The Eagles dropped the final game of the regular season, 24-17, to the Commanders, locking them into the No. 3 seed in the playoffs and a matchup with the 49ers.
If you were at Lincoln Financial Field for the game, here’s everything you missed on the broadcast of the regular-season finale:
Mr. Smith goes for 1,000 vs. Washington
The Birds’ offensive starters sat out Sunday’s game — except for DeVonta Smith (well, also Tyler Steen).
Since Smith went into Sunday’s game just 44 yards shy of a 1,000-yard receiving season, the team wanted to get him on the field to have a chance at hitting that milestone for the third year, play-by-play announcer Kevin Harlan said.
Smith surpassed 1,000 yards on a 27-yard catch to end the first quarter and promptly left the game, and he was all smiles on the sideline with Nick Sirianni.
Josh Johnson’s age is nothing but a number that is a major storyline
Commanders third-string quarterback Josh Johnson, who started Sunday, has played for 14 NFL teams since he was first drafted in 2008 — plus stints in the Alliance of American Football and the XFL.
Eagles fans are most familiar with him after he replaced an injured Brock Purdy in the 2023 NFC championship game in San Francisco, but the 39-year-old made just his 11th career start in Sunday’s season finale.
CBS listed all of his NFL stops. Johnson has played for five teams at least twice, including Baltimore, San Francisco, Cincinnati, the Jets, and Washington.
Reed Blankenship, like most of the other defensive starters, spent the game on the sideline, resting for the playoffs.
But these Birds love football too much to stay away. After rookie Brandon Johnson got shaken up in the second quarter and left the game, Blankenship, who was suited up, tried to get in the game to replace him.
The coaches didn’t let him.
Jalen Hurts was bundled up for some Week 18 rest.
Cold-weather mode activated for Hurts
Jalen Hurts, on the other hand, was nowhere close to getting into the game. He was bundled up in a balaclava and a winter hat on the sideline, with only his eyes visible.
In these freezing temperatures, who could blame him? I bet more than one of you in the stands was sporting a similar look.
Respect your elders?
Eagles first-round linebacker Jihaad Campbell grew up a Birds fan in Gloucester Township, N.J., but he almost missed out on the opportunity to play with one of his childhood heroes, Brandon Graham, who famously retired a year ago and then unretired during this season.
“How funny was it when we asked Jihaad Campbell who some of his favorite Eagles were growing up, and his answer was Brandon Graham?” Ross Tucker, the color analyst for Sunday’s game, said.
“Who’s playing right now!” play-by-play announcer Kevin Harlan interrupted.
“He said, in middle school everybody liked Brandon Graham,” Tucker said.
Ross Tucker knows the two-deep
Tucker, who is part of the broadcast team for Eagles preseason games and also hosts a Birds podcast, called Sunday’s game alongside Harlan.
With most of the Birds starters sitting out the game, there may not have been a man with any network more qualified to share their insights.
“I’m pretty much the foremost expert on the Eagles backups,” Tucker joked.
Daily double falls short
As the Lions-Bears game went down to the wire, Harlan found himself calling two games at once, providing updates on the game in Chicago while also calling the Eagles-Commanders game.
The Lions hit the game-winning field goal, which could have propelled the Eagles into the second seed, just as Tanner McKee’s pass fell incomplete on fourth down, virtually ending their hopes to win the game.
Tanner McKee made his second career start with Jalen Hurts and most Eagles starters resting. He played solidly, if not as well as some had hoped. He was efficient in the drop-back passing game when he threw in rhythm. McKee had a few out-of-structure moments but struggled when pressured and often had to throw the ball away. He completed 21 of 40 throws for 241 yards and a touchdown.
McKee threw a bad interception before the half. He might not have been on the same page as his intended target, Jahan Dotson, but it’s a throw he shouldn’t have attempted. Safety Jeremy Reaves made the easy pick at the Washington 1-yard line.
McKee threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end Grant Calcaterra to open the scoring. The seam route was the perfect call vs. a quarters zone. He might have flushed himself into pressure on the fourth-down attempt from the Washington 6 late in the second quarter. He missed an open receiver on fourth down late in the game.
Tank Bigsby got the start with Saquon Barkley resting. He popped off several decent gains, ran aggressively, and made defenders miss. Bigsby finished with 75 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.
His most explosive moment came as a receiver when he made a crazy move in the open field. Bigsby changed directions after a short pass and picked up 31 yards. As a runner, he made a defender miss on a 13-yard carry to open the game.
Will Shipley had a pass sail through his hands in the second quarter, but he caught a 12-yard swing pass in the fourth. AJ Dillon played a little and caught a 3-yard pass.
Eagles running back Tank Bigsby (center) finished with 75 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.
Receiver/tight end: C+
Wide receiver DeVonta Smith was the lone skill position starter to play in an attempt to get him to 1,000 yards receiving. He accomplished the feat when he pulled in a 27-yard pass late in the first quarter. Smith promptly was pulled from the game after catching 3 of 4 targets for 52 yards. He finished the season with 77 catches for 1,008 yards.
Receiver A.J. Brown, who eclipsed 1,000 yards last week, and tight end Dallas Goedert (ankle) didn’t play. Jahan Dotson and Darius Cooper logged most of the time at receiver. Dotson finished with three receptions for 40 yards. He caught a 15-yard pass over the middle on McKee’s first attempt after Smith left. Cooper caught three passes for 33 yards. He won a contested pass for a 17-yard gain but was flagged for taunting after the catch.
Tight end Grant Calcaterra scored the Eagles’ first touchdown when he snagged a 15-yard pass. He squared up Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu on Bigsby’s 11-yard outside run in the third quarter. Calcaterra left in the third quarter with ankle and knee injuries when he was dragged down by Reaves.
Kylen Granson became the lead tight end when Calcaterra vacated. He caught four passes for 30 yards. Tight end/fullback Cameron Latu had the lead block on Bigsby’s 2-yard touchdown in the third. He did poorly to lead the way on a Bigsby third-and-1 rush in the third quarter. Britain Covey was the third receiver and converted third-and-long with a 9-yard catch in the third quarter. He also had a 12-yard gain on a screen pass.
The Eagles’ starting unit, from left to right, was Fred Johnson, Brett Toth, Drew Kendall, Tyler Steen, and Matt Pryor. Starters right tackle Lane Johnson (foot), left guard Landon Dickerson (calf), center Cam Jurgens and left tackle Jordan Mailata didn’t play. The latter two dressed.
The O-line did fine against Washington’s starting defense. It opened some holes on the ground but didn’t hold up enough in pass protection. McKee had to escape the pocket a bunch of times.
Steen played just the first two series but had to return when Toth left with a concussion. Rookie Cameron Williams came in at right tackle, and Pryor moved to right guard. He appeared to leave Daron Payne unblocked when he was at tackle on the Eagles’ first drive. The presnap call might have failed to slide protection to Pryor’s side, though, and McKee was sacked.
Fred Johnson appeared to fare the best of the second-teamers and mostly kept McKee’s blind side clean. Toth also had a decent game. Kendall looks like the real deal, or at least someone the Eagles can further develop next season. Williams, who spent most of his first season on injured reserve, may have a future as well. He had a number of good blocks and displayed a nasty streak when he stood up to Payne after the whistle.
Defensive line: B-
With the Eagles lacking in numbers because of their rotation, regulars Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, Jalyx Hunt, and Nolan Smith started and played throughout. Starters Jalen Carter (hip) and Jaelan Phillips (ankle) were inactive. The D-line was stout vs. the run but struggled to pressure 39-year-old quarterback Josh Johnson.
Davis read an early third-down screen and jumped in on a stop short of the sticks. Ojomo had a tackle for no gain on a goal-line run in the fourth quarter. Hunt picked up his third interception of the season when he dropped into coverage and dove for an errant pass. Outside linebacker Joshua Uche hurried Johnson on the throw. Hunt did well to string out Deebo Samuel on an end around that picked up just a yard. He recovered Johnson’s muffed snap in the third quarter.
Defensive tackle Byron Young registered a tackle for loss on a goal-line run attempt in the fourth quarter. He failed to bring down Chris Rodriguez on a third-down run just before the half. Ty Robinson took a poor angle on Rodriguez’s 9-yard carry in the third quarter and later failed to wrap up the running back near the line.
Veteran Brandon Graham continued to play only a handful of snaps.
Linebacker: B
Zack Baun was a healthy scratch. Nakobe Dean (hamstring) was not and was inactive. Jihaad Campbell started alongside Jeremiah Trotter Jr. The former made several plays, but the latter was all over the field. Trotter led the Eagles with 12 tackles and Campbell had 10.
Trotter notched a tackle of loss on a goal-line run in the first quarter. Trotter was first to arrive to keep a play-action bootleg pass to just a 1-yard gain. In the third quarter, he blitzed and forced Johnson to throw a dirt ball.
Campbell blitzed on Washington’s first possession and whiffed on the side-stepping Johnson. He deflected a second-quarter pass over the middle that was nearly intercepted. He might have been the guilty party in coverage on tight end John Bates’ fourth-quarter touchdown catch.
Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell tackles Washington Commanders quarterback Josh Johnson short of a first down in the fourth quarter. The South Jersey native finished with 10 tackles.
Cornerback: D+
Kelee Ringo and Jakorian Bennett started on the outside with Quinyon Mitchell and Adoree’ Jackson getting a break. Ringo and Bennett committed multiple penalties in coverage.
Ringo had tight coverage over the top on an overthrown pass into the end zone. Receiver Terry McLaurin caught a 14-yard pass over him on the drive that set up Washington’s 56-yard field goal before the half. Ringo was flagged for holding and pass interference in the second half. He inexplicably let Johnson waltz into the end zone for the game-winning score.
Bennett committed two first-half penalties: an early hold on McLaurin and pass interference vs. receiver Treylon Burks on a third-down toss into the end zone. Washington scored a touchdown two plays after the second flag. Bennett had another pass interference against McLaurin on a fade into the end zone.
Michael Carter started in the slot with Cooper DeJean getting the day off. He moved to safety when Brandon Johnson got hurt in the second quarter. Carter was solid in run support and logged nine stops.
Mac McWilliams jumped into the slot when Carter was forced to move to safety. It was the rookie’s first extended action on defense. He committed pass interference on an underthrown pass to Samuel in the end zone in the fourth quarter.
Safety: C+
Sydney Brown and Brandon Johnson started in place of the resting Reed Blankenship and the injured Marcus Epps (concussion). Brown made a stop after a short pass into the flat in the second quarter. A play later, he appeared to get too deep on a 25-yard third-down completion to McLaurin.
Johnson bit on a screen fake and a slanting McLaurin caught a 13-yard pass early on, and he failed to wrap up Josh Johnson on a 13-yard draw play later in the drive. He left with an ankle injury and was replaced by Carter.
Eagles kicker Jake Elliott connected on a 39-yard field goal on Sunday vs. the Washington Commanders.
Special teams: B
Kicker Jake Elliott made both extra points and a 39-yard field goal. Punter Braden Mann had an uncharacteristic meh day. He averaged 38 net yards on three boots. Ringo had a strong tackle that kept a return to just 2 yards after a low Mann punt in the third quarter.
Shipley averaged 27.5 yards on two kick returns. Coveyhad two returns for a 10-yard average. He allowed a punt to sail over his head that was downed at the 9-yard line in the third quarter.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni watches the action Sunday vs. the Washington Commanders.
Coaching: C
Nick Sirianni will be criticized for his decision to rest his starters, especially after the Bears lost. But what the coach gained — giving his players physical and mental breaks — can’t yet be quantified. We’ll see how the playoffs pan out. For now, the No. 3-seed Eagles know their opponent: the No. 6-seed 49ers. The rest will play out accordingly.
Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo didn’t exactly open the playbook with McKee, but he unveiled some new concepts. The results were mixed. Some of his decisions were questionable. The pass on third-and-2 at the Washington 6 made less sense when the Eagles elected to go for it on fourth down before the half.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio had more starters than Patullo. His guys up front mostly answered the bell. A secondary full of backups struggled.
There is a faction among Eagles fans and NFL cognoscenti that hoped Tanner McKee would on Sunday provide a quarterback controversy on which they could feed during the cold winter months. They hoped McKee, a sixth-round pick in 2023, might sufficiently shine in a meaningless game against a moribund team so that he might be considered a viable threat to Jalen Hurts, a two-time Pro Bowl player and the reigning Super Bowl MVP.
That didn’t happen.
That was never going to happen.
McKee could have thrown for 350 yards with five touchdown passes and he still wouldn’t sniff the starting job in Philadelphia until Hurts gives it away.
Hurts might throw three interceptions and he might fumble twice next weekend in the playoff opener against the 49ers and the starting job will still be his, both in September and in January.
McKee started his second NFL game Sunday. It was an insignificant game against an insignificant team playing its least significant players.
Tanner McKee is tackled by the Commanders’ Daron Payne and Jordan Magee.
In this context, McKee looked fine: 21-for-40, one touchdown, one interception, against the five-win Commanders, who won, 24-17. He threw crisp passes, usually on time. He recognized defenses. He moved well in the pocket. He ran a couple of times.
“I thought he did a lot of good things,” coach Nick Sirianni said.
He also threw two uncatchable passes late in the fourth quarter that ended the Eagles’ chances to win, in the very moments when the Bears were in the process of losing to the Lions. An Eagles win and a Bears loss would have given the Eagles the No. 2 seed instead of No. 3, which would have guaranteed at least two home games in the playoffs.
Notably, McKee did this without the services of the team’s top running back, four of its top offensive linemen, its top tight end, one of its top two receivers, and, after two series, both of its top receivers: DeVonta Smith played until he hit the 1,000-yard mark, then left.
McKee looked a lot like he looked in a similar context: Game 17 of the 2024 season, when he beat the three-win Giants: 269 yards, two touchdowns, no turnovers.
He didn’t face the best of the Commanders. They didn’t blitz much. They didn’t play particularly hard. And, of course, they stink.
Still, McKee looked good enough to win a game or two, maybe even in the playoffs. This, for the Eagles, is excellent news: They have a competent backup quarterback on whom they have expended almost no draft or salary-cap capital.
McKee makes just over $1 million, and he seems capable. Benched Giants has-been Russell Wilson will take home $10.5 million this season. The Jets’ Tyrod Taylor and the Broncos’ Jarrett Stidham each have two-year, $12 million contracts. Marcus Mariota, the Commanders’ understudy, made $8 million. The Panthers’ Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston, one of the QBs who replaced Wilson, each made $4 million.
The Eagles’ biggest question entering the 2025 season didn’t involve the third cornerback, or defensive line depth, or the departure of mediocre right guard Mekhi Becton. The biggest question was:
If Hurts got injured, as he has done each of the first five seasons of his career, and with no veteran backup on the roster, would McKee be good enough to replace him? After all, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie subscribes to the notion that, if the most important player is the quarterback, then the second-most important player is the backup. That’s why he and Howie Roseman signed Nick Foles in 2017, and it’s why they drafted Hurts in 2020.
Tanner McKee is tripped up by Washington Commanders defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw in the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field.
Sunday’s performance delivered another indication that, yes, if Hurts gets hurt, McKee can do the job.
Until then, it’s Hurts’ job. He’s been too good, or at least good enough, too often for too long.
Further, cutting or moving Hurts before the end of the 2027 season would incur more than $20 million in dead money. McKee is under contract through 2026 for just over $1 million.
Hurts has had his haters since he hit Philly. Every time he slumps, and every time he misses a receiver over the middle, the haters surface, louder than ever. It doesn’t matter if it’s Gardner Minshew, Kenny Pickett, or McKee: Their preferred choice is Anybody But Jalen.
When Hurts struggled from Games 10-13, beginning in mid-November, multiple reports asserted that several people in the Eagles organization were wondering if benching Hurts in favor of McKee might be necessary to mount a viable Super Bowl defense. Hurts’ passer rating in that span was just 68.7. The Eagles averaged 17.8 points in those games and went 1-3. He turned the ball over seven times in those four games, including five times in a road loss to the Chargers, the worst game of his career and the last of that span.
Nevertheless, Sirianni declared that any consideration of benching Hurts was “ridiculous” — a declaration that was, itself, ridiculous, considering how badly Hurts was playing.
In the end, it didn’t matter. As his job security was being debated, Hurts responded with the best game of his career, a 31-0 win over the visiting, hapless Raiders. He further secured his place with solid wins in Washington and Buffalo.
The Chargers game was an aberration. Hurts has nearly mastered the art of not losing games. He’ll even win you one every now and then.
For a team that possesses an elite defense, powerful weapons, and a sturdy offensive line, that’s all that matters.
No matter what happens in the next few weeks, there will be no legitimate calls for McKee to start any meaningful games.
The No. 3 seed will have to do for the reigning Super Bowl champions.
With Nick Sirianni opting to rest most of the starters, the Eagles fell, 24-17, to the Washington Commanders on Sunday night. After the Los Angeles Rams’ victory over the Arizona Cardinals, the Eagles will draw the No. 6-seeded San Francisco 49ers in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Detroit Lions defeated the Chicago Bears, 19-16, on Sunday. Because of the Eagles’ loss, the Bears clinched the NFC’s No. 2 seed.
The Eagles backups couldn’t pull off the win. Tanner McKee and the offense got out to an early 7-0 lead over the Commanders, who came out on top after three lead changes throughout the game.
The Eagles had multiple opportunities to even the score late in the fourth quarter but turned it over on downs twice. With 1 minute, 21 seconds remaining, McKee threw incomplete to Kylen Granson on fourth-and-3 from the Commanders’ 31.
The Eagles got the ball back with 53 seconds left at their own 28, but McKee couldn’t make anything happen (three incompletions, one sack).
Here’s our instant analysis from the Eagles’ regular-season finale:
In the most meaningful game of his NFL career to date, McKee made big plays and big mistakes.
He was efficient in the passing game to start. Through his first two possessions, McKee went 5-for-7 for 82 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown pass to Grant Calcaterra that put the Eagles up, 7-0.
He also had DeVonta Smith at his disposal for those first two possessions, as the 27-year-old receiver sought to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards for the season. He needed just 44 yards to hit the milestone and he quickly earned them. McKee opened the game with a 17-yard completion to Smith in the flat.
Smith caught two more passes on the ensuing possession, an 8-yarder and a leaping 27-yard grab over Commanders cornerback Jonathan Jones. His three catches for 52 yards brought him to 1,008 on the season, prompting Sirianni to pull him from the game.
McKee and the Eagles offense faltered in the red zone on the next two possessions. In the second quarter, they marched 54 yards down the field to the Commanders’ 6-yard line, but Washington stopped the Eagles on fourth-and-2. McKee had pressure in his face from defensive end Jacob Martin, fled the pocket to his right, and threw the ball away.
Later in the second quarter following an interception from Jalyx Hunt, Darius Cooper caught a 17-yard, in-breaking pass to the Commanders’ 5. However, the rookie receiver spun the ball at Jones in celebration and was flagged for taunting.
The Eagles couldn’t overcome the 15-yard penalty. On third-and-10 from the Commanders’ 20 with 59 seconds left in the first half, McKee threw an interception to safety Jeremy Reaves in the end zone on a pass intended for Jahan Dotson.
“Just me trying to force it,” McKee said of his interception after the game. “Felt like I tried to get too much back in one play. I saw the coverage, I knew what it was, knew it was going to be a tight throw, tried to fit a really tight ball in. Just dumb, trying to force it. Obviously that was one of the big things that I can learn from.”
The Commanders moved into field goal range on the brief possession that followed the pick, setting up Jake Moody for a 56-yard field goal to pull Washington ahead, 10-7.
In the third quarter, McKee turned down an opportunity to scramble for a first down on second-and-1, instead throwing an incomplete pass intended for Cooper. Tank Bigsby couldn’t pick up the requisite yard on third down, forcing the Eagles to punt from their own 29.
McKee’s performance continued to slide on the final drive of the game. He threw a pair of incomplete passes on first and second downs, took a sack on third down, then tossed another out of bounds on fourth.
He finished the night going 21-for-40 for 241 yards with a touchdown, and an interception.
Jalyx Hunt made an impact, but the defense faltered late.
Hunt’s surge overshadowed
A handful of key Eagles defensive players earned significant snaps against the Commanders, including Hunt, Jordan Davis, and Moro Ojomo.
Hunt, the 2024 third-rounder out of Houston Christian, was clutch against the Commanders with his pair of takeaways. In the second quarter, as the Commanders sought to break a 7-7 tie, Hunt dove to undercut a pass intended for Deebo Samuel and picked off Josh Johnson deep in Eagles territory.
He had an assist from Joshua Uche, who generated the initial pressure on Johnson that forced him to make an ill-advised throw.
Hunt also scooped up a botched snap in the third quarter, giving McKee and the offense prime field position at the Commanders’ 28. The fumble recovery set up Bigsby’s 2-yard touchdown run.
But the second-year edge rusher’s heroics were overshadowed by a shaky showing from the Eagles’ depth cornerbacks. Jakorian Bennett, Kelee Ringo, and Mac McWilliams combined for six defensive pass interference or holding penalties (three on Bennett, two on Ringo, one on McWilliams).
In the fourth quarter, Bennett’s pass interference penalty in the end zone gave the Commanders a fresh set of downs. The Commanders capitalized with a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end John Bates, tying the score at 17.
“It is what it is, I guess,” Bennett said. “I’m going to try and clean up on film and whatnot. But I’m just out there trying to play my game.”
Ringo’s pass interference call, which Terry McLaurin drew halfway through the fourth quarter, took the Commanders from their own 23 to the Eagles’ 45. The Commanders eventually took advantage of the field position when Johnson scrambled for the game-winning 1-yard touchdown run to put his team up, 24-17.
Tank Bigsby got some time in the rushing spotlight in Week 18.
Big Tank
With Saquon Barkley resting, Bigsby earned his most extended look of the season since the Eagles acquired him from the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 9.
He rose to the occasion. The 5-foot-11, 215-pound running back collected a season-high 75 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. He also snagged a catch for a career-long 31 yards in the second quarter, turning a dump-off into a long gain while breaking a tackle from Jordan Magee.
In the third quarter, Bigsby scored his second career touchdown as an Eagle. After Hunt recovered a Johnson fumble in the red zone, Bigsby had five straight carries, starting at the Commanders’ 18-yard line. His 2-yard punch-in on third-and-goal allowed the Eagles to regain the lead, 14-10.
“My confidence has been there,” Bigsby said. “When I get the opportunity, be the best player I can be for my teammates and be the best player I can be for this team.”
Injury report
Brandon Johnson, who started at safety alongside Sydney Brown, injured his ankle while attempting to pick off a deflected pass in the second quarter.
With Johnson out, Michael Carter moved from nickel cornerback to safety. McWilliams, the fifth-round rookie out of Central Florida, slotted in at nickel corner.
Calcaterra hurt his ankle and knee on a hip-drop tackle from Reaves in the third quarter.
Brett Toth was evaluated for a concussion in the fourth quarter and did not return to action.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have suspended former Flyers defenseman Egor Zamula for failing to report to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, a Penguins spokesperson confirmed Sunday.
Pittsburgh acquired Zamula from the Flyers on New Year’s Eve in exchange for forward Philip Tomasino, who made his AHL debut with Lehigh Valley on Friday.
At the time of the trade, Zamula was playing for the Phantoms after clearing waivers on Dec. 18. He skated in three games, registered two assists, and was a minus-3.
Entering the season, Zamula was expected to be in the top six, but he struggled with his pace of play — a long-standing criticism that dates back to John Tortorella’s tenure as Flyers coach.
As time wore on, it also became more evident that he was losing his spot in the lineup. Zamula was leapfrogged in the depth chart by Emil Andrae, Noah Juulsen, and, after an impressive three-game debut in December, Ty Murchison. And when Rasmus Ristolainen returned from a triceps tendon injury on Dec. 16, there was no need for eight defensemen on the Flyers roster.
Flyers defenseman Egor Zamula vying for the puck with Islanders center Kyle MacLean in October.
In 13 games this season, the Russian defenseman had one assist and was plus-4, boosted by a plus-5 night when he returned to the lineup on Nov. 22 against the New Jersey Devils. Signed as an undrafted free agent in September 2018, Zamula had 41 points (eight goals, 33 assists) and was minus-12 in 168 games with the Flyers.
Zamula, 25, is a restricted free agent at the end of the season. His salary-cap hit is $1.7 million, resulting in a qualifying offer of $ 1.4 million if he is given one in June.
Medford’s Brenden Aaronson scored his third career English Premier League goal and his second of this season Sunday to help Leeds United earn a 1-1 tie with Manchester United.
Aaronson raced past Ayden Heaven in the 62nd minute to be first to a loose ball, then he slotted calmly past Senne Lammers to open the game’s scoring.
Matheus Cunha scored for Manchester United, which has lost just two of its last 14 games in the league, but six draws during that run have seen Ruben Amorim’s team struggle to keep pace with the top three in the standings.
Former Union left back Kai Wagner made his debut for Birmingham City in England’s second-tier championship just two days after officially signing with the club. He made a quick impact, too, assisting the opening goal in the sixth minute of a 3-2 home win over first-place Coventry City.
Harrison Reed scored a spectacular goal in stoppage time to earn Fulham a 2-2 draw with Liverpool in the Premier League.
The substitute let fly from around yards to beat Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson in the seventh minute of time added on at Craven Cottage.
Liverpool fans were still celebrating after Cody Gakpo had scored what looked like a late winner in the 94th. But they were left stunned by Reed’s near instant response once play resumed.
Fulham led 1-0 at halftime through Harry Wilson, who burst through and fired low into the far corner. Florian Wirtz leveled in the 57th.
The result saw defending champion Liverpool drop yet more points in what has been a difficult second campaign for coach Arne Slot.
This article contains information from the Associated Press.
NEW YORK — Nick Nurse asked the assembled media to check their notes. But the 76ers coach could not recall the last time his team rolled out the same starting lineup for three consecutive games.
“That might be a record for us in the last 18 months,” he said. “… I really don’t remember that happening for a long time.”
This newfound continuity occurred within a tiny sample size of the 82-game regular-season grind. But the Sixers are beginning to see results, including a 130-119 victory over the New York Knicks on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
The win capped a holiday-season road trip that began 0-2 before reversing into three consecutive victories. It was the second time in 16 games that the Sixers topped the Knicks — a legitimate NBA Finals contender — on their home court. And it put the 19-14 Sixers five games over .500 for the first time this season, perhaps providing a glimpse of what this team can become in a fascinating Eastern Conference pecking order.
“The biggest difference is we just feel better as a unit,” said veteran forward Paul George, who finished Saturday with a balanced 15 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. “We trust in the process of this team. … It’s safe to say everybody in this locker room is starting to enjoy the game. We’re starting to enjoy being out on that floor, playing on both ends. And I think we’re just jelling.
“It’s translating. Everything that we’ve been trying to connect with is translating on the court.”
Injuries, scheduled rest days, and illness had limited the Sixers’ trio of max-contract players (George, Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid) to 125 minutes over six games before Saturday, with a net rating of plus-7.2. That group combined with standout rookie VJ Edgecombe had gotten even less time together: 74 minutes over five games, with a net rating of minus-1.1.
Yet against the Knicks, Nurse estimated his team logged about 40 minutes of “making the absolute right decision on offense.”
Joel Embiid has been mostly available and productive during the Sixers’ recent stretch.
Embiid recorded an efficient 26 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in his first game in this building since the 2024 first-round playoff series. He reiterated that New York City is his “favorite place in the entire world,” yet needled Knicks supporters for being “quiet, but I guess that’s what happens when you’re losing the whole game.”
A noteworthy sign of the former MVP’s physical progress, following multiple surgeries on his left knee and an issue with his right one: He dunked for the first time this season.
“I wish it had been one off the backboard,” said Embiid, another playful jab after he executed such a move inside the Garden during the 2024 playoffs. “That’s the next step.”
George, who battled numerous health issues in a disappointing first season as a Sixer, also spoke about feeling satisfaction while continuing to hit his own mental checkpoints that are morphing into production. He knocked down two key corner three-pointers in the second half, then collected a timely offensive rebound and dish to Quentin Grimes for an underneath finish to help quash New York’s final rally attempt.
Maxey, meanwhile, amassed 36 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. He shot 14-of-22 from the floor and 6-of-9 from three-point range, looking precisely like the dude who unleashed a masterful playoff performance here in 2024 and not the one who went 0-for-10 from beyond the arc while trying to play through an injured finger last season.
And then there’s Edgecombe, who had already been referenced to by Nurse as part of the Sixers’ “Big Four” before the rookie’s second consecutive dazzler inside basketball’s Mecca.
He finished with 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the floor, fearlessly launching open three-pointers and finding space to drive while Embiid and Maxey’s lethal two-man game attracted defensive attention. He wowed onlookers with an athletic sequence when he blocked Knicks wing Mikal Bridges in one corner, then beat everybody down the floor for a transition dunk. And he flashed his beyond-his-years basketball IQ by stealing a late inbounds pass, calling timeout while falling to the floor, and, after the break, faking a pass before getting to the rim for another slam.
“He plays like a 10-year vet with his composure,” Nurse said. “Just kind of keeps making plays and does a little bit of everything.”
Added Edgecombe: “At the end of the day, I’m just hooping, man. … I’m just happy to see Joel and Tyrese and PG on the floor. I’m super happy, man. It’s like a little kid in me, playing alongside the superstars that I was watching.”
The Sixers had already handled injury absences significantly better than last season, when championship aspirations instantly crashed into a 24-58 disaster. Maxey vowed at media day that they would play with the same intensity and style no matter who was on the floor for that particular game. They leaned into their guard-heavy roster by pushing the pace.
Nick Nurse has applauded the work of his “Big Four” while expressing caution over the meaning of the 76ers’ winning stretch.
But although the Sixers have been “making it work” with such lineup inconsistency, Maxey said, “it’s difficult with guys in, guys out” while Embiid and George slowly reacclimated.
After the Sixers surrendered a late lead in Chicago to open this trip, then got blasted by the defending-champion Oklahoma City Thunder, Maxey said there was no massive off-court reset. They hung out in the team’s Memphis hotel, the “same stuff we always do.” They finally won a game when Maxey, Embiid, and George all played, topping the Grizzlies on Edgecombe’s overtime winner. Two days later, they won again in Dallas.
Before Saturday’s matchup, Nurse touched on how he could continue experimenting with personnel combinations and the actions that originate from them. George now feels the growing rhythm in defensive positioning, offensive spacing, and in how teammates communicate within the game. Nurse added there even is “a little bit more to explore” between Embiid and Maxey’s already-proven two-man connection, and in how teammates complement it.
“The first couple games, we didn’t know what to run,” Maxey added. “We didn’t know, ‘Hey, how we going to get this person the ball?’ [or] ‘How we going to do that?’ … That’s the biggest thing: knowing what to run, when to run it.”
Added Embiid: “Everybody understands that, at some point, it will be your time. But until then, just do your job. It’s not necessarily that everybody knows their role. We’re just playing basketball, and we like each other. No one cares about taking a step back for the other.”
Kelly Oubre Jr. could be returning soon to provide the Sixers another valuable piece.
And the Sixers still do not have their full rotation available. Nurse said Saturday that starting wing Kelly Oubre Jr., who arguably was playing the best basketball of his career before missing more than a month with a knee injury, and versatile forward Trendon Watford, who has missed 16 games with a strained adductor muscle in his thigh, are ready for five-on-five action at the Sixers’ next practice.
Until then, the Sixers will next host the depleted Denver Nuggets and woeful Washington Wizards before another challenging road trip to Orlando and back-to-back games in Toronto. After that, the Sixers play nine of 10 games to finish January at home.
When asked about this finally-getting-healthier team’s ceiling, Nurse pumped the brakes. The Sixers are still digging out of last season’s disappointment as 2025-26 gets closer to its midpoint. But more roster continuity means more wrinkles in offensive sets. And more counters to opponents’ game plans. And more defensive schemes.
A fourth consecutive game with this group — already unofficially dubbed a Big Four — would be another long-awaited step toward all that.
“We see how good we can be when we’re jelling and everyone’s touching the rock,” said Edgecombe, echoing George. “Everyone’s playing hard. Everyone’s bought into their role and what they have to do.”
These aren’t the Niners of old. They aren’t even the Niners of two years ago.
That’s good news for the Eagles, who moved one step closer to facing San Francisco in the opening round of the playoffs after the 49ers fell to the Seahawks, 13-3, on Saturday night. Seattle’s victory in the first batch of Week 18 games brought the NFC playoff picture into clearer focus. The Seahawks have clinched the No. 1 overall seed, thus earning themselves an opening round bye and a home game in the divisional round against the lowest-seeded team to survive. That team will not be the Eagles, who cannot face Seattle until the NFC championship game.
This was the outcome Birds fans should have been rooting for on Saturday night. Had the 49ers won, the Eagles would be standing on the precipice of an opening-round matchup against the Seahawks or the Rams, the two most impressive teams in the NFC during the regular season. The only other scenario would have required them to beat the Commanders and the Bears to lose to the Lions, thereby giving the Eagles the No. 2 seed and an opening round matchup against the seventh-seeded Packers. (That scenario remains on the table entering play on Sunday.)
The Eagles could still face the Rams, who outplayed them in the regular season before the Eagles pulled out a 33-26 win on Jordan Davis’ blocked field-goal return for a touchdown at the buzzer. In order to avoid them, they need the Rams to beat the Cardinals today, thereby clinching the No. 5 seed and knocking San Francisco down to No. 6. A Rams loss to the Cardinals would mean an Eagles-Rams rematch at Lincoln Financial Field next weekend. Keep in mind, the Cardinals have lost eight straight games and 13 of 14 since a 2-0 start.
To recap the three scenarios in play:
Scenario 1: If the Eagles win and Bears lose, the Eagles get the No. 2 seed and an opening-round game against the Packers.
If the Eagles lose OR the Bears win, then the Eagles get the No. 3 seed and …
Scenario 2: If the Rams beat the Cardinals, the Eagles face the 49ers.
Scenario 3: If the Cardinals beat the Rams, the Eagles face the Rams.
The 49ers are the clear preference over the Rams. San Francisco has been ravaged by injuries on the defensive side of the ball, with all-world linebacker Fred Warner and defensive end Nick Bosa both lost for the season. The Niners suffered two more injuries Saturday night, in fact, with linebackers Dee Winters and Tatum Bethune both leaving and not returning.
Middle linebacker Fred Warner is among the key 49ers who are injured with the playoffs set to begin.
The 49ers are still dangerous. They showed that with their 42-38 shootout win over the Bears in Week 17. But they also showed Saturday night that they can struggle against a top-tier defense. San Francisco gained just 173 yards and posted nine first downs against the Seahawks. A big variable is All-Pro tackle Trent Williams, who missed Saturday’s game with a hamstring injury after being questionable to play.
The 49ers were no match for the Seahawks’ power running game, allowing 180 yards on the ground. It was the sixth time this season they allowed an opponent to gain at least 360 yards of total offense.
The Eagles certainly wouldn’t be looking past a playoff game against the 49ers. But it was and is the best of the likeliest options.
But the Sixers’ best chance to win comes from the effort and aggressiveness of their less-heralded players. If they move the quickest to a loose ball, if they fight the hardest for rebounds, if they work the hardest on defense, maybe it’ll be enough.
And it’s up to Maxey and Embiid to keep others involved on offense by willingly making necessary passes.
That’s what is happening during the Sixers’ three-game winning streak.
They had five double-figure scorers in Saturday’s 130-119 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
But the Sixers started the winning streak off with six double-digit scorers in Tuesday’s 139-136 overtime victory over the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. And the Sixers followed that with five double-figure scorers in their New Year’s Day 123-108 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.
Embiid had 34 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, and two blocks against the Grizzlies, while Maxey had 34 points and 12 assists. The standout point guard came back with 34 points, 10 assists, two steals, and two blocks against the Mavs, while Embiid added 22 points and six assists.
And on Saturday, Maxey had 36 points, eight rebounds, two blocks, and a steal, while Embiid finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists to knock off the Knicks (23-12) for the second time this season.
Sixers center Joel Embiid has to keep VJ Edgecombe involved moving forward.
Following Thursday’s game, Embiid noted that he was getting back to the dominant player he had been before being derailed by left knee injuries over the past two seasons. Before the injuries, the 2023 league MVP and seven-time All-Star felt like he could score 40 or 50 points every night.
“I can be more aggressive, but I feel like I’m also smarter,” Embiid said.
The 7-foot-2 center is starting to do what the team needs instead of looking for his own shot. Concentrating on scoring in previous games this season led to the ball becoming stagnant. As a result, his teammates, primarily VJ Edgecombe, became less impactful.
Sometimes, the rookie guard rarely touched the ball while Embiid hoisted up shots. But against Memphis, Edgecombe, the No. 3 pick in this summer’s draft, scored 13 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and sank the game-winning three-pointer with 1.7 seconds left in overtime.
He followed that with 23 points on 9-for-14 shooting to go with a game-high four steals against the Mavs. And on Saturday, Edgecombe jump-started the Sixers’ rout by scoring 18 of his 26 points in the first half.
The shooting guard has shown off his shooting progress over the past three games, in which he’s made 14 of 25 three-pointers. Previously, Edgecombe was vastly underutilized offensively when Embiid.
The Sixers also have benefited from staggering Maxey and Embiid, allowing both to be aggressive. The tactic also allows for the offense to run through each player during specific stretches. They’ve also been successful utilizing a twin towers lineup featuring Embiid and Adem Bona at times. In that lineup, Embiid slides to power forward.
In this pairing, the Sixers incorporate drives to the basket that end with dump-offs to Bona. They also have high-percentage scoring plays, in which Embiid receives the ball at the elbow and dishes it to Bona underneath the basket. Another option is for Embiid to drive the lane and fire to wide-open three-point shooters in the corner.
Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (8) is defended by Sixers post players Joel Embiid (21) and forward Adem Bona (30) on Tuesday.
Bona’s presence helps provide rebounding and rim protection. Meanwhile, Embiid gets to display his shooting and passing skills.
And for them to continue to win, his passing skills must be on full display. Maxey, who’s the league’s third-leading scorer at 31.0 points per game, can shoulder the load.
Edgecombe, Paul George, and Quentin Grimes can also help in that category. While he’s going to get his points, Embiid’s focus should be on assisting teammates to get easier shots and making sure there’s constant ball movement.
The 76ers are bona fide NBA Eastern Conference contenders.
VJ Edgecombe has Daryl Morey looking like a genius for drafting him over Ace Bailey. And Tyrese Maxey’s impact on the defensive end doesn’t get the attention it deserves.
Those things stood out in Saturday’s 130-119 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Legitimate contenders
For most of the season, the Sixers (19-14) have been an enigma.
Bombarded with injuries and illness, they have yet to play with a full roster. And their Big Three of Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George were winless in their first four games together. But the belief was that once they got into rhythm, they would become a legitimate contender.
The Sixers are riding a three-game winning streak with Maxey, Embiid, and George playing in all those games. Saturday’s victory also marked the second time in as many meetings that they’ve defeated the second-place Knicks (23-12) this season.
Their first victory was a 116-107 decision at MSG on Dec. 19. The Sixers have won two of their meetings against the third-place Boston Celtics. And the team is only expected to get better once small forward Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee ligament) and reserve power forward Trendon Watford (strained adductor muscle in his left thigh) return.
While they remain in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings, the Sixers are three games behind the Knicks with 49 games remaining.
Maxey finished with a game-high 36 points to go with eight rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and one steal. The All-NBA caliber point guard scored 20 of his points after halftime.
And the Sixers had a balanced attack for the third consecutive game. Embiid (26 points, 10 rebounds, five assists), Edgecombe (26 points, four assists, two blocks, two steals), George (15 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two blocks), and Quentin Grimes (10 points, six rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks) were the other double-digit scorers.
The Sixers blocked 10 shots, and out-rebounded the Knicks, 47-44, with 17 of 36 three-pointers made. If Embiid and George can remain healthy, the Sixers will be a problem for the East’s contending teams.
“I think that only thing that’s missing in these first stretch of games is just some consistency and having the same guys out on the floor,” coach Nick Nurse said. “I think you can see some things growing. There was probably about 40 plus minutes making the absolute right decision on offense. …
“Having the same guys out there has been an issue this year, as well. Hopefully, we can smooth that out a little bit and build and get a few wrinkles in, counters, and you get to add defensive schemes all that kind of stuff if you keep the same guys out there.”
Sixers forward Paul George looks to get past Knicks center Mitchell Robinson in the team’s win against New York on Saturday.
The perfect selection
After the Sixers were awarded the third pick in June’s NBA draft, Morey, the team’s president of basketball operations, was determined to add a young standout who could add roster flexibility and co-star with Maxey to take pressure off Embiid and George, who are overcoming injuries.
Edgecombe and Bailey were the main options.
Once the Sixers were awarded the third pick in June’s NBA draft, there was a significant debate regarding whom the team should draft.
Some believed the Sixers had to select Bailey out of Rutgers. The small forward eventually could replace George, who was coming off one of his worst NBA seasons. Additionally, the thought was that Bailey, who had the most significant upside, could be a star down the road.
Meanwhile, Edgecombe was a highlight waiting to happen at Baylor.
The 6-foot-5, 193-pounder was known for his scoring ability — especially in transition and at the rim. The Bahamian also possessed solid playmaking skills and defensive instincts. But the belief was that an inability to dribble or make three-pointers would make selecting him a gamble.
But Morey, the Sixers president of basketball operations, still selected him despite the concerns. Outside of drafting Maxey, that might have been the best decision during his Sixers tenure.
Edgecombe torched the Knicks, scoring his 26 points on 10-for-16 shooting – including making 4 of 9 three-pointers. The 20-year-old scored 18 of his points in the first half while making 7 of 10 shots, highlighted by going 4-for-6 on three-pointers.
This performance comes after Edgecombe made a combined 8-for-16 three-pointers in the last two games. In one of those contests, the 20-year-old scored 13 of his 25 points in the third quarter and scored the game-winning three-pointer to give the Sixers a 139-136 overtime victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday.
And who can forget the 34 points he scored against the Boston Celtics in the season-opening victory?
It was the third-highest scoring debut in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 43 points on Oct. 24, 1959, and Frank Selvy’s 35 on Nov. 30, 1954.
All these accomplishments are reasons that Edgecombe’s selection has Morey and the Sixers looking like geniuses.
“He’s been awesome,” Nurse said of Edgecombe. “I think just, again, the composure. I think that he has it just so steady out there. He plays like a 10-year vet with his composure. He just kind of keeps making plays. He does a little bit of everything, which is great.”
Maxey scored at least 30 points for the 17th time this season. The sixth-year veteran is third in the league in scoring at 31.1 points per game. He’s also 11th in assists at 7.1 per game. But the league MVP candidate is also excelling on defense.
Maxey is fourth in the league in steals at 1.8 per game. He also blocked 28 shots this season, which is five off his high for a season.
His ability to track down players, get swats, and knack for getting in passing lanes have been a significant bonus for the Sixers this season.
One can argue that he’s been one of the league’s most well-rounded players this season. For that, he’s deserving of being voted an All-Star starter and garnering All-NBA honors.
“He’s been much better this year,” Nurse said of Maxey’s defense. “I think the whole way. I think you’d agree that he’s into the ball, he’s over screens, getting his share of pick-sixes, getting his share of turnovers. So he’s been really alerted on that end of the floor, I think all season. He just keeps getting better.”
