For now, Rick Tocchet is thinking the bottom pairing for the Flyers will be a rotation.
After sitting for two games, with Adam Ginning slotting in, Egor Zamula will suit up for the second consecutive game Monday when the Flyers host the Seattle Kraken, who are 3-0-2 this season (7 p.m., NBCSP). The 25-year-old defenseman is expected to be paired again with Noah Juulsen.
“I think he’s settled a little bit. … I think for him, I think it’s just keeping it simple,” Juulsen said. “You know, when you’re playing against third, fourth lines, it’s not always about being fancy and getting points and things like that. It’s more just doing your role every night and having success with that.”
Zamula played 11 minutes, 14 seconds Saturday in the Flyers’ 2-1 overtime win against the Minnesota Wild. Tocchet thought Zamula played a “fairly clean” game. The pairing did not give up a goal while on the ice for three shot attempts for and 11 against at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Flyers defenseman Egor Zamula played a “fairly clean” game Saturday vs. the Wild, according to head coach Rick Tocchet.
“I’m up and down, but I think last game, I played with Juuls pretty well,” Zamula said. “But same time, it’s just [the] start … and I know I need to be ready to play every game in the regular season, because every point is important for us. So I mean, I try to do my best on the practice [ice] to help myself in the games.”
The long-standing criticism, dating back to former coach John Tortorella, has been Zamula’s pace of play. Tocchet also wants to see Zamula move the puck more quickly.
“I call it awareness,” Tocchet said. “You’re looking where to go instead of catch it, skate, and then have awareness. And I think if he can get that in his game … [because] for him, five feet is a big difference.
“Like, skate five feet to open up options, because when you first get it, the options aren’t usually open — there’s a stick in your lane, there’s a player in your lane — but once you escape, the other team has to react off you and that means somebody should be open.”
Before the Flyers’ season started, general manager Danny Brière said of Zamula, “He’s going to be in a battle to stay in the lineup, probably for most of the year, unless he steps up his game and plays the way he’s capable of.”
Daily Faceoff reported recently that the Calgary Flames are looking for a left-shot young defenseman with size and have interest in the 6-foot-3, 200-pound defenseman, who played junior hockey for the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League.
On Monday, Tocchet said he has seen Zamula work on things lately and put in a string of good practices. Sunday, after practice wrapped up, the blueliner worked on catching pucks at the blue line with assistant coach Todd Reirden, who is in charge of the defense, and then after doing it a few times, taking three quick steps.
“I think [it] will be better,” Zamula said of his pace of play. When asked how he is working on it, he said, “Just reps, skate a lot, work on conditioning, pretty much. That’s it.”
Flyers goaltender Dan Vladař is 2-1-0 with a .934 save percentage in three starts heading into Monday night.
Staying with Vladař
Heading into Game 6 of the season, there’s been a slight shift in the goalie rotation as Dan Vladař will start his second straight game.
“I think now you’re in the situations where you start chunking some games together,” Tocchet said. ”It could happen for [Sam Ersson], too. So just we feel tonight, Vladdy deserves the net.”
“I’m not sure if [there’s anything] to read into it,” Tocchet added.
The Czech goalie made 15 saves on 16 shots against the Wild. Through three starts, he has a 2-1-0 record with a 1.65 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage.
Breakaways
Forwards Nikita Grebenkin and Jett Luchanko will slot back in while Nic Delsauriers and Rodrigo Ābols will be healthy scratches.
MEXICO CITY – The Trump administration’s justification for blowing up suspected drug traffickers off the Venezuelan coast has been clear and consistent: These people aren’t just criminals; they’re “narco-terrorists” smuggling a “deadly weapon poisoning Americans” at the behest of terrorist organizations.
“We take them out,” Trump told the nation’s three- and four-star generals and admirals last month. “Every boat kills 25,000 on average – some people say more. You see these boats, they’re stacked up with bags of white powder that’s mostly fentanyl and other drugs, too.”
Claiming the power to summarily kill traffickers as though they’re enemy troops, Trump has authorized the U.S. military to strike at least six speedboats the administration has deemed suspicious, killing dozens of people since the beginning of September. At least half of the strikes and 21 of the killings, locals say, have transpired in the waters between Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago – nations so close that on clear days they’re within eyesight of each other.
But records and interviews with 20 people familiar with the route or the strikes, including current and former U.S. and international officials, contradict the administration’s claims. The passage, they said,is not ordinarily used to traffic synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, present in 69 percent of drug overdose deaths last year. Nor are the drugs typically headed for the United States.
Trinidad and Tobago, a Caribbean nation more than 1,000 miles south and 1,200 miles east of Miami, is both a destination market for marijuana and a transshipment point for South American cocaine bound for West Africa and Europe, according to U.S. officials, Trinidadian police and independent analysts. The fentanyl seized in the United States, in contrast, is typically manufactured in Mexico using precursors from China and smuggled in through the land border, most often by U.S. citizens.
The military strikes are unlikely, as a result, to cut overdose deaths in the United States, officials say – but it has brought U.S. forces into striking distance of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.Trump has accused the authoritarian socialist, who claimed reelection last year despite ballot audits showing he lost the vote, of leading the Venezuela gang Tren de Aragua to push lethal drugs into America.
“When I saw [an internal document on the strikes],” a senior U.S. national security official said, “I immediately thought, ‘This isn’t about terrorists. This is about Venezuela and regime change.’ But there was no information about what it was really about.”
The official, like others quoted in this report, spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide his candid assessment.
The White House declined to share evidence to support the claims that Trump has used to justify the strikes. A spokeswoman defended the killings as necessary to protect Americans.
“All of these decisive strikes have been against designated narco-terrorists bringing deadly poison to our shores,” spokeswoman Anna Kelly said. “The president will continue to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country and to bring those responsible to justice.”
Two family members of the 11 men killed in September in the first attack acknowledged by Trump did not deny that the men aboard had been taking marijuana and cocaine from Venezuela to Trinidad. But they said Trump’s allegation in his announcement was inaccurate that they’d worked for the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
“I knew them all,” said one of the family members, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution. “None of them had anything to do with Tren de Aragua. They were fishermen who were looking for a better life” by smuggling contraband.
On Tuesday, Trump said, a new strike had killed“six male narco-terrorists” off the Venezuelan coast. That afternoon, one mother in the Trinidadian community of Las Cuevas received a call from her brother, a fisherman. Her son Chad Joseph, the second of her six children, had been killed in the explosion.
Speaking by phone Thursday morning, Leonore Burnley was furious. Her son had been deprived a trial. And she’d been deprived of any chance of closure.
“You can’t get the body to bury it,” she said.
Joseph had spent the last three months in Venezuela working odd jobs, Burnley said. He had written her recently to say he would be returning home.
She called Trump’s claim he had been involved in trafficking drugs a lie.
“They are judging him wrong,” she said. “He was no drug dealer. Chad was a good boy, anything you want, he would help; he was a loving child.”
“Twenty-six years he have,” she said.
Claiming the power to summarily kill traffickers as though they’re enemy troops, Trump has authorized the U.S. military to strike at least six speedboats the administration has deemed suspicious, killing dozens of people since the beginning of September.
How cocaine courses through Venezuela
In recent years, drug cartels in Colombia and other South American nations have supercharged cocaine production. The rush to bring it to market – largely the United States and Europe, but increasingly West Africa – has transformed the continent’s criminal landscape, fueling the rise of new transnational gangs and threatening weaker national governments with limited power of state.
Venezuela, too, has been swept into the boom. Economically battered by years of socialist mismanagement and punishing international sanctions, a nation that was once Latin America’s wealthiest has become increasingly involved in the trade. Along its border with Colombia, cocaine is now produced for sale and shipment abroad.
U.S. federal prosecutors in March 2020 accused senior government officials in the Maduro regime, including Maduro himself, of leading the Cártel de Los Soles – “Cartel of the Suns” – a criminal networkthat extorts drug trafficking groups and controls routes and product itself.
Venezuela, U.S. investigators say, is now a narco free-for-all filled with armed groups from throughout Latin America.
“The Mexicans are there,” one former Drug Enforcement Administration agent said. “The Colombians are there, sometimes on behalf of the Mexicans. Sometimes the Hondurans and Guatemalans have guys there, too.”
Most of the South American cocaine bound for North America flows through the Pacific, but some does depart Venezuela through the Caribbean, according to U.S. officials and analysts who track drug routes. Much of it courses overland through the western states of Zulia and Falcón before shipping northward to Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic. Some travels by air, departing clandestine airstrips in Maracaibo or Apure state for Central America and onward to Mexico and the United States.
It’s less common, investigators say, to ship U.S.-bound cocaine northeast into the Sucre peninsula and across the narrow Bocas del Dragón channel to Trinidad – the route the administration has targeted. Trinidad is used far more frequently as a gateway to Europe. Spanish authorities seized 1.65 tons of cocaine that had transited through the island, the State Department reported in 2024. Portuguese authorities in June recovered 1.66 tons of cocaine that traversed the same route.
“When you look at a map, countries like Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname are used as transshipment points of massive amounts of cocaine from Colombia into Venezuela [and then onward] to West Africa and Europe,” a former senior U.S. security official said. He added that routes may change based on pressure.
One recently retired senior Trinidadian police official, asked whether Sucre traffickers were bringing drugs intended for the United States, chuckled.
“Why would they use Trinidad and Tobago to transport drugs to the United States, when you have Colombia and Mexico and all of these other places that are closer?”
The waters between Sucre and Trinidad
The Sucre peninsula, known for its paradisiacal beaches and green-thatched mountains, has always been poor. But its fortunes turned decidedly for the worse in recent years, as the economy melted down and the state slipped into lawlessness.
With few opportunities to work, fishermen turned to the smuggling route that has long tethered Sucre to Trinidad, a half-hour boat ride away.
The former senior Trinidadian police official has investigated the route since 1989. It has historically carried manykinds of contraband: guns, cigarettes, alcohol, honey, exotic animals and people. But in recent years, as more drugs poured into Venezuela, it began to be used as a route to bring over marijuana and cocaine.
“It’s 80 percent marijuana,” said one Trinidad criminologist who has studied seizure data. “Cocaine is a much, much smaller amount.”
While Tren de Aragua has had a presence in Sucre, locals and drug trafficking analysts say it doesn’t control the trade. The drugs are instead moved by other local gangs.
“We have found no links between Tren de Aragua and multinational smugglers,” said Jeremy McDermott, co-founder of Insight Crime, whose team recently visited the region. “There was an attempt by them to penetrate Sucre, but they were ejected by local gangs.”
“The evidence,” he added, “does not support the claims” by the Trump administration.
One man who grew up in San Juan de Unare along the Sucre coast, but moved to Caracas after his community plunged into poverty, said his cousin Reibys Gomez was among the first fishermen to take drugs to Trinidad. He said his cousin had a young family to support.
“People are in need,” he said. “They live off fishing and hunting, and that’s it.”
Now Reibys is dead, and the man said his family has “deteriorated” in San Juan de Unare – unable to collect his body and haunted by questions over why the U.S. military killed him.
“They were going to Trinidad,” he said. “They weren’t going to the United States.”
After six weeks of inconsistency and discord on offense, the Eagles’ passing game finally showed what it’s capable of — but the rushing attack remained stagnant. Here’s what national media had to say about the win and what it means moving forward …
A ‘definite step in the right direction’ but …
While one former defensive end, Brandon Graham, mulls a comeback from retirement, another, Chris Long, is still hesitant about the Birds despite the win, even as an improved offense had to leg it out against backup quarterback Wentz.
“This is a definite step in the right direction when it comes to the big-play ability of the offense,” Long said. “You’d love to see them play with more rhythm. I’m not sitting up here hating on a win on the road, but I would like to see a little bit more consistency. If you play like that against a major league quarterback, it might not go that way.”
Wentz finished with 313 passing yards, a pair of interceptions, and another 28 yards on the ground.
Despite the too-close-for-comfort win, the offensive line was “fantastic” and Jalen Hurts was “perfect,” so it was still a big improvement over the Birds’ two previous losses, Long said.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts threw three touchdowns in Sunday’s win over the Vikings.
A reminder from Hurts
After an offseason full of discourse about where Hurts ranked among the best NFL quarterbacks and the offense’s inconsistency to start the year, Sunday was a reminder of Hurts’ passing ability.
Hurts put up a perfect passer rating in Minnesota, throwing for 326 yards and three touchdowns and competing 19 of 23 pass attempts.
“This is a sign not just for the fans, or the people that hate on us, but really for our coaching staff,” LeSean McCoy said. “I think he has to remind you that he can throw the ball. … Jalen Hurts has a really good deep ball, and when you threaten the defense that you’ll throw the deep ball, that’s what happens. Why would we have a guy like A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, if we’re not going to use him?
“Jalen Hurts can play the quarterback position. It was time that we finally get to see him really play it.”
The Birds were aggressive with the deep ball, even on fourth down, taking advantage of their elite receivers and finding explosive plays that eluded them before Sunday.
“The Eagles are so talented that it kind of makes them conservative,” former quarterback Alex Smith said Monday on ESPN’s Get Up. “That’s been the biggest complaint in the passing game and running game by the entire NFL world. Here we are, at Minnesota, against a Brian Flores defense, which is as exotic and aggressive as it gets, and you have to match that aggressiveness. … This team needs to play with their foot on the gas.”
The Eagles clawed their way back into the win column with a 28-22 victory over the Carson Wentz-led Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
The Birds continued to struggle in the running game as Saquon Barkley finished the day with 18 carries for 44 yards. But that didn’t seem to matter as Jalen Hurts sparked the offense, throwing for 326 yards and three touchdowns to earn a perfect passer rating. Meanwhile, it was a bend-don’t-break defense for the Birds, who allowed the Vikings to get into the red zone six times, holding them to five field goals and just one touchdown, including twice when touchdowns were negated either by replay review or a Minnesota penalty.
So while the Eagles (5-2) came away with a win, it was another close one.
Now, for the second time in less than three weeks, they will face off against the New York Giants, this time in a Sunday afternoon Week 8 matchup at Lincoln Financial Field. From the Birds’ chances of picking up a win before hitting their bye week to updates on the Super Bowl and year-end awards, here are the latest FanDuel and DraftKings odds for this game and beyond …
Eagles vs. Giants odds
The Birds were coming off their first loss of the season to the Denver Broncos when they faced the Giants in Week 6 at MetLife Stadium on short rest, resulting in a 34-17loss on Thursday Night Football.
The Giants posted their highest offensive output to that point under rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, with the Eagles defense missing Jalen Carter and, for most of the night, Quinyon Mitchell. Now, not only do they have two of their best defenders back, but they’ll also have a full week to prepare.
While the Eagles are coming off a win that saw Jalen Hurts earn a perfect passer rating and his two star receivers turn in fantastic performances, the Giants are coming off an embarrassing 33-32 loss to the Broncos after blowing a 19-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Ahead of the Week 8 matchup at the Linc, sportsbooks are favoring Philly, which opens as a touchdown favorite.
The Eagles beat the Cowboys in their season opener and remain in first place in the NFC East.
NFC East odds update
Coming off a victory in Minnesota, the Eagles are still the favorites to win the NFC East.
Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys’ odds of winning the division have continued to increase. They jumped over the Commanders at FanDuel after defeating Washington, 44-22, on Sunday. The Giants remain at the bottom of the list with +4000 odds after their loss to the Broncos.
In the standings, the Eagles are two wins ahead of the Cowboys (3-3-1) and the Commanders (3-4).
At FanDuel, the Eagles trail the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions as the favorites to win the conference. At DraftKings, the Eagles also fell behind the Los Angeles Rams.
The Kansas City Chiefs are the favorites to win the Super Bowl after their 31-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Super Bowl odds
After Week 7, the Eagles remain among the top five Super Bowl favorites at FanDuel. However, at DraftKings, the Birds have fallen out of the top five, landing behind the Rams and surging Indianapolis Colts.
Jalen Hurts’ MVP odds have slightly improved after his perfect performance in the Eagles’ win over the Vikings. Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, and Baker Mayfield continue to battle for the top three spots at both sportsbooks.
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor recorded three more touchdowns on Sunday.
Offensive player of the year
After another subpar statistical performance in Week 7, Saquon Barkley continues to fall out of the race for offensive player of the year. At this point, Colts running back Jonathan Taylor is the clear favorite to win the award.
After graduating law school in the 1950s, Joseph H. Rodriguez was told he wouldn’t go far and should consider changing his last name.
He ignored that advice and went on to becomeNew Jersey’s first Hispanic federal judge — and its longest serving. He recently retired after 40 years as a jurist.
He was among the first Hispanic lawyers in Camden, and New Jersey as a whole. He also served asthe state’s public defender and advocate.
Rodriguez mentored countless aspiring lawyers and judges, and as his stature rose nationally he never forgot his humble roots. Associates dubbed him“a gentle giant.”
“He served with humility, grace, wisdom, and humor,” said Chief U.S. District Judge Renee M. Bumb, who met Rodriguez as a federal prosecutor. “We all looked up to him.”
U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez, 94, sits for an interview at his daughter’s law office in Cherry Hill, N.J. U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez, 94, was the first Hispanic federal judge in New Jersey. His father, Mario Rodriguez, survived the 1918 sinking of the SS Carolina.
Rodriguez became a senior judgein 1998,which reduced his workload, but he continued to preside over trials and write opinions, filing his last decision about three weeks before he retired.
‘I just wanted to slip into the shadows’
Rodriguez decided last month to quietly retire. He left the Mitchell Cohen Courthouse in downtown Camden after an emotional send-off with fellow judges and friends.
“I just wanted to slip into the shadows.” hesaid in a recent interview. “What I’ve done some people were in favor of it, some were not. It’s there as a public record. I stand by it.”
Rodriguez was born in 1930 in Camden and grew up a few blocks from the courthouse where he would later preside.
His father, Mario, a Cuban national raised in Puerto Rico, was aboard the passenger ship SS Carolina when it was torpedoed by a German U-boat off the coast of New Jersey in June 1918.
The New York Times front page story about the sinking of the SS Carolina in 1918. U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez has a copy of the paper because his father survived the sinking.
The Germans targeted six ships on what was known as Black Sunday. The Carolina sunk, and Mario Rodriguez spent two days on a lifeboat before swimming ashore in Atlantic City.
Rodriguez would later have a full circle moment, when scuba divers made a claim in federal court to salvage the vessel. He said hegranted sole rights after the divers presented a brass “C” from the ship’s name on the stern and a china dinner plate with its logo.
Mario raised four sons and a daughter in Camdenwith his wife, Carmen, and worked in a tobacco factory.
The couple, among the first Hispanic families to settle in Camden, was highly respected in the community, and often served as interpreters and gave advice to other Hispanic residents.
As a youngster, Rodriguez recalled hearing his father recite the U.S. Constitution to study to become a citizen, which he did in 1939 — in the same courtroom where his son later became a judge.
The memory stuck with Rodriguez and became a guiding principle in his legal career. His parents and sister were killed in a car accident in 1973.
When he landed his first job at a real estate firm, the agent urged Rodriguez to change his name to Joe Roddy.
“I was told with that name I could never go far,” he recalled. “I would never change my name.”
An undated Army photograph of Joseph H. Rodriguez, now 94, and his wedding photo.
Rodriguez was hired as an attorney at Brown & Connery, one of the oldest law firms in South Jersey. He earned a reputation as a tough trial lawyer and specialized in medical malpractice. He later became the first Hispanic president of the New Jersey Bar Association.
Rodriguez was pressed into action when unrest erupted in Camden in 1971, after a Hispanic man was killed while in police custody. The Hispanic community demanded an investigation. A protest turned into days of rioting in front of City Hall.
Then the only known Hispanic lawyer in Camden, Rodriguez met with then-Mayor Joe Nardi to negotiate a settlement. The police officers were eventually indicted by a grand jury, but acquitted.
The Courier-Post edition pictures a riot at Roosevelt Plaza at Camden City Hall Aug. 20, 1971.
“He was the calm in the eye of the storm,” said Gualberto “Gil” Medina, who organized a student protest at the time. “He made it clear that the cause was just but the means had to be tempered.”
Rodriguez eventually left Camden for the suburbs but remained connected to the city. He was one of the original organizers of Camden’s San Juan Bautista Parade.
“He became the respected patriarch of the Hispanic community,” said Medina.
`A public conscience’
Rodriguez advocated in manyprecedent-setting cases for New Jersey’s disenfranchised residents. They includea landmark product liability case that resulted in the state Supreme Court ruling in 1965 that a mass builder could be held liable for a defective hot water system that severely scalded a child.
As chairman of Camden Legal Services, he brought a lawsuit that resulted in a requirement for municipal judges to appoint a lawyer to represent defendants facing possible jail time. Another case established tenant rights.
Then-Gov. William T. Cahill named Rodriguez chairman of the State Board of Higher Education in 1972, and later chairman of the State Commission of Investigation, where he investigated organized crime.
Although Rodriguez wasa Democrat, former Republican Gov. Thomas Kean appointed him as the state’s Public Advocate in 1982.
In that role, Rodriguez filed the complaint that lead to Mount Laurel doctrine, through which the New Jersey Supreme Court outlawed local discriminatory zoning regulations and required municipalities to provide affordable housing.
“He always had a public conscience,” said Carl D. Poplar, a lawyer and longtime friend.
Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez, 94, posed for a portrait with his daughter Lisa Rodriguez at her law office in Cherry Hill this month.
Rodriguez also was involved in the landmark right-to-die case of Karen Ann Quinlan, whose parents waged a fight to have her removed from a respirator.
“We didn’t go around looking for trouble. If it had to be done and people had to be helped, you help them,” Rodriguez said.
President Ronald Reagan appointed Rodriguez to the federal bench in 1985.
Rodriguez was known as an easygoing andfair judge. U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist dispatched Rodriguez to Montgomery, Ala., in 1999 to preside over a desegregation case.
“It was like going to heaven working for him,” said Carl Nami, his court reporter for 18 years. “I don’t how I was so fortunate.”
Nicknamed “Joe Rod,” Rodriguez was a role model for other judges, said retired U.S. Magistrate Joel B. Rosen. He could always be counted on for jokes and bad puns at their weekly lunch gatherings, he said.
“He’s always been a gentleman and what in my view what a judge should be: knowledgeable and fair,” Rosen said.
Said Robert Kugler, another retired federal judge: “He kept the courthouse going.” The jury room was named in honor of Rodriguez.
“His judicial demeanor and temperament are unrivaled,” said civil rights attorney Stanley O. King. “The likes of him I don’t know if can ever be replaced or replicated.”
U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez performed the marriage ceremony of his granddaughter Taylor Jacobs to Cole Sutliff. It was held in the same courtroom where Rodriguez presided in federal court in Camden for years.
Before stepping down, Rodriguez performed a final act as a sitting judge. He performed the wedding ceremony for a granddaughter, Taylor, in his courtroom. He also recently married a grandson, Quinn, in a beach ceremony.
Rodriguez said he plans to spend more time with his wife of 71 years, Barbara, and his four daughters, 10 grandchildren, and seven great-children. He enjoys cooking for them, especially paella, his specialty dish.
U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez performed the marriage ceremony of his grandson Quinn Jacobs and Brittany Peters at the Jersey Shore.
Asked what he would like his legacy to be, Rodriguez choked back tears. His daughter, Lisa Rodriguez, an attorney with Dilworth Paxson, passed him a tissue.
“You can’t do it all, but you should never stop trying,” he said. “If everyone backs away you’re just giving up.”
Carson Wentz’s passer rating against the Eagles fell to 68.0 Sunday. That is his worst passer rating against any team that he’s faced at least twice. He has faced the Eagles twice, first as a Commander, Sunday as a Viking.
He is 0-2.
Jalen Hurts was the opposing quarterback in both games.
That should deliver a degree of satisfaction to any Eagles fan who still resents Ginger Jesus for whining his way out of town because, in 2020, the Eagles drafted Hurts to act as his long-term backup, then inserted Hurts for the last four games of the season.
Instead of coming to training camp and winning his job back, thereby justifying the four-year, $128 million contract extension he’d been awarded but had not yet begun earning, Wentz first got coach Doug Pederson fired, then forced GM Howie Roseman to trade him, specifically, to Frank Reich and the Colts, where he then sabotaged Reich’s career.
Things worked out well for the Eagles. Hurts became the better quarterback.
But don’t think that Hurts doesn’t relish these matchups after Wentz treated him with resentment and jealousy during their shared season in Philly.
It’s no coincidence that, in their first meeting on Sept. 25, 2022, Hurts had his best game as a passer to that point: 22-for-35, 340 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 123.5 rating.
The draft capital from the Wentz trade eventually helped the Eagles, often tangentially. It was part of deals that landed DeVonta Smith, A.J. Brown, Jalen Carter, and Cooper DeJean.
At the time, though, what mattered most was that:
The Eagles appeared to have lost their long-term franchise quarterback because his feelings were hurt.
The Eagles were saddled with about $34 million in dead cap money for the 2021 season, crippling the club and essentially wasting the year.
Since Wentz’s disgraceful departure, the Eagles have gone to two Super Bowls and have won one. If that salves the wound for you, that’s healthy, I guess.
However, if you still feel resentful, you have every right.
‘Just throw me the [bleeping] ball’
On Thursday, after hearing his coaches and teammates swear for six weeks that he’d just have to wait his turn, A.J. Brown, the best receiver in Eagles history, playing at the height of his abilities, watched Ja’Marr Chase catch 16 passes on 23 targets in a Bengals win over the Steelers.
Brown hasn’t had 16 receptions in any three consecutive games this season.
Chase’s quarterback? Forty-year-old Joe Flacco, who’d been benched by the Browns, then traded by the Browns. It was Flacco’s second start with the Bengals.
Imagine if Flacco had been, say, a 27-year-old reigning Super Bowl MVP?
Hurts is a 27-year-old reigning Super Bowl MVP, and on Sunday, Brown watched Hurts hit Eagles teammate DeVonta Smith nine times for 183 yards. That yardage total not only is Smith’s career high, it also would have been Brown’s career high.
Meanwhile, while sitting on the bench, Brown watched Vikings receiver Jordan Addison catch nine passes for 128 yards. His quarterback: five-time retread Carson Wentz.
Brown caught four passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns. But for about 14 months, Brown has been insisting that he needs more chances to make more catches, because he’s just that good.
And he’s right.
If Joe Flacco and Carson Wentz can force-feed their beasts, why can’t Hurts force-feed his?
Brian Daboll’s Giants gave up 33 fourth-quarter points to lose to the Broncos.
Bucking Bronco
The Giants will hit Philly on Sunday nursing a massive hangover after their historic, 19-point, fourth-quarter, mile-high collapse at Denver, a game that featured several weird plays and outcomes.
The craziest scene among the crazy scenes was, just before the Giants’ last touchdown, the spectacle of Broncos coach Sean Payton losing his mind and running into the middle of the field at the goal line to protest a pass interference penalty on his defense. Like, all the way to the 2-yard line. Right in the middle of the action. It was like something out of an awful Oliver Stone football movie.
Payton drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, which was inconsequential, considering the ball was at the 2-yard line and could only be moved one yard. It will be less consequential when he gets that $15,000 fine from the league.
Broncos flagged for defensive pass interference near the goal line, and Sean Payton picks up a personal foul 🤯 pic.twitter.com/dea5mYPQo8
At any rate, the TD gave the Giants a 32-30 lead, but kicker Jude McAtamney — a Northern Irishman with Gaelic football roots whose tortuous journey to Sunday included, while in college, a demotion from Rutgers’ full-time kicker to its kickoff specialist — flubbed the second of two missed PAT tries. The Broncos drove to field-goal range, and kicked the winner.
Payton was happy then.
Shut ’em down. Finally.
Before Sunday, former Eagles coach Andy Reid had 304 NFL wins, including playoffs. He’d won three Super Bowls and he’d coached in three more.
But he’d never had a shutout.
Then on Sunday he faced Pete Carroll and the injury-depleted Raiders in Kansas City and won, 31-0.
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Hollywood Brown scores as Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Darnay Holmes defends.
This is remarkable, considering the four coaches near Reid’s win total — Don Shula, George Halas, Bill Belichick, who are ahead of him, and Tom Landry, whom he passed two years ago — all have at least a dozen shutouts.
Granted, Shula, Halas, and Landry coached in an era in which scoring was less prolific, but Belichick is a contemporary. And anyway, when you coach teams as successful as the Eagles and Chiefs, you’d expect more than one shutout among 305 wins.
Extra points
Packers edge Micah Parsons, the biggest offseason name to change teams, finally went off Sunday. He delivered the last of his career-high three sacks with 27 seconds to play in Arizona. He’d had just 2½ sacks in his first five games since being traded by the Cowboys just after preseason, then signing a four-year, $186 million extension. … At this point, Shane Steichen is the runaway leader in the Coach of the Year race. The Colts are 6-1, and while all of their wins aren’t impressive — Titans, Raiders, Cardinals, Dolphins — they beat Justin Herbert’s 420-yard effort on the road Sunday against the L.A. Chargers. Steichen also has turned Giants bust Daniel Jones into an MVP candidate.
The remainder of Cheltenham High’s football season has been canceled as officials deepen an investigation into alleged hazing by team members, which the school district said involves “inappropriate physical contact.”
Superintendent Brian Scriven told families late Sunday night in an email that officials made the call “with a deep sense of regret” as the district extends its investigation.
“We do not condone or tolerate hazing or abuse of any kind in our sports programs or in our schools,” Scriven wrote. “It is our duty and obligation to protect and prioritize student safety and well being, even when we know that our decisions may come with consequences and disappointment.”
Scriven canceled Friday’s home football game — the team was supposed to play Bristol Township’s Harry S. Truman High School at nearby Springfield High, as Cheltenham’s field was unavailable — hours before the game was to begin. At that time, he called it a temporary suspension of the season.
The decision caused shock and anger. Senior Night was scheduled, with recognition ceremonies planned for athletes and members of the cheerleading, pep band, color guard, and drum line programs.
“We are very sensitive to the emotions of those most directly impacted,” Scriven wrote.
Only one game remained on the schedule — Friday at Quakertown.
Officials learned of multiple incidents
News of the alleged hazing came three weeks ago, Scriven said, when someone reported that a student was assaulted in the football locker room.
Officials alerted ChildLine, the state’s abuse-reporting system, which they are legally mandated to notify when alleged abuse happens. They also notified Cheltenham police, which began its own investigation.
At the time, they believed the incident to be isolated, Scriven said in the letter.
But as the investigation developed, “additional information came to light indicating that hazing and/or inappropriate physical conduct may be occurring more broadly in the program. Last Friday, we received additional information, including reports indicating multiple team members engaged in hazing through physical contact.”
That’s when officials decided to temporarily suspend the season and investigate further. The district began working with an external consultant over the weekend, Scriven said, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The police investigation is alsoongoing, said Scriven, who urged anyone with information to contact Cheltenham police. He said the district is cooperating with police and has also been in touch with the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office.
“Hazing is a very serious and significant issue in school athletic programs and can lead to criminal charges,” Scriven wrote. “We ask for continued patience and respect for our obligation to thoroughly investigate these allegations. We also ask that our school community not rush to judgment against any of our student-athletes or coaches.”
Saving Senior Night
Senior Night will be recreated in some ways, Scriven said — for those football players, cheerleaders, and members of the pep band, drum line, and color guard uninvolved in the alleged hazing.
“We will do our very best to involve students as we develop new plans to honor our seniors,” Scriven said.
“As a parent, educator, and former coach and student-athlete, I am troubled by this matter on numerous levels,” Scriven said. “This decision is not one that was made lightly. I will continue to communicate as openly as possible as we work through this in the coming days and weeks.
“We must move forward as a district and school community committed to student safety and respect, and do all we can to uphold those values.”
MINNEAPOLIS — The Eagles wanted to run the ball. They wanted to emerge from the mini-bye — just like they had after breaks in previous seasons — with a ground-focused offensive attack.
They just couldn’t.
But it didn’t matter, ultimately, at least on this day. Jalen Hurts and the drop-back passing game delivered the kind of explosive performance that has mostly been lacking from the offense this season, the kind needed after a two-game losing streak had even the Eagles doubting themselves.
The Eagles quarterback confirmed his quote that was videoed and posted on social media by an NBCSports reporter.
“That’s all I could think about throughout these last two weeks,” Hurts said. “Having opportunities to finish the game, to finish the fourth quarter. I really think this is the first time we’ve finished the fourth quarter and then finished in the second half. …
“There was some fire there, but within that fire you have to be the calm.”
Hurts sparked a dormant offense with a career-best statistical outing in which he completed 19 of 23 throws for 326 yards and three touchdowns. And he was a steely-eyed presence against a Vikings pass defense that entered first in expected points added (EPA) per drop back.
Hurts’ passer rating might have been a perfect 158.3, but the Eagles were far from flawless. The defense surrendered nearly 400 total yards. Special teams missed a field goal and had other miscues.
But it was the offense that again confounded. An opening drive that set the tone for under center-heavy play calling and resulted in an A.J. Brown 37-yard touchdown catch was followed by four futile possessions before the half.
It was the 2025 Eagles offense redux all over again. They couldn’t get Saquon Barkley going on the ground. An injury — this time to center Cam Jurgens — compounded the run-blocking issues. And the Birds kept finding themselves behind the sticks.
And there was nothing Hurts, Brown, and receiver DeVonta Smith could do in the passing game to turn it around.
But the Eagles still led at the half, 14-6, partly due to Jalyx Hunt’s pick-six and Vic Fangio’s red zone-stingy defense. But also because the guy who preceded Hurts in Philly, Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz, kept making bad decisions and throws.
During the break, Smith told anyone within earshot to get to a certain deep shot play that was in the game plan.
“He had a lot of confidence in that play,” Hurts said, “And he was chirping about it.”
Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata said Smith found a willing listener in guard Landon Dickerson.
“Landon went and figured out the play that he was talking about because [Smith] doesn’t know what we’re doing up front, what protection it is. He just knows his routes,” Mailata said. “And they got on the same page and Landon advocated for him.”
Eagles wide receiver Devonta Smith celebrates his third-quarter touchdown reception.
Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo dialed the shot up on the Eagles’ second play from scrimmage in the second half. He had set the call up with two earlier running plays with similar personnel (Fred Johnson as the sixth offensive lineman) and a similar formation (Hurts under center).
Smith said he noticed the Vikings had a safety in the box and that there would be no help over top if he ran a deep post. He got former Eagles cornerback Isaiah Rodgers to bite on a corner route deke, and Hurts dropped the ball in his bucket for a 79-yard score.
Hurts was under center for 20 of 49 offensive plays (40.1%). Coming into the game, the Eagles ranked 30th in the NFL in under center usage (14%). Hurts has never thrived in that world, but the offense needed more diversity if the Eagles were to set up play-action.
Lane Johnson spoke about the running game’s predictability after the 34-17 loss to the New York Giants on Oct. 9. Ten days later, the Eagles tackle declined to talk with assembled reporters at U.S. Bank Stadium because he said he didn’t want his comments to become headline news again.
But Johnson’s public message was heard by coach Nick Sirianni and his staff.
“I think it frees up the passing game a lot more,” Mailata said of being under center. “You don’t know if it’s going to be a run, you don’t know if it’s going to be play-action, or you don’t know if it’s going to be a shot play. So I think it gives us versatility and definitely helps us a lot up front with our [blocking] angles.”
Barkley under wraps
Barkley had some early success Sunday on under-center runs. But it wasn’t sustained. It was tough going from the shotgun and pistol, as well. He was held to just 2.4 yards on 18 carries. Backup running back Tank Bigsby had one rush for 11 yards.
The Vikings employed an inordinate number of six-man fronts to corral Barkley. Overall, he’s averaging just 3.3 yards and has seen fewer yards before contact than last year. But he said he didn’t agree with the narrative of defenses selling out to stop him.
“We’re just not getting a job done. I’m not getting the job done,” Barkley said. “That’s just the case. I own the run game. That’s my responsibility.”
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley has struggled to break loose all season, and Sunday at Minnesota continued that trend.
He has missed holes, but the interior of the O-line has also struggled. Brett Toth got tossed into the barrage for Jurgens even though he has mostly played guard this season. Dickerson is clearly not 100%. And right guard Tyler Steen’s performance has been up and down.
“Saquon is the best and I don’t want him to feel like he’s carrying that by himself,” Hurts said. “It is a group effort.”
Hurts still hasn’t factored as much in the running game. He had an early keep that netted no gain. He used his arm instead to offset what the ground attack lacked. It wasn’t as if Patullo dropped Hurts back an exorbitant amount. The run-pass ratio was a relatively balanced 45-55.
But the Vikings’ aggressive defense offered opportunities downfield that the Eagles took advantage of in the second half.
“The thing was to come in and establish the run,” Hurts said. “That’s what we wanted to come in and do, and the game just flowed the way it did, and we were able to be efficient in the pass game. KP was very timely, and I think we were able to doctor up some things on the sideline and work through some things, but those guys made big-time plays.”
Those guys — Smith and Brown — had been clamoring for more deep shots. Hurts throws the long ball as well as any quarterback, but he’s had a few uncharacteristic misses this season. But he connected on all five deep passes for a career-high 215 yards when the Vikings had allowed only three deep completions all season, according to NextGen Stats.
Smith finished with a career-high 183 receiving yards on nine grabs, while Brown had four catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns. Both receivers caught passes on scramble drills when Hurts extended plays. But there were also completions within structure, like Brown’s 26-yard seam route score.
“You see it sometimes on the sideline. Sometimes in the huddle. Sometimes he’ll call the play, he’ll say a little slick remark,” Smith said. “And, OK, he sees it. He knows what’s coming.”
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni (right) talking to quarterback Jalen Hurts with offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo.
Hurts knew what was coming on third-and-9 and the game on the line. Barkley had already been stopped on first down, and a second-down toss to Brown fell incomplete. A run would have forced Minnesota at least to take a timeout.
But Hurts’ pre-snap read indicated Brown would be matched up in man coverage. He singled his receiver to run a “sluggo” route. Brown got Rodgers to sit on the slant and pulled in the 45-yard kill shot to cement what was one of Hurts’ best-ever games.
Mailata said it was second to Super Bowl LIX, when Hurts similarly had to step up when Barkley was kept in check. The 27-year-old seems to play his finest when public doubt seeps in about his capabilities.
“It was just a matter of trying to find ways to get it done,” Hurts said. “It’s not a time to hope. It’s not a time to want or wish something can happen. It’s the time to make it happen. And I think that was a collective thing by everybody.”
Eagles offense still lopsided
The Eagles collectively didn’t suggest they solved all their problems. The running game issues aren’t going away, although having under-center play-action on film could make opponents alter how they defend Barkley.
And one outstanding outing does not make Hurts a drop-back maestro. Sirianni and Patullo likely don’t want an offensive identity that has him throwing as much as he did in losses to the Denver Broncos and Giants.
He can do it, but if the 5-2 Eagles are to have any hope of making a postseason run, they have to be multiple on offense.
“Identity is important. Don’t get me wrong,” Hurts said. “But for a long time now we find ways to win games in a ton of different ways.”
Brandon Graham set to come out of retirement to rejoin Eagles
Brandon Graham appears ready to come back to the Birds.
Seven months after he gave a tear-filled speech announcing his retirement following 15 seasons with the Eagles, Brandon Graham is set rejoin the team, league sources told The Inquirer.
Graham, 37, is the Eagles’ all-time leader in games played with 206, a number he will add to, and is third with 76½ sacks. He returns to the Eagles at a time when they desperately need help at his position.
An already thin group of edge rushers took a hit last week when Za’Darius Smith abruptly retired from football. Then Azeez Ojulari went down with a hamstring injury during the first quarter Sunday in Minneapolis. Nolan Smith and Ogbo Okoronkwo are both on injured reserve with triceps injuries. Smith is due back, likely after the Week 9 bye week, but Okoronkwo’s season is over.
A reunion with the Eagles became more of a possibility as the injuries mounted, and Graham is a low-cost addition that adds depth and leadership to the defense. They still might need to make a move for another pass rusher. The rush had a stronger performance Sunday, with Joshua Uche earning his first sack of the season, but they have not consistently gotten to quarterbacks for impact plays.
The Eagles had an open spot on the 53-man roster and do not have to make a corresponding move after adding Graham.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts lines up for a Tush Push during the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings.
When the Eagles lined up for their first Tush Push Sunday, the Vikings showed a new wrinkle the Eagles hadn’t yet seen as NFL teams try to stop the play the Eagles are so good at.
The Vikings had linebacker Tyler Batty lie down in front of Cam Jurgens.
The Eagles’ first attempt was a successful push, though it was close. They lined up to run the play once more, and the Vikings did the same thing, but A.J. Brown jumped offsides and the Eagles were forced to back up.
“We ran it one time and we got it one time,” Sirianni said.
“We’re always going to see new and unique ways. That’s not new to us. When you run something the amount of times that we’ve ran that play, you’re going to see everything. You’re going to see unique ways. You’re going to see teams working on that all offseason to try to figure out how to stop it. We’ve seen a ton, but then they threw something a little bit different at us.
“We’re ready for that. We’re ready to account for that and we’re expecting those different things. We’ll have little wrinkles based on how they’re lining up to counter some of those things.”
New York Giants cornerback Cordale Flott intercepts a pass intended for Eagles wide receiver Jahan Dotson during their Week 6 matchup on “Thursday Night Football.”
Nick Sirianni said the Eagles will treat this game week like it’s any other game, though he did say it was a “unique” game week for the Eagles considering they played the Giants 12 days before game planning for them was again due to begin.
“It’s a unique game in that you play a team a second time, and it’s even more unique that it’s been one game of games since then,” Sirianni said.
“You have things that you look at because it’s slightly different, but nothing changes in respect to your process. You still have a week to prepare. All the things, business as usual. But we’ll have some things that we look at as coaches knowing that we just played them and we know they will as well.”
The Eagles will have plenty to study from their 34-17 loss at MetLife Stadium in Week 6, but they’ve already poured over that film plenty during the mini-bye that followed that Thursday night game.
The Giants, meanwhile, suffered a heartbreaking defeat and blew a late lead Sunday in Denver.
Eagles center Cam Jurgens was injured on the first play against the Vikings.
Nick Sirianni said he hadn’t yet met with the Eagles’ medical team when he spoke via Zoom with reporters late Monday afternoon but planned to later in the day — not that the Eagles’ head coach would have revealed much about the status of center Cam Jurgens a day after Jurgens left the Eagles’ 28-22 win in Minneapolis with a right knee injury.
Jurgens appeared to suffer the injury on the first play of the game and wore a brace during the team’s second offensive possession. By the third drive, Brett Toth was in at center.
Toth said after the game that Jurgens would have an MRI.
Jurgens had back surgery after the Super Bowl and has not played like the Jurgens of last season at times through seven games this season.
The Eagles play the Giants Sunday and then have their bye week, which will be welcomed timing for an offensive line that has been banged up.
“We’ll see,” Sirianni said when asked about Jurgens’ status. “I know he’ll do everything he can do to be ready as soon as he possibly can.”
A first for Andy Reid, and other NFL odds and ends
The Chiefs’ win against the Raiders was a first for Andy Reid.
Before Sunday, former Eagles coach Andy Reid had 304 NFL wins, including playoffs. He’d won three Super Bowls and he’d coached in three more.
But he’d never had a shutout.
Then on Sunday he faced Pete Carroll and the injury-depleted Raiders in Kansas City and won, 31-0.
This is remarkable, considering the four coaches near Reid’s win total — Don Shula, George Halas, Bill Belichick, who are ahead of him, and Tom Landry, whom he passed two years ago — all have at least a dozen shutouts.
Granted, Shula, Halas, and Landry coached in an era in which scoring was less prolific, but Belichick is a contemporary. And anyway, when you coach teams as successful as the Eagles and Chiefs, you’d expect more than one shutout among 305 wins.
More from across the NFL
Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons.
Packers edge Micah Parsons, the biggest offseason name to change teams, finally went off Sunday. He delivered the last of his career-high three sacks with 27 seconds to play in Arizona. He’d had just 2½ sacks in his first five games since being traded by the Cowboys just after preseason, then signing a four-year, $186 million extension.
At this point, Shane Steichen is the runaway leader in the Coach of the Year race. The Colts are 6-1, and while all of their wins aren’t impressive — Titans, Raiders, Cardinals, Dolphins — they beat Justin Herbert’s 420-yard effort on the road Sunday against the L.A. Chargers. Steichen also has turned Giants bust Daniel Jones into an MVP candidate.
The craziest scene among the crazy scenes during the Giants’ mile-high collapse at Denver was, just before the New York’s last touchdown, the spectacle of coach Sean Payton losing his mind and running into the middle of the field at the goal line to protest a pass interference penalty on his defense. Like, all the way to the 2-yard line. Right in the middle of the action. It was like something out of an awful Oliver Stone football movie.
Broncos flagged for defensive pass interference near the goal line, and Sean Payton picks up a personal foul 🤯 pic.twitter.com/dea5mYPQo8
Really impressive first half especially from #Eagles EDGE Jalyx Hunt. His pick six is obviously the highlight but he did a nice job on the second defensive snap of the game by re-routing Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson on play action and forcing a difficult angle throw. pic.twitter.com/zifjacGHYf
#Eagles DB Cooper DeJean had quality reps matched up with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison each in man coverage down in the redzone. Was underneath a corner route off play-action on the first play, then knocks the ball away from Jefferson's hands on a goalline fade. pic.twitter.com/vpJKhnhGlA
Former Eagles defender wants more ‘consistency’ after Birds’ win
While one former defensive end, Brandon Graham, mulls a comeback, another, Chris Long, is still hesitant about the Birds despite the win, after even an improved offense had to leg it out against a backup quarterback in Wentz.
“This is a definite step in the right direction when it comes to the big-play ability of the offense,” Long said. “You’d love to see them play with more rhythm. I’m not sitting up here hating on a win on the road, but I would like to see a little bit more consistency. If you play like that against a major league quarterback, it might not go that way.”
Wentz finished 313 yards and a pair of interceptions through the air, and another 28 yards on the ground.
Despite the too-close-for-comfort win, the offensive line was “fantastic” and Jalen Hurts was “perfect,” so it was still a big improvement over the Birds’ two previous losses, according to Long.
A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith celebrate during Sunday’s win against the Vikings.
The Eagles and the New York Giants have already met this season in a Week 6 matchup that resulted in a 34-17 loss for the Eagles.
Heading into their last matchup, the Birds were coming off of their first loss of the season to the Denver Broncos. Four days later, in a quick turnaround, they traveled to MetLife Stadium to compete against the Giants on Thursday Night Football.
After two consecutive losses, the Eagles have returned to the win column with a win over the Minnesota Vikings in a game that saw Hurts throw for 326 yards and three touchdowns in a fantastic performance with his two star receivers, who each exceeded 100 yards.
Meanwhile, the Giants are coming off an embarrassing 33-32 loss to the Broncos, giving up a 19-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Ahead of their Week 8 matchup, the sportsbooks are favoring Philadelphia as they open as 7-point favorites.
‘I think we miss his vibe in the locker room’: Eagles players on Brandon Graham’s potential return
Brandon Graham may pause his budding media career to rejoin the Eagles.
Jalyx Hunt was unaware, or at least acted like he was, that Brandon Graham may be nearing a return to the Eagles. Perhaps the edge rusher was locked in before the game and didn’t see the social media reports.
But after the Eagles won on Sunday — a victory Hunt had a big role in — Hunt was asked if he had seen the reports that “BG is considering a return to football, a return to the Eagles.”
“Brandon Graham?” Hunt replied. “Shout out BG. Shout out BG.”
What would Graham’s return mean?
“Appreciate the heads up … anything in the room is added. He’s got years of experience. … We’re just going to use him as a well and excited to have him back. That’s the guy.”
Zack Baun was similarly surprised.
“Oh, really? Oh, [expletive],” Baun said when asked about the topic.
What could Graham bring?
“The juice, the energy, the vibe,” Baun said. “He just lives his life with so much to give. Obviously his play as well. I thought last year, him retiring, he was at the point where he could still do a lot and still go out there and play and play well. But I think we miss his vibe in the locker room.”
Edge rusher Patrick Johnson said he’d seen the rumors on social media. If Graham does return, Johnson said he’d be a welcomed presence to his position group.
“He’s going to bring that spark that we need for sure and that leadership,” Johnson said.
Graham’s former locker stall was given to Za’Darius Smith, but now it’s open, a fact pointed out by Moro Ojomo.
“BG is BG, man,” Ojomo said. “He’s just an amazing guy. I love to be around that guy.
“Jeffrey Lurie said it last year, said it perfectly, that there are people that are energy takers and energy givers and BG is an energy giver and I think we all feel that.”
Jalen Hurts had a perfect passer rating against the Vikings.
The Eagles wanted to run the ball. They wanted to emerge from the mini-bye — just like they had after breaks in previous seasons — with a ground-focused offensive attack.
They just couldn’t.
But it didn’t matter, ultimately, at least on this day. Jalen Hurts and the drop-back pass game delivered the kind of explosive performance that has mostly been lacking from the offense this season, the kind needed after a two-game losing streak had even the Eagles doubting themselves.
The Eagles quarterback confirmed his quote that was videoed and posted on social media by an NBC Sports reporter.
“That’s all I could think about throughout these last two weeks,” Hurts said. “Having opportunities to finish the game, to finish the fourth quarter. I really think this is the first time we’ve finished the fourth quarter and then finished in the second half. …
“There was some fire there, but within that fire you have to be the calm.”
Hurts sparked a dormant offense with a career-best statistical outing in which he completed 19 of 23 throws for 326 yards and three touchdowns. And he was a steely eyed presence against a Vikings pass defense that entered first in expected points added (EPA) per dropback.
Eagles snap counts: Jalen Carter back to being a workhorse
Jalen Carter pressures Carson Wentz during the Eagles win over the Vikings Sunday.
Here are some notes and thoughts from Sunday’s Eagles snap counts vs. the Minnesota Vikings:
With AJ Dillon as a healthy scratch, Tank Bigsby saw his first work of the season with the offense. He was on the field for four offensive snaps and carried once for 11 yards while hauling in one pass for a one-yard loss. Will Shipley, meanwhile, was on the field for eight snaps while Saquon Barkley (39 snaps) saw 78% of the action.
Cam Jurgens was on the field for 15 plays before Brett Toth (35 snaps) came on in relief. Jurgens’ injury will be one to monitor as the Eagles prepare for their final game before a Week 9 bye.
The Eagles used a heavy package a few times, bringing backup tackle Fred Jackson onto the field. They went heavy on DeVonta Smith’s 79-yard touchdown score. Jalen Hurts took an under-center snap, faked to Barkley, and hit Smith for the longest reception of Smith’s career.
The Eagles did not use a fourth wide receiver. John Metchie dressed but didn’t see the field.
Tight end EJ Jenkins dressed for the first time this season after being elevated from the practice squad. He saw five snaps.
On defense, the Eagles worked Nakobe Dean back into a role with the defense one week after he was activated from the PUP list to make his season debut vs. the Giants. Dean played 31 snaps. Jihaad Campbell’s workload didn’t decrease much, as he got plenty of work on the edge and finished with 60 snaps (87%).
Cooper DeJean played the entire game on defense (69 snaps) while also adding five special teams snaps and one on offense (he is the deep “safety” when the Eagles are in victory formation).
Azeez Ojulari was on the field for the Eagles’ first defensive play, but he only played four snaps before a hamstring injury knocked him from the contest. An already thin group of edge rushers took another hit. Patrick Johnson saw his largest workload of the season with 26 snaps. Jalyx Hunt, meanwhile, saw 52 snaps while Joshua Uche played 33.
A few weeks after Vic Fangio questioned his fitness level, Jalen Carter was back to being a workhorse once again. Carter was on the field for 67 of a possible 69 snaps.
Adoree’ Jackson got the start at cornerback opposite Quinyon Mitchell but ended up with nearly an equal share of snaps to Kelee Ringo (22 snaps), who came on for Jackson (23 snaps) after Jackson suffered a concussion.
Kick returner Xavier Gipson dressed for the first time. He was on the field for seven special teams plays. He returned five kicks for 128 yards (25.6 yards per return).
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. walks off the field at the end of the first quarter.
Three Eagles players exited the game due to injury in the first quarter — center Cam Jurgens (knee), edge rusher Azeez Ojulari (hamstring), and linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (ankle).
All three players were ruled out in the third quarter.
Adoree’ Jackson went down in the third quarter after he appeared to hit his head while colliding with T.J. Hockenson. He was quickly ruled out with a concussion.
Ojomo was also evaluated for a concussion in the fourth quarter when he collided head-first with Kelee Ringo, who had entered the game in relief of Jackson.
Eagles numbers: Sirianni remains perfect, Hurts matches Birds history
Nick Sirianni is a perfect 9-0 against NFC North teams.
The Eagles are 5-2 or better through seven games for the fourth consecutive season, which is tied for the longest stretch in franchise history, a record that dates back to the 1950 season. The last time the Eagles got off to 5-2 starts or better in consecutive seasons was a three-year stretch from 1979 to 81.
Here are some other historical numbers from Sunday courtesy of the Eagles:
King of the North: Nick Sirianni is 9-0 against NFC North teams. That’s the most wins without a loss by a team against any division since 2021.
Jalen Hurts is the third passer in Eagles history to have a perfect passer rating (158.3), joining Nick Foles (Nov. 3, 2013 at Oakland) and Donovan McNabb (Sept. 23, 2007 vs. Detroit). Hurts logged his most passing yards (326) since Dec. 4, 2022 vs. Tennessee (380).
DeVonta Smith posted a career-high 183 yards and A.J. Brown had a season-high 121. They combined for 304 yards and three touchdowns on 13 receptions Sunday. It was the first time both receivers had 100-plus yards in the same game since Dec. 12, 2024 vs. Pittsburgh.
Smith’s 183 yards are the most by a player so far during the 2025 season.
The Eagles held the Vikings to one touchdown and five field goals in the red zone. The 16.7% opponent red zone touchdown efficiency tied for the Eagles’ best mark since 2000 in games in which they faced 6-plus opponent red zone drives (Sept. 19, 2013 vs. Kansas City).
A.J. Brown’s comments after TD catch caught by Fox
A.J. Brown celebrates during Sunday’s win against the Vikings.
Comments made by A.J. Brown are making the rounds again, but this time they’re cloaked in an Eagles’ victory.
After Brown scored his second touchdown during Sunday’s win against the Minnesota Vikings, Fox’s camera picked up the star wide receiver venting a bit about his last of production in recent weeks.
“Just throw me the f— ball!” Brown shouted.
AJ Brown after his 2nd TD of the day (and after DeVonta Smith also just broke his career high for a game): “Just throw the fucking ball!” pic.twitter.com/qSMQG1mw3r
A lot has been written about the Eagles’ offensive struggles in recent weeks. None of that was apparent Sunday, with Hurts throwing for 326 yards and three touchdowns, ending the day with a perfect passer rating.
“Jalen Hurts was fantastic,” The Inquirer’s Jeff McLane wrote. “He seems to always play his best when doubt seeps in about his abilities.”
Brown hauled in four of those passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns, including a 45-yard catch late in the fourth quarter that sealed the win. It’s just the second time he’s eclipsed 100 receiving yards all season, and comes after the star let his frustrations with the offense go public.
Eagles to face the Giants in kelly green before heading into bye week
The Giants and rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart will be headed to Philly Sunday.
The Eagles (5-3) will face the New York Giants (2-5) for the second time in three weeks Sunday, this time at the Linc.
The Giants easily handled the Eagles in Week 6 on a Thursday night game (on the same night the Phillies were eliminated from the playoffs). This time around, New York is coming off a last-second loss to the Denver Broncos, who scored 33 points in the fourth quarter after being held scoreless through three quarters.
“This is going to haunt us for a long time,” Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger told reporters after the game.
The Eagles hope so. The Birds opened up as early favorites against a Giants defense that’s fourth-worst in the NFL in yards allowed (376 yards per game).
Saquon Barkley was wearing kelly green during his “reverse hurdle” against the Jaguars last season.
The Birds will be decked out in their kelly green uniforms for the first time this season. It’s the first of three games the Eagles will wear their classic, fan-favorite jerseys, which they’ll also don in Week 12 against the Dallas Cowboys and Week 18 against the Washington Commanders.
So far, the throwbacks have been good luck. Since bringing them back in 2023, the Birds are an undefeated 4-0 while wearing kelly green.
Jalen Hurts claps after the Eagles beat the Vikings Sunday.
The Eagles grew their lead in the NFC East Sunday, thanks to the Birds’ win against the Vikings and the Dallas Cowboys’ blowout of the Washington Commanders.
The Birds are one and a half games up on the Cowboys thanks to their tie against the Green Bay Packers in Week 4. Meanwhile, the New York Giants slid further down the standings with their wild loss against the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
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Professors and students at the University of Pennsylvania— where I teach — breathed a sigh of relief on Thursday when the university rejected a compact that would have given us preferential treatment in federal funding. All we needed to do in exchange was comply with the Trump administration’s demands around teaching, student costs, and much else.
As our faculty senate warned, the compact asked universities to “surrender their institutional autonomy.” I’m delighted — and proud — that Penn joined four other institutions — MIT, Brown, the University of Southern California, and the University of Virginia — in rejecting the offer, which the White House sent to nine schools earlier this month.
Now comes the hard part: to institute the goals of the compact on our own. The problem wasn’t with the demands of the Trump administration. It was with the mechanism of enforcement, which would have let it determine if we were satisfying them.
Consider the compact’s requirement that we foster “a vibrant marketplace of ideas” and abolish “institutional units” that “belittle” conservative ideas. Of course, we should aim for a full and free dialogue of all ideas, including conservative ones.
But do you trust Donald Trump and his disciples to determine — fairly and impartially — whether universities are belittling conservatives? I certainly don’t.
Trump’s vice president, JD Vance, has already declared that “the universities are the enemy.” The only way to make friends with Trump is to echo his own ideas, which is what the compact would have required us to do.
University of Pennsylvania students at graduation, at Franklin Field, in May.
But if we’re honest, we’ll also admit that we have indeed belittled — or suppressed — conservatives, via the cultures we have created on our campuses. We talk a good game about the free exchange of ideas. If you think we’re living that ideal, however, you haven’t talked to right-leaning students.
I have. They come out to me in my office, with the door shut, because they’re afraid of being canceled by their peers or their professors. In a 2024 survey, 12% of Penn students said they planned to vote for Trump. That’s a small fraction, but Penn is a big place; we have about 12,000 undergraduates, which means more than 1,000 students probably backed Trump.
We almost never hear from them, which harms everyone. We won’t understand the Trump phenomenon if they are biting their tongues. I want my conservative students to speak their minds, especially in class, so they can teach the rest of us.
They don’t. “When we act as though virtually everything that gets turned in is some kind of A — where A is supposedly meaning ‘excellent work’ — we are simply being dishonest to our students,” Yale philosopher Shelly Kagan told the New York Times in 2023.
And earlier this month, the Times reported that Harvard students routinely skip classes, and even register for two courses that meet at the same time. When they do show up, they often spend the class period surfing on their phones or laptops.
Again, though, I don’t want the federal government monitoring our “commitment to grade integrity” — to quote the Trump compact — or penalizing us if we fall short. That would give the White House another cudgel to use against a school that said or did something Trump didn’t like. We should instead address the problem on our own, by instituting grade curves and making effective teaching a requirement for tenure and promotion.
Ditto for college costs, which the Trump compact properly identifies as a huge burden on our students. But the answer is not to freeze tuition for five years, as the compact demands, even as it instructs us to limit our enrollment of international students. Cutting the number of students from other countries — most of whom pay our full sticker price — would make it even harder for us to keep that price down.
Rather, we need to make a stronger argument for public assistance to all our universities. Over the past four decades, as state governments slashed their aid to higher education, students and their families have had to finance college on their own. What began as a public good — to serve all Americans, and to sustain our democracy — has become a private one.
But we’ll never make the case for more government dollars unless we can show we’re doing well with what we already have. That will require us to put good teaching — and the free exchange of ideas — front and center. I’m glad we rebuffed Trump’s effort to impose his will on us. Now we’ll find out if we can muster the will — and the courage — to do the job ourselves.
Jonathan Zimmerman teaches education and history at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of “The Amateur Hour: A History of College Teaching in America” and nine other books.
