Alycia Marshall will earn $295,000 as the new president of the Community College of Philadelphia under terms of a contract approved by the board of trustees Friday.
Marshall, 52, had been serving as interim president since April when longtime president Donald Guy Generals was forced out. Her salary is similar to what Generals earned before he left.
In October, the board selected Marshall for the permanent post from among four finalists and said it would negotiate a contract with her.
The new contract, commencing Jan. 1, is for three years and six months and after that would renew on an annual basis.
“This is a great birthday present,” Marshall said following the unanimous vote on her contract at the brief board meeting. “Today is my birthday. Thank you so much for your support. … It’s been a pleasure serving as the interim and I’m excited to move into the next chapter.”
Under the contract, she will be eligible for a bonus of up to 15% of her base pay annually and will receive a $2,000-per-month housing allowance and a $650-per-month car allowance.
Marshall, who has maintained a residence in Maryland, is required to move her primary residence to Philadelphia within six months under the contract terms. She would face termination if she failed to do so, the contract states. Marshall has said she intended to move to Philadelphia if she got the permanent job.
Marshall had served as CCP’s provost and vice president for academic and student success for nearly three years before stepping into the interim role at the college, which had an enrollment of 12,400 credit students and 1,381 noncredit students last spring.
She received her bachelor’s in mathematics from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, her master’s in teaching from Bowie State University, and her doctorate in mathematics education from the University of Maryland.
A native of Maryland, she started her career as an adjunct professor at Anne Arundel Community College in Maryland, near Annapolis, and later became a full tenured professor and chair of the mathematics department. She was promoted to associate vice president there and founded the African American Leadership Institute and spent a total of nearly 23 years at the Maryland community college.
Ahkil Crumpton, a Philadelphia product and former West Catholic Prep football star who played two seasons for the storied University of Georgia Division-I football program, was convicted on state murder charges in Georgia earlier this week and received a life sentence without parole by Georgia Superior Court Judge Eric Norris.
Crumpton, 28, was already convicted in 2023 on all counts in a federal case related to the same 2021 fatal shooting of RaceTrac gas station attendant Elijah Wood, in Watkinsville, Georgia. Crumpton is serving a 30-year sentence in the federal case, and his federal sentence would run concurrently with the state sentence, meaning he would serve the longer, life sentence.
“We will definitely be appealing the conviction and the sentence,” said Crumpton’s Atlanta-based attorney in the state case, Bruce Harvey. “A sentence of life without parole – essentially death by incarceration – is manifestly unjust for a young, highly accomplished athlete, with no prior criminal history convicted of an unintentional killing. We are all hopeful that Ahkil may return to contribute to the community as exemplified by his life and the testimonials given at the sentencing (Thursday).”
Crumpton will be in state custody, Harvey said, and a court official said Crumpton is currently being held at the Georgia Department of Corrections.
It has been a dramatic fall from grace for a player who dreamed of playing in the NFL one day, and who landed at Georgia by way of Los Angeles Valley junior college after graduating from West Catholic.
But despite playing for Georgia coach Kirby Smart – who had identified Crumpton in 2017 as the elite receiver the team needed – for two seasons, Crumpton never reached his goal of playing pro.
“[Crumpton] was on a mission to make it to the NFL. I think he was so hell-bent on playing professional football,” a former L.A. Valley football coach who worked with Crumpton and asked not to be named, told The Inquirer in a past interview. “When things didn’t go the way he had planned, I’m sure it probably broke him, and I’m sure there was a lot of disappointment.”
In 2021, Crumpton’s life was forever altered through his links to two homicide cases – one in Georgia and one in his native Philadelphia.
Wood was killed in March 2021. But after a months-long investigation into Wood’s killer involving multiple state and federal agencies stalled, it was a ballistics match that ultimately led to Crumpton’s arrest for Wood’s murder. A July 2021 homicide in Philadelphia, just four months after Wood’s murder, involved Crumpton. Authorities said Crumpton fired 13 shots at a man named Anthony Jones near a South Street diner in Philly. Jones died at the scene.
It wasn’t until a federal agent ran the ballistics on both the Wood homicide and the Jones homicide that authorities came up with a match, tying Crumpton to both murders. Crumpton’s criminal records pertaining to the Jones case were apparently expunged.
Crumpton was living with his former Georgia teammate Juwan Taylor in Georgia in 2021. Taylor later testified against Crumpton in the federal trial that Crumpton came to their apartment after the Wood shooting and was “holding the pistol and was visibly upset saying, ‘I didn’t mean to do it – I just wanted the money, I just shot him at the store,’ ” according to the Department of Justice press release after Crumpton’s federal sentencing.
This week, a Georgia state jury found Crumpton guilty on all six counts, including felony murder.
“(Crumpton) can appeal the conviction and the sentence. But (it’s a life sentence without parole) unless he’s pardoned by the governor, or the law changes, and he can be resentenced, like the Menendez brothers (Erik and Lyle),” said Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor and now the president of West Coast Trial Lawyers. “Something has to change.”
NEW YORK — Joel Embiid has been ruled out for Friday night’s game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden with an illness and right-knee injury management.
The 76ers center was initially listed as questionable due to illness only. However, he’s been dealing with right knee issues since early November, which led to him missing nine consecutive games earlier in the season.
Embiid’s absence from the Knicks game should not come as a surprise, though. The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder doesn’t play on both nights of back-to-back games. After facing the Knicks (19-7), the Sixers (14-11) will play the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Embiid is averaging 20.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. He had a season-high 39 points and nine rebounds in a 115-105 home victory over the Indiana Pacers on Dec. 12. Two nights later, Embiid had 22 points and a season-high 14 rebounds in a 120-117 road loss to the Atlanta Ha
wks.
He’s already missed 14 of the Sixers’ 25 games this season.
Embiid isn’t the only Sixer who will miss the game. Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) will remain sidelined.
What’s left of the season’s first snowfall is all but gone with the wind — and the heftiest rains since October. And having done its best to disrupt Friday’s morning commute, the weather evidently is executing an afternoon encore.
After backing off for a few hours, the winds came back with a vengeance Friday afternoon. A thunderstorm gust of 62 mph was recorded at Philadelphia International Airport at 2:35 p.m.
The weather service’s wind advisory for the entire region remains in effect until 1 a.m. Saturday, and conspiring with snow melt to saturate the soils, SEPTA is particularly concerned about the potential for uprooted trees along its Regional Rail lines, said media relations director Andrew Busch.
“The recipe for problems is there,” he said. “We will have crews stationed across the system to respond quickly.”
Peco heard the rumors, and while the utility is “not expecting impacts, we’re going to continue to monitor conditions,“ said Candice Womer, senior communications specialist.
The deciduous trees are mostly bare, so winds can sail through branches that are not weighed down with leaves, but the weather service advises that “some power outages” are possible.
About 16,500 outages were reported at midafternoon.
An additional concern was the predicted wind shift during the day, from southerly in the morning to westerly in the afternoon, and how that might stress vulnerable trees, Womer said.
The strongest winds will occur during the afternoon
The gusts are likely to be “widespread” during the afternoon, said Paul Fitzsimmons, a lead meteorologist at the weather service’s Mount Holly office. That would be after the rain-producing front crosses through the region and winds become westerly, peaking in time for the afternoon commute. Gusts to 50 mph are possible.
Rain totals in the Philly area are expected to be in the 1-to-1.5-inch range, Fitzsimmons said.
Water levels are so low that computer models show only about a 10% chance of streams reaching even the preflood “action” phase.
In the interagency U.S. Drought Monitor map posted Thursday morning, most of Philadelphia, adjacent South Jersey, and Chester County were in the “severe drought” category, along with portions of Bucks, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties.
Most of Pennsylvania and New Jersey were in at least “abnormally dry” conditions.
The forecast for the weekend
After the winds die down Friday evening, the region should be in for a dry but chilly weekend.
Temperatures during the day Friday are forecast to dive from a high in the 50s in the morning to the 30s by nightfall, and they won’t get out of the 30s on Saturday.
Sunday’s forecast high in the mid-40s would be close to normal for the date.
A South Jersey school was hit with an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness last week, as cases of norovirus, a common stomach bug, recently surged nationwide.
Camden County officials could not definitively say the illness was norovirus, since no lab testing has been done. However, they noted it was a candidate.
“The symptoms, infectious period, and incubation periods seem to be consistent with norovirus,” said Caryelle Vilaubi, director of the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services.
The school in Haddonfield, which officials declined to identify further, first reported a spike in gastrointestinal symptoms among students on Dec. 10, followed by an increase the next day.
Cases have since fallen dramatically, Vilaubi said, as outbreak control measures — including use of disinfectants, sending sick students home, and promoting proper hand hygiene — have been put into place.
They’re hoping to end the outbreak in the school community as early as next week, if they can go without new cases for four days, she said.
A variety ofsources can cause gastrointestinal illness, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Norovirus is one of the common culprits this time of year.
“We typically see a spike from November through April, not just in Camden County, but throughout the state, and often throughout much of the country,” Vilaubi said.
The highly contagious virus can spread through close contact with an infected person or with contaminated food, water, and surfaces. Symptoms usually include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain, and start 12 to 48 hours after exposure.
Most people will feel better after one to three days.
Here’s what to know about the virus:
How can you protect yourself against norovirus?
Norovirus is a “hardy and resistant virus,” Vilaubi noted, making it especially hard to clean off. Hand sanitizers are not effective against it.
It is also relatively resistant to heat, able to survive temperatures up to 145°F.
People should make sure to regularly disinfect high-touch surfaces such as doorknobs, keyboards, and light switches.
How long does norovirus last in adults?
Though people will usually feel better after one to three days, they are still highly contagious for a few days after.
“If your child begins to show symptoms, please keep them home until at least 48 hours after symptoms resolve to prevent further spreading the illness,” Virginia Betteridge, liaison to the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services, said in a Dec. 12 news release.
Those infected with norovirus should avoid contact with others as much as possible during this period.
How to treat norovirus at home?
There is no cure or specific treatment for norovirus. The advice generally is to let the virus run its course.
To ward off dehydration, people should make sure to drink lots of fluids to replace what’s lost from vomiting and diarrhea. Taking small sips of water and sucking on ice chips may be easier on an upset stomach.
People can also consider drinking clear broths, noncaffeinated sports drinks, and oral rehydration solutions, which are available over the counter.
Drinks that contain a lot of sugar, including soft drinks and certain fruit juices, can make diarrhea worse and should be avoided.
How does norovirus spread from person to person?
Norovirus is considered highly contagious, as only a small amount of virus is needed to infect someone.
People contract it by accidentally touching tiny particles of stool or vomit — where the virus is primarily shed — from an infected person and getting them in their mouths.
These particles easily contaminate hands, surfaces, food, or water.
Philadelphia’s nonprofit Senior Law Center has taken over two of the programs that the Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of the Elderly (CARIE) operated before it abruptly shut down around Thanksgiving.
The Senior Law Center said this week in an email to supporters that it will continue CARIE’s work to support elderly crime victims under a two-year contract with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.
That contract is for $462,094 per year and has been reassigned to the Senior Law Center. The Senior Law Center has hired four of the five CARIE employees who were involved in that work. The fifth person had already accepted another job, a Senior Law Center spokesperson said.
Kathy Cubit, CARIE’s former advocacy director, has moved to the Senior Law Center, where she will continue her work on health equity and long-term care. Cubit chairs a group that monitors Pennsylvania’s implementation and development of Medicaid programs.
CARIE listed 26 employees on its website the week before it closed. Few details were available on why CARIE closed after nearly 50 years. Much of its work involved long-term care ombudsman services for the elderly in most of Philadelphia and in Montgomery County. It lost both of those contracts.
The Eagles travel to face the Washington Commanders in a Week 16 matchup at Northwest Stadium on Saturday at 5 p.m. Here’s what you need to know about the game:
When the Eagles have the ball: I feel like I keep referring to various Eagles opponents as having one of the worst defenses in the NFL, but that label once again applies this week. The Commanders have been poor for most of their now-lost season. Coach Dan Quinn took over play-calling last month, and there’s been marginal improvement, but this is an old and battered unit that lacks elite talent at almost every position. The Eagles should have the chance to build some offensive momentum and do so against a scheme that has similarities to last week’s opponent, the Raiders. Quinn has evolved some since working under Las Vegas coach Pete Carroll in Seattle, but he won’t sacrifice numbers in coverage, even if his defense has struggled to stop the run.
Saquon Barkley gave Washington big problems in three meetings with the Commanders last season, collecting 414 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.
The Eagles bullied the Commanders on the ground last season, rushing for 668 yards and 12 touchdowns in their three meetings. Washington’s front office addressed its deficiencies up the middle, but the initial criticism directed at signing free agent Javon Kinlaw has proven to be warranted. The defensive tackle hasn’t done much to improve a run defense that’s allowing 4.7 yards per carry and ranks 26th in the league in expected points added (EPA) per rush. The Eagles clearly should lean into the run game, especially more from under center to further establish an identity that the offense has been lacking for most of the season. That might mean more two- and three-tight end sets, and more of the overwhelmed Grant Calcaterra. But it would force Quinn into more base personnel — something he doesn’t want. Also, an uptick in snaps for blocking stud Cameron Latu (stinger) would be a net positive, assuming he’s active.
The Eagles didn’t throw much from under center vs. the Raiders. But when Jalen Hurts did, he was effective, completing all four passes for 66 yards. The offense has been at its best when the play-action game has been featured. Coach Nick Sirianni and offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo need to increase their usage because Hurts can’t operate consistently in the straight drop-back world. The Commanders are actually worse vs. the pass than the run, at least statistically. They rank last in EPA/per drop-back and 29th in success rate. Injuries haven’t helped. Three of Washington’s edge rushers (Dorance Armstrong, Deatrich Wise, and Javontae Jean-Baptiste) and two of its cornerbacks (Marshon Lattimore and Trey Amos) are on injured reserve.
Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner remains one of the top players on the defense.
The Commanders’ two best defenders might be their two oldest players: edge rusher Von Miller and linebacker Bobby Wagner. Miller still lines up predominantly over the right tackle, but he won’t see longtime foe Lane Johnson. Fred Johnson gets his fifth straight start as the Eagles slow-play the other Johnson’s return until likely the playoffs. Wagner may be Washington’s only above-average run defender. But the future Hall of Famer has clearly lost a step and is exploitable in coverage. Linebacker Frankie Luvu is just as susceptible through the air. He’s allowed 34 catches on 36 targets for 294 yards and four touchdowns. Luvu, who knocked Hurts out of last year’s meeting in Landover, Md., also has a 19.3% missed tackle rate, per Pro Football Focus. It could be another red-letter day for Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert.
When the Commanders have the ball: Washington has been more competent on offense than on defense, even without quarterback Jayden Daniels, who was officially shut down for the season. Replacement Marcus Mariota may be only 2-5 as a starter with wins over the lowly Raiders and Giants, but he’s more dangerous than the backup the Eagles faced last week, Kenny Pickett. Mariota’s legs present a challenge to a defense that hasn’t handled the quarterback run game that well. He’s rushed 49 times for 298 yards, with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury dialing up long gains on designed runs. Mariota can scramble, too, so the Eagles will need to contain their rush and spy him at times.
The Commanders don’t go three-and-out much, partly because they have an efficient ground attack. Mariota helps open lanes for a triumvirate of running backs — Jacory Croskey-Merritt (4.5 yards per carry), Chris Rodriguez, Jr. (4.6), and Jeremy McNichols (5.3) — who are better than the league average on their rushes. Vic Fangio’s defense has been better against the run since the Bears disaster, despite having the highest light box rate (60.4) in the NFL, per NextGen Stats. He may need to employ his base five-man front more than normal vs. Washington’s heavy sets. But tight end Zach Ertz’s season-ending knee injury might decrease the Commanders’ 12 and 13 personnel usage.
Ertz (50 catches for 504 yards and four touchdowns) was having another solid season. His absence creates a void over the middle. The Commanders still have two receivers — the versatile Deebo Samuel and the always-dangerous Terry McLaurin — who will command attention. Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell has been lining up more on the boundary (or short) side of the field, but it may make sense to have him trail McLaurin. If you think the Eagles offense doesn’t utilize under-center enough, just look at the Commanders. They do it less than anyone in the league (8%) and barely throw off it (14%). Kingsbury does use a lot of play action from the pistol, though.
As former Eagles backups go, give 2023 backup Marcus Mariota the edge over 2024 backup Kenny Pickett.
And that’s typically when Mariota takes his shots downfield. He airs it out as much as any quarterback (10.2 yards per attempt), but ranks only 28th in 20-plus yard success rate. He might not have as much time in the pocket with left tackle Laremy Tunsil, Washington’s best offensive lineman, out for Saturday. Brandon Coleman will step back into the position he lost when Tunsil was acquired last offseason.
Extra point: I’m not ready to say that the Eagles have solved all their offensive issues, especially after demolishing the woeful Raiders, but they have made strides since Sirianni stuck his beak more into the overall operation two weeks ago. Receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith may not love the return to run-heavy play-calling. But having Hurts drop 70% of the time, as he did over a five-game stretch since the bye, wasn’t sustainable. More under center, diversity in the plays, and Hurts on designed runs should be the formula.
That doesn’t mean the pass offense should be dormant. Quinn doesn’t use as much Cover 3 as Carroll, but he will play a fair amount of single-high safety-man coverage. And he will blitz about 26% of the time. Brown and Smith should have opportunities vs. cornerbacks Mike Sainristil, Noah Igbinoghene, and Antonio Hamilton. I expect early success on the ground will lead to shots won downfield.
As for Washington’s offense, it turns the ball over at a high clip (20 total turnovers), and the Commanders are last in the NFL in fumble rate. Mariota has three lost fumbles, and the running backs collectively have four. I think the Eagles will take the ball away a few times. And as long as they win the turnover battle, I see a victory. It might not be the cakewalk some have predicted, but despite all the outside dissatisfaction about the team this season, the Eagles exit FedEx with a second straight division crown.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker marked the halfway point of her term as mayor Friday by portraying the city as safer and more stable than when she took office two years ago, pointing to metrics like the plummeting homicide rate and cleaner streets.
During her second end-of-year State of the City speech, Parker also briefly acknowledged challenges she faced this past year, including the eight-day city worker strike and a spat with City Council over her signature housing plan.
And she outlined a plan to address rising street homelessness heading into 2026, when the city will host several major events expected to draw more than a million visitors.
Parker outlined a plan to address rising street homelessness heading into 2026, when the city will host several major events expected to draw millions of visitors, during her end-of-year speech at Temple University Friday.
“I am here today to proudly report to all of you,” she said, “that the state of our city is strong and good, and we are moving in the right direction.”
Parker’s announcement to add 1,000 shelter slots to the city’s system was a stark reminder that — despite progress on public safety and a coming year ripe with opportunity for tourism and growth — some of the city’s longest-term challenges remain unresolved.
And after the mayor this year unveiled a long-awaited plan to build thousands of units of housing in the city, she hit roadblocks in City Council, where members rejected her vision to bolster the middle class in favor of a plan that prioritizes the poorest Philadelphians.
Still, Parker and members of her administration struck an optimistic tone Friday. During the highly produced event, top officials repeatedly proclaimed that the “state of the city” is strong, and they thanked municipal employees in attendance, like police officers and sanitation workers.
Parker’s State of the City address last year was Philadelphia’s first. Traditionally, the mayor’s March budget address to Council was seen as the city’s version of the presidential State of the Union speech in Congress. Parker plans to make the December event an annual tradition as well.
Here are three takeaways from Parker’s speech Friday in North Philadelphia:
A homelessness plan is in the works for 2026
In the middle of her speech, Parker signed an executive order on stage, directing city departments to add 1,000 new beds to the existing shelter system by Jan. 31. That would represent a 35% increase in the number of beds citywide.
The move comes as city data shows homelessness in the city is rising. There were 1,178 unsheltered people in Philadelphia this year, a 20% increase over last year and the highest number recorded since at least 2018, according to city data.
In total, 5,516 people were considered homeless, a number that includes people who live in emergency shelters, are couch surfing, or otherwise lack an adequate nighttime residence. That number is up slightly from 5,191 last year.
Parker’s executive order directs city agencies to increase outreach efforts to people living on the streets and to collaborate with the Philadelphia Housing Authority to move people from shelters to more stable housing.
“We are seeking long-term solutions,” she said, “Solutions that will not only provide an expanded quality shelter system, but with more beds in safe, clean, and welcoming environments.”
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker holds up executive order ending street homelessness.
30,000-unit housing plan swells to 50,000
The mayor’s second year in office was in part defined by her plan to build, repair, or preserve 30,000 units of housing. In March, she unveiled her Housing Opportunities Made Easy, or H.O.M.E., plan, funded by $800 million in bonds.
Parker made clear that her plan would be aimed at uplifting the middle class and often vowed never to pit “the have-nots against the have-a-little-bits.” But City Council this month advanced its own version of the proposal, rejecting Parker’s vision and directing more resources to the poorest Philadelphians.
It was the most significant break between Parker and the legislative branch of her tenure. But the mayor on Friday defended her strategy, saying the middle class should not be asked to wait for access to housing programs.
“You want me to tell you why we shouldn’t tell them to wait?” she said. “Because when I knocked on their doors and asked for their votes — and we’re running for reelection — we don’t ask them to wait.”
Of Council’s 17 members, just four attended Parker’s speech Friday: Anthony Phillips, a close ally, as well as Rue Landau, Jamie Gauthier, and Nicolas O’Rourke — three progressives who led the effort to amend her housing plan. They sat in the front row.
Parker struck a conciliatory tone, saying: “We will work together to press forward together, and we won’t let petty politics get in the way of us moving Philadelphia forward.”
The mayor also made clear Friday that her 30,000-unit benchmark is separate from a plan being advanced by the Philadelphia Housing Authority, which is pursuing an ambitious expansion plan that Parker said would add an additional 20,000 units of affordable housing.
“When you add our H.O.M.E. goal of 30,000 units with that 20,000, those are 50,000 units of housing,” Parker said, “and we shouldn’t have to leave any neighborhood behind.”
On Friday, Parker touted her administration’s work negotiating new contracts this year for almost all of the city’s major municipal unions. She acknowledged, but didn’t dwell on, the strike by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 33.
“We did have to endure an eight-day work stoppage,” she said. “But guess what we did? In true Philadelphia fashion … we got through it. It wasn’t easy, but we persevered together, and we found common ground, and we reached a fair and fiscally responsible agreement with both District Council 33 and District Council 47.”
DC 33, the largest and lowest-paid union for city workers, called the strike when their previous contract expired at 12:01 a.m. July 1, the first minute the union was legally allowed to walk off the job. Union president Greg Boulware promised his members wouldn’t return to work unless they won raises of 5% per year.
Boulware eventually called off the strike and accepted a contract with raises of 3% per year, which is close to Parker’s last offer before the strike. The deal also included $1,500 onetime bonuses for the union’s roughly 9,000 members and the addition of a fifth step in the DC 33 pay scale, a benefit for veteran employees.
Parker also defended the city’s treatment of DC 33 under her tenure. Repeating an administration talking point from the strike, Parker noted that the union’s accumulated pay increases — combining raises the union won in a one-year contract during Parker’s first year with the increases included in the new three-year deal — will be higher in her first term than under any other mayoral term since the 1990s.
“Just for the record, I also need to affirm — because sometimes people [create] revisionist history — I want to be clear that they were historic pay increases for our city workers,” Parker said. “It’s the largest in one term from any Philadelphia mayor over 30 years.”
It’s a short(-ish) week for the Eagles, who are set for the NFL’s first Saturday slate of the year, and with another NFC East title on the line.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Eagles-Commanders game…
How to watch
The game will kick off on Fox from Northwest Stadium at 5 p.m. on Saturday. 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 want to watch the game with your fellow Birds fans, here are a few spots to check out.
Final Week 16 injury report
The Eagles ruled out Lane Johnson (foot) and Jalen Carter (shoulders) for Saturday’s game against the Commanders. Neither player practiced all week.
Tight end Cam Latu (stinger) and offensive tackle Cameron Williams (shoulder; injured reserve) are listed as questionable to play.
The battered Commanders, meanwhile, issued a lengthy injury report on Thursday.
The Eagles are 6.5-point favorites at DraftKings and FanDuel, with the total set at 44.5 points at both sportsbooks. For more betting props, check out our betting guide here.
It could help the Eagles in the seeding picture if the Packers overtake the Bears in the NFC North.
Eagles playoff picture
The Birds can clinch a playoff berth with a win or Cowboys loss this week. The Eagles have the NFC East nearly locked up — in order to lose the division to the Cowboys, the team would need to lose all three remaining games, and the Cowboys would need to win all three.
In the conference standings, the Birds are in third, one game back of the Chicago Bears and 2½ games back of the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks (12-3) overtook the Rams (11-4) with a win over L.A. on Thursday night. The Eagles and Packers both have nine wins, but the Packers have one tie on their record. If the Packers manage to overtake the Bears, the Eagles do own the tiebreaker against them.
Story lines to watch
Can the Eagles continue to cruise against a bad team?
The Commanders haven’t followed up their NFC Championship game appearance the way they hoped. Jayden Daniels is shut down for the year because of injury, and the Commanders sit at a dismal 4-10. It’s the second game in a row where the Birds will face one of their former backups, with Marcus Mariota set to start for Washington.
The Eagles took care of business against the Raiders, shutting out Las Vegas in the second-shortest game in recorded NFL history. Going for the record this week?
1: The Eagles’ magic number to clinch a playoff berth
Our Eagles vs. Commanders predictions
Here’s how our beat writers are predicting Saturday’s game:
Jeff McLane: “[Marcus] Mariota has three lost fumbles and the running backs collectively have four. I think the Eagles will take the ball away a few times. And as long as they win the turnover battle, I see a victory. It might not be the cakewalk some have predicted, but despite all the outside dissatisfaction about the team this season, the Eagles exit Northwest Stadium with a second straight division crown. Eagles 30, Commanders 20
Olivia Reiner: “The big question facing the Eagles offense going forward: Can it sustain the success it established in the win over the Raiders? The Eagles ought to have a good chance of doing so against the Commanders in two of their final three games. Even with Dan Quinn taking over the defensive coordinator duties, Washington still has struggled against the pass and the run.” Eagles 28, Commanders 20.
Jeff Neiburg: But the Eagles should be ready to pounce Saturday. They’re facing another team starting a backup quarterback. They’re facing an even worse defense than the one they beat up on Sunday. And they can clinch the NFC East with a victory. It’s hard to envision that not happening Saturday night. Eagles 27, Commanders 13.
National media predictions
Here’s how the national media is predicting Saturday’s game.
What we’re saying about the Eagles
Here’s a look at the latest from our columnists, starting with Mike Sielski, who broke down why the Eagles are about to win the NFC East again.
Sielski: Whatever crises the Eagles might be undergoing are framed through a different lens from any other team in the division. They judge themselves and are judged by the answer to one question: Are we good enough to win the Super Bowl? Their divisional foes’ standard has not been quite as high: Are we good enough to keep from embarrassing ourselves again?
Marcus Hayes: “Which brings us to the 9-5 Eagles, who, contrary to much of the commentary and punditry, are nearing the end of a very good season. Saquon Barkley isn’t going to break rushing records this season, and the passing game hasn’t equaled its pedigree, and the defense won’t finish ranked No. 1, but none of that matters. What matters is who they beat, who they lost to, and where they stand.”
What the Commanders are saying about the Eagles
This year’s Commanders team has been struggling mightily compared to last year, which made the NFC Championship game. But coach Dan Quinn is still taking things away from their three matchups last year.
“Playing against us last year in the three games, they were exceptional at taking the ball away,” Quinn said. “I thought that was the biggest deal for us. … And offensively, I thought from a line standpoint, the size, the movement, the pulling, Jeff Stoutland is one of the best there is in the offensive line spot. … I think it’s a good balance of what they have from the run game and the shots down the field with Jalen [Hurts]. Those are kind of the yin and yang of a good offense.”
Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury: “It’s certainly a tough matchup. They’ve been playing at a super high level, defensively. I think they gave up less than 90 yards last week against Las Vegas. So, it’s going to be a great challenge. They can roll in five, six guys deep that all play at a pretty high level. They can rush the passer, can stop the run. So, you got to be creative in how you attack them and we’ll have our hands full, there’s no doubt.”
Quarterback Marcus Mariota: “[They have] a great defense, Vic [Fangio] got them playing really well. You can talk about every single player on that front and on the back end. They’re great players. Being there for a year and being around those guys, it’ll be fun to play against some of those old friends. I’m looking forward to it. It’s always a great atmosphere to play Philly. It’ll be a fun game on Saturday.”
What else we’re reading (and watching)
🎁 Saquon Barkley’s foundation hosts toy drive for local children
🏈 Jalen Hurts gave a fan a touchdown ball. What happened next led to a lawsuit.
California biotech BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. will pay $4.8 billion in cash for Amicus Therapeutics, a Princeton rare-disease company with a presence in Philadelphia, the two publicly traded companies announced Friday.
The acquisition of Amicus, expected to be completed in the second quarter of next year, will give BioMarin treatments for rare genetic diseases that generated $599 million in revenue over the last 12 months, according to BioMarin, which is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Amicus has a treatment for Fabry disease, which is caused by a genetic mutation that allows fatty waste to build up in the body, damaging tissues and organs, according the BioMarin. The second treatment is for late-onset Pompe disease, which is an inherited genetic condition that causes muscle weakness that worsens over time.
BioMarin CEO Alexander Hardy said on a webcast about the deal that both of those treatments have the potential to reach $1 billion in global sales. BioMarin had $2.85 billion in revenue last year, compared to $528 million at Amicus.
The Philadelphia tie
In 2019, Amicus established its Global Research and Gene Therapy Center of Excellence at 3675 Market St. in University City, saying at the time that the facility would employ 200 people eventually. The company’s website now lists the location as its Research Center of Excellence.
Amicus now has 12 people in its Philadelphia office, a spokesperson said Friday.
John Crowley, chief executive of Amicus at the time, liked to call Philadelphia the “Cradle of Cures,” a name that hasn’t stuck. Crowley is now president and CEO of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), a biotech trade organization in Washington.
