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  • Quarterbacks have been avoiding Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell. Will the Commanders take their chances?

    Quarterbacks have been avoiding Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell. Will the Commanders take their chances?

    When Quinyon Mitchell played the Washington Commanders for the first time in 2024, the then-rookie cornerback officially put himself on the map.

    In that 26-18 Eagles win over the Commanders last Nov. 14, wide receiver Terry McLaurin might as well have been wearing Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak. On the 20 routes McLaurin ran when matched up against Mitchell, the two-time Pro Bowl receiver was never targeted, according to Next Gen Stats.

    Mitchell’s 2025 season to date has been one long continuation of that contest. Whether he’s traveling with opponents’ top receivers or lining up on the boundary (the short side of the field that tends to garner less safety help), Mitchell has managed to lock down his side. That accomplishment doesn’t come as a surprise to Vic Fangio.

    “He’s a guy that works very, very hard at it, hasn’t deviated from his process, still goes through the same extra meetings that he did as a rookie,” Fangio said. “Still doing them now. That’s why he is a good player.”

    The numbers back up the eye test when it comes to Mitchell’s success in Year 2. He has allowed a 42.7% completion rate on his targets, which is the lowest among cornerbacks with at least 400 coverage snaps this season, according to Pro Football Focus.

    Jordan Davis found his voice and helped stabilize the Eagles defensive line

    Targeting Mitchell is bad business for most quarterbacks. They have a 56.3 quarterback rating when throwing the ball his way, which is the second-worst among that same group of cornerbacks.

    But Mitchell, the 22nd-overall pick out of Toledo last year, hasn’t been cocky about his success. When asked to assess his own play this season, Mitchell responded unassumingly.

    “I think it’s going smooth,” he said. “I could be better. So each and every week, I’m just trying to harp on the small details. Just trying to get better with my technique.”

    How can a cornerback improve when quarterbacks aren’t throwing the ball his way? In the last two games, Mitchell has been targeted just four times, conceding one catch for seven yards.

    “I’ve just got to stay ready,” Mitchell said. “I always expect every play, every down, that the ball’s going to come my way. So just staying ready and staying locked in.”

    Terry McLaurin makes a 36-yard touchdown reception during the second quarter of the NFC championship game on Jan. 26.

    McLaurin is Mitchell’s next challenge. It has been an unprecedented season for the 30-year-old receiver, who has missed seven games this season due to a quadriceps injury. Prior to this year, McLaurin had missed just three games in six seasons.

    Still, McLaurin has been the Commanders’ top target, averaging a team-high 58.4 receiving yards per game. That clip is a career low, a reflection of the struggles the Commanders offense has had this season with quarterback Jayden Daniels missing time due to various injuries.

    The impending games against the Commanders this year, beginning with Saturday’s contest, won’t have the same drama as last season. The 4-10 Commanders are out of the playoffs and down key players on offense such as Daniels, tight end Zach Ertz and left tackle Laremy Tunsil.

    With a chance to clinch the NFC East on the line, Mitchell isn’t taking the matchup lightly, nor should he. Quarterback Marcus Mariota is capable of extending plays with his legs and hitting his receivers deep. Last week against the New York Giants, Mariota connected with McLaurin on a 51-yard touchdown pass down the seam that helped seal the Commanders’ first win in more than two months.

    Eagles’ shift to passing more in the red zone has led to more successful trips: ‘You can be creative’

    “We feel like they’re going to come out and play their game,” Mitchell said. “They have a very good football team. So we expect them to come out and be aggressive and be physical.”

    Just like he has been all season, Mitchell will be aggressive and physical, too. The Eagles will play their third game in 13 days on Saturday, a circumstance Mitchell is used to. He played on plenty of short weeks given the number of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday games in the Mid-American Conference.

    While Mitchell has improved on the field in his second season, he says his mindset remains the same. This time last year, he wasn’t thinking about his chances at winning the league’s defensive rookie of the year award. Now, he isn’t thinking about his chances of being voted to the Pro Bowl.

    He won’t entertain questions of whether he’s the best cornerback in the league, either.

    “That’s up to y’all to decide,” Mitchell said. “I know how I feel, but I’ll keep it to myself.”

    Injury report

    The Eagles ruled out Lane Johnson (foot) and Jalen Carter (shoulders) for Saturday’s game against the Commanders. Neither player practiced all week.

    Tight end Cam Latu (stinger) and offensive tackle Cameron Williams (shoulder; injured reserve) are listed as questionable to play.

  • Commanders expect to ‘have their hands full’ against the Eagles on Saturday

    Commanders expect to ‘have their hands full’ against the Eagles on Saturday

    The Eagles (9-5) will travel to Northwest Stadium on Saturday to face the Washington Commanders in a Week 16 matchup, their first of two contests between the teams in the next three weeks. The teams have not met since the Eagles eliminated the Commanders in last year’s NFC championship game, won by the Eagles, 55-23, at Lincoln Financial Field.

    With a win on Saturday, the Eagles will clinch the NFC East — becoming the division’s first repeat champion since 2004. With the division up for grabs, they enter this week as 6.5-point favorites. Meanwhile, the Commanders are coming off their first win in eight weeks, a 29-21 victory over the New York Giants.

    Let’s stop acting like the Eagles haven’t had a great season. An NFC East title would make it a rousing success.

    As both teams prepare for Saturday, here’s everything the Commanders are saying about the Eagles:

    ‘This is a really complete team’

    Last year both teams became very familiar with each other, playing three times between the regular season and playoffs. Of course, the Eagles came out victorious in two of three contests — splitting their regular season matchups and defeating Washington when it mattered most to secure their spot in the Super Bowl.

    Commanders coach Dan Quinn praised the Eagles.

    “This is a really complete team,” Quinn told reporters. “Both special teams, ours and theirs, this is going to be a physical game on the team side of things, the way they can cover kicks, the way we can. That field position in this game is going to be big. I thought some playmakers in all spots along the defense. Both linebackers are very good blitzers and active, got an excellent defensive line. I’ve certainly been impressed by the young corners. They’re able to challenge and be aggressive right from the start. So, those are some things, defensively, that I’ve been impressed with.

    The Eagles defeated the Commanders in two of their three meetings last season.

    “Playing against us last year in the three games, they were exceptional at taking the ball away. I thought that was the biggest deal for us. … And offensively, I thought from a line standpoint, the size, the movement, the pulling, Jeff Stoutland is one of the best there is in the offensive line spot. … I think it’s a good balance of what they have from the run game and the shots down the field with Jalen [Hurts]. Those are kind of the yin and yang of a good offense.”

    ‘A tough matchup’

    Vic Fangio’s Eagles defense continues to be dominant. In last week’s 31-0 win over the Raiders, the defense sacked Kenny Pickett four times and held the offense to 75 total yards. Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury understands the challenge.

    “It’s certainly a tough matchup,” Kingsbury told reporters. “They’ve been playing at a super high level, defensively. I think they gave up less than 90 yards last week against Las Vegas. So, it’s going to be a great challenge. They can roll in five, six guys deep that all play at a pretty high level. They can rush the passer, can stop the run. So, you got to be creative in how you attack them and we’ll have our hands full, there’s no doubt.”

    Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s group has been dominant this season.

    The Eagles are competing against another backup quarterback who formerly spent time in Philadelphia: Marcus Mariota. With Jayden Daniels ruled out for the rest of the season, Mariota will be under center for Washington’s last three games.

    Mariota played in Philly for one season (2023) as a backup to Jalen Hurts and appeared in three games. Now he’s looking forward to seeing some familiar faces in a divisional matchup against one of his former teams.

    “[They have] a great defense, Vic [Fangio] got them playing really well,” Mariota told reporters. “You can talk about every single player on that front and on the back end. They’re great players. Being there for a year and being around those guys, it’ll be fun to play against some of those old friends. I’m looking forward to it. It’s always a great atmosphere to play Philly. It’ll be a fun game on Saturday.”

  • Flyers’ Egor Zamula cleared waivers and will be assigned to Lehigh Valley

    Flyers’ Egor Zamula cleared waivers and will be assigned to Lehigh Valley

    NEW YORK — At 11:59 p.m. on Friday, NHL rosters are frozen until 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 28.

    During this time, the Flyers are unable to waive, trade, or loan players. The lone exception is an injury that prevents them from dressing a full roster.

    With time ticking down, the Flyers made a move and waived defenseman Egor Zamula on Thursday. He cleared waivers on Friday and will be assigned to Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League.

    The writing was on the wall for the Russian, who struggled to find his footing this season. Coupled with Rasmus Ristolainen finally being healthy and returning to the lineup Tuesday in Montreal, and eight defensemen on the roster, it had become clear that Zamula was the odd man out.

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    In 13 games this season, he has one assist and a plus-minus of plus-4, boosted by a plus-5 night when he returned to the lineup on Nov. 22 against the New Jersey Devils. Across 168 games with the Flyers, since being signed as an undrafted free agent in September 2018, Zamula has 41 points (eight goals, 33 assists) and is minus-12.

    A long-standing criticism, dating back to former coach John Tortorella, has been Zamula’s pace of play. Coach Rick Tocchet also said he wanted to see the 6-foot-3, 200-pound defenseman move the puck more quickly.

    “I call it awareness,” Tocchet said in October. “You’re looking where to go instead of catch it, skate, and then have awareness. And I think if he can get that in his game … [because] for him, five feet is a big difference.

    Flyers defenseman Egor Zamula will be a restricted free agent on July 1.

    “Like, skate five feet to open up options, because when you first get it, the options aren’t usually open — there’s a stick in your lane, there’s a player in your lane — but once you escape, the other team has to react off you, and that means somebody should be open.”

    Zamula will be a restricted free agent on July 1. He will get a chance to work on his game with the Phantoms and assistant coach Nick Schultz. He last played for the Phantoms in the 2022-23 season and has 54 points (five goals, 49 assists) and a minus-1 rating in 127 career AHL games.

    The move comes after Zamula was jumped in the depth chart by Emil Andrae, Noah Juulsen, and, more recently, Ty Murchison, who made his NHL debut on Dec. 9 and played well in three games.

    “He’s knocking on the door. The hard part for the guys who come up for a couple is going down. … I’ve seen it go the other way, where a guy comes up, and he goes down and doesn’t play as well,” said Tocchet in Buffalo on Thursday. At Tuesday’s morning skate in Montreal, Tocchet and Murchison spoke at length, hours before the defenseman was sent back to the Phantoms.

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    “So I kind of warned him, hey, you’ve got to be who you are. Sometimes a guy gets here, they go down, they try to hold the puck more, they try to be something they’re not. And I don’t think that’s going to be a problem with him; he knows who he is. … And he’s knocking on the door. I mean, who knows, with the [way the] NHL is, he could be up in 48 hours. That’s just the way it works. So that was my message to him.”

    Sending Zamula down also solidifies Juulsen’s spot as the team’s seventh defenseman.

    “Noah’s a pro. I had him in Vancouver. He knows the deal. He’ll be ready when his number is called upon. A popular guy in the room, that’s the culture that we’re building here,” Tocchet said in Buffalo.

    “I was actually talking to players today, there’s some guys that maybe they don’t play as much, they’re the first guys cheering guys on. So that’s how you build culture, and Noah’s one of those guys who does that.”

  • Penn State adds two Iowa State offensive coaches to Matt Campbell’s staff

    Penn State adds two Iowa State offensive coaches to Matt Campbell’s staff

    STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Penn State announced Thursday the addition of two offensive coaches who will join Matt Campbell in Happy Valley.

    Noah Pauley will serve as wide receivers coach and Jake Waters will be the quarterbacks coach. Both held the same titles at Iowa State this past season.

    Penn State adds Iowa State offensive coordinator and two assistants to Matt Campbell’s staff

    Noah Pauley, wide receivers coach

    Pauley spent the last three seasons as the Cyclones’ wide receivers coach and added passing game coordinator duties in 2025. The 36-year-old started as a receivers coach with Minnesota Duluth in 2016 before stops at North Dakota State and Iowa State in the same position.

    Pauley is known for his player development skills. At North Dakota State, he coached the Green Bay Packers’ Christian Watson from a two-star wide receiver to a second-round NFL draft pick.

    In 2024, Pauley developed the Texans’ Jayden Higgins, a two-star receiver, and Jaylin Noel, a three-star receiver, into second-and third-round picks, respectively. Under Pauley’s tutelage, Noel and Higgins became the first duo in Cyclones history to have 1,000-yard seasons in the same campaign.

    Pauley won the 2024 FootballScoop.com National Wide Receivers Coach of the Year for his work with Noel, Higgins, among others.

    Now, he joins a Penn State receiver room that has not produced an NFL draft pick since 2023.

    Jake Waters, quarterbacks coach

    Waters, an All-Big 12 quarterback at Kansas State in 2014, spent the last two seasons as Iowa State’s quarterbacks coach after serving the previous three as the Cyclones offensive quality control coach.

    In the 33-year-old’s first campaign as quarterbacks coach, the Cyclones scored the most offensive touchdowns (52) in a single season.

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    Waters spent the last two seasons coaching Rocco Becht, QB who passed for more than 6,000 yards and 41 touchdowns under Waters’ tutelage. Becht, who has an additional year of eligibility, is considered a potential target for Penn State, should he enter the transfer portal.

    Waters replaces Danny O’Brien, who served as the Nittany Lions’ quarterbacks coach since 2021 before joining James Franklin’s staff at Virginia Tech in the same role. Trace McSorley, who played quarterback at Penn State from 2014-18 and was on Franklin’s staff as the assistant QBs coach in 2025, is expected to remain on Campbell’s staff, according to On3.

  • What to know about Illinois State, Villanova’s FCS semifinal opponent

    What to know about Illinois State, Villanova’s FCS semifinal opponent

    By advancing to the FCS semifinals for the first time since 2010, Villanova gets to continue a successful 2025 season on its home turf as it hosts Illinois State on Saturday (7:30 p.m., ESPN2).

    The No. 12 seed Wildcats and unseeded Redbirds have piled up upset victories to find themselves with a national championship game appearance on the line.

    Villanova promos for football semifinal include $2 concessions, a chance at basketball season tickets, and more

    Villanova (12-2) is coming off a 26-21 road win over No. 4 seed Tarleton State. Villanova’s defense slowed down Tarleton, the top scoring offense in the FCS. The Wildcats rallied from a 14-0 deficit as graduate quarterback Pat McQuaide passed for 180 yards and one touchdown. Freshman wide receiver Braden Reed threw a touchdown pass of his own and had the game-winning touchdown catch in the fourth quarter.

    Meanwhile, Illinois State (11-4) headed to the West Coast and took down No. 8 seed UC Davis, 42-31. Senior quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse led the way with 266 passing yards and three touchdowns.

    Illinois State running back Victor Dawson (5) has posted back-to-back 100-yard rushing games.

    Get to know Illinois State

    Illinois State will be making its first FCS semifinal appearance since 2014 and its third in program history. It has been a historic playoff run for the Redbirds, from upset wins to school records broken, under head coach Brock Spack, who’s in his 17th season.

    Illinois State finished third in the Missouri Valley Football Conference and lost, 37-7, to Southern Illinois to end the season. But the Redbirds bounced back, starting with a 21-3 victory over No. 16 seed Southeastern Louisiana in the first round of the playoffs.

    Illinois State’s most impressive victory of the season came as it slid by defending champ and No. 1 seed North Dakota State, 29-28, in the second round. The Redbirds secured the comeback win over the 10-time FCS champions by means of a two-point conversion with a minute left.

    The Redbirds have been unfazed when playing in enemy territory, as each of their three playoff wins have been on the road. Illinois State has won eight consecutive away games against FCS opponents.

    Pat McQuaide (7) will try to deliver Villanova to the FCS final playoff round for the first time since the Wildcats won it all in 2009.

    Quarterback battle

    Rittenhouse has been playing some of his best football of the season during the playoffs. With his performance last weekend, Rittenhouse surpassed 3,000 passing yards this season. In his second season as Illinois State’s starter, Rittenhouse is averaging 200.4 passing yards per game, with a 66% completion rate.

    Rittenhouse and senior wide receiver Daniel Sobkowicz have become a dangerous duo, connecting on a 93-yard touchdown at UC Davis. Sobkowicz now holds school records for career receptions (250) and for touchdowns in a single season (16).

    In his first season as Villanova’s quarterback, McQuaide, a Nicholls State transfer, is averaging 208.9 passing yards per game with a 60% completion rate. While McQuaide has rushed for just 10 yards this season, Villanova has leaned on its powerful run game and experienced offensive line.

    Sophomore running back Ja’briel Mace has been McQuaide’s primary option, running for 151 yards and one touchdown at Tarleton State. He leads the team with 887 rushing yards this season.

    Mark Ferrante’s team has shown discipline in avoiding turnovers this season.

    Limiting miscues

    Avoiding preventable errors will be crucial in Saturday’s matchup.

    Last Saturday’s win over Tarleton State was uncharacteristically messy for Villanova. McQuaide threw a costly interception in the opening drive, and the Wildcats nearly gave the game away because of defensive penalties in the fourth quarter. Holding and unsportsmanlike conduct charges on the same play advanced Tarleton 25 yards to the Villanova 27. Fortune struck for Villanova as Tarleton’s apparent touchdown pass on fourth down was overturned and ruled out of bounds.

    Braden Reed makes a name for himself in Year 1 with Villanova: ‘He’s not a freshman anymore’

    Villanova’s offense has overall been effective at protecting the football this season. The Wildcats have conceded just six turnovers, the fewest in the FCS.

    Flags have rarely been an issue for Illinois State, which ranks sixth in the FCS for fewest penalties per game (4.27).

    However, the Redbirds have at times struggled with turnovers this season, committing 19 total. Rittenhouse threw five interceptions at North Dakota State, and one at UC Davis.

  • Braden Reed makes a name for himself in Year 1 with Villanova: ‘He’s not a freshman anymore’

    Braden Reed makes a name for himself in Year 1 with Villanova: ‘He’s not a freshman anymore’

    Villanova receiver Braden Reed motioned to the backfield and awaited the snap against Tarleton State last Saturday in the FCS quarterfinals. He took a handoff and ran in the opposite direction, but instead of heading downfield, he threw a 27-yard pass toward the end zone.

    The pass landed directly over the shoulder and into the hands of Villanova receiver Lucas Kopecky for a touchdown in the Wildcats’ 26-21 victory. Reed became the first Villanova receiver to throw a touchdown pass since Jaaron Hayek in 2019.

    “It was cool,” Reed said. “I was appreciative that the coaches had so much trust in me as a freshman to throw a ball in the quarterfinals of the playoffs. I think that’s something really special that they were able to trust me with that.”

    Reed has been a standout on Villanova’s special teams and recently on offense. For a majority of the season, he led the FCS in average punt return yards. In the last two games, he has caught game-winning touchdowns against Lehigh and Tarleton State.

    Now, Reed and Villanova are gearing up to host an FCS semifinal game on Saturday for the first time since 2009 (7:30 p.m., ESPN2). No. 12 Villanova will face unseeded Illinois State with a trip to the FCS championship on the line.

    “He’s not a freshman anymore,” Villanova coach Mark Ferrante said after the Tarleton State game. “I don’t even know what our overall record is, to be honest, but he’s got that many games under his belt now. So he’s pretty much moved up to be a sophomore, as far as playing time. He’s been able to come in and pick the system up really well. So you’re seeing the fruits of his labor. He works really hard, and the results are now showing up on the field.”

    Villanova promos for football semifinal include $2 concessions, a chance at basketball season tickets, and more

    The freshman is one of the first guys on the field for practice and the last one to leave. After morning practice, Reed will return in the afternoon to catch passes from one of the quarterbacks or the JUGS machine.

    Recently, Reed was named to the Stats Perform FCS Freshman All-America team and the 2025 FCS Football Central Freshman All-America team. He has tallied 31 receptions for 462 receiving yards and three touchdowns. On special teams, he has returned 20 punts for 298 yards, which currently ranks No. 6 in the FCS.

    In high school, the Pope John Paul II graduate was first-team all-state, was a three-time first-team all-conference honoree, and Pioneer Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

    Reed grew up around football. His father, Scott Reed, played the sport at West Chester and was his son’s head coach for three years at Pope John Paul II.

    “It’s been huge for me,” Reed said of having his father as a coach. “I wouldn’t be where I am without him. He’s one of my biggest fans and biggest haters. He’ll be the first one to humble me. He calls it the honest report. He tells me how it is. He’s very good at just keeping me grounded, keeping me humble and hungry, and just always wanting to strive for more.”

    In his senior year at Pope John Paul II, Reed helped his team reach the PIAA Class 4A quarterfinals. While he has experience playing games late into the season, Reed says he is not thinking too much about what’s at stake.

    As of now, he still gets to do what he loves for another week.

    Villanova upsets Tarleton State and advances to FCS semifinals with comeback win

    “I’ve always kind of subscribed to the idea that every game is kind of the same,” Reed said. “At the end of the day, we’re playing a kid’s game, and we just happen to take it really serious. I try to not look at any of the outside stuff and just enjoy the fact that I get to play a game in December. I think that’s one of the coolest things ever. Really, the reward of the playoffs is getting to play more football. As much as championships are cool, getting to do what you love longer is something that drives me.”

    Reed describes himself as “a big family guy,” and when making his college decision, he wanted to stay close to home. After every home game, he goes home to spend time with his family.

    Braden Reed runs with the ball against Albany.

    Reed’s family will be in the stands this weekend as usual, but this time, a larger crowd will be supporting him. His former high school teammates will be home from college for winter break, and some will be there in support. Reed’s uncle Tom, who has not missed a game since his freshman year of high school, also will be in the stands.

    While the game this Saturday isn’t average, Reed and the team are treating it like it is any other week of the season.

    “I think [we] keep everything the same as any other week,” Reed said. “Go 1-0. It’s about the guys in our locker room, and one of the big things that we’ve harped on all year is to protect the brand, protect the ‘V.’”

  • Jared McCain opens up about protecting his mental health with students at Level Up Philly: ‘It humbles you’

    Jared McCain opens up about protecting his mental health with students at Level Up Philly: ‘It humbles you’

    Since high school, Jared McCain has shared his life on TikTok for his fans. He didn’t expect just how many haters also would come his way.

    On Wednesday, McCain, in partnership with Penn Medicine and the Sixers’ Assists for Safe Communities initiative, spoke with students at Level Up Philly about protecting his own mental health.

    “Putting myself in different positions helps me with my mental health, and helps me understand what people can go through,” McCain told The Inquirer. “Now, when I go through it, I understand what to do or what not to do. Being in the league is amazing, and now that I’m in, I guess, my real profession, it’s cool that I get to help out around the city, people around me, and people in my DMs, whoever it is, that I can just help out and try and direct them in the best way possible.”

    Since entering the NBA in 2024, McCain has experienced the highs of a successful debut and the lows of his season-ending meniscus tear and his season-opening finger injury this year.

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    As he worked his way back into the lineup, McCain said there’s a huge mental aspect to his recovery that fans may not see. He relies on his friends and family and also works with a psychologist to process those struggles.

    “The expectation is, you come back right away, first game, and play exactly how you are. But for me, I was just trying to get out there and feel comfortable enough to jump again and jump off my left leg again,” McCain said. “You’ve done it a million times in training and to be prepared for a game, but it’s never going to replicate actually going and subbing into a game and going full speed.”

    “That’s where I’ve got to get off social media sometimes, in the first few games. Even when I’m not playing the best right now, I know it’s going to come back to me, but I always just stay true to myself. I know it’s going to click and I know it’s going to come back as long as I continue to work hard.”

    McCain doesn’t run his own Instagram anymore, and he’s never on X, which he believes is “the worst” platform. But he still loves TikTok and tries to keep basketball off his For You page.

    But he told the students at Level Up Philly that despite the hate he can get for his TikTok videos, he wants to keep it going to make a positive impact. Negative comments often can overshadow the positive ones, so McCain learned to refocus on the good he was doing instead of falling into the negative.

    Students at Level Up Philly listened to Sixers guard Jared McCain talk about his about mental health during an event partnership between Penn Medicine and the Sixers’ Assists for Safe Communities initiative.

    Level Up Philly is a youth community center in West Philadelphia that serves as a home base for hundreds of students across the city to work on homework, learn new skills, or hang out with friends.

    Pastor Aaron Campbell, affectionately called “Unc” and even “Dad” by the students, is the executive director of the center. Level Up Philly supports students from 10 to 25 years old.

    More than 40 students came to hear McCain, Campbell, and Penn Medicine emergency doctor Malik Sams talk about mental health. A number of students at Level Up Philly have witnessed gun violence, and Campbell said 15 students at Level Up have been killed in the last three years.

    “There is arguably a human rights crisis in Philadelphia,” Campbell said. “We have seen a significant drop in homicides. We’ve seen solutions for the violence, but now there’s another element. The elephant in the room is the PTSD, the psychological impact, and that is also part of what I will call a human rights crisis in Philadelphia, so we have to talk about mental health.”

    Jared McCain is staying grounded while shouldering injury ‘haymakers’ for Sixers

    Students eagerly shared their stories and asked McCain questions, and Campbell loved that the collaboration between the Sixers and Level Up could help the students feel more empowered to speak up about their mental health.

    McCain said one of the biggest lessons he’s learned is not to judge, because everyone is going through something that he might not see. Getting to meet the students at Level Up was another way for McCain to gain perspective that he can take with him.

    “I was privileged, and I was able to grow up in an environment where a lot of this stuff didn’t happen that these kids go through,” McCain said. “To be able to hear stories of people, of what they’re going through, and people passing in their family, it definitely it humbles you, and you can understand more of what people go through on a day to day, and what they can be projecting at you when something happened at home. Just hearing it has helped me, and it can literally help me in my mental health struggles.”

  • Tonight’s Rams-Seahawks game has huge playoff implications and could impact the Eagles

    Tonight’s Rams-Seahawks game has huge playoff implications and could impact the Eagles

    The Los Angeles Rams (11-3) take on the Seattle Seahawks (11-3) tonight on Amazon’s Thursday Night Football in a game likely to have a huge impact on the NFC playoff race, but might not matter much to the Eagles (9-5).

    The Rams enter the game as the NFC’s No. 1 seed and in first place in the NFC West because they defeated the Seahawks in Week 11. The San Francisco 49ers (10-4) are close behind both teams and still have a fair shot of winning the division.

    The Eagles, who play the Washington Commanders (4-10) Saturday night, enter Week 16 as the No. 3 seed. A lot would have to happen for the Birds to either move up or down before the season ends. So tonight’s Rams-Seahawks game will have more impact on the team the Eagles could face in the first round of the playoffs than whether the Birds could sneak back into the No. 1 spot.

    How unlikely are the Eagles’ chances of landing the top playoff seed? Less than 1%, according to the New York Times playoff simulator.

    Here are all the various playoff implications of tonight’s game, and how it could impact the Eagles:

    NFC playoff picture

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    A Rams win all but clinches the No. 1 seed

    If the Rams win tonight, they’ll have a 90% chance of clinching both the NFC West and the No. 1 seed, according to the New York Times.

    A win means the Seahawks would need to completely overtake the Rams in the standings. That would require the Seahawks winning their final two games (against the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers) and the Rams losing their final two (against the Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals).

    The only other team with a realistic chance to overtake the Rams as the No. 1 seed would be the Chicago Bears (10-4). The Bears defeated the Rams back in September, so Chicago would come out on top if the two teams are tied when the season ends.

    There’s also the 49ers, who face Philip Rivers and the Indianapolis Colts Monday night. The 49ers split their two games against the Rams this season, but San Francisco would currently win a tiebreaker with a better divisional record.

    A Seahawks win would also benefit the 49ers

    The Seahawks will clinch a playoff berth with a win tonight and Seattle would immediately become the NFC’s top playoff seed, at least for now. The Rams would drop to the No. 5 seed.

    Waiting in the wings are the 49ers, who defeated the Seahawks back in September and would be in position to steal the division and the No. 1 seed.

    The Seahawks and 49ers are scheduled to face off in Week 18 at Levi’s Stadium, and a Seattle win tonight makes it more likely that game will end up deciding both the NFC West and the No. 1 seed.

    Eagles could face the loser of tonight’s game first in the playoffs

    If the Eagles do end up the NFC’s No. 3 seed, they’ll host the No. 6 seed at the Linc during the wild card round of the playoffs.

    It’s looking likely the No. 6 seed will be the team that finishes third place in the NFC West, which is currently the 49ers. But the division is so tight, anything can happen over the next three games, so whichever team loses tonight increases their chances of facing the Birds on the road in a wild card game.

    Of the three teams, the Eagles have only played the Rams, a game the Birds narrowly won on a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown in Week 3.

    The Eagles basically have no shot at the No. 1 seed. What about No. 2?

    While it remains mathematically possible for the Eagles to still end the season as the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed, the odds are not in the Birds’ favor.

    But what about the No. 2 seed? That’s how the Eagles entered the playoffs last season, and their postseason run ended with a Super Bowl victory.

    The current No. 2 seed is the Chicago Bears (10-4), who are essentially two games up on the Eagles because of the Birds’ loss to Chicago last month on Black Friday. So there are two main scenarios where the Eagles can overtake the Bears:

    • Eagles end the season 12-5 (winning their final three games), Bears end the season 11-6 (losing two of their final three).
    • Eagles end the season 11-6 (winning two of their final three games), Bears end the season 10-7 (losing their final three).

    There are some less-likely scenarios where the Eagles could win a tiebreaker in the event of a three-way tie also involving the Rams or Seahawks, which Wharton professor Deniz Selman breaks down here:

    If the Packers end up winning the NFC North, the Eagles would need to end the season a half-game up to secure the No. 2 seed, thanks to Green Bay’s tie against the Dallas Cowboys earlier this season (Unless the Eagles tie one of their final three games, but we won’t worry about that until it happens).

    In the unlikely event the Lions overtake both and win the division (the New York Times gives them a 5% chance), the Eagles hold the tiebreaker thanks to their Week 11 win at the Linc.

    The good news is the only way the Eagles would drop to the No. 4 seed is if they lost their final three games and either the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7) or the Carolina Panthers (7-7) won out, since they face each other twice in the final three weeks of the season.

    NFC East standings

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    The Eagles will officially clinch the NFC East and a playoff spot with a win Sunday or a Cowboys’ loss to the Los Angeles Chargers (10-4). But there’s still a long-shot chance Dallas could still overtake the Eagles in the division.

    Even if the Cowboys manage to win their final three games — at home against the Chargers and on the road against the Commanders and New York Giants (2-12) — they would still need the Eagles to lose out to overtake the Birds in the standings.

    Good luck.

  • Eagles vs. Commanders predictions: Our writers pick a winner for Week 16

    Eagles vs. Commanders predictions: Our writers pick a winner for Week 16

    The Eagles travel down I-95 for a Saturday evening road game in Landover, Md., against the Washington Commanders on Saturday.

    One team has four wins and shut down its starting quarterback for the rest of the season. The other got back on track with a blowout win Sunday and is gearing up for another playoff run.

    The schedule makers probably didn’t have this type of disparity on their bingo cards when they matched up the Eagles and Commanders for two games in the final three weeks of the NFL season, but here we are.

    Here’s how our writers see Saturday’s game going:

    Jeff Neiburg

    Yes, the Raiders stink, but the Eagles should be feeling pretty good about themselves after their 31-0 drubbing of Las Vegas on Sunday. The offense got back on track. The defense couldn’t have played much better. Jake Elliott finished a game without missing a kick for the first time since Week 11.

    All is right at the NovaCare Complex, right?

    Yes, at least for now.

    But the Eagles should be ready to pounce Saturday. They’re facing another team starting a backup quarterback. They’re facing an even worse defense than the one they beat up on Sunday. And they can clinch the NFC East with a victory.

    Eagles vs. Commanders in Week 16: Here are the numbers that matter

    It’s hard to envision that not happening Saturday night. The Commanders can score, especially with Terry McLaurin back in the lineup. And Marcus Mariota will test what the Eagles have learned about trying to stop the quarterback running game. But the Eagles have way too big a talent advantage for this game to be much of a worry.

    Three of Washington’s four wins this season are against the Giants (twice) and Raiders. The other came against the Chargers. But Jayden Daniels started that game, and the Commanders defense played its best game of the season. That was all the way back in October, though, and that defense is banged up.

    Hang the banner. The Eagles will win their second consecutive division title, and their third in four seasons.

    Prediction: Eagles 27, Commanders 13

    Olivia Reiner

    Another Eagles win incoming.

    Even when Daniels was healthy enough to play, this Commanders team hadn’t been the NFC contender it was last season. While McLaurin is still one of the top receivers in the division, the Commanders have a shortage of playmakers overall. The season-ending ACL injury to Zach Ertz certainly doesn’t help matters. Jacory Croskey-Merritt has been a solid threat on the ground, but he’s prone to making rookie mistakes (including three fumbles this season).

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 16 vs. the Commanders

    The biggest concern for the Eagles defense is Mariota’s ability to use his legs to extend plays. The Eagles have conceded 329 rushing yards to opposing quarterbacks this season, the second-highest total in the NFL. If Vic Fangio’s unit can keep him contained, it will be in position to shut the Commanders down.

    The big question facing the Eagles offense going forward: Can it sustain the success it established in the win over the Raiders? The Eagles ought to have a good chance of doing so against the Commanders in two of their final three games. Even with Dan Quinn taking over the defensive coordinator duties, Washington still has struggled against the pass and the run.

    With a win, the Eagles will clinch the NFC East, making them the first back-to-back winners in the last 20 seasons. So much for the league back-loading these Eagles-Commanders games with the aspiration that they would have playoff implications for both teams.

    Prediction: Eagles 28, Commanders 20

  • Philly’s Tyreek Chappell overcame an injury to reach the College Football Playoff with Texas A&M

    Philly’s Tyreek Chappell overcame an injury to reach the College Football Playoff with Texas A&M

    Before the 2024 football season began, defensive back Tyreek Chappell was expecting it to be his final year with Texas A&M. But just two games into that season, he suffered a noncontact ACL injury during practice that ended his season prematurely.

    Chappell, a Northeast High graduate who has played football since he was 4 years old, said the “process was long” to get back on the field for the 2025 season.

    “The players that were here, coaches that were here, kind of helped me to come back [to] football, because I was kind of losing it,” Chappell told The Inquirer. “Obviously, just me being hurt and I was supposed to leave that year.”

    The fifth-year senior has made up for lost time and has done so at a new position. After playing outside cornerback in his first three seasons in College Station, he transitioned to nickel corner in 2024, when Penn alum Mike Elko returned to Texas A&M to be the head coach after coaching at Duke for two years. Chappell remained at the spot in 2025, and has yielded just one touchdown across 333 coverage snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

    Penn receiver Jared Richardson is a second-team FCS All-American

    There has been a lot of change since Chappell arrived on campus. He was recruited under Jimbo Fisher’s staff, which included Elko at defensive coordinator and Camden’s Elijah Robinson as defensive line coach, both of whom recruited the Philly native. When Fisher was fired before the end of the 2023 season, Robinson took over as interim coach, then left for Syracuse at the end of that season.

    Through all of the changes, though, Chappell says he never wavered in his commitment to Texas A&M.

    “After I had got relationships with other coaches, it really wasn’t just about like, ‘Who [is leaving], who [is staying],’ for real, I was just all about A&M at that point,” Chappell said. “The coaches treated me well here ever since I came [here]. … It was pretty much me loving A&M.”

    Crash course together

    When Chappell arrived at Texas A&M in the spring of 2021, former NFL defensive back Antonio Cromartie joined the program as a graduate assistant. Cromartie, who collected 31 career interceptions in 11 seasons with the Chargers, Colts, Cardinals, and Jets, quickly built a relationship with Chappell, since the former NFL player was working with defensive backs.

    Cromartie says he was drawn to coaching because he wanted to “give back what I’ve learned from all the coaches that I’ve learned from.” His coach at Florida State, Bobby Bowden, was big on relationships, and Cromartie says that was “something that I wanted to build on.”

    Antonio Cromartie of the Cardinals intercepts a pass against the Eagles on Oct. 26, 2014.

    “Those two years of me being around them and just being able to coach them and pour into them, you get to see a different side of kids,” Cromartie said. “Get to have a kid come and talk to you, tell you what’s going on. A lot of that time, Tyreek lost friends and family members back at home in Philly, so just being able for somebody he can lean on, to talk to and express himself when he needed to was big, too. … It’s just like having a big brother that can help you along the way and guide you and make sure that you’re doing the things that you need to do, not only just the football, but off the field, too.”

    When Chappell was a freshman, Cromartie immediately recognized his work ethic. At the time, being thrown into the fire as a rookie was a necessity because of injuries in the Aggies’ secondary, and he responded with 41 tackles, one interception, and nine passes defended in 12 starts.

    Philly’s Eric Gentry causes chaos in the middle of USC’s defense: ‘It’s been a perfect match’

    Though Cromartie spent only two years on the coaching staff at Texas A&M, he believes if Chappell had stayed healthy last year, he would have been “one of the better corners in the SEC just from a technique standpoint.” The former coach also supports Chappell’s position switch to nickel.

    “It shows that you can play inside, you can play outside,” Cromartie said. “It just shows how versatile you are, and that’s something that’s very valuable in the NFL. And I think you just see growth and maturity from him, and understanding his role. And I think that’s what makes him who he is.”

    Texas A&M defensive back Tyreek Chappell reacts after the Aggies stopped LSU on a third down in 2022.

    ‘Once-in-a-lifetime moment’

    On Saturday, Chappell will get to play on his biggest stage yet when Texas A&M hosts Miami in the first round of the College Football Playoff (noon, 6abc, ESPN).

    “This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment,” Chappell said. “A lot of people don’t get a chance to make playoffs. So this really is big for everybody.”

    Cromartie will be watching his former player try to slow down Miami’s aerial attack.

    It could be Chappell’s final game in college, but Cromartie believes the Texas A&M defensive back has shown the skill set and dependability to be an impact player at the NFL level.

    “Somebody that’s consistent, that understands what’s been asked of them, that understands what he needs to try to do. I think that is what’s going to make him an even better defensive back once he gets in the NFL,” Cromartie said. “You can look at him and say, ‘OK, I know what I’m getting out of him every single week, every single down, because of the way he practices and the way he plays.’ … He makes plays that he should make, and he does everything that’s asked of him.”