- The Eagles play the New England Patriots Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field. I'll be there, my first time seeing the great Tom Brady in person.
Philly is the more desperate team at home. The Birds are 5-4, tied with Dallas for 1st place in NFC East. A loss wouldn't kill the Eagles but a win puts them in a good position, with Seattle on tap next week.
Look for the Eagles to run the ball more. Safe screen passes and quick slants will be Carson Wentz' game. As always, limiting penalties and turnovers will be key.
Controlling the ball and keeping it away from Brady will be a must. So is getting off to a fast start, something the Birds have not done so far this season.
Getting a pass rush on Brady will be big. Knocking him down when he can't be sacked will cause Brady to hurry his throws. Pressure is key.
New England losing two in a row is almost unheard of. Plus I still don't trust the Eagles after their awful showing in Dallas a few weeks ago.
Weather won't be a factor. The crowd should be nuts, with Patriot haters in abundance. The Birds need to keep the New England defense honest by throwing deep..but to who?
I like the Eagles to win, 23-21.
By the way, next week's contest vs the Seahawks has been flexed back to 1:00 p.m. Good news for the Eagles. Seattle is one of the best teams playing in prime time. The 1:00 start is 10:00 a.m. in Seattle, however the Seahawks have been one of the best teams dealing with the time difference.
Seattle has been a good team for a long time. They are a well-run organization. The Philadelphia game will be huge in regards to wild card spots and seeding in the NFC.
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Embarrassing loss by the Sixers last night in Orlando. Joel Embiid did not play because of "load management." He rested while his teammates got destroyed in the 4th quarter.
This is the second straight game in which the 76ers have played down to their competition. I didn't like this team going into the season because 1) Brett Brown is still head coach and 2) they don't have many shooters.
Not resigning both Jimmy Butler and J.J. Reddick looks like a mistake. Both provided leadership and scoring.
Meanwhile The Celtics have gotten off to a sizzling 9-1 start, their only defeat on Opening Night vs the Sixers.
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The General Managers Meetings are still taking place, with no notable names being traded so far. Someone will break the ice/ No free agents signings, either. Sad for the fans, who used to enjoy hot stove news . Now players don't sign until early spring, right before spring training begins.
One note: rookie sensation Alex Bohn did have a great showing in the Arizona Fall League. Is he ready to take the open third base job in Philadelphia or does he need more seasoning in triple AAA?It is an important decision, as the rest of the winter will hinge on the main question: is Bohm ready to make the step to the majors or will the Phils find a temporary third baseman ( Josh Donaldson or Mike Moustakus)?
Pitching will be the main focus, and the Phils are set to gear in on Garrit Cole, Madison Baumgarner, to name a few.
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The Flyers; 4-game winning streak was snapped last night in a shoot-out with the Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals. Carter Hart was again strong for the Flyers in the net.They did earn a point in the standings.Their next game is Friday night in Ottawa against the Senators,
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