Philadelphia local news, sports, jobs, cars, homes

Blog

  • Eagles vs. 49ers: Predictions, odds, injuries, playoff schedule, and what everyone is talking about

    Eagles vs. 49ers: Predictions, odds, injuries, playoff schedule, and what everyone is talking about

    The playoffs are finally here. The Eagles officially kick off their quest to repeat as Super Bowl champions on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field against the San Francisco 49ers.

    Here’s everything you need to know ahead of their wild-card matchup.

    How to watch Eagles vs. Niners

    Eagles vs. Niners will kick off on Fox at 4:30 p.m. ET. Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady will call the game from the booth, and Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi will be on the sidelines.

    If you’d rather listen to Merrill Reese and Mike Quick call the game, the radio broadcast can be found on 94.1 WIP, and if you’re not heading to the Linc, but want to watch the game with your fellow Birds fans, here are a few spots to check out.

    Eagles’ postseason adjustments, concerns with the offense, breakout players, and other AMA highlights

    Playoff bracket and wild-card schedule

    There will be six games played over the next three days. Here’s the full playoff schedule for the wild-card round …

    NFC

    • (4) Rams vs. (5) Panthers | Saturday, 4:30 p.m., Fox
    • (7) Packers vs. (2) Bears | Saturday, 8 p.m., Prime Video
    • (6) Niners vs. (3) Eagles | Sunday, 4:30 p.m., Fox
    • Bye: (1) Seahawks

    AFC

    • (6) Bills vs. (3) Jaguars | Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS
    • (7) Chargers vs. (2) Patriots | Sunday, 8:15 p.m., NBC
    • (5) Texans vs. (4) Steelers | Monday, 8:15 p.m., ESPN
    • Bye: (1) Broncos

    Who could the Eagles face in the divisional round?

    First, the Birds need to take care of business on Sunday, but if they do, they could face one of three potential remaining NFC teams: the Los Angeles Rams, the Carolina Panthers, or the Chicago Bears. They could not, however, face the Seattle Seahawks or Green Bay Packers.

    The lowest advancing seed will play the top-seeded Seahawks in Seattle. And because the Panthers and Rams — the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds, respectively — play one another, a team with a lower seed than the Eagles is guaranteed to advance. The Packers (or Niners, if they beat the Eagles) could also be in that spot.

    If the Packers beat the Bears, Green Bay would be the lowest remaining seed and would face Seattle. The Eagles would then play the winner of the Panthers-Ram game, and would get to host that team in the divisional round. However, if the Bears win, the Eagles would travel to Chicago for the divisional round, with the Panthers-Rams winner heading to Seattle.

    Because the Eagles-Niners game is the final NFC wild-card matchup, the winner won’t have to wait to find out its opponent.

    The Eagles could get offensive tackle Lane Johnson, left, back for Sunday’s wild-card game.

    Final injury report

    It sounds like the Eagles won’t know until Sunday whether or not right tackle Lane Johnson, who has been out since Week 11 with a Lisfranc (foot) injury, will make his return to the offensive line. Johnson, interior lineman Brett Toth (concussion), and outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari (hamstring) are all listed as questionable for the Birds’ wild-card game. Ojulari was the only of the three who practiced fully on Friday. Johnson and Toth were limited all week.

    On the flip side, the Eagles will be getting several banged-up players back in time for the playoffs. Defensive tackle Jalen Carter (hip), linebacker Nakobe Dean (hamstring), edge rusher Jaelan Phillips (ankle), tight end Dallas Goedert (knee), and safety Marcus Epps (concussion) were all full participants in Friday’s practice and are expected to play.

    Eagles officially list Lane Johnson as questionable for wild-card round

    Meanwhile the 49ers have quite a few injuries, including to several starters. Veteran tackle Trent Williams, linebackers Dee Winters and Luke Gifford — after the team put LB Tatum Bethune on IR earlier this week — and cornerback Renardo Green are among those listed on the injury report for Sunday’s game. The following players are all questionable:

    • WR Jacob Cowing (hamstring)
    • LB Luke Gifford (quadricep)
    • CB Renardo Green (ankle)
    • WR Ricky Pearsall (knee, ankle)
    • DL Keion White (groin, hamstring)
    • T Trent Williams (hamstring)
    • LB Dee Winters (ankle)

    Eagles-Niners odds

    The Birds are a 5.5-point favorite at DraftKings and a 4.5-point favorite at FanDuel as of Friday afternoon. The over/under on both sites is set at 44.5.

    As for the Super Bowl, the Seahawks are the betting favorite to win it all. At FanDuel, the Eagles have the fourth-best odds, at +800, behind Seattle, the Rams, and the Broncos. At DraftKings, the Eagles have the fifth-best odds, at +950, also behind the Patriots.

    For more betting lines, click here.

    Kevin Patullo is in his first year as the Eagles offensive coordinator.

    Storylines to watch

    What is the state of the Eagles’ offense? With Johnson potentially set to make his first start since Nov. 16 against the Detroit Lions, the banged-up offensive line could get a big boost.

    In the starting offense’s final game of the year in Buffalo, they played one of their best first halves and worst second halves of the year. Which version will show up at the Linc on Sunday? And what will that mean for the future of offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo?

    More storylines to watch:

    • Saquon Barkley is extra excited for this weekend’s showdown with Niners running back Christian McCaffrey, whom he calls “one of the best to ever do it.”
    • Linebacker Nakobe Dean’s return from injury could be critical against 49ers ground attack. After his last playoff game ended in injury, he’s “elated” to be back.
    • The Eagles are entering the playoffs relatively healthy, while the 49ers have a few key injuries.
    • Could the weather be a factor? Wind gusts are expected to reach 40 mph Sunday.
    • Will Jalen Hurts’ “clutch gene” be the difference against the Niners?

    One number to know

    5 — The total number of No. 3 seeds who have reached the Super Bowl since seeding was introduced in 1975.

    Eagles vs. 49ers: These numbers and trends could impact Sunday’s result
    Jalen Hurts and the Eagles last faced the 49ers in Dec. 2023.

    Our Eagles-Niners predictions

    Here’s how our writers are predicting Sunday’s game …

    Jeff McLane: “There’s a push when it comes to the Eagles’ underperforming offense vs. the 49ers’ subpar defense; but I give the edge to a great Eagles defense over a very good, but not great 49ers offense.” | Eagles 23, Niners 17.

    Jeff Neiburg: “It hasn’t been an encouraging season from the Eagles’ offense, to put it mildly, but the 49ers are down multiple linebackers and don’t have an abundance of talent in the secondary. If the Eagles don’t beat themselves, which you can’t rule out, they should be able to establish a running game that gets the offense back on track.” | Eagles 24, Niners 20.

    Olivia Reiner: “Maybe the Eagles can finish what the Seahawks started last week and continue to punish the 49ers on the ground. Maybe Jalen Hurts and the passing attack can exploit the 49ers’ thin inside linebacker corps with passes over the middle of the field. Neither have been characteristic of the offense this season, though. Or, maybe, the defense will stifle Shanahan’s offense while Nick Sirianni, Kevin Patullo, and the Eagles offense do just enough to get by. It wouldn’t be the first time.” | Eagles 24, Niners 20.

    Matt Breen: “The Niners had a great finish to the season before their dud against the Seahawks, but they just seem too banged up to hang with the Eagles.” | Eagles 24, Niners 13.

    Jeff McLane’s keys to Eagles vs. 49ers in the wild-card round

    National media predictions

    The national media is divided over this one, but there’s a definitely lean toward the home team. Here’s a look at how they are predicting Sunday’s game …

    Nick Sirianni opted to rest his starters in Week 18 despite a chance to get the No. 2 seed in the NFC.

    What we’re saying about the Eagles

    Our columnists had plenty to say about the Eagles this week, including Mike Sielski, who believes their toughest opponent is not any team in the bracket, but themselves.

    “From Eagles fans to the players themselves, there has seemed to be an ever-present blanket of expectations weighing on them. It’s as if the only thing that would make anyone happy and relieved at any moment this season would be another Super Bowl victory — a benchmark so lofty that it virtually guarantees people will be worried at best and miserable at worst unless the Eagles win every game 49-0.”

    Here’s more from our columnists …

    David Murphy: “The pertinent question for Kevin Patullo and the Eagles now is what the offense will look like moving forward. This is a weird time of year. Sunday’s wild-card game against the 49ers could be the start of a month of football that leaves us memory-holing our four months of angst. Or, it could be the start of the offseason, and a litany of questions that sound way closer to January 2024 than January 2025.”

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering the wild-card round vs. the 49ers

    Marcus Hayes: “It was Zack Baun. The best linebacker in football over the last two seasons. The man tasked Sunday with covering and tackling Christian McCaffrey, the best offensive player in football, and George Kittle, the league’s best tight end. In a city that still worships linebackers like Chuck Bednarik, Seth Joyner, and Bill Bergey, Baun somehow remains largely anonymous.”

    Mike Sielski: “There’s more than one way to be an excellent head coach, even if one of those ways gets a little more attention, a little more scrutiny, a little more credit these days. The film can tell you how good a coach Kyle Shanahan is. What Nick Sirianni does well sometimes isn’t so easy to see. Come Sunday, may the best savant win.”

    San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is a big Vic Fangio fan.

    What the Niners are saying

    Kyle Shanahan is one of Vic Fangio’s biggest fans. Shanahan is such a big fan, that he’s tried to hire Fangio in San Francisco “all the times that there’s been an opportunity.”

    “I mean, Vic schematically, he has always been the best to me,” Shanahan said. “As good as anyone there is. Has a very sound scheme that he doesn’t need to change up very much. It just naturally changes with how he does his coverages, how he does his fronts, the personnel groupings he does. He’s very good at getting a bead on what you’re trying to do and making you adjust.”

    49ers coach Kyle Shanahan has ‘always respected’ Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio

    Sunday should be an extremely hostile environment for the Niners. Tight end George Kittle recalled a few of his craziest stories on Thursday.

    “I just thoroughly enjoy it because it’s so unique every single time,” Kittle said. “I’ll never forget my rookie season, the year they won the Super Bowl, it was my first time playing in the Linc. There were like four 10-year-old kids holding a seven-foot tall papier-mâché middle finger that had a rotating thing on it that made the middle finger come up. That was the coolest thing, I’ll never forget it. That was my rookie year and I was like this is excellent.”

    Kittle isn’t the only member of the 49ers offense looking forward to playing in the Linc. Kyle Juszczyk is also ready to take on Eagles fans.

    “It’s more difficult [going into a hostile environment] but the payoff is better,” Juszczyk told reporters. “There’s nothing like that feeling of going into a hostile territory and getting a win. Yeah, it’s a little bit more difficult, but it’ll be worth it in the end.”

    The 49ers know the Eagles — and their fans — but downplay history in Philly: ‘They hate all of us equally’

    What else we’re reading (and watching)

    • 👨‍⚖️ A rowdy game against the 49ers game led to Eagles Court inside Veterans Stadium, where the hardest part was “keeping a straight face.”
    • 🚒 Philly bar Ladder 15 turned away 49ers fans who were planning a playoff takeover. “We were backing our city,” the managers said.
    • ⚾ To the Eagles, Vic Fangio is a savvy defensive mind. To his native Dunmore, he’s a former umpire, bartender, and “Hector.”
    • 🎞️ Eagles-49ers film review: Christian McCaffrey’s touches, dangerous George Kittle, and where Brock Purdy struggles
    • 🖊️ Dallas Goedert tried to keep things light amid a trying offseason. He ended up having an unlikely career year.
    • 📺 NBC’s Cris Collinsworth says Eagles fans haven’t changed.
  • Lindsey Heaps is a natural in the Champions League. But will other USWNT stars fit well in Europe?

    Lindsey Heaps is a natural in the Champions League. But will other USWNT stars fit well in Europe?

    Although some of Lindsey Heaps’ games in Europe aren’t easy for American fans to watch, the chances that do come along show why she’s so comfortable there.

    The 31-year-old midfielder plays for her club, France’s OL Lyonnes, as more of a facilitator than the do-it-all general she’s often been cast as with the United States — not just by fans, but by coaches over the years.

    It’s easy to focus on Heaps not scoring, especially given that she started her career as a forward before moving into midfield. But her last game for OL, against Spain’s Atlético Madrid in the Champions League, showed a different side of Heaps.

    She completed 42 of 44 passes that night, continuing a pace of a 90% pass completion rate in Champions League games this season, and had eight defensive recoveries. The players around her did most of the creating, especially midfielder Melchie Dumornay and wingers Tabitha Chawinga and Kadidiatou Diani.

    Any team would dream of having OL’s squad of superstars. The club was the standard-bearer in Europe long before American businesswoman Michelle Kang bought it in 2023 (she also owns the NWSL’s Washington Spirit and England’s London City Lionesses), and it has remained at that level.

    No team in France comes close to OL’s 18 league titles, all won in the last 19 years — as in, every season except one. Nor is any team in Europe close to OL’s eight Champions League triumphs from 2011-22, even though Barcelona is the continent’s top team right now.

    The USWNT will return to north Jersey in March to play Colombia

    Heaps has three league winners’ medals and one from the European Cup, and could add to both totals this season. OL is running away with the French league, and earned a round-of-16 bye in the Champions League thanks to an unbeaten group stage run.

    “It’s unbelievable, I think this year especially,” she told The Inquirer. “New coach, new culture a bit, standards, competitiveness. The training is unbelievable in everything that we’re doing, and obviously you see it on the pitch as well. But we take each game at a time, and we just keep rolling.”

    Lindsey Heaps (left) on the ball during last month’s OL Lyonnes-Atlético Madrid game in the UEFA women’s Champions League.

    A high value on high standards

    That new coach is a familiar name: Jonatan Giráldez, who joined OL from the Washington Spirit in the summer. It was a controversial move, since Kang was accused of taking from one of her teams to boost another.

    But that claim is above Heaps’ pay grade.

    “Honestly, I think I speak for everyone on the team: he is such a quality coach,” Heaps said. “You just learn so much, and even for me, I want to continue learning, or looking at the game in a different way, or tactical adjustments, or things like that. … He wants us to win so badly, and he wants us to do so well as players, and he cares about us — he cares about how we do and how we perform, but also us as people.”

    A look back at Jonatán Giráldez’s time with the Washington Spirit

    Giráldez returned the praise.

    “A very, very important player,” he said of Heaps. “Her role on the field is beyond the tactical, because she’s able to understand a lot of situations on the field — when the team has the ball, when the team doesn’t have the ball. … I’m very happy to have her in the team.”

    Jonatan Giráldez on the sideline at Subaru Park when the Washington Spirit played a game there in 2024.

    Heaps mentioned the team’s “training environment” a few times in the interview, praising the high standards there. That counts for a lot, especially among U.S. national team stalwarts.

    For lack of a better way to put it, the top American players have long relished getting their butts kicked on a daily basis, whether by the NWSL’s competitive balance or the famed ferocity of U.S. practices.

    The USMNT, USWNT, and your kid’s youth team are all different. U.S. Soccer is fine with that.

    Heaps is the latest in a lineage from Mia Hamm through Abby Wambach, Heather O’Reilly, Julie Ertz, and Carli Lloyd, all of whom spoke just as bluntly (and sometimes more so). Now Heaps wants to pass it on to a new era.

    She gets to do that in Lyon, not just with the national team. The club’s squad includes 22-year-old American midfielder Korbin Shrader and 18-year-old Lily Yohannes, the latter of whom is starting to meet the hype as a generational talent.

    Lily Yohannes (center) at work with the U.S. women’s soccer team in Chester in October.

    ‘The best midfielder in the world soon’

    Unfortunately, Yohannes hasn’t gotten to play much in the Champions League this season. She didn’t play at all against Atlético Madrid, where the tactical matchup would have been a great lesson.

    Heaps also wanted that, but she preached patience.

    “We all need to remember that she’s 18 years old,” she said. “At the end of the day, she needs to keep doing her thing, because she’s been playing so well — she’s been playing well with the national team, she’s training well here. And like I said before, it is just such a competitive environment.”

    Lily Yohannes and Alyssa Thompson have arrived at their star turns with the USWNT

    But Heaps is not immune to the buzz around Yohannes, and didn’t mind indulging in some.

    “I know these games mean a lot for her, but her ceiling is so, so high,” she said. “I just said to her that no matter what, in a few years from now, you’re going to remember games like this that maybe you don’t come into. But you’re going to be a starting player and a non-stop player, and I believe the best midfielder in the world soon to come.”

    Yohannes has played her entire career in Europe, and Heaps has played eight of her 14 professional years there. The American contingent across the Atlantic keeps growing, with Penn State product Sam Coffey soon to join it at England’s Manchester City.

    Will playing overseas fit other Americans as well as it does Heaps? The question is always on the table, but it’s in bright lights above Trinity Rodman’s head right now. Her standoff with the NWSL over getting paid what she’s worth — with Kang on her side, trying to structure a contract within the league’s salary rules — has naturally led to European suitors chasing her.

    Trinity Rodman returns to the USWNT for January camp even though she isn’t with a club right now

    It might also reveal a truth that Europe’s chattering class doesn’t like admitting. Very few European clubs are truly at a high enough level to be right for elite U.S. talents.

    Lyon is one for sure, but there would be an even bigger uproar if Rodman moves there. Barcelona is another, but the Spanish giants don’t sign Americans. Manchester City, Arsenal, and Chelsea measure up in England, but Chelsea’s roster looks too loaded to have room for Rodman right now.

    Trinity Rodman’s uncertain future is the biggest story in the women’s soccer world right now.

    ‘Do what’s best for her’

    Beyond them? Paris Saint-Germain was in that class, but has fallen hard this year. Germany’s Wolfsburg is far from its past glories, and Bayern Munich still has a ways to rise. Real Madrid and Manchester United have stars, but their ownerships aren’t trusted to build truly top programs.

    The highest tier is really just the first five clubs you read above, and that’s not much.

    Then add in Rodman’s huge commercial impact, which would be diminished going abroad — less so in England, but still notably.

    The U.S. launches a continent-wide bid for the 2031 women’s World Cup, and Philadelphia wants in

    Many clubs outside England also have poor attendances. OL averages just over 5,000 in a 59,000-seat stadium despite all its stars. PSG plays almost all its French league games at a 1,500-seat field within the bigger club’s practice facilities, far out in the Paris suburbs. Both are a far cry from the 15,259 that Washington averaged this year, or the even bigger crowds in Los Angeles and Portland.

    Not for nothing, then, did U.S. legend Tobin Heath — who played for PSG, Manchester United and Arsenal amid many years in American leagues — recently say Rodman should stay in the NWSL.

    Tobin heath during her playing days with Manchester United in 2020.

    “I advise a lot on players going or staying, and 95% of the time, I will usually say go,” she said in an interview on fellow former superstar Megan Rapinoe’s podcast. “I think that her game will be 1000% louder here. I think she can be the face of the league.”

    At the time Heaps was asked, the NWSL was still putting together its new High Impact Player rule. She had heard about it, but the details hadn’t all been published yet — including the controversial rules on how players qualify. So Heaps chose her words carefully, but she had plenty of them.

    “I don’t think it’s a bad idea,” she said, tying in what she has seen over the years from MLS’s Designated Player rule. (Her husband Tyler is San Diego FC’s sporting director.). “If you want some of the best players in the world to come and play in the NWSL, some things do have to change. … We want to continue growing the league. So, what’s the best way of doing that? We’ve got to get the best players there.”

    USWNT star Tierna Davidson visits Kensington to inspire a new generation of young soccer players

    It was also easy to think Rodman’s situation would be settled by now. Heaps wondered if it might not just come down to salary, but she encouraged Rodman to do what she feels is right.

    “Trinity needs to do what’s best for her,” Heaps said. “The money is kind of on the side of it — obviously, that’s a big thing for us professionals. But Trinity, she’s going to make the decision that’s best for her, and I think that’s the most important.”

  • What if everything isn’t Kevin Patullo’s fault? What if the Eagles’ aging, exhausted offense just stinks?

    What if everything isn’t Kevin Patullo’s fault? What if the Eagles’ aging, exhausted offense just stinks?

    It’s become fashionable to pile on first-year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. He’s the target of local and national self-styled experts, none of whom, you might note, works for an NFL or college team.

    Certainly, no matter how close his friendship with Nick Sirianni, Patullo won’t survive next week if the offense again struggles and the Eagles don’t beat the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. The offense averaged 22.3 points, down 4.9 points from the Super Bowl team of 2024, and 311.2 yards, down 56 yards from last year.

    If you know anything about the Eagles front office, without a deep postseason run, that sort of performance simply will not stand.

    Jeffrey Lurie and Howie Roseman have standards that are not being met.

    Howie Roseman spent $128 million of Jeffrey Lurie’s money on that side of the ball, more than twice what they spent on defense. No matter how badly the players have executed, a quick playoff exit will spell the end for at least Patullo, and probably quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler as well. No player on the team has regressed as much as Jalen Hurts.

    But if the day after the wild-card game turns out to be Black Monday for Patullo, his defenders, if they exist, should have some ammunition. Because regardless of the plays called, the real problem lies with the players running them. These are not failures of scheme or sequence. These are failures of execution, focus, and maybe even heart.

    Is it age? Right tackle Lane Johnson is 35, but A.J. Brown and Saquon Barkley are just 28. Then again, in the NFL, high-usage receivers and backs age in dog years.

    Is it fatigue? Maybe. The Eagles enter Sunday having played 38 games in the past two seasons, more than any other team. Including playoffs, Barkley had 482 total touches last season, second-most in NFL history.

    Is it injury? Maybe. Offensive linemen Cam Jurgens, Landon Dickerson, and Johnson, who have 11 Pro Bowls among them, have been limited or absent all season. Brown battled a hamstring issue in training camp and through at least the first eight games, and he managed the lowest yardage total of his four-year tenure in Philly — but just 76 yards lower than last year.

    In fact, as much as folks want to criticize the Eagles’ passing game, it actually averaged 6.4 more yards per game this season (194.3) than it did in 2024 (187.9).

    Jason Kelce isn’t walking through that door, and it’s fair to ask how much the Eagles have really overcome his absence.

    The brutal truth is the passing offense hasn’t been the same since center Jason Kelce retired after 2023, despite Jurgens making the last two Pro Bowls.

    Are there other factors at work?

    Was last year’s passing offense a casualty of Barkley’s 2,504 rushing yards, which is an NFL record, playoffs-inclusive? Or was it because the passing game wasn’t sharp in 2024, either? After all, Hurts threw for seven more touchdowns and 321 more yards in 2025.

    Two things appear to have happened in 2025.

    First, the line got banged up and older.

    Murphy: With Mike McDaniel and Kliff Kingsbury looming, Kevin Patullo needs to have himself a big postseason

    Second, opposing defenses more steadfastly forced Hurts — and, of course, Patullo — to beat them through the air.

    You can’t blame Patullo for the stagnation of Hurts’ game. His processing remains slow, his footwork remains clunky, his arm strength no better than average.

    But what Patullo will be blamed for, fairly or not, is that he did not make more of Lurie’s $255 million man. It won’t matter that Patullo’s predecessor didn’t, either.

    Kellen Moore was hired to maximize Hurts’ abilities the way he’d allegedly done with Dak Prescott as the Dallas Cowboys’ quarterbacks coach or offensive coordinator from 2018 to 2022 — emphasis on allegedly.

    History has been kind to Kellen Moore … perhaps too kind.

    Prescott’s passer rating during Moore’s five seasons was 98.8. His quarterback rating was 55.2. Since Moore left, it’s 99.4 and 73.4. Justin Herbert’s passer rating of 93.2 in 2023, Moore’s single season as the Chargers’ OC, matched Herbert’s career-low.

    Just saying: Maybe Moore wasn’t the reason the Eagles shined as brightly as they did. After all, four healthy potential Hall of Famers on any offensive line can cover up lots of shortcomings.

    Nobody likes watching Patullo call passing plays that give Hurts limited options and require too long to throw. Nobody likes watching running plays that, given the defensive alignment, appear doomed on conception. Those are on Patullo — but those also are infrequent. Besides, no OC nails every call.

    Nobody likes watching Hurts deal with pressure in his face from up the middle on every third dropback because his center and guards get blown off the ball. Nobody likes seeing tight end Dallas Goedert rounding off his routes.

    We’ve also seen Brown give up on routes and short-arm passes, seen Barkley hit holes soft, misread blocks, and run out of bounds when he didn’t have to, and we’ve seen Hurts miss wide-open receivers, sometimes two on the same play. He clearly has no interest in running the football much anymore; he ran 105 times this season, one-third less than his average over the last four seasons.

    Sure, some of that is Patullo.

    But a lot of it is a worn-down Hurts and his quickly aging cast.

  • How to have a Perfect Philly Day, according to novelist Adam Cesare

    How to have a Perfect Philly Day, according to novelist Adam Cesare

    Adam Cesare knew by the third date that if he and his future wife were going to end up together, he was going to have to start calling sub sandwiches hoagies. “She’s a Philly lifer,” the New York-born, USA Today best-selling author said. Sure enough, after graduating from college in Boston, the couple relocated to Philadelphia, where Cesare threw himself into the city’s film and literary scenes. “I took to Philly like a fish to water,” Cesare said. That was 15 years ago.

    Fast forward to today, and the former high school English teacher is an acclaimed local author with more than a dozen horror novels under his belt, including the popular Clown in a Cornfield series, the first of which was adapted for the big screen and released in theaters this past summer. Now, Cesare is gearing up to release Clown in a Cornfield 4: Lights! Camera! Frendo!

    When he’s not busy editing his manuscript, Cesare still loves to explore Philly’s extensive film and lit scenes, roaming through used bookstores or catching a flick at PhilaMOCA.

    Here’s how Adam Cesare would spend a perfect day in Philadelphia.

    9 a.m.

    First, I would make sure it’s not a Sunday because I want to go to Beiler’s Doughnuts in Reading Terminal, and it’s closed on Sundays.

    11 a.m.

    After Beiler’s, I’d pop over to Old City to go to The Book Trader. I could name-drop all the current new bookstores, but there’s something about used bookstores that I really like. I’d swing by the comics shop, Brave New Worlds, because it’s right next door, then I’d head to Mostly Books on Bainbridge. I love that place. It’s great because they have a pretty decent VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray selection too, so I’ll get a few movies.

    I might also pop into the Philly AIDS Thrift. It’s fun to walk around. They have a good book section. It’s mostly general fiction. I like their physical media section too. You can get the DVD or VHS of every television series that’s been kicked off Netflix.

    1 p.m.

    For lunch, I’m definitely going to Monster Vegan. It is what it sounds like. It is a really good vegan restaurant themed on monsters. They play clips from Count Yorga and stuff on the walls. They do events, too. I once saw Lloyd Kaufman present Class of Nuke ‘Em High.

    3 p.m.

    After lunch, I might drive over to Manayunk to check out Thrillerdelphia. It’s a new bookstore that exclusively sells horror and thrillers. They just opened two months ago, and I did one of their first events. They’re really nice people, and they have a great selection.

    5 p.m.

    It’s time to beam back down to South Street for dinner and a movie. On a perfect day, I’m going to Royal Izakaya, a Japanese restaurant I like to go to on my birthday. Since money is no object on my perfect day, I’ll order the omakase. Let the chef decide.

    7 p.m.

    There are so many good places to see a movie in Philly. There’s the Philadelphia Film Society. There’s also PhilaMOCA. It’s probably my favorite place to go. They work closely with Exhumed Films, which is a group of film fans who screen 35mm and 16mm films from their private collection in local theaters. They do a lot of work with The Colonial in Phoenixville as well.

    The last time I went to PhilaMOCA, I saw Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and John Cameron Mitchell was there doing a live commentary, which was sick. They do really cool stuff like that all the time.

    9 p.m.

    That was a full day. I’m good for bed now.

  • Jeff McLane’s keys to Eagles vs. 49ers in the wild-card round: What you need to know and a prediction

    Jeff McLane’s keys to Eagles vs. 49ers in the wild-card round: What you need to know and a prediction

    The Eagles host the San Francisco 49ers in a wild-card playoff matchup at 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field. Here’s what you need to know about the game:

    When the Eagles have the ball

    The 49ers don’t have a good defense. Season-ending injuries to their two best players — linebacker Fred Warner and defensive end Nick Bosa — were a prominent reason why coordinator Robert Saleh’s unit struggled most of the season. But there also isn’t much talent elsewhere on that side of the ball. The 49ers ranked 25th in expected points added per play and 29th in success rate. Saleh has been forced to play a bend-but-try-not-to-break defense, which has meant more two-high safety shells than he’s accustomed to employing and hoping that opposing offenses eventually will make mistakes on grind-it-out drives. The 49ers have done a good job of limiting explosive plays as a result and rank ninth in allowing 20-plus-yard plays in EPA. They’ve also buckled down in the red zone, where they rank 12th overall and fourth in goal-to-go situations.

    The Eagles’ offense, conversely, has been at its best inside the 20 and ranked first in the league. Getting there on a consistent basis has been a season-long problem. The chess match here could center on which unit is willing to get out of its comfort zone. Will the 49ers play more aggressively and stack the box — only the Eagles and New England Patriots had a higher rate of light boxes — knowing the Eagles have struggled in the run game when numbers haven’t been in their favor? Or will the Eagles come out firing, looking for explosives through the air, knowing that Saleh likely will make Jalen Hurts and the pass game beat his defense?

    Nick Sirianni and Kevin Patullo have several directions they can go that should favor the Eagles, even if the 49ers match heavy personnel with their base front. It would be foolish not to test San Fran’s run defense, especially an off-ball linebacker unit that could be down to its fourth and fifth options on the depth chart. Warner’s replacement, Tatum Bethune, went down for the season last week, which means the aging Eric Kendricks, the younger brother of former Eagle Mychal Kendricks, will be at middle linebacker. Outside linebackers Dee Winters and Luke Gifford also are questionable. The Eagles offensive line, with right tackle Lane Johnson expected to return, likely will need to adapt to a slanting front if they want to carry out their combo zone blocking schemes. But if even all doesn’t go according to plan, Saquon Barkley should have opportunities to do it on his own against a run defense that missed 11 tackles against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 18.

    Eagles vs. 49ers predictions: Our writers pick a winner for the wild-card round

    I think more of Hurts on designed runs, and a sprinkling in of the more north-to-south Tank Bigsby, could further buoy a run offense that has shown marginal improvement over the last month. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Patullo open with a fair amount of empty sets. Hurts has operated well out of that formation. It forces defenses to have to account for his legs on draws or scrambles if they’re going to match in man coverage.

    Saleh still favors Cover 3 more than any zone, but he’s going to have to pick his poison with Eagles receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith having skill and size edges over cornerbacks Deommodore Lenoir, Renardo Green, and Upton Stout. Logic would suggest that tight end Dallas Goedert should get a healthy dose of pass plays as the first read with the 49ers’ linebacker corps battered. The same could be said for getting Barkley more involved in the pass game. Hurts should have time in the pocket. San Fran’s pass rush has been deficient without Bosa. Former Eagle Bryce Huff may be the 49ers’ best edge rusher. I watched enough of Johnson and Jordan Mailata dominating him in training camp a year ago to think they’ll keep him under wraps on Sunday. The Eagles’ offensive line must be prepared, though, for a high rate of stunts that Saleh calls to offset his rushers’ inability to win one-on-one.

    San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) runs against Indianapolis Colts outside linebacker and Philly native Zaire Franklin (44) on Dec. 22.

    When the 49ers have the ball

    This is where the more intriguing matchup lies with 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, two of the best play-callers in the business. While Fangio’s defense has jelled into a unit comparable to last year’s, Shanahan’s offense hasn’t been as explosive as it was in previous seasons when the 49ers reached the playoffs. He still has one of the more sophisticated run schemes in the NFL, but the production just hasn’t been there for various reasons. Like the Eagles, San Fran has faced a high rate of stacked boxes. That often is by design. No team utilizes two-back personnel more than the 49ers, who have fullback Kyle Juszczyk. At 34, he isn’t as dynamic, but Shanahan lines him up all over, increasingly in an unorthodox offset position in which he can be a blocker in a variety of ways.

    Christian McCaffrey remains the workhorse running back, often from under center. He finished second in the league in carries (311), but had the lowest rushing yards over expected per attempt (-0.5) of his career. The 49ers’ scheme has long majored in wide zone runs, but McCaffrey has had more success running in between the tackles this season. Shanahan’s offense often needs to establish its ground game to utilize play action. His two-back personnel will force Fangio to decide between using his base five-man front to stop the run or his preferred nickel four-man front to protect the back. It will likely be based on the situation, but Fangio doesn’t want to leave his secondary susceptible to throws off play-action. The 49ers’ run game had two strong showings vs. the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears, but it regressed last week against an athletic Seahawks defense.

    Saquon Barkley is extra excited for a showdown with Christian McCaffrey, ‘one of the best to ever do it’

    The possible return of Hall of Fame-bound left tackle Trent Williams (listed as questionable) would help San Fran, but if the Eagles contain McCaffrey, it could be a long day for Shanahan’s unit. He’ll scheme up pre-snap motions to manipulate a defense, and he’ll dial up naked bootlegs and screens to compensate for struggles on the ground. But his offense has been lacking in the dropback game without a top receiver who can consistently get separation downfield for quarterback Brock Purdy. Ricky Pearsall would be the best candidate, but he’s questionable after not practicing all week. That has left most of the heavy lifting to tight end George Kittle and McCaffrey, who led the team with 102 catches. Kittle can do it all. Shanahan will use him like a chess piece. He can win vs. linebackers, safeties, and cornerbacks. The Eagles’ Zack Baun, Reed Blankenship, and Cooper DeJean will be most responsible for keeping him in check.

    Purdy isn’t just some byproduct of Shanahan’s genius. He’s quick through his progressions, has good pocket movements, and can extend plays as well as most quarterbacks. He’s not necessarily a scrambler, but he can run to the sticks. If you can collapse the pocket, the throws get harder for him because he’s only 6-foot-1. Purdy’s excellent when “hot,” so it makes little sense to blitz him much — not that Fangio would be inclined to send extra rushers a lot. Shanahan likely will go after cornerback Adoree’ Jackson with Quinyon Mitchell on the opposite side. Fangio has found ways to cover for Jackson with split-field zones. I also could see Purdy targeting safety Marcus Epps or returning linebacker Nakobe Dean on middle-field throws.

    Extra point

    The 49ers have a lot of success throwing over the middle. But there’s a risk. Eight of Purdy’s 10 interceptions have come between the numbers. That’s part of the reason Hurts doesn’t throw over the middle as often as other quarterbacks. Sirianni has hammered winning the turnover battle into his team. The Eagles finished the season plus-6 in turnover differential, while the 49ers finished minus-6. I also give Sirianni the nod in game management and fourth-down decision-making. He has been more conservative this season, partly because the Tush Push is no longer close to automatic.

    Eagles’ postseason adjustments, concerns with the offense, breakout players, and other AMA highlights

    Shanahan has lacked the gumption in key spots over his career. He’s a master game-planner and play-caller. But if his teams get behind, they often struggle to rally because his offense isn’t as strong in the dropback world. The same could be said for Sirianni’s system, as well. I think the first team to 20 points wins this game. The Eagles of old could salt away a second-half lead, but Sirianni and Patullo have been unable to find a formula when ahead. It’s been ugly at times and that should be worrisome. But this is how I see the matchup: There’s a push when it comes to the Eagles’ underperforming offense vs. the 49ers’ subpar defense; but I give the edge to a great Eagles defense over a very good, but not great 49ers offense.

    Prediction: Eagles, 23-17.

  • The New York Times agrees Philly is the place to be (locals still skeptical) | Weekly Report Card

    The New York Times agrees Philly is the place to be (locals still skeptical) | Weekly Report Card

    The New York Times also names Philly the top place to visit in 2026: A- (yet again)

    Well, here we go again. Philadelphia has once more been crowned the world’s best place to visit in 2026 — this time by the New York Times, which means we are now in the extremely Philly position of being right twice and still deeply suspicious about it.

    Yes, the reasons are familiar. The Semiquincentennial. The World Cup. The All-Star Game. Fireworks, parades, exhibitions, concerts, TED talks, themed balls, and a calendar so packed it feels like someone dared the city to see what would break first. It’s a lot. Enough, apparently, to push Philly to the top of the Times’ “52 Places to Go” list.

    But at this point, the events are almost beside the point. Big moments don’t explain why people want to be here, they just give them an excuse.

    Philly keeps landing on these lists because it’s a place that feels alive even when nothing “special” is happening. It’s opinionated without being curated. Historic without being precious. Welcoming in a way that involves some yelling, a little side-eye, and eventually someone telling you where to eat. You don’t visit Philly to be impressed. You visit to be absorbed.

    So why not an A+? Because every time the outside world decides Philly is the place to be, the city pays for it in very real ways. Hotel prices climb. SEPTA gets stress-tested. Streets designed for horse traffic brace for global crowds. And locals are once again asked to host a massive party while still making it to work, daycare pickup, and whatever delayed train they’re already standing on.

    There’s also the small matter of validation fatigue. Philly didn’t suddenly get good because the New York Times said so — just like it didn’t when the Wall Street Journal said it. The city’s been doing this for a long time, whether or not anyone was paying attention.

    Why?
    byu/UnionAdAgency inphilly

    ‘Avoid Philadelphia’ road sign goes viral: A

    Nothing says Philadelphia quite like being named the top travel destination in the world for 2026 and, at the exact same time, going viral for a road sign that simply reads: “Avoid Philadelphia.” No explanation. No branding. Just a warning.

    The photo resurfaced on r/philly and immediately became a public forum for collective truth-telling. When one user asked, “Why?” the answers poured in: “The usual reasons.” “Mental health reasons. Financial reasons.” “SEPTA.” Another went full blunt-force: “Bad things happen in Philly.”

    Of course, the Eagles entered the chat. “Eagles lost yesterday,” one commenter offered. Another countered, “Or Eagles won yesterday… Could be Eagles just did a thing. Go Birds.” Honestly, both feel correct.

    Then came the traffic trauma. “Spend a day on the Blue Route,” someone wrote — a sentence that should probably be included in driver’s ed. One person proposed Google Maps should add a new setting: “avoid highways, avoid toll roads, avoid Philadelphia.”

    But buried in the comments was the buzzkill reality check: This sign is almost certainly old. Several users pointed out it likely dates back to the I-95 bridge collapse in 2023, when avoiding Philadelphia was not a vibe, but a Department of Transportation directive. “Why are you posting a 5+ year old pic?” one top commenter asked, ruining the mystery but improving the accuracy.

    But the timing is what makes this perfect. As the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times roll out the red carpet for 2026, locals are standing off to the side holding a faded road sign like, just so you know. It’s not anti-tourism. It’s informed consent.

    An A for honesty, context, and a comment section that somehow functions as a city guide, traffic alert, sports recap, and warning label… even when the photo is old.

    Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni (center bottom) watches his team play the Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026.

    Eagles start the playoffs as the No. 3 seed: B-

    The Eagles enter the playoffs as a No. 3 seed, a position that history treats like a warning label. The math is rude: Few No. 3 seeds make the Super Bowl, and most of them don’t even sniff it. The Eagles themselves have tried this route before and usually wound up packing up by the divisional round. Not great.

    And yes, this is at least partially self-inflicted. Resting the starters in Week 18 cost them a real shot at the No. 2 seed and an objectively easier path. That decision is already being litigated in every bar, group chat, and radio segment. And it will keep getting relitigated until either A) the Eagles lose or B) they win enough that no one wants to admit they were wrong.

    Here’s the thing, though: This specific matchup is not terrifying.

    The 49ers limping into the Linc with injuries, tired legs, and a defense that is no longer the Final Boss version Philly remembers? That’s manageable. The Eagles’ defense has been the most reliable unit all season, and if this game turns into trench warfare, that favors the Birds. Saquon Barkley doesn’t need to be vintage playoff Saquon yet. He just needs to exist long enough to keep the offense functional.

    Still, the unease is earned. This is a team with Super Bowl expectations walking a historically unfriendly path, powered by a defense everyone trusts and an offense no one fully believes in. That’s not nothing. That’s the whole tension.

    So yes, the road is harder than it needed to be. Yes, the margin for error is thin. And yes, if this goes sideways, the No. 3 seed will be Exhibit A in the postmortem.

    In this photo from 2000, the Melrose Diner sign shines bright on a gray day.

    The Melrose Diner sign hits Facebook Marketplace: A+

    Nothing says Philadelphia like scrolling Facebook Marketplace and suddenly finding the neon soul of a demolished diner listed as “very heavy and totally cool.”

    Yes, the iconic Melrose Diner sign — red, yellow, stainless steel nostalgia and all — is apparently for sale. Not at auction. Not through a preservation society. Not behind glass in a museum. Just vibes, photos, and the immortal Marketplace closer: “Serious inquiries only.”

    There’s something perfectly on-brand about this. The Melrose didn’t go out quietly. It didn’t get a tasteful plaque or a respectful archival goodbye. It got torn down for apartments, went into “storage,” and has now reemerged like a ghost asking for a sizable offer and a pickup truck.

    The listing itself is doing a lot of work: four pieces, sold as a set, “used — good,” with the helpful reminder that Olga’s Diner once sold signage for $12,000. Philly translation: Don’t lowball me, I know what I’ve got.

    Selling the sign feels a little like selling a family photo album. The Melrose wasn’t just a diner — it was late nights, early mornings, post-bar waffles, post-court appearance coffees, and at least one story involving a mobster, depending on who you ask.

    Donkey’s Place in Camden on July 18, 2018, one of 10 eateries Anthony Bourdain visited in a 2015 episode of his “Parts Unknown” show in New Jersey.

    Donkey’s Place walrus bone theft: D (return it, coward)

    There are lines you don’t cross in this city, and stealing a beloved bar’s decades-old walrus penis bone is absolutely one of them.

    Donkey’s Place didn’t ask questions about the bone for years — it just existed, looming behind the bar like a strange guardian angel of cheesesteaks and beers. It wasn’t sentimental, it wasn’t precious. It was just there. Which somehow makes taking it worse.

    The alleged thief wrapped it in a scarf and walked out like this was Ocean’s Eleven: South Jersey Edition, and now the bar is left explaining to the internet why they’re asking nicely for a walrus baculum to be returned, no police report, no drama, just vibes and decency.

    The deduction from an A is only because this never should’ve happened. Otherwise, this is peak Philly-area energy: a historic bar, an inexplicable artifact, security footage, TikTok pleas, and a collective regional agreement that yes, this matters.

    Mail it back. No questions asked. Everyone will pretend this never happened.

    In this Dec. 4, 2007 Inquirer file photo, Joe Carioti, of Carl’s Poultry, warms his hands on the first really cold day down at the market.

    Trash can fires are back on Ninth Street: A

    You don’t need a calendar to tell you winter has arrived in Philadelphia. You just need to walk down Ninth Street and see a trash can on fire.

    The barrels come back when mornings turn brutal and vendors are out before dawn, unloading boxes, setting up stalls, and bracing against the cold. This isn’t nostalgia or aesthetic — it’s practical. A few minutes of heat for hands that don’t get to stay in pockets, a pause before the work continues.

    They’re regulated, debated, occasionally questioned, and absolutely unmoved by any of that. Every winter, they come back anyway. Not as a statement, but as a fact of life.

    When spring shows up, they’ll disappear again. Until then, the fire’s on.

  • After a breakup, he left Graduate Hospital for a giant backyard in Port Richmond | How I Bought This House

    After a breakup, he left Graduate Hospital for a giant backyard in Port Richmond | How I Bought This House

    The buyers: David Snelbaker, 59, finishing technician

    The house: a 1,440-square-foot townhouse in Port Richmond with three bedrooms and two baths built in 1925.

    The price: listed for $275,000; purchased for $269,500

    The agent: Allison Fegel, Elfant Wissahickon Realtors

    Snelbaker in the kitchen of his Port Richmond home.

    The ask: Snelbaker didn’t want to give up his house in Graduate Hospital. He’d spent years rehabbing and repairing it. But in 2023, on the heels of a breakup, he determined he couldn’t afford to keep it on his own. He needed to downsize, but he wanted to stay in his neighborhood. Other than that, his list was short but firm: a backyard for gardening and a rowhouse that wasn’t too narrow.

    His budget was $300,000 — a number driven less by lender approval than by self-preservation. “I didn’t want to be house poor,” he said. “I have friends who are. They don’t go on vacations. They’re just kind of financially stuck.”

    The search: Snelbaker needed to sell his old house before he could make an offer on a new one, which made it difficult to compete in South Philly’s hot market. “A lot of the places I wanted to jump on would just go so fast,” he said.

    He expanded his search and discovered better stock in Fishtown and Port Richmond. “For the same price for something in South Philly, it was a fixer-upper,” he said. “And here, it was in good shape.” Snelbaker had already lived through years of construction in his old house and wasn’t eager to do it again. “I just didn’t want to get into another fixer-upper situation,” he said.

    He checked out a few places in Fishtown but settled on Port Richmond because it was closer to his work. The prices were better, too. “It was a win-win,” Snelbaker said. The only other place he considered was a recently renovated rowhouse close to the river. “It was laid out well,” he said. “That was my second choice.”

    Snelbaker liked that the house was recently renovated and move-in ready.

    The appeal: Snelbaker knew he’d found the one when he stepped out back. “The backyard was unbelievably, unbelievably big,” he said. “It’s like 27 feet long and 18 feet wide.” Plenty of space for the major landscaping projects he wanted to do, like planting several trees and building raised beds. Even better, one side of the yard abutted a warehouse, not another rowhouse, which gave him “a level of privacy,” he said.

    Inside, the house was open, newly renovated, and neutral. “It didn’t have a lot of personality,” Snelbaker said, “but it wasn’t a lot of work either.”

    The deal: Snelbaker saw the house at the end of the summer, but because he needed the proceeds from his Graduate Hospital home for a down payment, he couldn’t make an offer right away. Thankfully, the Port Richmond house lingered on the market until he sold his place in October. “I was surprised it didn’t move,” Snelbaker said.

    Once his old house sold, Snelbaker moved quickly. He offered $269,500 — $5,500 under the asking price — and the seller accepted without pushback. The inspection brought little drama. The sellers, who were contractors, handled minor repairs. “They did some patching on the roof and some stuff on the brick in the front,” Snelbaker said. “There was something with the dishwasher … they repaired that. That was pretty much it.”

    Since moving in, Snelbaker has added personal touches like this antler lamp to give his house more personality.

    The money: Snelbaker walked away with $240,000 from the sale of his previous home. He put a chunk of it into a certificate of deposit and used the remaining $180,000 for the down payment. “I put more than 20% down because I wanted to keep my monthly payment low,” he said.

    Even so, timing worked against him. Interest rates climbed to 7% as he was shopping, and insurance costs jumped a few months after he moved in. His monthly payment was originally $1,300. Now it’s $1,900. He plans to refinance once interest rates drop a few percentage points, and he’s actively looking for a better rate on his home insurance.

    Snelbaker removed some of the concrete in the backyard to plant trees.

    The move: Snelbaker sold his old house in mid-October and officially closed on his new one on Halloween, but he wasn’t ready to move in right away. His agent did some “fancy footwork” and worked out a deal for Snelbaker to rent his old house from its new owners for a few weeks. “She negotiated a really good timeline that gave me space to pack and wrap up everything at the old house,” Snelbaker said.

    Even better, he celebrated Halloween with his old neighbors. “We handed out candy, and they made me dinner. It was very sweet,” Snelbaker said. He moved into his new home the week before Thanksgiving.

    Any reservations? Without an attached neighbor on one side, the house runs colder than Snelbaker expected. He contacted an energy auditor who advised him not to do anything until he insulated the roof. It’s pricey, but worth it, Snelbaker said. “It’ll definitely increase the comfort and lower my heating bills.”

    Life after close: Since moving in, Snelbaker has focused on the backyard. He removed slabs of concrete to make room for trees and raised beds. “That was important for me,” he said. “I really wanted to get a garden going again like I had in my old spot.”

    Did you recently buy a home? We want to hear about it. Email acovington@inquirer.com.

  • How is this Eagles fan keeping the faith? By churning out Billy Joel parodies

    How is this Eagles fan keeping the faith? By churning out Billy Joel parodies

    Robert Williams III never knows which Yacht Rock tune or ’90s hip-hop jam he’ll parody when his beloved Birds take the field.

    But by the top of the fourth quarter, the Philadelphia Eagles fan and social media content creator not only has the song picked (more times than not, it’s a Billy Joel classic), but he has also written most of the lyrics, practiced the hook, the chorus, and the bridge.

    The result looks something like “Allen Down” — a hilarious remix of Joel’s 1982 hit “Allentown.”

    Williams, a retired Army veteran who served in the Afghanistan war, wrote that one as he watched the Birds beat the Buffalo Bills the Sunday after Christmas, clinching their spot in this Sunday’s first round of the NFL playoffs.

    In the video he’s dressed like a giant Eagle while clowning on Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. The clip has 19,000 likes on Instagram and tens of thousands of likes on TikTok and Facebook.

    “Philadelphia took Allen down

    Every time you looked he was on the ground.

    Vic Fangio did a heck of a job.

    I’m guessing the Bills drank too much eggnog,” the song goes.

    Williams’ cheeky videos, filmed in his Severn, Md., Kelly green man cave, have earned the Hamilton, N.J., native a combined 2 million followers on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. And a lot of those followers are from Philly.

    That includes Questlove, Jazzy Jeff, Chill Moody, State Rep. Joanna McClinton (D., Philadelphia), and legendary WDAS announcer Patty Jackson.

    Robert Williams III posed for a portrait at his home on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 in Severn, Md. Williams has an Instagram page where he performs parodies of popular songs with lyrics about the Eagles.

    Star social media influencer Gillie Da King, too, is in on the fun.

    Before the 2025 NFL season even started, former NFL player-turned-podcaster Cam Newton ribbed Jalen Hurts, saying he wasn’t one of the league’s elite quarterbacks. Gillie took offense and hazed Newton on social media all season.

    After Hurts’ stellar game against the New York Giants in Week 8, Williams dropped a video sampling LL Cool J’s 1997 hit “4,3,2,1.” In it, Williams mocks Newton — complete with long hair, wide-brimmed hat, and round glasses offering a fake apology to Gillie through a series of crisp bars.

    Gillie liked and shared it.

    “I was like ‘Wow’,” Williams said. “That right there is a big thing for me.”

    Williams, who is known across social media as @robertwilliamsfilms, is also recognized as being among the influencers who trade in Gen X nostalgia, creators like Maria Ferrer and the Urban Rewind.

    His loyal fans include some of the biggest old-school rappers: Ice Cube, and Wu Tang Clan’s Ghost Face Killah and Inspectah Deck. Common began leaving friendly — albeit slick — comments on Williams’ parodies in Week 13 after the Birds’ devastating loss to the Chicago Bears.

    Williams quickly borrowed the arrangement of Common’s “Go,” changing the lyrics to “No.” That post has 74.3K likes on Instagram.

    Even famously estranged musicians Daryl Hall and John Oates both agree on Williams’ talent. Williams cover of Hall & Oates’ 1975 hit “Sara Smile” after Week 15’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders as ”Jalen Smile” drew likes and comments from each of the musicians.

    Williams’ devotion to the Eagles goes back to the mid-1980s when Buddy Ryan was coach and Randall Cunningham and Reggie White were on the team.

    “I fell in love with the passion they brought to the game,” he said

    Williams, 49, a fan of soft rock groups Tears for Fears, Toto, Air Supply, and Journey, watched a lot of MTV. He enjoyed Weird Al Yankovic’s parodies of ’80s icons Michael Jackson, Madonna, and later, Coolio.

    “I had such an admiration for Weird Al,” Williams said. “Me and my little brothers would walk to school making up our own lyrics … Songs would just pop in my head and I’d rearrange the lyrics.”

    He never stopped.

    Robert Williams III tries on one of his signature wigs for a portrait at his home on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 in Severn, Md. Williams has an Instagram page where he performs parodies of popular songs with lyrics about the Eagles.

    While still in the Army, Williams, now a husband and father of two, picked up a side hustle as a videographer, shooting weddings and other special events.

    “I was a student of YouTube University,” he said.

    COVID ended that gig but also marked the beginning of Williams’ social media career.

    He posted his first parody — “It’s Almost Thanksgiving” performed to the melody of The Golden Girls theme “Thank you for Being a Friend” — on social media in 2020.

    His bridge: “It won’t be a party, we’ll be talking to everyone on Zoom.”

    Some of Robert Williams III’s Eagles collection at his home on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 in Severn, Md. Williams has an Instagram page where he performs parodies of popular songs with lyrics about the Eagles.

    He combined his love of sports and parodies during the 2023-24 NFL season. That first post centered on Williams’ disdain for the Dallas Cowboys. In it, his daughter slyly asks, “Daddy, how long has it been since the Cowboys won the Super Bowl?” Williams (also known as Billy Soul) puts on a strawberry blond wig and spoofs a 1984 Billy Joel hit: “For the Longest Time.”

    Some of Robert Williams III’s Eagles collection at his home on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 in Severn, Md. Williams has an Instagram page where he performs parodies of popular songs with lyrics about the Eagles.

    That video received 212K likes on Instagram and remains one of his top posts.

    “My Billy Joel parodies seem to do the best and I have a lot of fun doing them,” Williams said. “My favorite genres of music are hip-hop and R&B so those parodies are easy to me. When I’m doing Billy Joel, I’m challenging myself.”

    He is committed to posting an Eagles recap weekly during the 2025-26 season. This year his costumes are more elaborate — he has two boxes of wigs to choose from. His wife, Katrina, and his children, Rakim and Dayla, make regular appearances. He’s also monetized his page, earning a few hundred dollars a month.

    Williams’ videos do well because he’s fast. By the end of the game, not only is the song written but he has also cued up the footage to intersperse between verses. It takes him about a half an hour to record his voice and film the storyline.

    The videos are posted within two hours after the game ends.

    Robert Williams III posed for a portrait wearing his Hall & Oates wig at his home on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 in Severn, Md. Williams has an Instagram page where he performs parodies of popular songs with lyrics about the Eagles.

    But sometimes, Williams is scrambling.

    Last Sunday, after the Birds’ surprising fourth-quarter loss to the Washington Commanders, he had to quickly retool his version to Billy Joel’s “Keeping the Faith.”

    In the revamped final verse, he sang: “Some say sitting the starters was a good thing. Now we will play as the No. 3 seed. Now it’s time to be the Broad Street Bullies. ‘Cause the 49ers aren’t all that good and we’ll prove it at the Linc next week …”

    As for Sunday’s game, Williams is keeping the faith.

    “Some people think we can’t turn on a dime and win this whole thing,” Williams said. “But I believe we will.”

  • Antiques, river hikes, and cozy inns in Lambertville and Stockton | Field Trip

    Antiques, river hikes, and cozy inns in Lambertville and Stockton | Field Trip

    Walt Whitman, Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross — these are the massive engineering marvels that come to mind when most Philadelphians think of the bridges between Pennsylvania and New Jersey. But less than an hour north of the city, the Delaware narrows enough to let charming, Norman Rockwell-type trusses span the forested riverbanks.

    Everyone knows New Hope. But on the opposite side of the river, Lambertville and neighboring Stockton make a compelling case for a Jersey-side getaway, thanks to stylish revived historic inns, a vibrant arts scene, and some excellent shopping. Start the car.

    Hunt: Golden Nugget Antique Flea Market

    Coming off I-95 and up River Road, you’ll hit Golden Nugget Antique Flea Market, just outside Lambertville. Over five decades, this sprawling indoor-outdoor operation has grown into one of the largest antique markets in the region. Treasure hunt for Tiffany-glass lamps, rare baseball cards, glittering geodes, and more. Don’t miss Art & Restoration gallery on the first floor, where the chatty owner is happy to talk through the process of paper deacidification and the highlights of his ever-changing collection (which recently included a Picasso).

    📍 1850 River Rd., Lambertville, N.J. 08530

    Hike: Goat Hill Overlook

    River towns offer plenty of scenic walks along the water, but a little elevation makes all the difference. Goat Hill Overlook, halfway between the Golden Nugget and downtown Lambertville, is a low-effort, high-reward climb: a gently uphill, paved path that clocks just under a mile from the trailhead parking lot. At the summit, the blue, bridge-laced Delaware slides toward the horizon before dissolving into the woods.

    📍 Coon Path, Lambertville, N.J. 08530

    Shop: Downtown Lambertville

    Indie boutiques, antique dealers, and cafés line the streets of downtown Lambertville, which stretches along Bridge Street (at the foot of the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge) and spiders out in a series of charming alleys and lanes. Wander into Zinc for home and garden inspo, Lambert + Hope for Flamingo Estate candles and Laguiole knives, and Panoply for special-edition books and vintage vinyl.

    📍 Bridge Street, Lambertville, N.J. 08530

    Snack: RSC Atelier

    Perhaps the only gourmet grocery you’ll find attached to a gas station, RSC Atelier in Stockton grew out of the old Rosemont Supper Club nearby. Build a picnic basket with Iberico ham, upscale tinned fish, and farmstead cheese sourced by sister business Immortal Milk Cheese Co.

    📍 10 Risler St., Stockton, N.J. 08559

    Stay: The Stockton Inn

    A crossroads for travelers since 1710, the nine-key Stockton Inn reopened in 2024 after a seven-year renovation that modernized the staying experience while still preserving the building’s historic bones. Earthy colors and natural fabrics give the rooms and suites a tranquil, contemporary vibe that feels both at home in the country but also more stylish than the typical area B&Bs.

    📍 1 S. Main St., Stockton, N.J. 08559

    See: Music Mountain Theatre

    New Hope’s Bucks County Playhouse gets most of the attention, but just a mile from Lambertville’s downtown, Music Mountain Theatre is quietly expanding the arts scene on the Jersey side of the river. Founded in 2017, the company stages polished productions year-round for families and adults alike. This winter’s lineup includes Grease (through Feb. 1), followed by Dangerous Liaisons and Shrek the Musical.

    📍 1483 N.J.-179, Lambertville, N.J. 08530

    Dine: Sergeantsville Inn

    True to headline, nearly everywhere in this guide has a Lambertville or Stockton address. Dinner is the only exception. For that, head three and a half miles inland to the Sergeantsville Inn. Chef Sean Gray, formerly of New York’s Momofuku Ko, runs the tavern and restaurant housed in a building that dates to 1734. Stone walls, wood beams, and Shaker-style chairs set the stage for a candlelit meal of radicchio salad with cheddar and pears, beer-battered onion rings with horseradish aioli, or a whole roasted duck. Look alive — the Revolution is here.

    📍 601 Rosemont Ringoes Rd., Sergeantsville, N.J. 08557

  • Why touring ‘Suffs’ in Philadelphia under Trump is a ‘radical act’

    Why touring ‘Suffs’ in Philadelphia under Trump is a ‘radical act’

    Broadway playwright, composer, and actor Shaina Taub knows the power of theater to make a political statement. As an enthusiastic teen in Vermont, Taub staged a teach-in to protest the Iraq War at her high school — a bold move inspired by the anti-war musical Hair.

    About a decade later, when she was approached to write a musical about the suffrage movement, Taub recognized another meaningful opportunity to blend activism with theater.

    The one challenge: She was pretty unfamiliar with the American women who fought for the right to vote.

    “I really didn’t know anything,” Taub said.

    She was stunned, but her feelings turned into frustration as she concluded that her American public school education had been seriously lacking. “I was blown back by the scope of this history,” she said.

    That fueled her to create Suffs, the hit musical about the suffrage movement centered on South Jersey Quaker activist Alice Paul, a radical and charismatic organizer played fittingly by Taub herself in the Off-Broadway and Broadway runs.

    Alice Paul, seated second from left, sews the 36th star on a banner, celebrating the ratification of the women’s suffrage amendment in August 1920. The 36th star represented Tennessee, whose ratification completed the number of states needed to put the amendment in the Constitution. (AP Photo, File)

    After premiering in 2022 at New York’s Public Theater for a sold-out run — following the trajectory of another history musical box-office success, Hamilton — Suffs opened on Broadway in 2024. It went on to earn six Tony Award nominations.

    Taub took home two, for best book and best score, making history as the first woman to win in both categories independently on a night where Hillary Clinton, a Suffs coproducer, introduced Taub and the cast.

    Now on its first North American tour, Suffs has landed at Philadelphia’s Academy of Music this week (running through Jan. 18) to help kick off a year of events commemorating the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding. The musical graces the same stage where suffragist Susan B. Anthony once spoke some 150 years ago advocating for the right to vote.

    Though mostly set in the District of Columbia, Suffs has some local shout-outs, too: The show mentions Swarthmore College, where Paul studied before pursuing her master’s at the University of Pennsylvania, and Bryn Mawr College, where President Woodrow Wilson (Suffs’ main antagonist) once taught history and politics.

    “Suffs” on Broadway.

    On opening night at the Academy of Music, director Leigh Silverman nodded to Philadelphia’s history in the suffrage movement, mentioning the protests Paul organized at Independence Hall, only a mile away, and across the city.

    “The suffs you met tonight, and the many, many others … were here in Philadelphia, and they remind us of our collective strength and what is possible when we stand up and fight, despite how far it might seem like we have to go, or for how long we have to keep marching,” she said.

    Taub echoed that sentiment in an interview.

    She believes the tour has been especially significant to stage under President Donald Trump following his policies canceling millions in federal grants for arts organizations nationwide and targeting historical institutions (particularly in Philadelphia) to alter the information they present to the public about slavery.

    “This is the first year of Suffs being performed under this president, and [it feels like] a radical act to get together in the theater and tell these stories,” Taub said.

    She added that it’s acutely meaningful to see the show in Philadelphia as the city reflects on the nation’s history for America250 this year.

    Though the actor/playwright grew up in Vermont, she saw shows in Philadelphia as a kid when she visited family in South Jersey; her mother, Susan Taub, was raised in Cherry Hill, just a few miles down the road from Paul’s childhood home in Mount Laurel.

    Today, it serves as the location of the Alice Paul Center for Gender Justice.

    Despite her connections to the region, Taub admitted that she has not yet visited Paul’s home. She plans to march over there soon.

    “Suffs.” Through Jan. 18, Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St. ensembleartsphilly.org