Ahead of Watch Party PHL opening a new women’s sports venue, The Stoop Pigeon, next year, it is teaming up with the Philadelphia Sisters grassroots organization to release a new beer — the Philly is a Women’s Sports Town Pilsner.
The beer, a relabeled version of Sterling Pig Brewery’s Shoat Pilsner, will be available through the end of January at Sterling Pig Brewery, additional participating bars locally, and online.
They also are selling other “Philly is a Women’s Sports Town” merchandise, a phrase Watch Party founder Jen Leary coined after the announcement that the city would be getting a WNBA expansion franchise in 2030. The phrase blew up after actor Aubrey Plaza wore one of the group’s T-shirts courtside at a New York Liberty game.
Watch Party PHL founder Jen Leary holds the “Philly is a women’s sports town” shirt that went viral after Aubrey Plaza wore it to a Liberty game.
With Unrivaled, the offseason three-on-three women’s basketball league, making its first-ever tour stop on Jan. 30 in Philadelphia and the announcement that Philadelphia will gain a WNBA team, 2025 has been a banner year for women’s sports in Philadelphia. Philadelphia Sisters, which is dedicated to the development of women’s sports in the city from the youth level to the pros, and Watch Party PHL are looking to keep the momentum going in 2026.
Watch Party PHL has hosted a number of watch parties for women’s sports, including the WNBA, women’s college basketball, the NWSL, and U.S. women’s national soccer team. The group is opening The Stoop Pigeon in May 2026. It will join Marsha’s on South Street, which opened in October, as the city’s women’s sports bars.
After two dreary episodes, Hard Knocks finally got to film an Eagles win as the team snapped its three-game losing streak against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
The HBO documentary series released its third episode focused on the NFC East on Tuesday night, bringing a behind-the-scenes look at each team’s preparations for Week 15 of the NFL season.
The latest episode looked into Saquon Barkley’s dissatisfaction with the running game, Lane Johnson’s injury rehab, the team’s reaction to Brandon Graham’s big day, and more.
Here’s what you may have missed from Episode 3 of Hard Knocks …
Barkley wants to ‘open up the playbook’
It’s not breaking news to say that Barkley has underperformed so far this season. No one expected another offensive player of the year campaign or another 2,000 yards rushing — but no one expected the Eagles’ running game to rank in the bottom half of the league either.
With the Eagles seeing an uptick in rushing success in the team’s loss to the Chargers, Hard Knocks made sure to give Barkley more screen time this week.
In a quick interview, the veteran running back chalked up the team’s failures on the ground, and on offense in general, to poor execution by the team on early downs.
“What I see this year for me personally is that I don’t think I’ve lost a step,” Barkley said. “We’ve had glimpses of it, glimpses of when we’re on, we’re a really hard offense to stop. Now we just need to be consistent. If you’re able to get to second-and-manageable and not second-and-long, you get more runs called and it opens up the playbook a little bit more.
“Establishing the line of scrimmage and making sure I’m doing what I need to do to set linebackers up and set defenders up to put us in a position to be successful.”
Barkley isn’t wrong. The Birds lead the league in three-and-outs. Luckily, they faced an opponent which, at least for one week, eased those concerns — more on that in a bit.
Eagles tackle Lane Johnson (65) hasn’t played since the win over the Detroit Lions on Nov. 16.
Paving the Lane for a return
Eagles fans — and likely the players as well — have been awaiting the return of future Hall-of-Fame right tackle Lane Johnson. The 6-foot-6, 325-pound lineman has been rehabbing a Lisfranc injury in his foot and had missed the previous three games before Sunday.
Hard Knocks took a camera crew to Johnson’s home, showcasing the former Oklahoma star’s well-known personal gym and his workout routine on his path to recovery.
“Last few games haven’t gone our way,” Johnson said. “Not being out there, not being a part of it, it’s frustrating. I hate it, I absolutely hate it. But I’m attacking the rehab process as diligently as I can.”
Day by day. Rep by rep. Getting closer to getting back on the field.
While there is no official timetable for his injury, Johnson hinted at a return against the Commanders this Saturday.
“Day by day, rep by rep, I am getting close to getting back on the field, maybe next week,” Johnson said. “Usually, after a few losses, its very motivating. And we have everything in front of us.”
Linebacker Jaelan Phillips (left) and defensive end Brandon Graham have added a new element to the Eagles defense.
‘A resurgence of my career’
If you didn’t know much about one of the newest Eagles, linebacker Jaelan Phillips, Hard Knocks provided a perfect rundown on the former Miami Dolphin.
After suffering an Achilles tear in 2023 and an ACL tear in 2024, the Birds’ trade-deadline acquisition has had to overcome a lot to get where he is today — a difference-maker for the defending Super Bowl champions.
“When you go through multiple injuries, obviously there can be a lot of self-doubt, a lot of tough times,” Phillips said. “It’s just a blessing to be able to be back on the field and be with a team that has so much fun playing together.”
Added linebacker Nakobe Dean: “I mean, J.P., he came in and fit just like a glove. His personality matched everyone’s personality. We’re a young defense, we like to have a lot of fun.”
Speaking of fun, Phillips seems to be having a blast with the Birds so far.
Phillips, who could be playing his way to a contract extension, was shown practicing his best gladiator impression in Green Bay, dancing during practice, and singing the Eagles fight song against the Raiders — a breath of fresh air for a team previously mired in frustration.
“When I first got here, I said it was the best thing to ever happen to me,” Phillips said. “Because I am a person who realizes what a great opportunity this could be, to be able to come into Philadelphia to this amazing team with this great energy I feel like is just a resurgence of my career.”
Game time
In the lead-up to Sunday’s game, Hard Knocks took a peek inside the Eagles QB room as Jalen Hurts attended a meeting with fellow quarterbacks and position coach Scott Loeffler.
“This quarterback thing is so [expletive] easy to play whenever all the [stuff’s] going right,” Loeffler told Hurts, who was coming off the worst game of his career. “This is the time that we need to step up to the plate, when the [stuff] hits the fan.”
During the game, fans were able to see Barkley’s earlier words about the running game come to life almost immediately. Dominating on the ground and controlling the line of scrimmage did, in fact, open up the rest of the offense. After the Eagles’ final touchdown Sunday, Hard Knocks captured a joyful moment between Hurts and Nick Sirianni after A.J. Brown’s touchdown up the seam in the third quarter.
“I got you, baby,” Hurts said to Sirianni.
“I know, listen,” Sirianni responded. “You better say great [expletive] design.”
“Great [stuff],” Hurts said, before being jumped by Sirianni. “I put it up the seam.”
“I know you did,” Sirianni said.
Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni had fun with this play call 🦅 @Eagles
But the true highlight of the game came on defense.
Old man Graham, who returned to the team after a brief retirement at age 37, recorded two sacks against Pete Carroll’s Raiders, with Phillips and Sirianni doing the vet’s signature celebration in unison.
Sunday marked the end of a three-game skid for the Eagles, who earned a much-needed 31-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in the team’s first shutout since 2018.
Despite a dominant performance against a Kenny Pickett-led Raiders team, the Eagles have barely made a move in national power rankings. As the Birds prepare to head back on the road to face the Washington Commanders on Saturday, here’s where they stand in the latest batch of rankings …
Yahoo! Sports: Seventh
Although the team came out victorious on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field, the Eagles have remained in the No. 7 spot at Yahoo! Sports. A win over the 2-12 Raiders just wasn’t enough to show what this team could be capable of.
“It’s hard to even know what Sunday’s 31-0 win meant because it came against a Raiders team that doesn’t even resemble a professional operation lately,“ Frank Schwab wrote. ”But Philly’s defense does get credit for allowing only 75 yards, the fewest allowed in any game this NFL season. The offense had its best game in a long time. The Eagles will have to repeat that against an actual professional team, but at least the win wasn’t in doubt.”
The Eagles trail the No. 5 Chicago Bears and the No. 6 Houston Texans. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Rams top Yahoo’s list.
The Eagles moved up one spot from last week’s ESPN power rankings, behind the Buffalo Bills (No. 5), the Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 6), and the San Francisco 49ers (No. 7). ESPN also picked a player from each roster who might earn a contract extension in the offseason, and for Howie Roseman that could be one of his newest additions.
“Acquired from the Dolphins for a 2026 third-round pick in November, [Jaelan] Phillips has fortified a defensive front that looks championship-caliber in the fifth and final year of his rookie deal,” Tim McManus wrote. “Phillips has played for defensive coordinator Vic Fangio at two different stops and is a clear fit for his scheme. He is just 26 and plays a premium position, making him precisely the type of player Philadelphia’s front office would commit to long term.”
The Rams continue to hold the top spot. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks (No. 2) and the Denver Broncos (No. 3) moved up one spot.
The Eagles beat the Las Vegas Raiders, 31-0, Sunday to snap their three-game losing streak.
The Ringer: Eighth
After 14 consecutive weeks as one of the top six teams, the Eagles continue to fall in power rankings — falling one spot from last week’s No. 7 ranking despite their 31-point victory. This week’s summary: “Everybody looks good against the Raiders.”
“While it wouldn’t make a difference in the race to the Super Bowl, I wish that more teams would put up style points against the Raiders,” Diante Lee wrote. “Just like Denver last week, Philadelphia was relaxed and offensively methodical against Las Vegas, shrinking the game and letting the rushing attack lead the way.
“The shutout wasn’t pretty — and I wouldn’t say that this offense is close to fixing its problems yet — but quarterback Jalen Hurts was efficient in a way that’s been missing from the offense lately. For that alone, I can begrudgingly give the Eagles a passing grade for the week.”
The Eagles follow the No. 6 New England Patriots and the No. 7 Detroit Lions. The Rams (No. 1), Broncos (No. 2), and Seahawks (No. 3) top the Ringer’s rankings.
While the Eagles didn’t drop in The Athletic’s rankings, they also didn’t move up from last week’s spot (12th). The Athletic’s MVP of the game went to cornerback Quinyon Mitchell.
“The offense finally got going Sunday, but this team is still led by its defense,” Josh Kendall and Chad Graff wrote. “That defense has a lot of stars, but none has played better this year than Mitchell. The cornerback does not have an interception, but Sunday was his seventh game of allowing 10 or fewer yards in coverage, according to Next Gen Stats. His 15 pass breakups rank fourth in the league.”
The Eagles are behind the Jaguars (No. 9), the Bears (No. 10), and the Los Angeles Chargers (No. 11).
The Eagles defense posted its first shutout since 2018.
NFL.com: 12th
After their win, the Eagles moved up one spot in NFL.com’s power rankings — slotting below the No. 10 Texans and the No. 11 Chargers.
“The Eagles needed a tension-breaker game, and they got exactly that,” Eric Edholm wrote. “Beating the Raiders won’t tell us whether the offense is truly fixed or if Philadelphia is suddenly any more playoff-ready, making this result comparable to the 2023 Eagles’ December win over a bad Giants team.
“Then again, just imagine if Philly had not had its way with an even worse Las Vegas outfit. Jalen Hurts followed his five-turnover game against the Chargers with a clean, crisp performance Sunday, and that was a positive sign. The red-zone package was a little more inspired, too, and the defense turned in a near-perfect showing, even accounting for how challenged the Raiders are offensively. The Eagles will take this and try to build on it, with Sunday’s game against the 4-10 Commanders presenting a similar assignment.”
The Eagles’ win over the Raiders wasn’t enough for the team to move up in the CBS Sports’ power rankings. Instead, the team held steady at the No. 12 spot, just below the Green Bay Packers (No. 10) and the Chargers (No. 11).
“Nothing like the Raiders to fix an ailing team,” Pete Prisco wrote. “The Eagles looked dominant in their victory, but it is the Raiders.”
The Broncos top the CBS list, above the Rams (No. 2) and Seahawks (No. 3).
USA Today moved the Eagles up one spot from last week’s No. 13 ranking. Now, the Eagles sit above the Lions (No. 13) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 14).
“A.J. Brown’s three-game streak of 100-yard receiving games was snapped Sunday,” Nate Davis wrote. “Philly’s three-game losing streak was snapped Sunday. Hmmm.”
Controversy from the Sixers’ loss Sunday night lingered into Tuesday thanks to a salty message from NBA officials calling out NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Alaa Abdelnaby.
With less than two seconds left and the Atlanta Hawks clinging to a one-point lead, Nickeil Alexander-Walker inbounded a pass in the frontcourt and dribbled it into the backcourt before being fouled by 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe.
Clearly a backcourt violation and Sixers ball with a chance to win the game, right? Abdelnaby certainly thought so.
“His foot’s in the frontcourt! The ball’s in the frontcourt!” Abdelnaby said during NBC Sports Philadelphia’s telecast.
Can someone explain to me how this was NOT called a backcourt violation by the Hawks?
The officials didn’t see it that way, despite protests from Joel Embiid and Sixers coach Nick Nurse. Their explanation for the no-call after the game was that Alexander-Walker’s “momentum” carried him into the backcourt, which “is legal in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime.”
Former NBA referee turned ESPN analyst Steve Javie, a Philly native and Temple grad, heard complaints about the no-call from a Sixers fan during a Christmas party Monday night. But after watching the video, Javie thinks the refs made the correct call that Alexander-Walker didn’t establish himself in the frontcourt.
“That’s an easy one. I don’t even think it’s that controversial,” Javie told The Inquirer. “That’s not the one you want to go up the mountain on.”
So instead of it being Sixers ball trailing by just one point, Alexander-Walker made both of his foul shots and increased the Hawks’ lead to three. Quentin Grimes got up a decent shot that would have tied the score as time expired, but it bounced in and out, and the Hawks walked away with the win.
That’s when things got interesting.
On Monday, the National Basketball Referees Association criticized Abdelnaby on social media and defended the officials’ no-call during Sunday’s game.
“For those calling the game, there is a responsibility to know the NBA rules and explain them correctly in order to properly educate the fans,” the association wrote, tagging Abdelnaby’s X account.
This was not a backcourt violation and has never been a backcourt violation.
For those calling the game, there is a responsibility to know the NBA rules and explain them correctly in order to properly educate the fans @alaatweets
The referees’ official X account, with more than 136,000 followers, hasn’t been historically combative and had not called out a single announcer by name this season before going after Abdelnaby.
Why now? That remains unclear. The National Basketball Referees Association did not respond to a request for comment.
“As a ref, you hear so much stuff [from announcers] year after year, game after game, you get kind of frustrated. Like, ‘Dude, this is not the right rule you’re talking about,’” Javie said, especially from hometown announcers openly rooting for their teams. “This is why they’re frustrated and gave him a shot, probably.”
Abdelnaby, a former Duke standout and NBA player in his 10th season calling Sixers games, isn’t afraid to offer strong opinions about the officials during broadcasts. He did so multiple times Sunday night, including after the game from the concourse of State Farm Arena in Atlanta, where he and play-by-play announcer Kate Scott called the game.
“Sometimes you’re told as a player on the road, you have to beat eight instead of just five,” Abdelnaby said, referring to the three officials on the court. “I thought the Sixers got a little shortchanged tonight.”
Abdelnaby declined to comment about the NBA referees’ social media post, but he wasn’t alone in thinking the officials missed a backcourt violation.
“It was a complete blunder by the referees tonight,” NBA Sports Philadelphia studio analyst and former NBA player Marc Jackson said following the game.
What do the NBA rules say?
When in doubt, go to the rule book, where there appear to be two sections invoked Sunday night.
First, the NBA rule book clearly states that the ball “shall be awarded to the opposing team” if a ball in the frontcourt or at the midcourt line passes into the backcourt.
But there is one exception:
And here’s what the rule book says about determining the frontcourt or backcourt status of a player on a throw-in:
The rule basically says a player’s position isn’t determined until he has established a “positive position” on an inbounds pass, as long as it’s under two minutes in the fourth period or in overtime.
So what does “positive position” mean? According to Javie, it basically equates to possession and stopping with the basketball.
“If [Alexander-Walker’s] momentum had stopped from going to the backcourt, and then he took a step into the backcourt, that would then be deemed a backcourt violation,” Javie said. “He didn’t establish position anywhere, really.”
“I thought it was going to be less obvious than that,” Javie added, based on the complaints over the no call.
Fans will certainly have a lot of time to debate the rules, since the Sixers won’t take the court again until Friday night against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Amazon’s Prime Video.
With the holidays right around the corner, Eagles star Saquon Barkley continues to give back to the community — while playing a little Madden NFL 26 in the process.
Dozens of children gathered around one of the pods at the Chickie’s & Pete’s on Packer Avenue, as the running back joined in on a video game session. In between plays, as he signed autographs, his mother, Tonya Johnson, watched on with a bright smile.
“When you think of Christmas, you think of a time of joy, the time of putting smiles on people’s faces, and unfortunately that’s not the truth for everybody,” Barkley said. “That’s the God’s honest truth. So, we just want to make sure that we’re using our platform to try to make a change. We’re super excited for the event tonight. For everyone that donated toys, hopefully, we’re able to put smiles on kids’ faces.”
Children watched from the first floor with their cameras out and bright smiles on their faces as part of the Michael Ann & Saquon Barkley Hope Foundation toy drive, which aims to help underserved families from the Greater Philadelphia and Delaware Valley areas before the holidays.
The foundation partnered with City Council President Kenyatta Johnson’s office to host an unwrapped toy drive at Chickie’s & Pete’s during this year’s Jingle Ball pre-party. Pre-party guests donated toys that ranged from LEGO sets and Fisher-Price items to remote control cars and Lite-Brites. The table was flooded with gifts by the end of the night.
Saquon Barkley takes photo with Emmanuel Nyanue, left, holding 3-month-old Salim Davis at Barkley’s toy drive at Chickie’s & Pete’s in South Philadelphia on Monday.
“[My mother] always had dreams of me [giving back],” Barkley said. “I have a lot of siblings. So, I don’t want to sit here and make it seem like I’m the special one. But my mom always had dreams of stuff like this happening. I feel like everything happens for a reason. [My parents] instilled in me so much confidence that I can accomplish anything I want to. So, I told them since I was a little kid, this is what I wanted to do and now we’re just living the dream.”
“We all have a special place in our heart for kids,” Barkley said. “So, any time you can have an event and just try to give back and put smiles on kids’ faces, it makes it 10 times better to be completely honest. That’s what we focus on. We want to try to make an impact on our community but directly focused on children, especially the underprivileged children, underserved children, and try to make a change in their lives.”
Here are five things to know about the newest Phillie …
García defected from Cuba
García ultimately charted his path through professional baseball by first playing in Japan for Nippon Profession Baseball’s Yomiuri Giants. On his return flight to Cuba, which connected through Paris, García instead disembarked and boarded a flight bound for the Dominican Republic, where he lived for six months to establish residency and to become an international free agent in 2017. He signed with the Cardinals for $2.5 million.
García appeared in 21 games for St. Louis in 2018, and then was traded to the Texas Rangers in 2019. In his 2021 rookie season with Texas, García appeared in 149 games for the Rangers — he had only played a total of 24 games prior — and made the American League All-Star team, finishing fourth in rookie of the year voting.
If you’re familiar with García already, it’s probably because of his postseason performance for the Rangers in 2023, the year Texas won the World Series, a series the Phillies were one win from reaching before losing two straight to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Garcia, who was named MVP of that year’s American League Championship Series, is a confident player who loves the big stage.
“These types of games, when there’s a lot of emotions, the fans out there, they are rallying for their team, it fuels me,” García told Fox Sports. “It’s motivation that helps me out when I’m playing.”
Former Ranger teammate Marcus Semien, who García now joins in the National League East, said the outfielder was the most confident teammate he’d ever had.
“I think so,” Semien told Fox Sports. “He’s got the swag to go with it. It’s just so good for young players to watch him and how he plays with such confidence to just boost up everybody else. I think a lot of young players could learn from that guy.”
Adolis García won a World Series with the Rangers in 2023.
El Bombi 💡
García’s nickname is El Bombi, which, according to the Dallas Morning News, originated in childhood in Cuba, thanks to a friend who thought his head represented a light bulb, or a “bombillo.”
Baseball is a family affair
His older brother, Adonis García, played in MLB with the Atlanta Braves from 2015-2017. His father also played professionally in Cuba.
García and current Mariners outfielder Arozarena defected from Cuba around the same time. They didn’t know each other well in Cuba, but became close friends in the Cardinals’ minor league system.
“Adolis is kind of like my brother,” Arozarena told The Athletic. “So much (so) that I named him the godfather of my daughter.”
It feels good to play a week of football where the Eagles aren’t the number one topic of the national conversation, doesn’t it?
But some in the national media still had things to say about the Birds after they snapped a three-game losing streak with a 31-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders …
Injuries catching up with rest of NFC
The Eagles aren’t out of the woods offensively, even after delivering against a weak Raiders team. But with the Cowboys’ loss to the Vikings, the Eagles are just one win or Cowboys loss away from clinching a playoff berth — and becoming the first team to repeat as NFC East champs in 20 years.
But what Week 15 showcased for former Eagle Chris Long is that the NFL is wide-open this season. The Eagles still have work to do, but they’re not the only contender with issues.
“If you’re the Eagles, you kind of feel like, if we can get our [expletive] together, the Rams … might have lost Davante Adams for a little bit … Green Bay’s lost Micah [Parsons], Christian Watson, Tucker Kraft, these are tough injuries to overcome for these other teams,” Long said.
Were the Eagles the biggest winners in Week 15? Damien Woody said on ESPN’s Get Up that he thinks so.
“Obviously, you win the game against the lowly Las Vegas Raiders, but the Dallas Cowboys lost, and you look at some of the other losses in the conference,” Woody said. “If you’re Philadelphia, you come out of this week thinking, if we get our offense back on track and these other teams lose, we’re still in a good spot right now.”
The Birds are one game back of the Bears for second in the NFC and two games back of the Rams, with the easiest remaining schedule of the three. It’s extremely unlikely that the Birds could secure the bye at this point, but second in the NFC is still very much in play.
Jalen Hurts was incredibly efficient against the Raiders, throwing as many touchdowns (3) as incompletions.
Hurts ‘had a statement to make’
After a career-worst performance against the Chargers, Jalen Hurts needed a game like Sunday’s against Las Vegas. Hurts went 12-for-15 for 175 yards and three touchdowns, and was out of the game by the fourth quarter.
Emmanuel Acho said on Speakeasy that he wasn’t ready to say Hurts was fully back, given the opponent, but was encouraged that the Eagles took care of business instead of falling into the trap.
“The Eagles played the second-fastest game in NFL history against the Raiders,” Acho said. “Here’s why that matters, you got in, you got out, you got on with your life. You did what you needed to do and you did it efficiently.”
Former Eagle LeSean McCoy was also impressed with Hurts’ performance.
“I don’t want to say he’s silenced all doubt because it is this Vegas team, but it’s the way he looked,” McCoy said. “He looked really, really good, he looked really confident, like he had a statement to make.”
A quick, stress-free Eagles win? Been a while since we’ve had one of those!
The 31-0 shutout victory over the Raiders went by so quickly (2 hours, 31 minutes) that you could’ve blinked and missed it. In case you want to relive the victory, here are the best moments from the broadcast …
Look, would you love to see him only repping Philly? Sure. But if he keeps playing like he played today — even against a Raiders team that’s “not very good,” according to Fox color analyst Greg Olsen — Hurts can wear whatever he wants.
“That even-keeled personality, I think people sometimes have a hard time understanding how to react to it,” Olsen said. “He can be so calm in the big moments, and when you expect a lot of emotion, you expect a lot of fire, that’s just not his personality. But I do think it serves him so well when things do get rocky and everyone else is riding those emotional ups and downs. He’s just so steady.”
Mistaken identity
After firing former Eagles coach Chip Kelly, the Raiders have a new offensive coordinator — Greg Olson. Olsen wanted to stress during the Raiders’ first offensive drive that they are not the same person.
“Not me, I am not calling plays for the Raiders,” Olsen said. “Olson with an O.”
After retiring in the offseason, Brandon Graham came back mid-year, and earned his first sack of the season on Kenny Pickett in the first quarter.
But quarterback Philip Rivers stole some of his thunder, coming out of retirement at 44 and making his first start since 2020 for the Colts against the Seahawks on Sunday afternoon.
“This is the year of retired guys coming back,” Fox play-by-play commentator Joe Davis said. “Philip Rivers saw Graham come back and said, why can’t I?”
“There’s old, and then there’s Philip,” Olsen joked.
Of course, when you think of snow games in Philadelphia, you think of the famous Santa game. But given how the Birds had been playing coming into Sunday’s game, you’d be forgiven for feeling more like the Grinch.
But thanks to the Birds’ shutout victory, even the Grinch’s heart may have grown a few sizes …
To what I imagine was the delight of the fans freezing at the Linc, the Eagles played one of the shortest games in franchise history, clocking in at 2 hours, 31 minutes, give or take a minute.
But it could have been a contender for the all-time record for shortest game, set in 1996 at 2:29 by the Colts and the Chargers. Of course, ad space is king, and a long ad break just seconds after the two-minute warning stretched the game out just enough to block the Birds from setting an NFL record.
The Eagles are looking to snap a three-game losing skid on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field. After the disaster at SoFi Stadium against the Chargers, the Birds are desperate to get back in the win column against a 2-11 Raiders squad without its starting quarterback.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Sunday’s game …
How to watch
The game will kick off on Fox at 1 p.m. from the Linc. Joe Davis and Greg Olsen will call the game from the booth, with Pam Oliver on the sideline.
If you’d rather listen to Merrill Reese and Mike Quick call the game, the radio broadcast can be found on 94.1 WIP, and if you’re not heading to the Linc, but want to watch the game with your fellow Birds fans, here are a few spots to check out.
The Eagles beat the Rams in the snow in the divisional round of the playoffs last year. It doesn’t look like the snow will be a factor, but the wind and cold could be.
Eagles vs. Raiders weather
The National Weather Service is calling for 2-4 inches of snow in the Philadelphia region on Sunday, but it is expected to move out of the area well before the Eagles game kicks off in South Philly. Temperatures are not expected to climb above 30, and the wind chill will likely be in the teens thanks to 15-25 mph winds.
The big injuries for the Eagles are again along the offensive and defensive lines. The Birds will be without right tackle Lane Johnson, who will miss his third game with a Lisfranc injury. The team is 0-3 in his absence. The Eagles will also be without defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who will miss his second straight game after undergoing a procedure on his shoulders.
The Raiders will be without quarterback Geno Smith, paving the way for backup Kenny Pickett to make his first start since Week 17 of last season, when he was a member of the Eagles.
Out
QB Geno Smith (shoulder/back)
WR Alex Bachman (thumb)
T Kolton Miller (ankle)
Questionable
S Jeremy Chinn (back)
C/G Jordan Meredith (foot)
TE Ian Thomas (calf)
Eagles vs. Raiders odds
The Eagles are favored by 11.5 points at FanDuel and 12.5 at DraftKings as of Friday afternoon, with a projected total of 38.5 points at both sportsbooks. For more information on prop bets, check out our betting roundup.
The Rams and Seahawks are tied for the best record in the NFC heading into Week 15.
Eagles playoff picture
With four games remaining in the regular season, the 8-5 Eagles hold a two-game lead over the rest of the NFC East and hold the third seed in the NFC. Elsewhere in the division, the 2-11 Giants and 3-10 Commanders are both eliminated from playoff contention. The Cowboys, at 6-7-1, are the only remaining NFC East team in the hunt, but even with an Eagles win and a Dallas loss, the Birds cannot clinch a playoff berth this week.
NFC East standings
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Meanwhile, in the race for the top seed in the NFC — and the lone first-round bye — the Eagles have some work to do. They’re two games behind the NFC West-leading Los Angeles Rams, and hold the head-to-head tiebreaker thanks to their Week 3 win.
However, even if the Rams falter, the Eagles are also two games behind the Seattle Seahawks, who are in second in the NFC West and the top wild-card team. The San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, and Chicago Bears are also each one game ahead of the Eagles in the win column. The Eagles only hold the tiebreaker over the Packers.
NFC standings
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Can the Eagles offense turn things around against the Raiders?
Story lines to watch
How will Jalen Hurts bounce back from a career-worst performance in L.A.? He plans to stay the course.
“I take the approach I’ve taken for a while, and it’s seemed to work,” Hurts said Wednesday. “I think right now it’s just a matter of being more detailed, more focused.
“When you put forth the work, put forth the effort, good things happen when you need them to happen. That’s my mentality. That’s how I’ve gotten to where I am today.”
Outside the Eagles facility, however, a debate over whether the team should bench Hurts has dominated airwaves, locally and nationally. According to Jeff McLane, it’s a question that has some merit after Hurts’ third straight loss. Others — like Nick Sirianni, who called the idea “ridiculous” earlier this week — aren’t as convinced.
Jake Elliott’s missed field goal against the Chargers proved critical, but the Eagles’ end-of-half conservatism has become a trend.
The defense has been lights out while the other side of the ball has struggled. Jordan Davis still believes in the Eagles offense.
Jason Kelce wasn’t a fan of the “positivity rabbit” that popped up in the Eagles locker room last week. It was gone after their loss to the Chargers.
One number to know
8-1: Pete Carroll’s all-time record against the Eagles as a head coach. Carroll has beaten the Eagles five times at Lincoln Financial Field and went undefeated against the Birds as head coach of the Seahawks. The Birds’ only win over Carroll came in 1998, when he coached the Patriots.
Jeff McLane: “This is as close to an ideal get-back opportunity that Hurts and the offense could have at this stage of the season. Las Vegas has a decent defense and I suspect all the problems on that side of the ball won’t be solved. But you can’t lose if the other team doesn’t score points, and an Eagles’ shutout is in play. Really.” | Prediction: Eagles 24, Raiders 9
Jeff Neiburg: “I think the Eagles did enough positive things offensively Monday to convince me they won’t have trouble moving the ball Sunday. They just need to avoid turnovers. Easier said then done, of course.“ | Prediction: Eagles 27, Raiders 11
Olivia Reiner: “This is a game the Eagles should win, even in the offense’s current state of disarray. But don’t expect it to be a blowout. It’s going to be cold and windy at the Linc (remember how the Eagles fared in those conditions against the Bears?), so it seems unlikely that this game is going to be high-scoring if the weather gets ugly. Perhaps that works to the Eagles’ advantage, seeing as they’ve been practicing in an icebox all week and the Raiders are living it up in temperate Las Vegas.” | Prediction: Eagles 20, Raiders 13
Here’s a look at the latest from our columnists, starting with David Murphy, who thinks talk of benching Hurts is short-sighted, but not as crazy as it sounds.
David Murphy: “You know what’s really, truly, magnificently ridiculous to think? That any quarterback could play as poorly as Hurts has played in back-to-back losses to the Bears and the Chargers without prompting some level of discussion about whether or not he should continue to start. As good as Hurts has played in his two Super Bowl appearances, that’s how bad he has played over the last couple of weeks.” Read more.
Marcus Hayes: “[A.J. Brown] was getting fewer and fewer looks. The ball just wasn’t finding him. He wanted the ball more. Hell, I wanted him to get the ball more. After all, with due respect to the golden oldies and one year of Terrell Owens, the Eagles have never had a receiver quite like him. But getting it to him has spelled disaster.” Read more.
Mike Sielski: “The Eagles are an excellent defensive team, and that is all, and that is not enough, not even close. Not with an offense like this. Not with this team’s tendency to commit untimely and inexcusable penalties. Not with so many questions that don’t get answered and so many problems that don’t get solved.” Read more.
Kenny Pickett started the Eagles’ Week 17 game against the Cowboys last season.
What the Raiders are saying
Pickett, who is plenty familiar with the Eagles as a player and a fan, is looking forward to starting against his former team Sunday — and has a bit of an idea what to expect.
“They’ll be ready to go,” Pickett said. “They have a hell of a team, there’s not a ton of new faces on that team, there’s a lot of really good players, I know the coaching staff, and how prepared they’re going to be for the game, so it’s a great opportunity.”
On what he took away from his Eagles experience: “Seeing what it looks like to be world champions, the dedication, the commitment from every position group, it was really player-led — that was a really cool thing. I think we had a great veteran leadership and a lot of those guys are still there.”
On the potential snowy weather: “I’m a Northeast guy, so this is new to me, going out and practicing in December and it’s 60 degrees every day. It’s unbelievable here, but I’m more used to when it hits November, December for it to be more like what it’ll be on game day, so I’m pretty familiar with it.”
Nationally, this week’s main character was Hurts, who took the mantle from offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. Things didn’t get off to a good start for the Eagles quarterback, with many, including ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, placing blame for their latest loss squarely on Hurts’ shoulders.
“You can’t make that throw,” Smith said of Hurts’ game-sealing interception in overtime. “You’re in field-goal range, in a position to tie. You know how much is on the line.”
“Do your job,” former Eagle Emmanuel Acho said on his Speakeasy podcast. “… He’s been average all season, and he was atrocious today. He was the reason they lost today.”
Nick Sirianni called the idea of benching Jalen Hurts “ridiculous.”
However, by the end of the week, Smith found himself on the other side of the debate, explaining why Hurts would continue starting to those calling for him to be benched.
“Jalen Hurts ain’t going to be benched,” Smith said Thursday on First Take. “The backup quarterback’s name is Tanner McKee, right? We all know Tanner McKee ain’t playing. We just know this, OK? Down the line, in the future, sure, but this year, Tanner McKee is not going to replace the reigning defending Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl MVP.”
Here’s what else the national media had to say about Hurts this week …
Dan Orlovsky: “I was probably the most critical person of Jalen Hurts early in his career. He … was the MVP of the Super Bowl. And 10 months later — 10 months later from doing that — we’re going, ‘Do you think we should bench the quarterback?’ … Do you know how stupid of a question that is?”
Colin Cowherd: “The truth is, the more Jalen Hurts throws, the worse Philadelphia is. Those are the facts.”
LeSean McCoy: “Did he play bad? Yes. Did he play horrible? Hell yeah, but he ain’t no four-pick-type quarterback. He had a bad game. A lot of quarterbacks have that.”
A nightmarish five-turnover game from Jalen Hurts in the Eagles’ Week 14 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers led some to wonder aloud if it would be beneficial to bench the quarterback for the team’s Week 15 game against the Raiders.
Nick Sirianni called the idea of benching Hurts “ridiculous” Wednesday morning during an interview with 94 WIP, but the coach’s comments did not stop the wave of opinions about Hurts.
“You know what’s really, truly, magnificently ridiculous to think? That any quarterback could play as poorly as Hurts has played in back-to-back losses to the Bears and the Chargers without prompting some level of discussion about whether or not he should continue to start,” Inquirer columnist David Murphy wrote Friday. “As good as Hurts has played in his two Super Bowl appearances, that’s how bad he has played over the last couple of weeks.”
Meanwhile, fellow columnist Marcus Hayes also believes the conversation needs to at least happen, whether the Eagles ultimately go through with it or not — adding that one more bad game and the Birds might really need to consider sitting Hurts. And Eagles writer Jeff McLane opened the week by suggesting there’s “merit” to the idea of starting Tanner McKee against the Raiders, but that “opening that can of worms may cause more harm than good — especially in the long term.”
Needless to say, the national media has had plenty to say about the idea of benching Hurts. Here’s a look a what they’re saying ahead of Sunday’s game in Vegas …
‘We all know Tanner McKee ain’t playing’
Stephen A. Smith addressed the idea of benching Hurts in favor of backup Tanner McKee on Thursday morning’s episode of ESPN’s First Take. Smith dismissed the idea, largely on the basis that it would be irresponsible to give McKee, a 2023 sixth-round pick out of Stanford, his second career start in a pivotal game.
“Jalen Hurts ain’t going to be benched,” Smith said. “The backup quarterback’s name is Tanner McKee, right? We all know Tanner McKee ain’t playing. We just know this, OK? Down the line, in the future, sure, but this year, Tanner McKee is not going to replace the reigning defending Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl MVP.”
Smith said calls for Hurts benching is a way for Philly fans to “light a fire” under the team after a three-game losing streak.
“They’re saying, ‘What do we do? What do we have to do to light a fire under these dudes? Because, [expletive], what’s going on isn’t working, because Sirianni ain’t doing anything about it. [Offensive coordinator Kevin] Patullo ain’t doing anything about it. We got a problem.’ That’s the Philadelphia fan base,” Smith said. “There’s nobody with sense that would think for one second that Jalen Hurts is going to find himself on the bench in favor of Tanner McKee.”
Eagles backup quarterback Tanner McKee’s last start came in the 2024 regular season finale.
‘Do you know how stupid of a question that is?’
Former NFL quarterback — and one-time Hurts critic — Dan Orlovsky agreed with his ESPNcolleague on Thursday’s First Take, calling the talk of benching Hurts “the dumbest conversation of the NFL season.”
“I was probably the most critical person of Jalen Hurts early in his career,” Orlovsky said. “He has gone to the playoffs four times. He’s gone to the Super Bowl twice. He’s won the Super Bowl once, and he was the MVP of the Super Bowl. And 10 months later — 10 months later from doing that — we’re going, ‘Do you think we should bench the quarterback?’ … Do you know how stupid of a question that is?”
.@danorlovsky7 believes Jalen Hurts is being OVERLY criticized right now 👀
"It's still crazy to have the quarterback in the NFL right now, who's fourth in touchdowns, have his job security in question." pic.twitter.com/qLl17wFmif
Orlovsky pointed out the absurdity of Hurts, whose 27 combined rushing and passing touchdowns are the fourth-most in the NFL, having his job security in question. Orlovsky, who has been critical of the Eagles’ struggling offense this season, said the team’s problems are too interconnected to blame on Hurts alone.
“Saquon Barkley is one of two running backs that have over 50 carries this year that have gone for either no yards or negative yards,” Orlovsky said. “Is that because Saquon can’t play anymore? Or is it all connected?”
His criticism of the Eagles quarterback runs deeper than a game or the remaining weeks of the season. Cowherd said on Wednesday’s episode of Fox Sports 1’s The Herd that Hurts’ size may be enough of a reason for the franchise to move on from the quarterback. Cowherd pointed out that many of the league’s best quarterbacks, including Justin Herbert and Josh Allen are 6-foot-3 and above.
“I’m 6-2,” Cowherd said. “I can’t be taller than your franchise quarterback.”
"The truth is: The more Jalen Hurts throws, the worse Philadelphia is. Those are the facts."@colincowherd wonders if the Eagles need to consider a change at quarterback pic.twitter.com/gF2vDqaFZ9
At 6-foot-1, Hurts is the same size as Brock Purdy, Tua Tagovailoa, and Baker Mayfield. Cowherd wondered if the league’s 17-game season is wearing on its smaller quarterbacks.
“[Hurts is] smart, he’s athletic, he’s tough,” Cowherd said. “He’s tiny. It’s not just the size and the length of the quarterback, it’s the length of the season. It’s now 17 games. NFL defensive players are now bigger, stronger, faster. The hits hurt more, they’re more punitive.”
However, Hurts did not shrink — nor did the NFL schedule grow — over the offseason, and neither seemed to be an issue during last year’s Super Bowl run.
This season, Hurts has not missed time due to injury, but he is on pace to finish with his fewest rushing carries since his rookie year. Hurts has carried the ball just 88 times this season.
The Eagles’ move away from running Hurts may protect his long-term health, but the team has struggled with Hurts throwing the ball more frequently. The Birds are 1-5 in games where Hurts throws more than 30 passes.
“The truth is, the more Jalen Hurts throws, the worse Philadelphia is,” Cowherd said. “Those are the facts.”
