The Eagles’ Jordan Davis had a different role Tuesday night at the Salvation Army Camden Kroc Center. The 6-foot-6, 336-pound defensive tackle lined up under center as the designated quarterback in a room with over 100 children, ready to play flag football.
Davis spent time with four teams, joining each huddle and running plays as he introduced football to several kids who had never played the sport before.
“This is the best flag football team in Camden, New Jersey. And I’m standing on that right now,” Davis said. “If I had so much time, I would actually coach y’all because y’all have so much potential.”
This was just one way the North Carolina native helped families in need Tuesday. The Jordan Davis Family Foundation provided a fully catered Thanksgiving meal to families who attended. And to end the night, all the families were handed Thanksgiving turkeys and AT&T laptops as they left the Kroc Center.
The Jordan Davis Family Foundation provided Thanksgiving meals for families at the Salvation Army Camden Kroc Center in Camden on Tuesday night.
Partnering with the Salvation Army is a full-circle moment for Davis. When he was a child, his family received assistance from the organization. Now, it’s his turn to give back.
“It was hard for my mom, just making sure that we had a meal every night, me and my brothers,” Davis said. “And even nights that she might have sacrificed the meal for herself, it was always meant for us to eat. And I think that’s just a wonderful story for me because it shows the type of woman that she is.
“She raised me to be that way. And it might not be a meal here, it could be a coat drive. It could be another drive. It could be a back-to-school event. It could be a kids camp. Anything matters. Everything matters. So, that’s just something that I keep in my heart, and I want to keep that going.”
Davis isn’t the only Eagles player giving back ahead of the holiday season. Last week, running back Saquon Barkley partnered with Ashley Furniture and the Salvation Army to give out mattresses and bedding to families in need.
Jordan Davis played flag football with the kids after eating providing a Thanksgiving meal through his foundation on Tuesday night.
“It takes a village to raise a child,” Davis said. “And that’s something that my team, we always say. It takes a village. … When you have an opportunity to give back, it doesn’t matter what time it is. As long as you have that time, you want to make sure that you’re providing that time.
“Time is the most important thing you can spend. And we could be doing anything else with this time right now, but we spend it giving back and we spend it doing the things that matter most to us.”
For the second week in a row, it was the Eagles defense leading the way as the Birds scraped past another NFC North opponent, this time in a 16-9 win over the Detroit Lions.
Last week after their win over the Green Bay Packers, the Eagles (8-2) seemed to confuse those who compile weekly NFL power rankings. Some saw the victory over another NFC contender as a reason to move the Eagles up. Others, however, saw the narrow victory as a reason to drop the Birds, largely because of the questions surrounding their lack of offensive output.
Did another defensive win confuse the list makers even more? Or did the impressive showing by Vic Fangio’s defense — against one of the NFL’s best offenses — confirm that this team doesn’t need to score a lot of points to win? Here’s a look at where the Eagles stand in the latest round of power rankings as the season enters Week 12 …
ESPN: Second
Our first outlet, and we’re already seeing the Eagles drop despite their win. Last week, ESPN was one of the sites that moved the Eagles up to the top spot. This week, they’re back to No. 2, and the team that leapfrogged them — the 8-2 Los Angeles Rams — is one the Eagles already have beaten this season, albeit on a last-second blocked field goal.
So what was the difference? The Eagles offense, according to Tim McManus, who also says that offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo is under the most pressure.
“The offense has been a disappointment,” McManus wrote. “The Eagles rank 25th in total yards (300.1 per game), 28th in passing (184.9) and 29th in third-down conversion rate (33.87%). They’re averaging 115 rushing yards per game (17th in NFL), compared to 179 in 2024 (second). They are, however, the best red zone offense (75% conversion rate) and have a league-low four giveaways. That, paired with a defense that has played lights out as of late, has been enough to keep Philly atop the NFC. But the offense has not yet reached its potential, and it falls on the first-year play caller to help remedy that.”
We’re more than halfway through the season. At what point do we stop talking about the Eagles’ offensive “potential” and just come to terms with the product they put out there each week? You are what you repeatedly do, right?
The Eagles beat the Rams this season — barely — but still trail them in most national power rankings.
Yahoo! Sports: First
The tight win on Sunday Night Football wasn’t enough for Yahoo! to drop the Eagles from the top spot, even if it openly acknowledges that the already struggling offense just took another hit with the loss of right tackle Lane Johnson to a Lisfranc injury.
“Lane Johnson’s injury will knock him out 4-6 weeks and everyone by now knows the Eagles aren’t nearly as good without their All-Pro right tackle,” Frank Schwab wrote. “Still, the Eagles are becoming masterful at overcoming adversity. Their defense is finally hitting its stride, too.”
No surprise that the Rams are right behind the Eagles, with the Indianapolis Colts in third and the Seahawks in fourth after each dropping a spot after being leapfrogged by the Rams.
The Athletic’s Josh Kendall and Chad Graff offered a seemingly simple suggestion to the Eagles, one that is hard to argue with after watching their last two games: “Be more interesting.” But boring football wasn’t enough to drop the Birds from the top spot.
“Thank goodness for A.J. Brown,” Kendall and Graff wrote. “The wide receiver’s weekly passive-aggressive complaints about his role in the offense are the only things making this team worth watching anymore. Jalen Hurts completed 14 passes for 135 yards Sunday night. The sublime Saquon Barkley averaged 3.2 yards per carry and is 14th in the league in rushing (662 yards). Yet the Eagles and their smothering defense are marching joylessly back toward the Super Bowl.”
The Rams held steady at No. 2, while the idle Colts climbed to No. 3, and the Denver Broncos, courtesy of their win over the Kansas City Chiefs, moved into the fourth spot.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts hasn’t posted big numbers this season, but he’s been efficient and avoided turnovers.
The Ringer: Second
Unlike ESPN, The Ringer didn’t drop the Eagles to second after their win; it elevated them from third to second. “This team is finding its 2024 form again, and I’m starting to believe,” Diante Lee wrote.
“As the ugly wins stack up in 2025, it’s hard not to think about the similarities to last year and whether all the issues will iron themselves out once we get to the playoffs,” Lee added. “If this defense keeps playing this well, I’m inclined to believe that the answer is an emphatic yes.”
The Rams have held steady in The Ringer’s top spot for several weeks. Meanwhile, the Seahawks (No. 3), Broncos (No. 4), and Colts (No. 5) round out their top five.
The Rams were already well ahead of the Eagles at Sports Illustrated — they moved from second to first this week — but the Birds were one of the outlet’s biggest risers, climbing five spots, up from seventh, to second.
“The clips of Nakobe Dean staying stride for stride with all of Detroit’s best players was just another reminder of how weaponized this Eagles defense is,” Conor Orr wrote. “Can’t we understand now that the team’s best talent and coaching resides on that side of the ball, which is why the offense is being used as a game-shortening tool rather than an elevator of personal feelings and your fantasy team?”
The Eagles jumped over the New England Patriots, Seahawks, Broncos, Colts, and Lions to claim that second spot.
The Eagles moved up one spot at NFL.com, thanks to the Seahawks’ loss. But that also meant that the new No. 1 team, the Rams, and the new No. 2, the Colts, also moved up a spot each as Seattle fell to fourth.
“The Lions might have hurt themselves with their own overaggressiveness, but the Eagles certainly had a lot to do with that,” wrote Eric Edholm. “Philadelphia’s relentless pressure has been the new calling card of a defense that has reached another plateau since the bye. That’s now two straight games in prime time where the Eagles have held a playoff-contending opponent to single-digit points. The trade acquisition of Jaelan Phillips looks like a gem of a pickup, with the edge rusher making his impact felt in both games since his arrival in Philly. … Doubt them at your own risk.”
The Eagles added linebacker Jaelan Phillips at the trade deadline, and he has made an immediate impact on the defense.
CBS Sports: Third
A big tumble by the previously top-ranked Seahawks (now No. 7) meant a lot of teams moved up, including the Eagles, who climbed one spot to third, behind the Rams and the Patriots, respectively.
“The offense still isn’t great, but they are winning games,“ Pete Prisco wrote. ”The defense has really stepped up the past two weeks.”
The Colts (No. 4), and Broncos (No. 5) also cracked the top five.
The Eagles remained in the fourth position at USA Today, as there was very little movement among Nate Davis’ top five teams.
“A replenished defense has held two high-octane offenses to single-digit points in successive weeks − which is even better news with injured RT Lane Johnson set to miss a chunk of time with a Lisfranc injury for an already sputtering offense,” wrote Davis.
The Rams, Patriots, Seahawks, and Broncos — in that order — make up the rest of their top five, with the only change this week being the Patriots and Seahawks swapping spots.
The defense shut down one of the NFL’s best offenses, but the game wasn’t without a few minor controversies. Here’s what the national media is saying about the Birds after their 16-9 win …
An ‘absolute garbage’ penalty
A defensive pass interference call on Rock Ya-Sin ultimately iced the game for the Eagles, but was it fair?
On the broadcast, Cris Collinsworth immediately called it out as a “terrible” penalty, which should arguably have been on A.J. Brown, instead of Ya-Sin.
The morning was not any kinder to referee Alex Kemp, who told a pool reporter that “the official observed the receiver’s arm getting grabbed and restricting him from going up to make the catch.”
Many members of national media were not buying that justification.
“That is absolute garbage right here,” Rex Ryan said on Get Up. “You’re making it worse by coming up with that B.S. Here’s the problem, NFL. The entire country saw this, and everybody knows, except the guy that throws the flag here. I don’t know what the hell he’s thinking … You can’t cover a guy any better than this.”
Rex Ryan reacts to the questionable defensive pass interference call to seal the Lions-Eagles game ✍️ pic.twitter.com/7Dz2sJ4xO7
“As you see this type of game unfold, you know it’s going to come down to an epic finish,” Cam Newton said. “We were robbed of that, because, what happened to physicality and letting them play, ref? We didn’t see that. The ref made it about himself. Was it touchy-touchy? Yes, but was it that type of game? Absolutely.”
Cam Newton shares his thoughts on the questionable pass interference call at the end of the Lions-Eagles SNF matchup ✍️ pic.twitter.com/pVVOGNFYAJ
After the win, the Birds now sit at 8-2, firmly in control of the NFC East, with games against the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Buffalo Bills, and Washington Commanders left to play.
So do the Eagles, winners of four straight, have another loss in them with the schedule as it stands? Kay Adams doesn’t think so.
“This was not my favorite game to watch, cinematically, but who the hell cares, because a win’s a win,” Adams said. “… I don’t see anyone beating them the rest of the year. I don’t see a loss on their schedule the rest of the way. I can’t remember seeing anyone make Jared Goff look this uncomfortable.”
"I don't think anyone's beating them for the rest of the year." 👀
For all the hand-wringing about the offense’s struggles, Vic Fangio’s defense continues to perform at an elite level week after week. On First Take, Stephen A. Smith said the defense was far more impressive than the offense was weak.
“You’ve got the second-ranked offense in the NFL coming into the game, averaging 31 points a game,” Smith said. “You didn’t just beat them, you beat them down.”
The Birds forced what may have been the worst performance of Jared Goff’s career. Goff, who was leading the NFL in completion percentage coming into the game, completed just 14 of 37 passes, the worst completion percentage of his NFL career. The Lions went 3-for-13 on third down and were 0-for-5 on fourth down conversion attempts.
Dan Orlovsky said the Eagles’ improved pass rush — thanks to the trade deadline acquisition of Jaelan Phillips from Miami — is reestablishing the defense as the class of the NFL.
“I’m praising Howie Roseman,” Orlovsky said. “This Jaelan Phillips addition feels like it’s going to be the Von Miller addition to the Rams from several years ago. This defense is the best defense in football along with the Rams and Seattle Seahawks.”
The Eagles improved to 6-2 after a dominant 38-20 win over the New York Giants on Sunday. Jalen Hurts had another efficient performance, passing for 179 yards and four touchdowns — with just five incompletions. The Birds’ running game took a big step forward, recording 276 yards on the ground.
As the Eagles head into the bye week, here are some of the latest odds for yearly awards at two of the biggest sportsbooks …
NFC East odds update
Coming off their win over New York, the Eagles are still the favorites to win the NFC East. The Giants’ and the Dallas Cowboys’ odds to win the division have decreased following losses. Meanwhile, the Washington Commanders prepare to face the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night.
At both sportsbooks, the Eagles’ odds have slightly changed. However, at FanDuel, they still remain behind the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions as the front-runners to win the conference. At DraftKings, they’re also behind the Los Angeles Rams.
Eagles wide receiver Jahan Dotson catches a touchdown pass over New York Giants cornerback Korie Black.
Super Bowl odds
After Week 8, FanDuel still has the Eagles listed as one of the top five favorites to win the Super Bowl, trailing the Buffalo Bills and others, like the favored Chiefs. But at DraftKings, the Birds remain outside the top five, following the Rams and the Indianapolis Colts.
Jalen Hurts’ MVP odds have slightly improved after his performances the last two weeks. Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes continue to battle for the top two spots at both sportsbooks.
Saquon Barkley’s odds for offensive player of the year continue to fall despite a successful Week 8 performance that saw the running back eclipse 100 yards for the first time this season.
The Eagles avenged their Week 6 loss to the New York Giants with a dominant 38-20 win at Lincoln Financial Field. However, much of the dialogue following the game still focused on the drama surrounding star receiver A.J. Brown, who didn’t even play on Sunday. There was also talk about Jalen Hurts’ performance — and his return to the MVP conversation — and the questionable officiating in the Birds’ Week 8 win.
Here’s a look at what they’re saying about the Eagles as they enter the bye week with a 6-2 record …
A.J. Brown trade talk
Brown sat out of Sunday’s game due to a hamstring injury. Despite his absence, the Eagles offense dominated, finishing the game with a season-high 427 total yards. DeVonta Smith remained the centerpiece of the Birds’ passing game, recording six receptions (on nine targets) for 84 yards.
Everything came together for the Eagles, including the team’s previously spotty running game. The Birds recorded 276 yards on the ground, with Saquon Barkley eclipsing 100 rushing yards for the first time this season.
With all the drama surrounding Brown’s latest social media posts and the team’s success without him on the field, there’s already even more discussion centered on whether the team should trade the receiver.
“The only thing that gets or punctures momentum and a loaded roster is drama,” Colin Cowherd said on The Colin Cowherd Podcast. “And I’m watching them today and I’m like oh [expletive]. They almost have 300 yards rushing. Some of this is tied to A.J. Brown’s absence. They’re just free to do what they want to do. … I just don’t think this team needs A.J. Brown.”
“They’re not going to trade A.J. Brown,” Schefter said on ESPN’s Get Up. “Here’s the deal. They’re trying to repeat as a Super Bowl champion. They’re in the business of acquiring talent, not giving it away. And whatever they can get back for A.J. Brown, they can get back in February or March before the draft. They’re going to want him here to help the stretch run after the big win here, he’s not going to get traded.”
But he does believe the team will eventually make some moves moving forward.
“The Eagles don’t play again until two weeks from today in Green Bay,” Schefter said. “… If the Eagles don’t make a move to better their roster between now and then, I’d be surprised. That’s what they do. They’re always active. They’re always aggressive and they’re going to be that way again. I’ll be surprised if in the next two weeks, the Eagles haven’t pulled off at least one trade.”
Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown, who had a big game in Week 7 against the Vikings, didn’t play in Sunday’s game against the Giants due to a hamstring injury.
Hall of Fame advice for Brown
Former New York Jets coach Rex Ryan asked Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning about the Brown situation on ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown. Manning did his best to offer advice to the team.
“I hate what’s going on there in Philly, it’s not fun to watch,” Manning said. “People always ask, ‘Hey, why did Marvin Harrison never complain about not getting the ball?’ Because I always threw him the ball.
“I hated the fact that A.J. Brown doesn’t seem happy and they’re winning football games. I would tell A.J. the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. There’s certain teams that if he wanted to go play for right now, I can promise you he would not be happy there. The Eagles are 5-2, they won the Super Bowl last year, there’s big games for him coming. … He’s not going to have 10 catches for 160 every single week, but if he just stays in there, I can promise you good things are coming.”
Peyton Manning knows A.J. Brown and the Eagles will get on the same page 🦅
"People always asked me 'Hey, how come Marvin Harrison never complained about not getting the ball? Because I always threw him the ball!" pic.twitter.com/C2iwNDCrhs
There were a few questionable calls in Sunday’s game, including a potential Tush Push fumble. Hurts was stripped of the ball while running the Eagles’ signature sneak play, but the officials ruled that the quarterback’s forward progress had been stopped. The play couldn’t be reviewed and the Eagles kept the ball. Here’s a look at what happened.
Referees ruled that Jalen Hurts' forward progress was stopped before Kayvon Thibodeaux took the ball away from him on the tush push pic.twitter.com/rW4Mx3MNv5
The Eagles scored two plays later. Former Eagles defensive end Chris Long discussed the ruling on the Green Light podcast.
“I thought the Giants got robbed on the Tush Push,” Long said. “Certainly, the game plays out a little bit differently in sequence if that changes. But, the whistle was the whistle. And that’s the problem. I see so many Tush Pushes where the forward progress is three, four, five seconds. I understand the case that Giants fans would make that Thibodeaux pulled that ball out. And I think he did. I think he did. Didn’t go their way.”
Hurts still found plenty of success through the air — completing 15 of 20 passes for 179 yards and four touchdowns — despite Brown being sidelined. The quarterback now has 15 passing touchdowns, five rushing touchdowns, and just one interception through eight games.
Over his last two games, Hurts has thrown seven touchdown passes — and just nine incompletions. Numbers like those are enough for former Eagles linebacker Emmanuel Acho to put Hurts in the running for MVP.
“Jalen Hurts has to be in the MVP conversation,” Acho said on the Speakeasy talk show. “I’m watching the game today and I’m thinking to myself, wait a second. In the midst of all the wide receiver distractions — and sometimes disregard the distractions — in the midst of the absence of A.J. Brown, you go out there and you get four touchdowns vs. a New York Giants team that’s incredibly hungry.
“You ain’t got A.J. Brown. So, you go out there and you do it with [Smith], Jahan Dotson, and Dallas Goedert. You’re finally starting to get active. The week before you go out there and you get three touchdowns with no interceptions. Now, all of a sudden Jalen Hurts has 15 passing touchdowns — these are not Tush Push touchdowns, people, 15 passing touchdowns — and five rushing touchdowns to just one interception. These are MVP-type numbers.”
.@EmmanuelAcho says Jalen Hurts "HAS to be in the MVP conversation!"
The NFL announced it has partnered with Lululemon and Fanatics to release a new apparel collection featuring all 32 teams across the league. This is the NFL’s first collaboration with the retailer.
The collection, which will be available exclusively at NFL Shop, Fanatics, and team shops starting Oct. 28, will feature Lululemon pieces for both men and women — and some Eagles.
“Together with Fanatics, we are introducing an elevated collection that redefines modern fan apparel and is uniquely designed for everyday comfort,” said Renie Anderson, the NFL’s executive vice president and chief revenue officer. “Lululemon boasts a loyal fan base built on culture, meaningful connections, and innovation, qualities that thoroughly reflect the NFL.”
Former Eagles player Emmanuel Acho (right) poses with his brother and former Bears player, Sam Acho, to promote the NFL’s partnership with Lululemon and Fanatics.
The collection will include products from the retailer’s signature lines like Define, Scuba, and Align. Featured items will include crew neck sweaters, hoodies, quarter zips, crop tops, athletic wear, and belt bags.
To promote the collection, former players are part of the brand’s “Welcome to the Fam Club” campaign, including Nick Foles and Emmanuel Acho, both former Eagles. Joe Montana and Ryan Clark are also featured in the campaign.
“True NFL fans wear their pride. For them, fan gear is more than apparel, it’s a badge of loyalty and a way to instantly connect with a community that is like a family,” said Celeste Burgoyne, Lululemon’s president of Americas and global guest innovation. “We looked to honor that passionate devotion and are thrilled to be part of that ritual found throughout the NFL season.”
Although this is the first time Lululemon has partnered with the NFL, this is the second collaboration between Lululemon and Fanatics. The two partnered in 2024 to curate a collection of NHL Lululemon gear for 11 teams before expanding to all 32 teams the following year.
The collection featuring gear from all 32 NFL teams is set to release Oct. 28.
“We’re thrilled that Lululemon is bringing its premium apparel into the NFL for the first time,” said Andrew Low Ah Kee, Fanatics’ CEO of commerce. “This launch reflects our commitment to delivering elevated fan experiences and expanding our assortment with products that blend sport, fashion, and fandom. We’re proud to offer it across our online platform and team stores, giving fans new ways to show up with pride — on game day and every day.”
The Eagles took the field in their kelly green jerseys on Sunday, changing things up for a rematch against the New York Giants. Look good, feel good, play good rang true as the Birds soared to a 38-20 victory.
The broadcast team of Tom Brady and Kevin Burkhardt found plenty to complain about in the win, however. Here’s everything you might have missed from the Fox broadcast:
Barkley’s back
Week after week, everyone has been asking, “Where’s Saquon Barkley?”
Barkley answered in explosive fashion, ripping a 65-yard touchdown run on the second play from scrimmage. He broke out of his funk, surpassing his rushing total in each of the last five games on one play.
SAQUON TAKES IT 65 YARDS FOR THE TD ON THE SECOND PLAY OF THE GAME 🔥
Brady felt the release with the fans as Barkley crossed the goal line — while providing some insight into how the Eagles have flipped the script
“It feels so good,” Brady said. “This entire offensive line has been waiting for this, to find that mojo. They were under center much more last week, and that’s how they kind of want this offense to go. Keep that defensive line guessing a little bit. Is it run or pass?”
Barkley finished with 150 yards and a touchdown on the ground. The Penn State product said postgame that he’s good to go despite being pulled late in the game with a groin injury.
Brady made a mistake we all make in the living room with our family watching the game — the only problem was that he was live on air for Fox.
After an early scramble by Jalen Hurts to escape a Brian Burns tackle in the first quarter, Brady took a moment to compliment the Eagles starter.
While describing Hurts’ ability to escape the pocket, Brady dropped an obscenity before quickly finishing his sentence in hopes no one noticed … but we noticed.
“Whenever I watch him play it’s like the D-line is almost there to get him,” Brady said. “And then nope, he just squirts away, and they can’t f— …”
Cue awkwardness.
Flag frustration
The announcers had plenty to complain about this week with flags, erroneously blown whistles, and questionable fumbles called or not.
First on the docket was an accidentally blown whistle during a missed 58-yard field-goal attempt by Jake Elliott in the first quarter — which rules analyst Dean Blandino said should have resulted in a redo of the play.
If you think you were mad about the missed chance to pad what then was a 7-0 lead, you should have seen Nick Sirianni on the sideline in a shouting match with three officials.
Nick Sirianni furious heated discussion with the refs
Due to the erroneous whistle, the Eagles should’ve had another chance to attempt this field goal per FOX Rules Expert @DeanBlandinopic.twitter.com/CFI3kD7ByG
Not to be outdone, Giants coach Brian Daboll had a similar meltdown after the Giants seemingly stopped a Tush Push attempt by Hurts with a strip and recovery by Kayvon Thibodeaux. Luckily for the Birds, the refs blew the play dead early — much to the chagrin of Daboll.
Brian Daboll is livid on the sideline. The #Giants felt it should’ve been a fumble. (And I think Daboll is right.)
One positive of the mistakes and chatter around the Tush Push disrupting the game was a rare moment in which the announcers could say they agreed with both coaches about the refs.
“Sirianni was hot because the whistle blew on the Eagles field-goal miss, which the play should have been blown dead and done again,” play-by-play man Burkhardt said. “And now Daboll has got one that should be a fumble, and I think they both were right.”
By the time dust settled, there were a few more missed calls and blowups by each coach. Postgame, Hall of Famer Michael Strahan, a former Giant who’s now a studio analyst for Fox, had harsh words for the officials.
“That may be the worst-officiated game we saw all season,” Strahan said.
The last thing the Eagles want is another good quarterback in the NFC East, which already features the Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott and the Washington Commanders’ Jayden Daniels.
So of course, the greatest quarterback of all time had to give his stamp of approval to the Giants’ Jaxson Dart. Brady took time to compliment the young quarterback’s ability, comparing him to a young Josh Allen, the 2024 NFL MVP.
Brady took an extra moment to compliment the “mental and emotional part of his game” in reference to the former Ole Miss quarterback’s ability to change play calls — leading to the most outrageous comparison of the day.
“That autonomy allows quarterbacks to elevate the game a lot, like [Peyton] Manning, [Drew] Brees, myself, some of these guys have played for a long time,” Brady said. “They’re very successful.”
“How many rookies, if any quarterbacks, have that autonomy?” Burkhardt replied.
After defeating the Minnesota Vikings on the road, the Eagles return home to host the New York Giants on Sunday. The teams last met in Week 6, when the Eagles suffered their second loss of the season, falling 34-17 to their division rivals.
The Eagles enter Sunday’s game as 7.5-point favorites after the Giants’ loss to the Denver Broncos last week. Will the Birds get a win over the Giants? Or will the Giants spoil the Eagles’ return to the Linc?
Here’s what experts in the local and national media are saying …
The Eagles suffered their worst loss of the season at MetLife Stadium against the Giants just two weeks ago. One week later, the Giants suffered their worst loss of the season, a fourth-quarter collapse against Denver.
New York is winless on the road in 2025, and headed into the NFL’s most hostile environment with a rookie quarterback. Can the Birds get their revenge?
Here’s what the national media is saying about Sunday’s game …
How good are the Eagles?
The Giants’ star rookies gained a confidence boost after blowing out the Eagles two weeks ago. But a total collapse in Denver may have stalled that progress, NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky said on Get Up, so he still expects an Eagles win.
Though the Eagles might win, Orlovsky isn’t bullish on the Birds’ chances in the long term, although he’s “intrigued” by what Jalen Hurts showed in the passing game against Minnesota.
“This team can’t win a Super Bowl the way they’re running the football,” Orlovsky said. “They can win games, they can beat good teams, but they can’t run the football. My question is, is what we saw offensively last week going to be who you’re going to be for the rest of the season?”
Can the Giants rebound?
The Giants’ collapse against Denver is the type of loss that can cause a team to emotionally spiral. But Manti Te’o said on NFL Network that he doesn’t expect that to linger for New York on Sunday.
“When I see a team fall off like that, that’s just situational,” Te’o said. “Let’s be honest, I don’t think the Giants even anticipated they would be up that much. There’s a way to play the game, and there’s so much youth there that it may have slipped by them. I am buying that they will respond and build off of it.”
Manti Te'o thinks the Giants will bounce back this week from their tough loss against the Broncos. pic.twitter.com/RiHpSyQUmZ
Even after Jalen Hurts, DeVonta Smith, and A.J. Brown dominated in the passing game in Sunday’s win, there’s still drama with Brown’s social media posts.
On Instagram following Sunday’s game, Brown posted a photo with the caption, “using me but not using me.” Brown caught two touchdowns on four catches for 121 yards, his best game of the season. So what exactly does he mean by that caption? On First Take, Orlovsky said he believes Brown is indicating he still wants to be traded.
“I believe A.J. Brown prefers to be traded,” Orlovsky said. ”There’s been this consistent disconnect, whether it’s the lack of production, they don’t throw the ball enough, or they go on the road, he has [four catches for 121 yards], the game-sealer, and he’s still tweeting that out. I’m not trying to read too much into it, this is a Super Bowl-contending team, but for that to continuously happen, I do think there’s parts of A.J. Brown that would prefer to be traded.”
Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown stiff arms Minnesota’s Isaiah Rodgers during Sunday’s game.
Ryan Clark didn’t go that far, but said that Brown was opening himself up to those rumors with his actions.
“He also has to understand the consequences of his actions,” Clark said. “When you tweet out ”using me but not using me,” read books on the sidelines, said certain things you’ve said in postgame interviews, people are going to try to connect the tea leaves and come to their own conclusions. It could honestly be, finally in this game they used me.”
For all the attention on Brown, Smith also had his best game of the year against the Vikings, with a 79-yard touchdown as the highlight among his nine catches for 183 yards.
“Because of all the attention on A.J. Brown, because of the drama, DeVonta’s kind of being overlooked as a top-10 receiver in the NFL,” Mina Kimes said. “I think he’s capable of that.”
Joel Embiid says he did not start playing basketball until age 16. A young Embiid had dreams of being a footballer until the 7-footer grew too tall for that to be in the cards.
Even though he can’t play anymore, he’s still a passionate fan of Real Madrid and, of course, the Cameroonian national team. With the World Cup set to come to Philadelphia in 2026, there might not be anyone more excited than Embiid.
Soccer “is already huge, but having a World Cup here, it’s going to be even bigger,” Embiid said on the Switch the Play podcast with Roger Bennett of Men in Blazers. “I’m excited. I’m going to be all over the place. I’ve never been to a World Cup game before, so I’m going to go to a lot of them, especially to follow some of the best teams. Hopefully Cameroon makes it. Right now it doesn’t look likely.”
Cameroon is in second place in its qualifying group and is tied for fourth in points for a group runner-up spot. The top four runners-up advance to a playoff that gives them a second chance to qualify for the World Cup. If Cameroon can’t make it, Embiid is also intrigued to follow England, but he expects that team to “choke again.”
Embiid said he thinks his experience playing soccer growing up helped improve his footwork for basketball.
“Hakeem [Olajuwon] was another one that started so late and made it into basketball, and he credits his football skills to be able to get better so fast. I think there’s a lot of similarities where — I’ve always been a type of guy to observe, and then you show me one thing, and I’m able to do it after one or two tries, and just pick stuff up so fast. If you’re not coordinated enough, or if you don’t have good footwork, that’s not going to be possible, and that goes back to football, using your feet and having soft feet.”
His experiences growing up playing other sports before getting into basketball have him encouraging his young son to do the same. So Embiid won’t push him to specialize in any one sport — except for soccer, which he plays every Sunday. But Arthur is already enjoying following in his father’s footsteps.
“He seems to be in love with basketball, but that’s where I struggle,” Embiid said. “I started at 16, and maybe I was lucky. It takes a lot of work to be able to make it to the NBA within three years of starting playing basketball, maybe a little bit of luck, but it took a lot of work. That’s where you’re like, if I started at 16, why should any kid start playing basketball at 6 years old? That’s where you’ve got to find that balance.”
