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  • Week 13 NFL power rankings roundup: How far did Eagles fall after collapse at Dallas?

    Week 13 NFL power rankings roundup: How far did Eagles fall after collapse at Dallas?

    The Eagles (8-3) scored 21 points in the first half of Sunday’s game against Dallas (5-5-1). But the second half was a different story. The Birds were held scoreless, allowing the Cowboys to score 24 consecutive points to win the game.

    Even after the Eagles beat Green Bay and Detroit, many power rankings remained skeptical about their offensive performance. Being shut out in the second half by a team that allows the second-most points per game in the NFL (28.5) did not help.

    On a short week, the Birds host the Chicago Bears on Black Friday. Here’s a look at where the Eagles stand in the latest round of power rankings as the season enters Week 13 …

    Eagles will wear appropriate uniforms for Black Friday — and are asking fans to do the same

    The Athletic: Third

    The Athletic expressed skepticism about a litany of elements surrounding the Eagles but ultimately moved the team down only one spot.

    “The Eagles blew a 21-0 lead to the Cowboys, Saquon Barkley never got going on the ground and the vibes in Philly look miserable,” Chad Graff and Josh Kendall wrote. “And yet, they’re 8-3 and remain one of the most talented rosters in the league.”

    Saquon Barkley averaged just 2.2 yards per carry against the Cowboys, the lowest that he’s had in a game since he was with the Giants in December 2023.

    Sports Illustrated: Third

    Sports Illustrated is still high on the Eagles’ ability to win games. But it was critical of the team’s ability to close them out when leading.

    Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts breaks a tackle on his way to a first-quarter touchdown run on Sunday.

    “The Eagles had a dominant first half and tried to play clock control in the second half against Dallas to avoid the kind of situations that occurred anyway: Jalen Hurts in critical third-and-mediums where he is prone to take devastating sacks,” Conor Orr wrote. “Still, the fact that Lane Johnson does not need Lisfranc surgery and could be back before the playoffs means that this team can continue to win despite the constant clamoring to the contrary.”

    ESPN: Fourth

    The loss to the Cowboys moved the Eagles down two spots. This week, ESPN opted to highlight each team’s best Thanksgiving memory. The outlet decided on the Eagles’ 27-0 win over the Cowboys in 1989, nicknamed the “Bounty Bowl.”

    Nick Foles, former QBs on Kevin Patullo, Eagles offense: ‘There’s an art to play-calling that not everyone has’

    “Rumors swirled heading into the game at Texas Stadium that coach Buddy Ryan had put a $200 bounty on former Eagles kicker Luis Zendejas, who had some critical words aimed at Ryan after leaving the team,” Tim McManus wrote. “That seemed to be confirmed when Eagles linebacker Jessie Small decked Zendejas on a kickoff, leaving the kicker shaken and angered. The game helped fuel one of the fiercest rivalries in all of football for decades.”

    The Ringer: Fourth

    The Ringer moved the Birds down just one spot following the loss but wondered about the team’s inconsistent play translating to the playoffs.

    “The Eagles are uber-talented, they’re proven winners, and they’re building one of the league’s best defenses … but they also check every box of a fake contender. Philadelphia has one of the worst second-half offenses in the league, averaging just 8.8 points and 144 yards after halftime this season (both sixth worst in the NFL),” Diante Lee wrote. “Being risk averse helped the Eagles win a Super Bowl last season, but it’s currently taking away all the team’s margin for error.”

    The Los Angeles Rams remained in the No. 1 spot, and the Seattle Seahawks and Broncos were ranked Nos. 2 and 3, respectively.

    CBS Sports: Fifth

    The outlet moved the Eagles down two spots and was critical of the offensive play-calling in the second half.

    “How did they blow a 21-0 lead in losing to the Cowboys with Saquon Barkley getting just 10 carries? They have offensive issues in a big way,” Pete Prisco wrote.

    Eagles running back Saquon Barkley finished with 10 carries for 22 yards against the Cowboys.

    The last time Philadelphia lost after leading by 21 points was during Andy Reid’s first game as head coach, in September 1999.

    Yahoo! Sports: Fifth

    Frank Schwab had the Eagles falling four spots from No. 1, with the Rams, Seahawks, Broncos, and New England Patriots, taking the top four spots.

    “This is a significant drop for the Eagles, but their offensive issues are tough to ignore after that debacle at Dallas,” Schwab wrote. “Saquon Barkley continues to be very quiet. Everyone knew his 482 touches last season might be an issue, and those predictions seem prescient.”

    Eagles open as Black Friday favorites vs. Bears. Plus: How loss to Cowboys impacted NFC East, Super Bowl odds

    Even though Barkley sat out the final game of last year’s regular season, his 345 carries led the league and 50 more than his previous career high in 2022.

    NFL.com: Sixth

    The Eagles were dropped three spots by NFL.com, which expressed growing concern about the offense’s production.

    “After three drives, it felt like the Eagles’ passing problems were fixed. By the game’s end, it was clear they very much were not,” Eric Edholm wrote. “Whatever rhythm they found early on started dissipating quickly.”

    The Rams stood No. 1 on NFL.com’s list for the second straight week following a blowout win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

    USA Today: Sixth

    The outlet moved the Eagles down one spot and pointed out a season-long strength of Nick Sirianni’s team: limiting turnovers.

    “Much as it feels like this team suffers from self-inflicted wounds, Philly’s six turnovers are the league’s fewest,” Nate Davis wrote.

    Xavier Gipson and Barkley both fumbled during Sunday’s game.

  • Banged-up offensive line and inability to run is ‘crippling’ Eagles offense, according to Jason Kelce

    Banged-up offensive line and inability to run is ‘crippling’ Eagles offense, according to Jason Kelce

    Since Lane Johnson was first drafted by the Eagles in 2013, the team is 15-25 without him. For comparison, the Birds are 120-62-1 when Johnson has played.

    The right tackle’s absence hurt the Birds’ offense in Sunday’s loss to the Cowboys, Jason Kelce said on Monday Night Countdown, but it wasn’t the only problem.

    “He has meant so much to the Philadelphia Eagles,” Kelce said. “In pass [protection] they leave him one-on-one on an island at a higher rate than anyone in the league. He does it all extremely well, but it’s not just him this year, the whole offensive line has been banged up.”

    Cam Jurgens and Landon Dickerson have both been injured up this year, with Jurgens missing two games due to a knee injury and Dickerson missing one with an ankle injury. The left guard also tore his meniscus in preseason.

    “They’ve been a top 10 rushing unit, as an offense, the Eagles have, every year since Jalen Hurts has been the starter. This year is the first year they have really struggled to run the football,” Kelce added. “A lot of it comes down to being banged up and not being the cohesive unit they have been, and healthy, in the past, but it is crippling this offense right now.”

    Nick Foles, former QBs on Kevin Patullo, Eagles offense: ‘There’s an art to play-calling that not everyone has’

    The longtime Eagles center wasn’t alone. Super Bowl-winning defensive end Chris Long also pointed to the Eagles’ offensive line struggles as a major reason for the offense’s continued inconsistency.

    “This team has been built around the offensive line since we won a championship,” Long said on his Green Light podcast. “That team was built around the offensive line. This team is built around the offensive line. We always talk about, who’s the main character. The main character has always been the offensive line.”

    “Now the main character is not perfect, it puts strain on the passing game. You can talk about the coordinator — I don’t know how much of it is the quarterback or the coordinator just not knowing what the [expletive] to do. If anything short of a Super Bowl, you’re going to hear a lot of stuff come out about the behind the scenes, because it’s just not functional right now.”

    Long questioned what the team will look like in a “post-[Jeff] Stoutland” world because the driving force of the team has always been the running game and the high-powered offensive line — and Stoutland has been the coach of that unit for more than a decade.

    Because of the inconsistencies from half to half, Long is also worried about a potential playoff matchup. The team is talented enough to pull out wins, but it has been very up-and-down.

    Week 13 NFL power rankings roundup: How far did Eagles fall after collapse in Dallas?

    “They’re almost better off being down 14 points because it forces them to open the offense up, rather than being up 14 points, a la the [Los Angeles] Rams game,” Long said, referring to the Week 3 win when the Eagles rallied from a 26-7 deficit.

  • Vic Fangio expects to have safety Reed Blankenship available on Friday vs. the Bears

    Vic Fangio expects to have safety Reed Blankenship available on Friday vs. the Bears

    Vic Fangio said Tuesday he expects to have Reed Blankenship available to play in Friday’s game against the Chicago Bears.

    Blankenship, the 26-year-old starting safety, suffered a thigh injury in the third quarter of the Eagles’ loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday while making a tackle on running back Javonte Williams. He did not return to action, requiring Sydney Brown to take over his role in the Eagles defense.

    The news of Blankenship’s improved health is a boost to a banged-up secondary. Sources told The Inquirer on Monday that Drew Mukuba, the Eagles’ rookie safety, will require surgery to repair a right leg fracture he suffered on what was essentially the second-to-last play of Sunday’s game.

    Nick Sirianni says the Eagles are ‘searching for answers’ on offense, but Kevin Patullo will call plays

    With Mukuba likely on his way to injured reserve, Fangio said Brown is the next man up to start on Friday. Brown, the Eagles’ 2023 third-rounder out of Illinois, played 26 defensive snaps on Sunday, conceding two Jake Ferguson receptions for 26 yards, according to Pro Football Focus.

    Fangio was complimentary of Brown in his efforts to stay ready as the third safety this season.

    “I think he’s been doing a good job in practice with the reps that he does get,” the Eagles defensive coordinator said. “He’s done a good job staying in tune in the meetings, in the walk-throughs, and I’m excited to see how he does.”

    The Eagles will have other depth options at safety on game day behind Blankenship and Brown. Fangio acknowledged that Michael Carter, the 26-year-old defensive back whom the Eagles acquired from the New York Jets ahead of the trade deadline, has been serving as the fourth safety for the last three games.

    Additionally, Fangio said there is a chance that Andrè Sam, the 2024 undrafted free-agent safety out of LSU, will be elevated from the practice squad to the game day roster.

    Cooper at cornerback

    The Eagles also saw attrition at cornerback, as Adoree’ Jackson entered the concussion protocol in the third quarter after making a tackle on Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens.

    When Jackson exited the game, Cooper DeJean assumed the outside cornerback spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell on a mostly full-time basis. (Kelee Ringo also played one snap on the outside.) Carter took over for DeJean as the nickel cornerback. Fangio called the duo the “next best combination” beyond the starting pair.

    Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb makes a big catch in front of Cooper DeJean in coverage on Sunday.

    It was a tough showing for DeJean. He allowed four receptions on five targets for a team-high 148 yards, according to PFF. However, Fangio wasn’t outwardly critical of the 22-year-old defensive back.

    “He got beat a couple times,” Fangio said. “I thought he was tight, just at the catch point, got beat. It’s going to happen some.”

    If Jackson can’t play on Friday, Fangio said that “it’s possible” he rolls with the same combination of cornerbacks that ended the game on Sunday. He has been pleased with the contributions of the 5-foot-10, 184-pound Carter, who conceded just one reception on three targets for 7 yards against the Cowboys, according to PFF (although two of those targets were drops).

    “I think he’s a good player,” Fangio said. “Good, natural football player. Understands the game. Has got good instincts. Got good technique to his game. He’s quick. We’re pleased to have him.”

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 13 vs. the Bears

    Returner revamp

    Unsurprisingly, Xavier Gipson’s decision to field a punt at the Eagles’ 2-yard line and subsequent fumble at the 7 late in the fourth quarter of the loss to the Cowboys wasn’t part of special teams coordinator Michael Clay’s plan.

    The turnover didn’t ultimately amount to a Cowboys score, as the Eagles defense forced a turnover on downs when Dak Prescott threw an incomplete fourth-and-1 pass for Ferguson at the goal line. Still, Clay acknowledged that his group has to know when to be “at the mercy of the bounce“ on the return depending on the field position.

    “Sometimes, you saw in the Rams game against Seattle, that ball hit at the 1½-foot line and it bounced out,” Clay said. “You just tip your cap. That’s a heck of a job right there. So any time we can control what we can control, we would like that.

    “But again, we’re not out there in between the white lines. We try to give as much confidence in our guys to go out there and make a play; it’s just really unfortunate that it happened at that juncture of the game.”

    Gipson didn’t just turn the ball over on the play. He also suffered a shoulder injury and was spotted in the locker room after the game sporting a sling on his right arm.

    The Eagles have a variety of options to replace Gipson as both the punt returner and kick returner (alongside Will Shipley) if he can’t play. Before the Eagles claimed Gipson off waivers from the New York Giants, running back Tank Bigsby served as a kick returner.

    Eagles running back Tank Bigsby could be an option for the Eagles on Friday as a kick returner. He returned kicks for the team earlier in the year.

    However, Bigsby muffed a kick in the Week 6 loss to the Giants that forced the Eagles offense to start a drive at their own 7-yard line. He was stripped of his kick-return duties afterward. Still, Clay expressed that he hasn’t lost confidence in Bigsby if they call upon him Friday.

    “Tank works extremely hard,” Clay said. “We’ve been working him every day. Maybe you guys see him on Thursdays catching kicks from Jake [Elliott], things of that nature. In walk-through, going through the mechanics. So he’s always in that mix for us to be a returner.”

    Meanwhile, Jahan Dotson had been serving as the Eagles’ punt returner before Gipson joined the team. Britain Covey, who spent time as the team’s punt returner over the last two seasons, is an option on the practice squad. Clay wouldn’t divulge who will be assuming those return-specialist roles against the Bears, though.

    “Obviously, the roster is so much in flux and obviously that happens to special teams so much,” Clay said. “That’s what we do. We prepare, not just one guy. We prepare the entire roster for it if someone does go down or if things of that nature.

    “So we have players in place. Howie [Roseman] does a good job with the roster, giving us an opportunity to fill that void if someone does get nicked or banged up throughout the game or throughout the week.”

  • Eagles will wear appropriate uniforms for Black Friday — and are asking fans to do the same

    Eagles will wear appropriate uniforms for Black Friday — and are asking fans to do the same

    It’s time for another blackout at Lincoln Financial Field during the Eagles’ Week 13 matchup on Black Friday.

    The team announced it will don its all-black alternate uniforms for the first time this season against the Chicago Bears. As part of the holiday matchup, the Eagles are encouraging fans to ditch their green — whether that’s midnight or kelly — and instead dress in black.

    The Eagles’ black jerseys first debuted in 2003. They added black pants to match in 2014, during the Chip Kelly era. And if that wasn’t enough, the team added a black helmet in 2022. And although this is the first time they will wear the all-black look this season, the Eagles have worn their black pants twice. They first wore them in their Week 6 loss to the New York Giants, but with their white jerseys and midnight green helmets. In Week 10, they wore black pants and matching black helmets with their white jerseys in their 10-7 win over the Green Bay Packers.

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 13 vs. the Bears

    When it comes to the black jersey, the Eagles have had quite a bit of success, especially over the last two years, defeating the Giants in both instances. During the 2023 season, the Birds defeated their NFC East rivals, 33-25, at home on Christmas Day. They most recently wore the uniform during last year’s regular-season finale, which resulted in a meaningless Birds win — nearly all the starters sat out with the No. 2 seed in the NFC already secured.

    Now, there’s much more on the line. Not only do the Eagles need a win coming off an embarrassing loss to the Dallas Cowboys, but they’re also facing a tougher opponent — the 8-3 Bears — in a nationally broadcast game.

  • Flyers takeaways: Sam Ersson a rare bright spot in a listless offensive showing vs. the Lightning

    Flyers takeaways: Sam Ersson a rare bright spot in a listless offensive showing vs. the Lightning

    TAMPA, Fla. — After a six-goal outburst on Saturday night against a division opponent, the Flyers put up a goose egg Monday for the first time this season.

    Here are three things to know from the 3-0 shutout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning:

    Flyers shut out for the first time this season in 3-0 loss at the Tampa Bay Lightning

    Sam Ersson played well

    Tending goal for the first time in 10 days, and after goalie Dan Vladař had started three straight, Sam Ersson got back between the pipes on Monday. If you look at the stats, you’ll see he allowed two goals on 17 shots, and produced another sub-.900 save percentage outing.

    But peer beyond the box score and you’ll see a goalie who played his game.

    The Swedish netminder has always been strong at tracking pucks and playing angles. Just 93 seconds into the game, and on the first shot he faced, Ersson made a save on a tricky tipped shot by Dominic James. He kicked out the left pad to rob him on a rebound shot from the slot later in the period. Ersson later tracked the puck well after Jake Guentzel threw it on net from the right wing.

    In the third period, he stopped Brandon Hagel — who easily was the Lightning’s best player in the game — as he danced through the defense and fired a shot off Ersson’s shoulder. And late in the game, as the Flyers started to press, he stopped James again on a two-on-one.

    Ersson likes to see a high volume of shots. This game did not have that, and, to be fair, neither have most of his games this season. Ersson has the lowest shots against per 60 minutes in the NHL (20.9) while not getting much run support. He ranks second in the league, behind Nashville’s Juuse Saros, with the fewest goals for (2.18) among goalies who have played at least seven games.

    “I can’t make them manufacture shots,” Ersson said. “They get chances. I know the puck is going to come my way. I think I’ve got to do some stuff different on those goals, from my perspective, and do a better job [and] come up with some saves in those situations.”

    The goals he allowed came on a tipped shot by Hagel in the first period, when it looked like there was a double screen, and another in the second by Anthony Cirelli, who was left alone in front for an easy redirect off the rush.

    Flyers coach Rick Tocchet prefers his team to keep opponents’ shots to the outside, but the Lightning clearly had a game plan to drive to the middle of the ice in the offensive zone. Ersson saved all nine mid-danger chances but allowed two goals on five high-danger chances.

    Diving in

    Coach Rick Tocchet thought Ersson played well and didn’t lay any of the blame on his shoulders. He didn’t lay any of the blame on his defensemen, either.

    “It was too many odd-man rushes. That’s not on the D. The second period, we had eight odd-man rushes, that’s on the forwards. So that’s not on the D,” Tocchet said. “We have to have some guys commit to being above [the puck]. You have those types of talented players on the ice, you have to be above. You stand up when you have numbers; we didn’t have numbers because a couple of guys were diving in.”

    The speedy Lightning, despite a rash of injuries, have players like Hagel, Nikita Kucherov, Guentzel, and Cirelli, who can make you pay.

    Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae, who has been playing well, had a tough game Monday in Tampa, Fla.

    “They came with speed right from the gate and definitely pushed us back a little bit, for sure,” said defenseman Jamie Drysdale, who was on the ice for all three Lightning goals and was out there with defensive partner Emil Andrae for the first two. “A few odd-man rushes here and there, and, yeah, they played faster than us, and they were the better team tonight.”

    Tocchet mentioned two terms: “stay above” and “diving in.” In layman’s terms, his forwards were not playing smart defensively and were attacking at the wrong moments.

    On the first goal, the forwards just got stuck not skating. Hagel easily went around Bobby Brink in the neutral zone as he tried to attack after being at a complete stop. Cirelli’s goal came after the three forwards got trapped deep in the offensive zone, with Sean Couturier “diving in” on Hagel, who made a cross-ice pass to Kucherov at center ice before getting it back as he drove down the right side.

    “I’ll take the blame for this one; our line wasn’t good without the puck,” Couturier said. “They had some odd-man rushes on us. But other than that, I thought the other lines were going.

    “It was a tight check game, not much going on both sides. Those are the games that you’ve got to find a way to win, and sometimes they go your way and sometimes they don’t.”

    Sean Couturier (bottom left in white) tried to create a turnover by “diving in,” but it was too much with Bobby Brink and Matvei Michkov already deep in the offensive zone.

    Chances were there

    Truth be told, according to Natural Stat Trick, the line of Couturier, Brink, and Matvei Michkov was the Flyers’ best when it came to trying to get them on the board. The trio generated 13 shot attempts to eight for the Lightning and created eight scoring chances compared to five against. The only problem was that the Lightning scored on two of them.

    Couturier led the line in scoring chances created with five, while Tyson Foerster, who skated with Travis Konecny and Noah Cates, had six individual chances. One of his chances was on a two-on-one with Konecny, but unlike his quick strike on Saturday against the New Jersey Devils, he waited a second, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made the save.

    In the second period, the Flyers and Lightning traded chances, with the Flyers winning the chance battle, 14-9, in the third. Drysdale had several good looks Monday, and in the second period, he skated down the middle of the ice to fire a shot that Vasilevskiy saved. And although he was credited with one shot on goal and two missed shots, Michkov set up chances and had a shot on goal straight down the gullet.

    Flyers prospect Jett Luchanko traded to Ontario Hockey League favorite Brantford

    The problem? “The Big Cat” saw everything all the way and didn’t have to move much. To beat the Russian netminder, you need bodies in front and to make him move.

    “There were plays to be made, we just didn’t make them,” Tocchet said.

    “We’ll learn; we’ll build,” Drysdale said. “We’ll be better and come back against Florida and play a good game.” The Flyers take on the Panthers on Wednesday in Sunrise, Fla. (7 p.m., NBCSP).

    Nesbitt suspended

    Flyers prospect Jack Nesbitt has been suspended three games by the Ontario Hockey League after receiving a match penalty on Nov. 22 against Saginaw. The match penalty came after he was called for roughing, after throwing a punch in a scrum. Nesbitt has 19 points in 18 games, including eight on the power play, for Windsor. The Spitfires are the top team in the OHL’s Western Conference (17-5-2-1).

    The Flyers created too few chances in Monday’s 3-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
  • Joel Embiid, Paul George to miss Sixers’ NBA Cup matchup with Orlando Magic

    Joel Embiid, Paul George to miss Sixers’ NBA Cup matchup with Orlando Magic

    The 76ers will be without Joel Embiid and Paul George when they face the Orlando Magic in Tuesday night’s NBA Cup game at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    The perennial All-Stars were scratched from the game on Tuesday afternoon.

    George is sidelined with a sprained right ankle. Meanwhile, Embiid will miss his eighth consecutive game because of knee injuries. The 2023 MVP was listed as questionable on Monday evening and Tuesday morning.

    So what happened?

    “Just not quite there yet [to play],” coach Nick Nurse said of Embiid before the game. “I mean, you guys know that we said yesterday that he practiced fully, and he participated in most, well, I don’t know, parts of the shootaround today, but just not quite there.”

    Tyrese Maxey more concerned about his friend’s health than having Joel Embiid back on the court

    If Embiid’s still not quite ready, why did the Sixers list him as questionable?

    “I guess I would say there was a chance he would be ready,” Nurse said. “I think that’s what we have to do. It was trending towards he was going to play.”

    This contest will mark the seventh straight game Embiid has missed as the team manages the soreness in his right knee. He also missed the Sixers’ 111-108 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 9 because he doesn’t play on back-to-back nights to rest his left knee.

    Embiid, who has no structural damage to his right knee, had been listed as day to day. The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder has already missed 10 of the Sixers’ 16 games because of knee ailments. He is averaging 19.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 23.3 minutes.

    Sixers center Joel Embiid watches his teammates play the Orlando Magic on Oct. 27.

    George injured his ankle in Sunday’s 127-117 loss to the Miami Heat. The nine-time All-Star had 10 points and five assists in his third game of the season. He missed the first 12 as he recovered from a left knee injury.

    Nurse was asked if there was any additional information on George’s ankle that caused him to be downgraded from probable to out.

    “Nope,” he said. “Just that it is reported soreness in the ankle after the game the other night. He has not been in anything since then, and we’re just trying to keep following up with that and see where he is.”

    The 6-8, 220-pounder is averaging 13.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and one block in 22.0 minutes.

    Nurse said the Sixers have yet to determine whether George will miss an extended period of time with the injury.

    “I think we’re in the process of checking in to see what exactly is wrong and what the extent of it is,” he said. “We’ll, obviously, give you that when we have it.”

    Two other starters, Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee) and VJ Edgecombe (left calf strain), and reserve center Adem Bona (sprained right ankle) will remain sidelined for Tuesday’s game.

    Tyrese Maxey’s impact extends far beyond basketball. Philly is blessed to have him.

    As a result, Tyrese Maxey and Dominick Barlow, who started the first two games in place of George, are the Sixers’ only available starters from the opening day lineup.

    The Sixers (9-7) are hoping to secure their first cup victory. They’re 0-2 in East Group B after a 114-105 loss to the Pistons on Nov. 14 at Little Caesars Arena. The Magic (10-8, 2-0) are tied with the Pistons for first place in the group.

  • How do you build a wrestling program from scratch? Ask Arcadia.

    How do you build a wrestling program from scratch? Ask Arcadia.

    Last year, Arcadia University transformed a basketball gymnasium on campus into the home of its newest athletic programs: men’s and women’s wrestling.

    “Compared to most wrestling rooms, we have a very open facility,” men’s coach David Stevens said. “We have three full-size wrestling mats and a turf field. We have treadmills, standalone bikes, and a weight room. [Arcadia] did a really good job of supporting us.”

    As the facility was under construction, women’s coach Michael Childs gave prospective members of his 11-athlete squad an up-close look at the progress.

    “I took [recruits] through a construction site with our facility that was being built,” Childs said. “There were certain days that they had to wear hard hats when they went through the building. I could show them pictures on my phone, and the education piece kind of sold itself. … The more difficult part was selling them a vision for the program.”

    What was the first season of Pa.-sanctioned girls’ wrestling like? Let the people involved tell you. | from 2024

    The Knights’ first season is now underway. The teams largely compete against other teams in Division III’s Middle Atlantic Conference.

    Women’s wrestling, in particular, is not only new to Arcadia. It became an NCAA-sponsored championship sport this year.

    “Wrestling is very popular in the state of Pennsylvania and has very passionate fans, but countrywide, it is still a niche sport,” Childs said. “So introducing that to the Arcadia community in general and the administration, it’s been a growing year for us.”

    Focus on ‘family’

    The men’s roster features 32 wrestlers, primarily freshmen. The team leadership comes from a group of older wrestlers who entered the season nationally ranked.

    Senior Caden Frost was ranked No. 15 in the 149-pound weight class, graduate student Logan Flynn (285) was No. 6, and senior Jacob Blair (133) was No. 8.

    Blair and Flynn followed Stevens, their former assistant coach, to Arcadia from Delaware Valley University, while Frost transferred from New England College.

    “It’s a lot of leading by example,” Blair said. “We’re trying to build something here with longevity and make an impact not only this year, but also down the road. We’re trying to create good team camaraderie and spirit because this is something none of us have ever experienced. We’ve never wrestled on a team with 25 freshmen.”

    Arcadia wrestling is in its first season.

    The Knights (1-3) secured their first team win on Nov. 8 over Eastern, 27-20.

    Stevens believes the young roster will grow significantly over the course of the season, which begins in November and culminates with the NCAA championships in March.

    “We tell every recruit that if you join this team, you become part of a family,” Stevens said. “We haven’t had the early success that we expected or that we wanted. But I think that’s what a family does, is that even through the hardships, we don’t give up on each other. We truly believe that we’re going to do something special here in our first year.”

    The three leaders went undefeated in Arcadia’s most recent competition at Misericordia University.

    “We talked about how you either have to buy in now or hop off,” Blair said. “But the fire under these guys is that they truly want to be here and want to be college wrestlers. They know it’s going to take hard work, because it’s a grueling sport, both mentally and physically.”

    Penn State’s wrestling team might be the greatest dynasty in sports

    Tough tests

    While the Arcadia women’s team (0-2) is a MAC member, there are fewer than 100 NCAA women’s wrestling programs nationwide. The limited number means that all programs, regardless of division, will vie for the same national championship.

    In addition to helping freshmen adjust to the rigors of college athletics, Childs must also prepare his team to face some of the country’s top wrestlers.

    “I think that the biggest challenge for us is bringing our student-athletes along to understand what this commitment is,” Childs said. “It’s not just your morning lifts and your daily practices. It’s a lifestyle. We’ll potentially be seeing world team members in competitions, All-Americans, and Olympians. So it’s really exciting, and it’s really challenging.”

    Taylor McCue, a junior, is the only non-freshman on the Arcadia women’s wrestling roster.

    Junior Taylor McCue is the only non-freshman on the women’s roster. From goal-setting meetings to decorating the locker room before competitions, the team is establishing its identity.

    “The best thing that I can do for the success and growth of this program is to surround it with good people, and that’s what I’m trying to do,” Childs said. “We had our first tri-meet a couple weeks ago on our floor. After our event, we had a parent social, and over a hundred people were there. It was pretty cool to see.”

    Freshman Molly Lubenow (right) in action for Arcadia.

    A sport on the rise

    Arcadia’s addition of a women’s wrestling program follows the rapid expansion of the sport nationwide. According to the NCAA, 17 schools began offering women’s wrestling programs in 2024-25 alongside its promotion to a championship sport.

    The inaugural NCAA women’s wrestling championship will take place this spring.

    This Souderton freshman is an elite wrestler. But first, she had to grapple with a life-threatening condition. | from 2024

    Both Arcadia programs see themselves as leading the growth of wrestling. They also aim to bring national attention to the small university through success in Division III.

    “Why I’m grateful to be at Arcadia is the support they give us,” Stevens said. “High school and even college programs are usually focused on other sports that more people are familiar with. But here at Arcadia, we feel like they’re really investing in us and giving us a great opportunity. This is a place that I want to continue to grow.”

  • Temple looks to be challenged in its trip to the Bahamas for the Baha Mar Hoops tournament

    Temple looks to be challenged in its trip to the Bahamas for the Baha Mar Hoops tournament

    The Temple women’s basketball program had not taken a trip outside the United States since 2019, when it competed in the Cancun Challenge in Mexico.

    Coach Diane Richardson wanted to take a similar trip with her team this season, and this time the Owls are set to land in the Bahamas for the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship.

    Temple will play No. 20 Michigan State at 6:30 p.m. Friday, then Clemson or Western Carolina on Sunday.

    The trip will give the Owls a chance to bond and experience a foreign country, Richardson said, while also continuing to gain experience against difficult competition in preparation for American Conference play.

    “Not only is it a competitive environment with the sports, but they get to see the culture and all of that other stuff,” she said. “We’ll do some cultural things while we’re over there, too.”

    Temple’s Tristen Taylor drives against Villanova’s MD Ntambue during Saturday’s game.

    When the Owls head to the islands Wednesday, they’ll have a special guest with them.

    New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones is a Bahamas native and Richardson’s adopted daughter. Jones will be with the Temple players for most of the trip to help show them the culture.

    The Owls have competed in multiteam events in the last two years. They went to Tempe, Ariz., for the Briann January Classic in 2023 and Berkeley, Calif., for the Raising The B.A.R Invitational last season. However, this event will be a different experience, Richardson said.

    “They’re going to swim with the dolphins
and maybe some yoga with the flamingos,” she said. “So we’ll do some nice cultural things. Take up a lot of the different Bahamian meals … and meet some of the townspeople. It’ll be a great experience.”

    Temple saw untapped potential in forward Jaleesa Molina. Now, she’s becoming ‘unstoppable.’

    Richardson said she and the rest of the coaching staff will not partake in every activity because they still are preparing and scouting for the games.

    With all the fun planned, Richardson’s squad still is ready to compete.

    “It’s well planned out,” Richardson said. “We’re going down there with serious business to compete as well.”

    The Owls (3-3) enter the tournament following an 88-58 drubbing against Villanova on Saturday. Another tough test awaits.

    The Spartans are unbeaten through six games and have scored at least 90 points in each game. Michigan State also will be the fourth team the Owls face this year that made the NCAA Tournament last season.

    Savannah Curry and Temple lost big to Kelsey Jones and Villanova on Saturday.

    Depending on the results of the first round of games, Temple then will face Clemson or Western Carolina. The Tigers had a losing record last season but are 4-2 so far. The Catamounts entered Tuesday with a 2-4 record.

    “It’s important for us to be challenged early, so that we’re used to that,” Richardson said. “And then we’re resilient and can fight through some things because we’ll be challenged by some Top 25 teams. And when we get to conference play, it won’t be a heavy lift because we’ll have been through it already.”

  • The Day After: An indictment of Sirianni’s scheme

    The Day After: An indictment of Sirianni’s scheme

    It looked like Sunday’s game in Dallas was going to be everything the Eagles needed. In the end, they wound up getting exactly what they deserved. Lack of focus, poor execution, conservative play calling. The Eagles picked each of these poisons, and died a miserable 24-21, walk-off death. In the aftermath of a defeat that knocked the defending Super Bowl champs out of the top spot in the NFC, The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Mike Sielski scrutinize head coach Nick Sirianni’s scheme and approach, and explain how these factors have contributed to the Eagles’ issues. They also forecast what the Eagles – specifically a potentially short-handed defense – can expect with the surging Bears coming to town on Black Friday.

    unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.

  • What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 13 vs. the Bears

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 13 vs. the Bears

    Time and time again this season, the Eagles seem to provide fleeting promise on offense, only for that glimmer to be extinguished in a matter of drives.

    The offense followed that familiar formula in the Eagles’ 24-21 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, going up 21-0 in the second quarter and never scoring again. The Cowboys’ 24 points were tied for Dallas’ fourth-lowest total of the season, so naturally, it is not the Eagles’ defense but the offense that will spend continued time under the public microscope in the aftermath of the loss.

    Was the deflating defeat to the Cowboys a sign that the Eagles are beginning a slide similar to the one they suffered in the second half of the 2023 season? Or, perhaps more rationally, was it just a sign that this Eagles team isn’t bound for Santa Clara, Calif., and Super Bowl LX in February?

    Nick Sirianni says the Eagles are ‘searching for answers’ on offense, but Kevin Patullo will call plays

    There’s plenty of football left in the Eagles’ schedule, starting with the 8-3 Chicago Bears on Black Friday. The Bears are on a four-game winning streak, most recently posting a narrow 31-28 victory over the Aaron Rodgers-less Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday afternoon.

    Here’s what we know (and what we don’t) about the Eagles going into their Friday the (Week) 13th matchup against Chicago:

    Penalty palooza

    After the Dallas game, Nick Sirianni characterized the Eagles’ 14 penalties as “uncharacteristic.”

    However, at this point in the season, the Eagles’ mistakes have become very characteristic.

    Going into Monday night, the Eagles ranked sixth in the league in penalties against at 84, according to nflpenalties.com. Their infractions have cost them 721 yards, which also ranks sixth in the league. Their opponents have been called for 64 penalties by comparison, which is tied for fifth fewest in the league.

    The Eagles have been among the NFL’s most penalized groups this season.

    What was notable about the Eagles’ penalties against the Cowboys was that they often wiped out big plays. For example, in the third quarter, Dallas Goedert had a 20-yard reception that would have put the Eagles in Cowboys territory, but Matt Pryor’s illegal formation penalty while lined up as the sixth offensive lineman in the jumbo package negated Goedert’s play.

    The Eagles couldn’t overcome that 5-yard loss, ultimately forcing them to punt.

    That sloppiness must be reversed if the Eagles want to have long-term success into the playoffs. They can’t keep beating themselves, especially seeing as one of the NFC’s best, the Los Angeles Rams, have incurred a league-low 51 penalties.

    Book it: The Eagles’ loss to Dallas will put their coaches under Jeffrey Lurie’s microscope

    But the good news for the Eagles going into Friday’s game? There are few teams that have been as undisciplined as the Bears this season.

    Chicago has been called for 87 penalties, which is tied for fourth in the NFL. The Bears’ opponents have incurred 61, which is tied for the second-fewest in the league. It’s worth acknowledging that the Bears have been flagged more frequently on the road (49 on the road, 38 at home), just like the Eagles (47 on the road, 37 at home).

    Run ragged

    It’s becoming increasingly clear that the Eagles can’t thrive offensively if they don’t have a running game to fall back on this season.

    The running game fueled their 2024 Super Bowl run. It powered their 2021 offensive turnaround that reversed their 2-5 start to the season and earned them a playoff berth. But the Eagles can’t lean into the running game this year because of their lack of efficiency for the majority of the season.

    Saquon Barkley averaged a season-low 2.2 yards per carry against the Cowboys. After the game, left guard Landon Dickerson partially attributed that inefficiency on the ground to the Cowboys’ five-man front.

    Will Nick Sirianni and Kevin Patullo be better prepared for the Bears defense than they seemed to be for the Cowboys?

    He suggested that the Eagles were not fully prepared for that wrinkle even though the Cowboys had deployed five-man fronts in the weeks leading up to the game, especially the previous week against the Las Vegas Raiders. That was the Cowboys’ first game since acquiring defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets at the trade deadline.

    The Eagles should be able to run on this Bears defense. But will they? Over the last three weeks, the Bears have conceded 470 rushing yards, third highest in the league among teams that have played three games in that span. They’ve allowed 5.3 yards per carry in that time frame, also third in the league.

    Secondary attrition

    Three starters in the Eagles’ secondary — Reed Blankenship, Adoree’ Jackson, and Drew Mukuba — were hurt against the Cowboys and did not return to action, putting their statuses for Friday’s game in question.

    Mukuba, the rookie safety, was spotted after the game using crutches and not putting any weight on his right foot, which sported a boot. Sirianni said Monday that Mukuba, who sources confirmed to The Inquirer will need leg surgery, will be “out for some time.” Jackson entered concussion protocol, just five weeks after suffering a concussion in the Week 7 game against the Minnesota Vikings.

    Reed Blankenship’s availability would offer a huge lift to a banged-up Eagles secondary.

    If Blankenship (thigh), Jackson, and Mukuba can’t play, the Eagles’ questionable secondary depth is going to be tested again, this time by Caleb Williams and a Bears passing offense that has scored seven touchdowns (no interceptions) in their winning streak.

    Jackson was the first player to go down in the third quarter. Cooper DeJean moved to outside cornerback and Michael Carter, whom the Eagles acquired from the Jets at the trade deadline, took over at nickel cornerback. DeJean had a tough time on the outside, allowing four receptions on five targets for a team-high 148 yards, according to Pro Football Focus.

    When asked about Mukuba, Sirianni listed a number of potential candidates to play at safety against the Bears, including Carter and Sydney Brown, who took over for the injured Blankenship in the third quarter. Sirianni also noted that Blankenship is “still manning everything back there” in his response to a question about personnel going forward, so he may have the best chance of playing Friday out of all the injured members of the secondary.

    Based on Sirianni’s response, DeJean may not be a candidate to move to safety. He had some experience playing the position during training camp. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio could also look to the practice squad and tap Andrè Sam to start at safety.

    Caleb Williams and the Bears’ passing offense have been explosive at times under first-year coach Ben Johnson.

    It’s been an inconsistent year for the Bears’ passing attack. Williams’ 59.2% completion rate ranks last among 29 quarterbacks who have had at least 238 drop backs this season, according to Pro Football Focus. Still, the Bears have generated the sixth-most explosive passing plays of at least 20 yards (39) this season.

    Rome Odunze, the Bears’ No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 draft out of Washington, is leading the way. He’s had a team-high 13 explosive receptions for a total of 330 yards this year.

    Old friends

    If the Eagles’ secondary depth becomes an issue on Friday, scrutiny might intensify against the Bears given their familiar defensive personnel.

    The Bears have a pair of former Eagles defensive backs on the roster in Kevin Byard and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Byard, the 32-year-old safety, joined the Eagles in 2023 at the trade deadline after spending the first eight years of his career with the Tennessee Titans. That was a disastrous season for the Eagles defense as a whole, as Sean Desai was demoted and Matt Patricia took over as defensive coordinator over halfway through the season.

    Old friend C.J. Gardner-Johnson will face the Eagles for the first time as a member of the Bears this week.

    Byard moved on to the Bears that offseason. He has been a bright spot in Chicago’s defense, tying for the NFL lead in interceptions with five.

    But Byard’s departure from the Eagles isn’t as notable as Gardner-Johnson’s. The 27-year-old defensive back has bounced around the league since his March trade to the Houston Texans. The Texans cut him in September. The Ravens signed him to the practice squad and cut him in a span of a week in October.

    Then, in late October, Gardner-Johnson found a home with the Bears, whose defensive coordinator, Dennis Allen, is his former head coach with the New Orleans Saints. The Bears have been a strong fit for Gardner-Johnson so far, as he has started three of the last four games at nickel cornerback, notching three sacks in that span.

    His presence has been particularly important for the Bears, who are navigating injuries to three of their top linebackers, including former Eagle T.J. Edwards. With the Bears utilizing nickel and dime packages more often lately, Gardner-Johnson has seen his playing time increased over his last three starts. He was on the field for 98.6% of the defensive snaps in Week 10 against the New York Giants, 100% in Week 11 against the Minnesota Vikings, and 90.3% in Week 12 vs. the Steelers.

    The Eagles replaced Gardner-Johnson with Mukuba this offseason. But he was technically available in October to serve in a depth role for cheap if the Eagles wanted him. While hindsight is always 20/20, the timing of Gardner-Johnson’s return to Philly is interesting nonetheless.