowl president

    Speaking of Davis, Fangio felt his defensive tackle was snubbed when the Pro Bowl team was announced Tuesday morning, and Davis wasn’t even an alternate.

    Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis stops Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez on Saturday.

    Fangio has an idea: a Pro Bowl committee.

    “Get a couple retired coaches, a couple retired personnel guys, a couple retired players that will take pride in it, and they name it,” he said. “Everybody and their mother’s got a vote.”

    ‘Full steam ahead’ with starters

    Carter’s return to the practice field and his potential return to game action are an indication that the Eagles at least will treat Sunday like a normal game and not worry about resting starters.

    The No. 2 seed in the NFC remains up for grabs.

    “We’re going full steam ahead,” Fangio said when asked how he was approaching this week with the starters.

    To play or not to play: Eagles face looming rest decisions; no competition coming for Jake Elliott

    Confidence in Jake Elliott

    Eagles special teams coordinator Michael Clay reiterated what Nick Sirianni said Monday about the team’s confidence in kicker Jake Elliott, who missed two field goals Saturday — and had a third miss negated by a penalty — and whose make percentage is down to a career-low 70.8%.

    Clay said he thought Elliott’s starting line on his kicks might be part of the issue. Elliott has missed five field goals and an extra point over the last five games.

    “I’m not a kicker,” Clay said. “But you’re not in the NFL for nine years if you don’t know how to self-correct.

    “It’s going to come down to a point where we’re going to have to call on him, and he’s shown that he can do it.”

  • ECHL players on the verge of a strike as contract talks reach an impasse

    ECHL players on the verge of a strike as contract talks reach an impasse

    Members of the Professional Hockey Players’ Association are on the verge of staging a strike in the ECHL if the union and the league cannot come to an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement.

    The ECHL, formerly known as the East Coast Hockey League and now going just by the acronym, is a North American developmental league that is two levels below the NHL, with the American Hockey League in between. There are 30 teams, 29 of which are in the U.S. and one in Canada in Trois-Rivières, Quebec.

    The Flyers’ affiliate, the Reading Royals, are in fifth place in the ECHL’s 15-team Eastern Conference with a 15-11-2 record.

    The PHPA announced Monday that its ECHL membership has served a strike notice that would be effective Friday, when play is scheduled to resume following the holiday break. Players voted Friday to authorize their bargaining committee to call for a strike, executive director Brian Ramsay said Monday.

    “Our members have made it very clear that they’ve had enough,” Ramsay said on a video call with reporters. “Unfortunately, this is a league that would rather bully us than bargain.”

    The sides appeared no closer to a resolution on Tuesday based on an update from Ramsay, even after he said the PHPA offered the option of reaching a settlement through mediation or arbitration.

    CBA talks began in January, with Ramsay accusing the league of unfair bargaining practices, including most recently contacting players directly with proposals, which have been reported to the National Labor Relations Board.

    Danny Brière oversaw the day-to-day operations of the ECHL’s Maine Mariners from 2017-22.

    “This is a league that has taken almost a year to concede that we should be entitled to choose helmets that properly fit us and are safe,” Ramsay said. “This is the league that still supplies our members with used equipment. This is a league that shows no concern for players’ travels and in fact has said the nine-hour bus trip home should be considered your day off. We have had members this year spend 28 hours-plus on a bus to play back-to-back games on a Friday and Saturday night, only to be paid less than the referees who work those very same games.”

    The AHL and PHPA have been working under the terms of their most recent CBA, which expired Aug. 31. An AHL spokesperson said the sides are very close to a new agreement.

    The NHL and the NHL Players’ Association earlier this year ratified a deal that ensures labor peace through 2030.

    The ECHL posted details of its latest proposal on its website Monday, saying it calls to raise the salary cap 16.4% this season, with retroactive pay upon ratification, and increases in total player salaries in future years to pay players nearly 27% more than the current cap. The league said it has also offered larger per diems, mandatory day-off requirements and a 325-mile limit for travel between back-to-back games.

    “Our approach will continue to balance the need to best support our players and maintain a sustainable business model that helps ensure the long-term success of our league so it remains affordable and accessible to fans,” the ECHL said, adding that the average ticket price is $21. “Negotiations have been progressing but not as quickly as we would like. ”We have reached a number of tentative agreements and remain focused on reaching a comprehensive new agreement that supports our players and the long-term health of every team in our league.”

    Jimmy Mazza, who played several seasons in the ECHL and is now on the negotiating committee, argued that owners do not know what it’s like to travel 29 hours in a bus or to be given a used helmet.

    “The top level, you know that those players aren’t being treated that way, so why are they treating us that way?” Mazza said. “To us, it’s a little bit of a slap in the face with the way these negotiations have gone for a year, when only five days ago, we get a little bit of movement on a helmet issue when it should have been done a year ago.”

  • Bryce Harper plans to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic

    Bryce Harper plans to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic

    Bryce Harper’s dream is to compete in the Olympics.

    First, he’ll suit up for the World Baseball Classic.

    Harper announced his plans Tuesday on Instagram, posting a photo of himself superimposed in a Team USA jersey. The Phillies star joins a loaded roster that includes Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, Bobby Witt Jr., teammate Kyle Schwarber, and ace pitchers Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal.

    “Put the colors on my chest for the 1st time when I was 15,” Harper wrote in a caption below his photo. “No other feeling like it.”

    Bryce Harper, Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge endorse MLB players in the 2028 Olympics, an idea that might be gaining steam

    Harper was among the first players to commit to Team USA for the 2023 World Baseball Classic, but he was unable to play after undergoing Tommy John elbow surgery in the previous offseason.

    As a teenager, Harper participated in several international tournaments. He won a gold medal at the 2009 Pan Am junior world championship for an under-18 U.S. national team that featured 10 future major leaguers, including Manny Machado and Nick Castellanos.

    Harper never misses an opportunity to stump for major leaguers in the Olympics. He discussed it at a postseason news conference in 2023 and brought it up again when the Phillies played in London in 2024. He said he has shared his feelings with commissioner Rob Manfred.

    From left, Manny Machado, Bryce Harper, Brian Ragira, and Nick Castellanos with the under-18 U.S. national team in 2009.

    Baseball will be reinstated as an Olympic sport in 2028 in Los Angeles. In October, Manfred told reporters at the World Series that MLB will consider extending the All-Star break in 2028 to enable major leaguers to compete in the Olympics.

    “I’ve been a huge advocate of baseball getting back in the Olympics and us taking that pause during the regular season, kind of like hockey does, to just let the guys go and play,” Harper told The Inquirer in 2023. “It’d be so much fun to have that and have the game and see that in the Olympics and have the best players in the world doing it.”

    Meanwhile, the WBC could serve as a warm-up act.

    How can Bryce Harper have an ‘elite’ season in 2026? It starts with examining his atypical 2025.

    Team USA will compete in Pool B of the WBC field. Players will leave their respective spring-training camps in early March. The United States will open the preliminary round March 6 in Houston against Brazil. The WBC final will be played March 17 in Miami.

    Harper, 33, batted .261 and slugged .487 with 27 homers and a 129 OPS-plus last season. And although those numbers were below his typical standards, he tied for sixth among first basemen in homers and ranked fifth in slugging.

    Phillies backup catcher Garrett Stubbs committed to playing in the WBC for Israel. Manager Rob Thomson said recently that he hasn’t been informed of other players who will be going to the WBC. Jesús Luzardo and José Alvarado pitched for Venezuela in 2023.

  • Week 17 NFL power rankings roundup: Eagles move up in most ratings

    Week 17 NFL power rankings roundup: Eagles move up in most ratings

    The Eagles clinched the division with a win over the Washington Commanders on Saturday night, becoming the first team to win back-to-back NFC East titles in 21 years.

    Following the win, the Birds have moved up in most national power rankings. As they prepare to travel to face the Buffalo Bills, here’s where they stand in the latest batch …

    Yahoo! Sports: Sixth

    The Eagles have moved up one spot in Yahoo! Sports’ power rankings. Two consecutive victories over losing teams still left questions surrounding the team’s offense.

    “The Eagles have clinched the division and have almost no chance to get the No. 1 seed in the NFC,” Frank Schwab wrote. “That means the next two weeks can be used for a combination of rest and fixing the ongoing issues with the offense. The offense has looked better lately, with 60 combined points in the last two games, but that came against the Raiders and Commanders. At least the Eagles get a couple of games out of the spotlight before the playoffs start.”

    The Eagles trail the No. 5 Chicago Bears and the No. 4 New England Patriots. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks (No. 1) and the Los Angeles Rams (No. 2) continue to battle for the top spot.

    The Ringer: Sixth

    The Ringer also has the Eagles at the No. 6 spot, two rungs above where they were last week. This week’s summary: “Glimpses of last year’s greatness are still there — when they’re playing against the NFL’s worst teams.”

    The outlet had strong words for the Commanders leadership and advocated for the kind of changes that would further shake up the NFC East.

    Five Eagles selected to the Pro Bowl; Jalen Carter named starter

    “What exactly is it that head coach Dan Quinn does for this team? It can’t be building a good defense, because his units tend to get worse each year — something that we’ve seen going back to his stint with the Cowboys,“ Diante Lee wrote. ”It can’t be player personnel or development, because GM Adam Peters is the architect of this roster, and Washington’s defensive players don’t seem to be getting markedly better in Quinn’s system.

    “And we know that the offense belongs to coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who may find a new head coaching gig this offseason. If the mere absence of quarterback Jayden Daniels can cause this team to crater, then it’s probably time to bring in a new coaching regime.”

    The Eagles rank behind the No. 5 New England Patriots and the No. 4 Jacksonville Jaguars. The Seahawks and Rams remain at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively.

    ESPN: 10th

    Despite that 29-18 win over the Commanders, the Eagles have fallen in ESPN’s power rankings — dropping two spots from last week’s No. 8 ranking. As the season comes to a close, ESPN also picked a rookie of the year for the Eagles: Jihaad Campbell.

    “Campbell, a first-round pick out of Alabama, has 63 tackles, an interception, two passes defensed and a forced fumble,” Tim McManus wrote. “His playing time decreased when Nakobe Dean (knee) hit his stride around the midway point of the season, but he has maintained a role in coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense and stepped up his production when Dean exited Saturday’s win because of a hamstring injury.”

    The Eagles sit behind the Los Angeles Chargers (No. 9), the Chicago Bears (No. 8), and the Buffalo Bills (No. 7). The Seahawks have taken the top spot above the No. 2 Rams.

    CBS Sports: 10th

    The Eagles’ win over the Commanders was enough to move them up two spots from last week’s No. 12 ranking. The team sits just below the No. 9 Buffalo Bills and No. 8 Houston Texans.

    “They have beaten up two bad teams the last two weeks to seemingly right things,” Pete Prisco wrote. “Now they face a tough road game at Buffalo with just seeding on the line since they clinched the NFC East.”

    The Seahawks (No. 1) and the Patriots (No. 2) top the list. Meanwhile, the Rams have fallen to the fifth spot, three spots below last week’s power rankings.

    Eagles running back Saquon Barkley after scoring a rushing touchdown against the Commanders on Saturday.

    The Athletic: 11th

    The Eagles moved up one spot from last week’s No. 12 ranking, trailing the No. 10 Los Angeles Chargers and No. 9 Houston Texans. One concern The Athletic has with the Eagles is their “lack of offensive consistency.”

    “The Eagles have put up impressive numbers since Nick Sirianni said he became more involved in the offense, scoring 31 last week and 29 on Saturday,” Chad Graff and Josh Kendall wrote. “But those performances came against the Raiders and Commanders. Is their offensive turnaround legit or a byproduct of playing bad teams?”