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  • NFL playoff picture: Eagles No. 1 seed scenarios, Chiefs eliminated, two teams clinch

    NFL playoff picture: Eagles No. 1 seed scenarios, Chiefs eliminated, two teams clinch

    Thanks to Sunday’s blowout win against the Las Vegas Raiders (2-12), the Eagles (9-5) are in great shape to make the NFL playoffs and even host a game at the Linc.

    How good? The New York Times now pegs the Eagles’ chances of making the playoffs and hosting a wild card game at 99%, thanks in part to the Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1) loss to the Minnesota Vikings (6-8) Sunday night.

    The Birds remained in the NFC’s No. 3 spot, and if the season ended today they’d be hosting the No. 6 seed San Francisco 49ers (10-4) at the Linc during wild card weekend.

    Here’s a look at the current playoff picture for the Eagles and the rest of the NFL:

    When can the Eagles clinch the NFC East?

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    In the NFC East, the Eagles’ magic number — combined wins and Cowboys losses — is now just one. That means the Birds could clinch both the division and a playoff berth with a win in Week 16 against the Washington Commanders (4-10).

    The Birds would also clinch the NFC East with just one more Cowboys loss.

    Even if Dallas manages 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 overtake the Birds in the standings.

    Considering the Birds face the Marcus Mariota-led Commanders twice in the final three weeks, oddsmakers see that as impossibly unlikely. As in less than a 1% chance, according to the New York Times.

    Both the Commanders and Giants have already been eliminated from playoff contention, but both could play the role of spoiler in the coming weeks.

    Can the Eagles still end up with the NFC’s No. 1 seed?

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    You’re saying there’s still a chance?

    Despite Sunday’s win, the Eagles still face an all-but-impossible chance to end the season in the NFC’s No. 1 playoff spot.

    What would have to happen? For starters, the Birds need to win their final three games ― against the Buffalo Bills (10-4) and twice against the Commanders ― to even have a shot at the top playoff seed.

    Now comes the tricky part. In all likelihood, the Eagles would need four of the NFC’s top teams to lose two of their final three games, according to Wharton professor and Eagles analytics nerd Deniz Selman — the Los Angeles Rams (11-3), Seattle Seahawks (11-3), San Francisco 49ers (10-4), and Bears.

    All four teams won Sunday, so the Eagles already-slim odds got worst, despite the Birds’ win.

    There are some even less-likely scenarios where the Eagles could win on tiebreakers, but it all points to the road to a Super Bowl repeat not going through the Linc.

    Odds are the Eagles will win the NFC East and enter the playoffs at the NFC’s No. 3 seed, but the Birds could also end up as the No. 2 seed if things fall their way. Having tiebreakers against most of the top NFC teams helps, though not with the Packers because of that pesky tie.

    The Birds entered the playoffs as the No. 2 seed last year, and that seemed to work out well.

    NFC playoff scenarios this week

    Matthew Stafford and the Rams are in the driver’s seat for the NFC’s No. 1 playoff spot.

    Entering Week 15, not a single team in the league had clinched a playoff spot. That changed Sunday, with the Rams officially becoming the NFC’s first playoff team thanks to a 41-34 win against the Detroit Lions (8-6).

    The No. 1 seed will take a few weeks to sort out, thanks to a tight race in the NFC West featuring the Seattle Seahawks (11-3) and 49ers.

    What’s wild is there’s a possibility a team like the Lions, Bears, 49ers, Seahawks, or even Rams could end the season with 12 wins and miss the playoffs due to tiebreakers for the final wild card. That’s never happened in NFL history, though two teams have missed the playoffs with 11 wins — the 1985 Denver Broncos and the 2008 New England Patriots.

    The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7) moved back into the No. 4 seed and lead the NFC South thanks to the Carolina Panthers (7-7) loss to the New Orleans Saints. The Buccaneers and Panthers will face off next week in a game that will likely decide the division.

    Just one NFC team faced elimination in Week 15. The Vikings will officially be booted out of the postseason race with a loss to the Cowboys Monday night.

    AFC playoff picture and scenarios

    The Chiefs were eliminated from the playoffs for the first time during Patrick Mahomes’ career.

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    The No. 1 seed Denver Broncos (12-2) clinched the AFC’s first playoff spot and their second-straight postseason appearance under head coach Sean Payton with a win against the Packers.

    The No. 2 seed New England Patriots (11-2) could have clinched the AFC East, but blew a 21-point lead to Josh Allen and the Bills Sunday.

    The Kansas City Chiefs (6-8) were eliminated from the playoffs Sunday for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era thanks to their loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

    The Cincinnati Bengals (4-10) were also eliminated from the playoffs Sunday, clinching their third-straight season without a playoff appearance. No wonder Joe Burrow is frustrated and whirling up the trade rumor machine.

    The Miami Dolphins (6-7) enter Week 15 on a four-game winning streak, but could be booted from the playoffs with a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) Monday night.

    When do the NFL playoffs start?

    The Eagles have made four-straight playoff appearances under Nick Sirianni.

    We’re a little less than a month away from the first playoff game, which will take place on wild-card weekend beginning Jan. 10.

    Six games will take place in the first round of the playoffs, airing across Fox, CBS, NBC, and ESPN/ABC. Amazon will also exclusively stream a wild-card game on Prime Video for the second straight season.

    Full 2025 NFL playoff schedule:

    • Wild-card round: Saturday, Jan. 10 to Monday, Jan. 12
    • Divisional round: Saturday, Jan. 17 to Sunday, Jan. 18
    • AFC and NFC championship games: Sunday, Jan. 25
    • Super Bowl LX: Sunday, Feb. 8

    Where is this year’s Super Bowl?

    Super Bowl LX (or 60, for those who don’t like Roman numerals) is being held at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., home of the San Francisco 49ers. NBC will broadcast this year’s Super Bowl.

    Here are the sites announced for future Super Bowls:

    • Super Bowl LXI: Feb. 14., 2027, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif. (ESPN, ABC)
    • Super Bowl LXII: Feb. 2028, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Ga. (CBS)
  • Flyers drop second straight game to Hurricanes in 3-2 shootout loss

    Flyers drop second straight game to Hurricanes in 3-2 shootout loss

    RALEIGH, N.C. — It’s a good thing hockey games are 60 minutes.

    After a dreadful opening 19 minutes, the Flyers picked up the pace. Although they did not get the win, they did earn yet another point in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday.

    Andrei Svechnikov scored the winner in the shootout. Trevor Zegras hit the post, and Christian Dvorak and Matvei Michkov were stopped by Carolina goalie Brandon Bussi.

    The Flyers have lost after regulation in each of their three meetings with Carolina, including Saturday night in a 4-3 shootout in Philly. There is one more meeting in Game 81.

    Although they extended their point streak to four games, the Flyers have now lost three straight — all after regulation. It is the longest losing streak of the season.

    Cam York returns to lineup for Flyers’ rematch with Hurricanes

    Zegras tied the game with 1 minute, 52 seconds left in regulation.

    Dvorak split the defense and had a good chance stopped by Bussi. But the Flyers maintained possession and, with a six-on-five, got to work by controlling the boards.

    The puck ended up on Travis Sanheim’s stick, and he put a shot on goal at the boards near the left faceoff circle that was deflected in front by Dvorak. The puck popped out to Travis Konecny, who went cross-crease to the open Zegras for the easy goal.

    It was Zegras’ 13th goal of the season, and he had an assist on the night too, giving him 32 points in 31 games.

    Just over five minutes into the game, and on their eighth shot of the period — the Flyers had zero and didn’t get their first until 7:09 into the game — William Carrier gave the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead.

    Carolina captain Jordan Staal won the faceoff back to former Flyers defenseman Sean Walker, who walked the line. His pass attempt from just inside the blue line went off Konecny, slowing the puck down. Dvorak, with his back turned, tried to knock it away, but Carrier was able to get the shot off quickly and past Dan Vladař.

    Entering the night, Carolina ranked 29th on the man advantage (15.1%), and the Flyers’ penalty kill had fallen to 15th (81.5%). It did stop Carolina on the only pair of power plays on Saturday in Philly.

    But on Sunday, Taylor Hall made it 2-0 on a power play, one of five in the first period between the two teams. In the bumper, Hall redirected an Alexander Nikishin point shot.

    The Flyers struggled to find their legs early on and only mustered four shots in the opening frame, but one found the back of the net.

    Skating six-on-five on a delayed penalty, Zegras and Jamie Drysdale passed it back and forth between the right flank and point before Zegras set up the blueliner for the quick one-timer. Drysdale’s third of the season, which came off the stick of Carrier, cut into the Carolina lead with 53 seconds left in the period.

    And it seemed to spark the Flyers, who, while still getting outshot, had not just more chances, but more quality chances too.

    Hurricanes’ Jordan Martinook (48) jumps over a shot by teammate William Carrier (28) for a goal during the first period.

    They almost tied it with 42 seconds left in the first on a shot by Owen Tippett. But Carolina defenseman Jaccob Slavin, back in the lineup for the first time since Oct. 11 against the Flyers, stuck out his leg to steal a sure goal. Seconds later, Michkov tried to sneak the puck in at the right post but was blocked by Jalen Chatfield.

    In the second period, Zegras made a play in the neutral zone that allowed Konecny to skate and put a quality shot on goal. Bussi stopped it, and then the rebound attempt by Dvorak as he crashed the net.

    Drysdale had a good chance with just over nine minutes left in the middle period when he picked off a stretch pass and drove to the net. His shot just missed.

    And the Flyers’ new power play units started to look better as the game wore on — and they got plenty of chances to build chemistry with four opportunities, although one was cut short. Late in the second period, the unit of Drysdale, Zegras, Bobby Brink, Noah Cates, and Tippett had several good looks with shots just missing. The Flyers missed the net on 13 chances in the game.

    Flyers winger Carl Grundström brings ‘a lot of energy’ to the ice, and it’s paying off

    But the man advantage in the third period had its best look. Zegras sent a one-timer from the right flank that Bussi stopped, but he couldn’t control it. Cates, atop the crease, was robbed by the Hurricanes’ goalie.

    During all this, Vladař played the angles well and was stellar in goal. After allowing two goals on 14 shots in the first period, he stopped the next 16, including a breakaway chance by K’Andre Miller, in regulation.

    In overtime, he stopped two shots, with one coming off the stick of Sebastian Aho during a power play for Carolina, which went 1-for-6.

    Breakaways

    Defensemen Ty Murchison and Egor Zamula, and forward Nic Deslauriers were healthy scratches. … Captain Sean Couturier skated in his 904th career game, surpassing Hall of Famer Bill Barber for third on the Flyers’ all-time games played list. … Sanheim played 31:06, one second shy of his career high set in November 2024.

    Up next

    The Flyers head north to take on the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday (7 p.m., NBCSP).

  • The Eagles can still get to the Super Bowl, but only if their defense drags them there

    The Eagles can still get to the Super Bowl, but only if their defense drags them there

    For an Eagles team desperate to stop a losing streak, a coach turned to Scripture the other day to inspire a few members of the one unit that has been pretty much beyond reproach. Jeremiah Washburn, who’s in charge of the Eagles’ defensive line, shared a message with the team’s tackles and ends from Isaiah 6:8: Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

    “The perspective of the D-line — it’s like, ‘Send me,’” tackle Moro Ojomo said. “That was kind of our mentality heading into this game.”

    So on Sunday against the two-win Las Vegas Raiders, the Eagles sent Ojomo, who had a sack and two quarterback hits. And they sent Brandon Graham, who had two sacks while lining up at tackle. And they sent Zack Baun, who had four tackles and an interception. And they sent the Raiders back to the Strip wearing the scarlet letter of having produced the worst offensive performance of any Eagles opponent ever. It wasn’t just that the Eagles won 31-0 — their first shutout in nearly seven years. It was that they allowed the Raiders to gain just 75 yards of total offense.

    Eagles dominate Raiders in all phases, end losing streak with first shutout since 2018

    Combine those two figures, the 0 and the 75, and you get what was, statistically speaking, the best game any Eagles defense has ever played. You get a game in which the Raiders’ longest gain on any play was 15 yards … on an unnecessary roughness penalty by Cooper DeJean. And as pitiful as Las Vegas was Sunday and has been offensively all season — the Raiders entered the game last in the NFL in points and next-to-last in yardage — you still got a glimpse of what might yet be the Eagles’ saving grace in their quest to win a second straight Super Bowl. As ragged and inconsistent as their offense has been, their defense is good enough to get them there.

    “Our mindset, regardless, is, ‘If they don’t score, they don’t win,’” Ojomo said. “You saw that today. That’s the mindset we’ve got to have. The offense has to have the mindset of not necessarily depending on us, and what you get is that perfect marriage. They do their thing. We do our thing. We’re always going to raise the standard.”

    “If they don’t score, they don’t win,” Moro Ojomo (right) said after Sunday’s victory.

    They have to. Maybe Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, and the rest of the offense will raise their level of play over the next three weeks and beyond. Maybe this dominant performance against a terrible team can allow the Eagles to get their groove from last season back. But to be in their locker room after Sunday’s game was to observe a different collective disposition from one side of the ball to the other.

    Hurts delivered one curt, clipped answer after another in his postgame news conference, as if he were offended that the people in the room had pointed out that he’d committed five turnovers six days earlier against the Los Angeles Chargers. Nick Sirianni, Landon Dickerson, and other members of the offense kept up that same standoffish pose. Meanwhile, the team’s defensive players were ebullient and enthusiastic and generally have been all season. With the exception of the 281 rushing yards they gave up to the Chicago Bears two weeks ago, they have done their part to keep the Eagles in contention in the NFC.

    They let the Eagles get away with victories against the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions. They surrendered a touchdown on the Chargers’ first possession last Monday night, and they haven’t given up another in the 20 possessions since. They have a high standard, and they keep meeting it, and it was telling to hear, for instance, linebacker Nakobe Dean describe a lesson he learned from the unit’s perfect performance Sunday.

    “There are plays we’re going to look back at and be like, ‘Oh, man, we could have [done] this better,’” he said. “I had a blitz. I was too high. I didn’t have great pad level. I got blocked by [running back] Raheem [Mostert], and the last couple of weeks I’ve been running through guys. So it’s like, yes, I have something to build on. I got blocked trying to bull [rush]. Now it’s time to stick/swat. Now it’s time to spin, do something like that. At first, I was thinking I was going to do it from the beginning. It was ‘Do this until they block it.’ Now it’s blocked. Now you can add a little something.”

    ‘Ridiculous’ indeed: Jalen Hurts is nearly perfect in an Eagles bounce-back blowout
    Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean (center) and cornerback Adoree’ Jackson stop Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s win.

    The striking aspect of this dynamic — the inconsistency of the offense, the consistent excellence of the defense — is the lack of dissension within the locker room. Dean and Ojomo and their defensive teammates would be well within their rights to resent how much they’ve had to carry the Eagles. But there’s no indication that such a fissure exists. That’s a credit to coordinator Vic Fangio, sure, and it’s a credit to a unit full of young, homegrown players who aren’t surly, cynical veterans, who aren’t mercenaries, who don’t know any better but to ball out.

    “We’re hungry, and we run around, and we want to be great,” Ojomo said. “We want to go and get it. It’s like this perfect thing, but the reality is, we’ve got to do it again.”

    And again. And again. And again into January, if the Eagles are to have any hope of playing into February. A Super Bowl is still possible for them. Their defense will have to drag them there.

  • Brandon Graham proves ‘you can teach an old dog new tricks’ with two sacks as Eagles shut out Raiders

    Brandon Graham proves ‘you can teach an old dog new tricks’ with two sacks as Eagles shut out Raiders

    Brandon Graham was going home to an empty house Sunday evening. His family was out of town, and so one of Graham’s first thoughts after he registered his first sacks since coming out of retirement nearly two months ago was: What am I going to eat?

    Graham had an answer. He was thinking Chinese. More specifically, he was thinking David’s Mai Lai Wah, the Chinatown staple at 10th and Race Streets.

    Graham likes the sweet and sour chicken, the General Tso’s chicken, and the salt and pepper chicken wings at David’s. Why choose one? Graham more than earned himself a whole Peking duck.

    The Eagles had their first shutout in almost seven years during their 31-0 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. They allowed just 75 yards, the fewest the franchise has allowed in the Super Bowl era. The Raiders averaged just 1.8 yards on their 42 offensive plays. They did not possess the ball past the Eagles’ 33-yard line.

    In the middle of it all was Graham, playing defensive tackle and not defensive end as the Eagles play without Jalen Carter. Graham sacked Kenny Pickett twice, two of the four sacks the Eagles were credited with on the day.

    “It just felt good,” Graham said. “I was like, ‘Dang, Kenny, I’m sorry. But, brother, you’re in the way.’”

    Brandon Graham leaves the field after the Eagles shut out the Raiders on Sunday.

    The Eagles followed up a disastrous Black Friday performance vs. the Chicago Bears — who piled up 281 rushing yards against the Eagles’ front — with two of their best performances of the season. They allowed a touchdown on the Chargers’ first drive last week, but haven’t allowed one since. The touchdown-free streak reached 20 possessions by the end of Sunday.

    “Thankful that nobody turned on each other,” Graham said. “Nobody wavered. Everybody continued to keep pressing, bringing the energy.”

    Eagles grades: High marks for the defense as the three-game skid ends in a big way

    Graham has been bringing the energy in a new room. He has, for the last two weeks, lined up as a defensive tackle and has been in the meeting rooms with the other interior defensive linemen. Graham has been learning new techniques, working on his moves after practice. He picks up on things by watching his teammates, too.

    It’s quicker, Graham said, rushing from the inside compared to the edge. But he looks the part through two games. Jordan Davis wants him to stick around even after Carter returns. Davis called Graham a “tweener” and is hoping the Eagles can do a “a little custody split” to keep him around.

    Graham’s personality has long been infectious around the NovaCare Complex, and his fellow interior linemen are getting a closer look at it lately. “He loves on people, and you want to love on him,” said Moro Ojomo, who picked up his fifth sack of the season Sunday. Graham said the positivity flows both ways. There are days when it’s his teammates picking him up and not the other way around.

    Davis was the position group’s elder statesman before Graham’s position switch. He will be 26 next month, 11-plus years younger than Graham, who on Sunday became the oldest Eagles player to register a sack.

    “I always say you can teach an old dog new tricks,” Davis said. “I’ve seen it with BG.

    “You’re never too old. I know Philip Rivers is playing today. Truly, it’s all about a mindset. BG just comes in to work. He’s getting that juice, he’s getting that flow back. He never lost a step.”

    Graham said Sunday would be a confidence booster for the Eagles as they head into the home stretch, trying to close out a consecutive division title and moving toward the playoffs.

    “I’m happy to be able to come back, because I feel like we can make another run,” he said.

    Hayes: Ridiculous indeed: Jalen Hurts plays his game in an Eagles bounce-back blowout

    Speaking of another run, a two-sack performance begged the question: Is this Graham’s last season? He gave a tearful goodbye just nine months ago, only to return seven months later to a defense that needed his leadership and, apparently, his talent, too.

    “We ain’t there yet,” Graham said. “I’m just trying to finish this year and enjoy the whole thing. Right now, I’m thankful that we got the win today, and we’re just trying to keep building for the next one.”

    But first, it was time to eat.

  • Eagles grades: High marks for the defense as the three-game skid ends in a big way

    Eagles grades: High marks for the defense as the three-game skid ends in a big way

    Instant grades on the Eagles’ performance in their 31-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders:

    Quarterback: A

    Jalen Hurts had the bounce-back performance he needed, even if it came against arguably the worst team in the NFL. Getting back to a run-heavy offense that has proved to be the best formula with Hurts the last five years paid dividends. Having the quarterback carry more, too, gave the unit a facet that had been missing for most of the season.

    That allowed Hurts to be more efficient as a passer, despite the windy conditions. He completed 12 of 15 throws for 175 yards and three touchdowns. Hurts’ two best tosses were to his receivers: a 44-yard teardrop to DeVonta Smith and an anticipatory 27-yard touchdown to A.J. Brown on a seam route. But most of his targets went to tight end Dallas Goedert.

    Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown celebrates his third-quarter touchdown reception with quarterback Jalen Hurts on Sunday vs. the Raiders.

    Hurts also ran seven times for 39 yards. He kept on designed runs more than he has all season. He had six carries for 37 yards plus a successful Tush Push in the first half. He also converted two third downs on draw plays — the second with a 13-yard dart around the corner on third-and-12. And most important, Hurts didn’t turn the ball over a week after giving it away five times.

    Those that wanted to see Tanner McKee got their wish, although not because Hurts was benched. With the Eagles up, 31-0, early in the fourth quarter, the backup took over under center.

    Running back: B

    Saquon Barkley was the workhorse on the ground. despite the Raiders often stacking the box, especially whenever the Eagles were in heavy personnel. It was tough sledding to start. Barkley averaged just 2.3 yards a rush in the first half. There weren’t many holes to run through, although he did leave meat on the bone when he cut outside on a blocked-up run off the right. Barkley saw more light after the half, running seven times for 44 yards.

    Tank Bigsby did well to hit the hole on back-to-back runs that netted a first down in the second quarter. He finished out the game when the first unit was given the rest of the day off.

    Eagles running back Saquon Barkley put together a solid second half before the first unit was given the rest of the afternoon off.

    Receiver / Tight end: B+

    Tight end Dallas Goedert led the Eagles with six catches for 70 yards. He also caught two touchdowns, giving him a team-high nine on the season. Goedert actually could have had a third, but he dropped a wide-open pass off an run-pass option in the end zone. Nevertheless, his first touchdown came on a shovel pass on the opening drive, while the second was via a flip sweep that capped the Eagles’ first series after the break.

    Goedert caught a 32-yard pass in the third quarter when two Raiders defenders inexplicably covered second tight end Grant Calcaterra.

    Asking Calcaterra to block Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby had a predictable result on a second-quarter, under center run: Barkley dropped for a 4-yard loss. The Eagles had more success running out of three-tight end sets than two.

    A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith had quiet days with the pass game a secondary element, but they also shined when targeted. Brown caught two passes for 41 yards and a touchdown. He also drew a pass interference penalty vs. man coverage on Hurts’ first throw. Smith dusted cornerback Darien Porter on the 44-yard catch and finished with two grabs for 50 yards.

    Darius Cooper also drew a pass interference on a third down fade into the end zone early in the second quarter. He caught a couple garbage time passes.

    Offensive line: B-

    The traditional run game numbers weren’t great, but the O-line answered the bell in the second half and put the game away. Hurts dropped to pass only 16 times, but his protection was good.

    Fred Johnson finally got a win filling in for the injured Lane Johnson. The right tackle had acquitted himself well over the four games, but it was nice to see him rewarded for his efforts with Johnson expected back from a foot injury next week. The dangerous Crosby recorded a sack on third down after getting around Johnson in the second quarter, but Hurts probably held onto the ball too long. Crosby was otherwise kept in check.

    Right guard Tyler Steen struggled in short-yardage run situations. His holding penalty brought back a 9-yard Barkley rush. But Steen also had his moments as a run blocker. Left guard Landon Dickerson is clearly not playing at 100%. His decline has been an issue all season, but he looked fairly spry when he pulled and helped clear a lane on Barkley’s 17-yard scoot off the right in the third quarter.

    Center Cam Jurgens led the way on Barkley’s 6-yard run up the middle on the opening drive. Jurgens and Dickerson also got significant push on Barkley’s 2-yard touchdown run before the half. Left tackle Jordan Mailata got driven back by an off-ball linebacker on a Barkley carry in the first quarter. But he was near flawless in pass protection.

    Jalen Hurts plays his game in an Eagles bounce-back blowout | Marcus Hayes

    Defensive line: A

    Quarterback Kenny Pickett walked into a buzz saw in his first start for the Raiders. He was sacked four times and forced into checkdowns and tight window throws all game. The Eagles front, meanwhile, led a defense that mostly bottled up running back Ashton Jeanty.

    The old man in the group, Brandon Graham, led the way with two sacks — his first sacks since coming out of retirement. He played mostly at defensive tackle for the second straight week. Outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips was a pass rushing force. He hit Pickett’s arm and forced an incompletion on fourth down in the first quarter. Phillips drilled the quarterback again from the blind side, and the ball came out short.

    Jalyx Hunt had multiple third-down pressures. Outside linebacker Nolan Smith got in on the sack party in the third quarter. Jordan Davis failed to bring Jeanty down on his longest run to that point — 11 yards — but he had four total stops. Moro Ojomo sacked Pickett with an inside spin move.

    Linebacker: A

    Nakobe Dean led the Eagles with eight tackles — two of them for losses on passes. He recorded a tackle he dropped tight end Brock Bowers in the backfield after a catch. Zack Baun picked off Pickett for his second interception of the season.

    Rookie Jihaad Campbell again was an afterthought and only played consistent snaps after the game was no longer in doubt.

    Eagles dominate Raiders in all phases, end losing streak in first shutout since 2018

    Cornerback: A

    Pickett averaged just 2.56 yards per attempt and had no room or time to throw downfield. Adoree’ Jackson had pass breakups on back-to-back plays before the half. Bowers bounced off him and picked up one of the Raiders’ few first half first downs. Quinyon Mitchell shut down his side and was hardly targeted.

    Cooper DeJean had a shaky start, but settled down and made numerous plays vs. the run and pass. He had four tackles and a pass breakup. DeJean allowed a third down conversion when he slipped during the Raiders’ first possession. It got worse for him on the drive when DeJean committed two penalties on the same play — holding and an unnecessary roughness personal foul — but the Eagles eventually held.

    Safety: A

    With the Eagles ahead throughout, both safeties — Marcus Epps and Reed Blankenship — played an ample amount of shell defense. They made plays when called upon, though. Bowers did pull Blankenship for a first down on a third-quarter throw short of the marker.

    It was straight A’s for Nolan Smith and the Eagles defense on Sunday.

    Special teams: A

    Kicker Jake Elliott was perfect on his kicks, connecting on a 27-yard field goal and four extra points in heavy winds. Punter Braden Mann had a light day with just one punt for 43 yards.

    Britain Covey averaged 7.3 yards on three punt returns. Will Shipley broke through for 31 yards on his lone kick return. Long snapper Charley Hughlett returned from injury and seemed clear in all his snaps.

    A lightning-fast game, a debatable fashion choice, and more from the Eagles-Raiders Fox broadcast

    Coaching: A-

    Nick Sirianni has his team back in the win column after a three-game slide. The Raiders are brutally bad and lacking in talent, but the Eagles took care of business and are one game closer to clinching the NFC East.

    Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo had a solid day calling plays. A workmanlike opening drive showcased some solid play-calling and a commitment to the ground game. Patullo worked in more successful under center runs and dialed up another nifty red zone touchdown on a shovel pass. He dialed up the shot to Smith with deception including two-back personnel.

    Patullo probably went with 12 personnel too much early on, but he adjusted and the Eagles went ahead, 17-0, with a strong series before the half.

    Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s unit delivered its first shutout of the season. What more is there to say?

  • A lightning-fast game, a debatable fashion choice, and more from the Eagles-Raiders Fox broadcast

    A lightning-fast game, a debatable fashion choice, and more from the Eagles-Raiders Fox broadcast

    A quick, stress-free Eagles win? Been a while since we’ve had one of those!

    The 31-0 shutout victory over the Raiders went by so quickly (2 hours, 31 minutes) that you could’ve blinked and missed it. In case you want to relive the victory, here are the best moments from the broadcast …

    Eagles grades: High marks for the defense as the three-game skid ends in a big way

    Presidential presence

    Former President Joe Biden braved the cold weather on-site at Lincoln Financial Field to cheer on his beloved Birds, alongside wife Jill Biden.

    Bradley Cooper and Mike Trout were also at the Linc for the game, but honestly it feels like it would be bigger news if those two missed a game.

    Hurts makes up for fashion faux pas

    Jalen Hurts made the walk into the Linc in a Yankees hat.

    Look, would you love to see him only repping Philly? Sure. But if he keeps playing like he played today — even against a Raiders team that’s “not very good,” according to Fox color analyst Greg Olsen — Hurts can wear whatever he wants.

    “That even-keeled personality, I think people sometimes have a hard time understanding how to react to it,” Olsen said. “He can be so calm in the big moments, and when you expect a lot of emotion, you expect a lot of fire, that’s just not his personality. But I do think it serves him so well when things do get rocky and everyone else is riding those emotional ups and downs. He’s just so steady.”

    Mistaken identity

    After firing former Eagles coach Chip Kelly, the Raiders have a new offensive coordinator — Greg Olson. Olsen wanted to stress during the Raiders’ first offensive drive that they are not the same person.

    “Not me, I am not calling plays for the Raiders,” Olsen said. “Olson with an O.”

    Ridiculous indeed: Jalen Hurts plays his game in an Eagles bounce-back blowout

    Old heads are having a moment

    After retiring in the offseason, Brandon Graham came back mid-year, and earned his first sack of the season on Kenny Pickett in the first quarter.

    But quarterback Philip Rivers stole some of his thunder, coming out of retirement at 44 and making his first start since 2020 for the Colts against the Seahawks on Sunday afternoon.

    “This is the year of retired guys coming back,” Fox play-by-play commentator Joe Davis said. “Philip Rivers saw Graham come back and said, why can’t I?”

    “There’s old, and then there’s Philip,” Olsen joked.

    Could Jason Kelce be next? Wishful thinking? Troy Aikman said it, not me!

    Joy in Whoville

    Of course, when you think of snow games in Philadelphia, you think of the famous Santa game. But given how the Birds had been playing coming into Sunday’s game, you’d be forgiven for feeling more like the Grinch.

    But thanks to the Birds’ shutout victory, even the Grinch’s heart may have grown a few sizes …

    The vibes were positive from the start, even given the cold weather. Just look at this stadium staffer Fox caught on camera pregame.

    Shortest game ever?

    To what I imagine was the delight of the fans freezing at the Linc, the Eagles played one of the shortest games in franchise history, clocking in at 2 hours, 31 minutes, give or take a minute.

    But it could have been a contender for the all-time record for shortest game, set in 1996 at 2:29 by the Colts and the Chargers. Of course, ad space is king, and a long ad break just seconds after the two-minute warning stretched the game out just enough to block the Birds from setting an NFL record.

    They’ll settle for a shutout win, I’d imagine.

  • ‘Ridiculous’ indeed: Jalen Hurts is nearly perfect in an Eagles bounce-back blowout

    ‘Ridiculous’ indeed: Jalen Hurts is nearly perfect in an Eagles bounce-back blowout

    When Jalen Hurts hit A.J. Brown in the end zone with the exclamation point touchdown Sunday, he turned to the Eagles’ sideline and, with unusual enthusiasm, he jumped up and down, waved his arms with emphasis, and said several things that seemed out of character for a young man who usually behaves in such a godly manner.

    Maybe he was saying, “Bench me? Bench me?!? That’s ridiculous!”

    Probably not. But you couldn’t blame him if he was.

    After the game Hurts declined to divulge what he said, or even what he felt, after that, his last play of the game.

    “Just a natural reaction,” he offered.

    Hurts declined to divulge much of anything, in fact. It is part of his personality: When he plays well after a spate of poor play, he retreats into himself.

    “Heavy is the head that wears the crown,” said Brandon Graham, unlikely Shakespeare paraphraser. “Everybody thinks they want it until they get it.”

    Hurts was benched in the 2018 College Football Playoff Championship Game, was a second-round draft pick projected as a gadget quarterback, and is routinely maligned for his arm strength and decision-making when things go badly. A three-week slump isn’t going to derail his career.

    “Everybody needs to remember where I come from,” he said, “and how I’m built. … [Losses] aren’t barriers. They’re just bumps in the road.”

    The high road, in Hurts’ case.

    Naturally reticent and having long borne the burdens of doubt, demotion, and disappointment, it is all Hurts can do in these moments to not gloat. Small clues provide the only window into Hurts’ world. Like a master gambler, he has few “tells,” but you can always sense the smoldering passion when, after playing under water, he burst to the surface for air.

    It’s how he has survived. It’s how he survived the past week.

    “You control your own joy when there’s a lot of noise out there,” coach Nick Sirianni explained.

    It was impossible for Hurts to not hear the noise.

    Hurts’ seven turnovers and 69.9 passer rating were the most apt and most significant barometers of the three-game losing streak the Eagles rode into Sunday’s snow-frosted walkover contest against the visiting Raiders.

    Hurts’ slump raised the question about whether, if he continued to struggle, he should be benched. This, despite having gone to two Pro Bowls and two Super Bowls, the most recent of which he was crowned MVP. Still, playing without stars Lane Johnson on the offensive line and Jalen Carter on the defensive line, the Eagles had slipped from 8-2 to 8-5 and had gone from being the No. 1 seed in the NFC to No. 3, with the Cowboys lurking in the weeds of the NFC East race.

    Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts runs past Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Darien Porter during the third quarter at Lincoln Financial Field.

    The question in question was posed by the Eagles’ flagship station, WIP 94.1-FM, during its weekly, contracted interview with Sirianni that follows the most recent game. Hurts had five turnovers in the most recent game, a Monday Night Football loss at the Chargers.

    Sirianni’s response: “I think that’s ridiculous.”

    The question wasn’t ridiculous. It was legitimate.

    It sure seems ridiculous now.

    Nick Sirianni: Sitting Jalen Hurts ‘ridiculous’? Hardly. Bench him if he struggles Sunday.

    Hurts rebounded from the worst game of his career with one of the best. He completed 12 of 15 passes for 175 yards and three touchdowns. Two went to tight end Dallas Goedert, who led the team with six catches for 70 yards. The third went to Brown, only his second official target of the day, a 27-yard dime into triple coverage — by far, Hurts’ best throw of the day.

    It was not, however, his best play. That came a few minutes earlier.

    Midway through the third quarter, a holding penalty put the ball on the Raiders’ 27 and presented Hurts with third-and-12. At stake: a dagger touchdown or a field goal that would preserve for the Raiders a sliver of hope.

    Hurts, in the shotgun formation, saw the middle of the field utterly undefended. He appeared to audible at the line of scrimmage, but later said the play was run as called by offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. Either way, it was the sort of play that only a handful of quarterbacks can make.

    Hurts received the snap, took a half-step backward, tucked the ball, and darted up the middle. He then scooted to his left and outraced defenders to the sideline, exiting the field a yard beyond the first-down marker.

    Three plays later, he hit Goedert from 4 yards and the Eagles led, 24-0.

    The Brown TD was little more than garnish, but might serve the team well. Brown spent the first half of the season complaining, mostly on social media, that he was being underutilized. He then was targeted 45 times in the next four games, but the offense struggled and the team lost three of four.

    On Sunday, Brown was underutilized again, but he did catch the TD pass.

    He didn’t speak with the press after the game.

    Monitor your insta feed.

    At any rate, Hurts thrived in a game that unfolded in the proper design for the team’s composition.

    He threw just 15 passes, but none was thrown into harm’s way. None was forced to Brown. Hurts’ 154.9 passer rating was the second-best of his 89 starts, including playoffs. He has not thrown more than 28 passes in any of his top four.

    Eagles running back Saquon Barkley runs for a first down as Raiders safety Isaiah Pola-Mao moves in.

    Hurts benefited from an absence of offense from the Raiders, who used backup quarterback Kenny Pickett in place of injured Geno Smith, who’d been piloting the league’s worst scoring offense, at 15.1 points per game. The Eagles’ defense was great, but it was playing a warm-weather dome team in 20-degree weather with 25-mph wind gusts on Pacific Coast time.

    Hurts also benefited from a pointed effort to feature running back Saquon Barkley, who ran 22 times for 78 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 14 carries during the losing streak.

    Finally, the Eagles incorporated a handful of designed runs, and Hurts ran on his own. His 39 yards on seven rushes were his most since Game 4. He averaged 44.8 rushing yards in the first four games, all of which were wins. The Eagles went 4-5 in the next nine games.

    Hurts needs to run. Saquon needs to run. Goedert needs the ball.

    If A.J. gets some looks, great. If not, live with it.

    “It’s a good formula,” said Brandon Graham, who had two sacks in Game 14 of his 16th season. He’s seen some stuff. “It’s definitely a good formula for us.”

    Sirianni understands the formula but wouldn’t commit.

    “Next week we could come out and it could be a completely different game,” he said.

    Why?

    This is how these Eagles can win.

    Any other method would be ridiculous.

    When Jalen Hurts started forcing the ball to A.J. Brown, the Eagles stopped winning
  • Cam York returns to lineup for Flyers’ rematch with Hurricanes

    Cam York returns to lineup for Flyers’ rematch with Hurricanes

    RALEIGH, N.C. — The Flyers are getting an early present for the holidays.

    Cam York will return to the lineup on Sunday when the Flyers take on the Carolina Hurricanes (5 p.m., NBCSP).

    “Play a simple game early. That’s the way you get back in the game, I think,” coach Rick Tocchet said about the defenseman who has missed four games. “So hopefully, he just does whatever the first pass is, makes the first pass, and just lets the game come to you.”

    York has been out with an upper-body injury since Dec. 3, suffered against the Buffalo Sabres. The exact moment when the injury occurred has not been revealed, but he did not return after being involved in a scrum following Trevor Zegras being boarded by Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin with 3 minutes, 10 seconds left in the second period.

    Flyers give up early lead, suffer first shootout loss of the season to Carolina Hurricanes

    It’s also possible that the high hit by Buffalo forward Jason Zucker behind the Flyers’ net with 13:50 left in the period is what Tocchet referred to postgame. The hit was a little late as the blueliner skated back for the puck.

    “He’s going to have a really hard practice today,” Tocchet said about York at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Thursday before the Flyers lost in overtime to the Vegas Golden Knights. “Not hitting, but like a lot of pushing and shoving on the ice, and see how he reacts off it. I think this is the day we’ll know how close he is to playing.”

    And it looks like he’s good to go.

    York will be back alongside Travis Sanheim, with Nick Seeler dropping back to the third pairing with Noah Juulsen. Jamie Drysdale and Emil Andrae remain as the second pair.

    Ty Murchison, who made his NHL debut Dec. 9 in the Flyers’ win against the San Jose Sharks, will come out of the lineup. A fifth-round pick in 2021, the 22-year-old looked steady on the blue line while averaging 15 minutes of ice time and earning a plus-minus of plus-1.

    Flyers center Sean Couturier skates with the puck with teammate right wing Carl Grundstrom past Carolina Hurricanes right wing Jackson Blake on Saturday.

    “It’s huge,” Tocchet said of York coming back to stabilize the defense before adding unprompted: “It’s really organizational depth when you’ve got a guy like Murchison comes up and plays well for us.”

    At the time of his injury, York was averaging 23:31 a night, ranking him 25th in the NHL. Sanheim was fifth at 25:16 with 11 points in 26 games and is one second more in the four games without his partner, notching three assists.

    According to Money Puck, Sanheim and York are among only 31 pairs in the NHL that have skated at least 300 minutes together. Although they rank 29th in expected goals for (12.9), they are tied for seventh with the Washington Capitals’ Jakob Chychrun and Matt Roy in expected goals against (14.1) while playing against the league’s top lines.

    There’s been a ripple effect without York as Drysdale went from 21:34 to 22:45, Andrae from 16:16 to 21:41, and Seeler from 19:09 to 22:04 alongside Sanheim. York should help balance that out — and could help the power play.

    “Yeah, 100%,” Tocchet said when asked about that. “We got Sanny, himself, and [Drysdale] and put Emil on the second unit. So we’re looking for somebody to step up. York is a guy who, early on with, especially with Trevor [Zegras], they had some chemistry, so, yeah, we’re looking at all options.”

    In his 23 games this season, York has one goal and 12 points, with his lone goal and six points on the power play. The Flyers’ power play is tied for 23rd in the NHL with the Nashville Predators, and it has scored 14 times this season, tied for the third fewest in the league.

    Breakaways

    Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is also on the road trip, and Tocchet again added that “Risto is coming [back] soon, so going to add two quality good depth.” … Goalie Dan Vladař will start in goal for the Flyers. It is his first game against the Hurricanes this season.

  • Eagles dominate Raiders in all phases, end losing streak in first shutout since 2018

    Eagles dominate Raiders in all phases, end losing streak in first shutout since 2018

    “Get-well game” might be an understatement.

    The Eagles clobbered the lowly Las Vegas Raiders, 31-0, on a cold, windy Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field. Vic Fangio’s defense dominated, posting the Eagles’ first shutout since Dec. 30, 2018 (a 24-0 victory over Washington). The unit limited the Raiders to 75 yards of offense, a new single-game franchise low for the Eagles and the fewest allowed by any defense this season.

    At long last, the Eagles played clean, complementary football. Jalen Hurts rebounded from his five-turnover performance last week against the Los Angeles Chargers, going 12-for-15 for 175 yards and three touchdowns for a near-perfect 154.9 passer rating.

    Here’s our instant analysis from the Eagles’ Week 15 win that brought their three-game losing streak to a halt:

    Jalen Hurts added value in both the run and pass games on Sunday.

    Offensive identity

    Don’t look now, but the Eagles might be starting to establish an identity.

    Nick Sirianni and Kevin Patullo leaned into under-center runs and run-pass option plays from shotgun to great success, allowing the offense to sustain drives and go three-and-out only once. The Eagles also set up some play-action passes off their under-center looks.

    Hurts even kept the ball on some of those option plays, adding 39 yards on seven carries (most of which were designed). He got shaken up on a zone-read keeper at the end of the third quarter when he got hit by former Eagles linebacker Devin White, but he immediately returned to action.

    Jalen Hurts is nearly perfect in an Eagles bounce-back blowout | Marcus Hayes

    In the passing game, Hurts got all of his favorite targets involved. Dallas Goedert took a 4-yard pitch on a run-pass option for a touchdown in the first quarter that made it 7-0. The 30-year-old tight end scored on another shovel pass in the third quarter, putting the Eagles up 24-0.

    Goedert nearly had another touchdown catch in the second quarter, but he dropped the pass, ultimately leading to the Eagles settling for a 27-yard field goal to go up 10-0. He finished the afternoon with six receptions for a team-high 70 yards and the two touchdowns.

    Hurts also got his staple deep ball going. Late in the first quarter, he connected with DeVonta Smith on a play-action pass down the left sideline for 44 yards. Fred Johnson (and Saquon Barkley) helped keep Maxx Crosby away from Hurts in the pocket, although Johnson arguably got a bit grabby against the four-time Pro Bowl defensive end.

    The fifth-year starting quarterback hit A.J. Brown, aligned in the slot, with a 27-yard touchdown pass deep over the middle of the field on the first play of the fourth quarter. The Eagles went up 31-0, further solidifying their biggest lead of the season.

    Brown made other critical plays on third down, drawing a pass interference call against Raiders cornerback Eric Stokes on the opening series to help keep the drive alive. He also caught a 14-yard pass on a slant on third-and-8 in the third quarter that ultimately helped set up Goedert’s second touchdown.

    “I think it was just a step today,” Hurts said of the offense building its identity. “We’ve got to treat every game individually and treat every day individually in pursuit of our best self.”

    Grading the Eagles’ win over the Las Vegas Raiders

    Given the windy conditions at the Linc, the Eagles leaned heavily into the running game, executing a season-high 47 carries. Barkley accounted for 22 of them, racking up 78 yards (3.5 yards per carry) and a touchdown.

    Like last week against Chargers, Barkley got going on the ground on under-center runs. He followed a pulling Landon Dickerson on a 17-yard under-center run in the third quarter that led to Brown’s touchdown. Barkley’s touchdown carry in the second quarter, though, came on a shotgun handoff up the middle, putting the Eagles up by 17.

    Brandon Graham continued his late-season surge with a pair of sacks in the win over the Raiders.

    Old man Graham

    With Jalen Carter missing time due to shoulder injuries, 37-year-old Brandon Graham has been spending more time lining up at defensive tackle.

    He was dominant in the role on Sunday. Graham posted two sacks, his first since coming out of retirement in late October, on just seven pass rushes. He beat right guard Caleb Rogers on both plays to get to ex-Eagles backup quarterback Kenny Pickett. One of those sacks was essentially wiped off the board when Cooper DeJean incurred an unnecessary roughness call after the whistle on the same play in the first quarter.

    But Graham made up for it in the second quarter with his second sack, forcing the Raiders to go three-and-out for a second time. The Raiders would ultimately go three-and-out five times. Just six games into his un-retirement tour, Graham is 1½ sacks away from tying his 2024 total.

    “I feel like my training camp is over with now and I’m just trying to contribute, if it’s on the field or off the field, whatever it is,” Graham said. “We’re having some fun right now and I’m happy we got back in the win column.”

    The Raiders had no luck sustaining drives in the cold and windy conditions at the Linc on Sunday.

    Defensive dominance

    Graham’s performance was just one part of the defense’s commanding effort over the Raiders. Pickett was sacked four times, once by Moro Ojomo, and once by Nolan Smith in addition to Graham’s two.

    Even the edge rushers who didn’t earn sacks made noise. Jaelan Phillips batted a pass at the line of scrimmage on fourth-and-7 on the Raiders’ opening drive, causing Pickett to throw an incomplete pass and turning the ball over on downs. Phillips, whom the Eagles acquired from the Miami Dolphins at the trade deadline, has three pass deflections in the last three weeks.

    Brandon Graham proves ‘you can teach an old dog new tricks’ with two sacks

    In the second quarter on third-and-7, Jalyx Hunt breezed past the left side of the Raiders offensive line on a stunt and hit Pickett. The Raiders quarterback threw an incomplete pass intended for running back Ashton Jeanty, leading Las Vegas to punt.

    The back seven took advantage of the Eagles’ disruption up front. With the left side of the Raiders offensive line getting pushed back, Pickett threw an interception to Zack Baun on a pass intended for Raiders tight end Brock Bowers in the third quarter.

    “We know we’re a good defense,” Baun said. “A great defense. And we’ve just kind of been ramping it up all season. To have a game like that really showed where we’re at.”

    Injury report

    Tight end Cam Latu went to the tent late in the fourth quarter with an apparent arm injury.

  • Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey sits out game in Atlanta with an illness

    Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey sits out game in Atlanta with an illness

    ATLANTA — Tyrese Maxey will miss his second consecutive game with an illness when the 76ers face the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night at State Farm Arena.

    The standout point guard had been listed as doubtful on Saturday’s injury report. Center Joel Embiid (left knee injury management) was cleared to play after being listed as questionable.

    “We’re super concerned,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse said of Maxey’s illness. “We’re concerned because he’s sick, and he wasn’t well enough to get on the floor here for a couple of games. After Friday’s game, we thought he’d be at the plane to come with us but didn’t make it. I talked to him last night, and he said he’d see me at practice Tuesday. I said, ‘I’m not sure we’re practicing Tuesday, but I’ll be there. Me and you, man. I’ll see you there.’

    “It’s been a bit, but yeah. It is concerning, but, again, he’s improving. Hopefully, it’ll get him to where he’s good enough to get back in action.”

    The Sixers (14-10) will be at a disadvantage against the Hawks (14-12). The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Maxey is the league’s third-leading scorer at 31.5 points per game. He’s also fourth in three-pointers made (84) and ninth in assists per game (7.2).

    Maxey finished with a career-high 54 points along with nine assists, five rebounds, three steals, and three blocks in the Sixers’ 123-114 overtime road victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 20.

    Those 54 points tied Hall of Famer Allen Iverson for ninth in a regular-season game in team history. Iverson did it twice, on Dec. 18, 2004, and Jan. 6, 2001.

    Maxey joined Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain (March 18, 1968) as the only two players in franchise history to produce at least 50 points and nine assists in a game.

    The Sixers also will be without Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee ligament sprain) and Trendon Watford (left thigh strain). The Hawks are without Trae Young (right knee ligament sprain), Jacob Toppin (right shoulder surgery), Kristaps Porziņģis (illness), and N’Faly Dante (concussion protocol). Nickeil Alexander-Walker (right lateral ankle sprain) is questionable.