Feathers will fly | Sports Daily Newsletter

Jonathan Gannon was mostly blasted in this town after he left the Eagles to become head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. After all, he helmed the Eagles defense that folded in the second half of Super Bowl LVII against the Chiefs.

Nowadays? Gannon is the coach of a 3-12 team. His successor as Eagles defensive coordinator has already been demoted, and his successor’s replacement has already fallen victim to critical lapses in the defensive backfield. Gannon’s Eagles defense racked up 70 sacks in 2022 while this year’s Birds have 40 in 15 games.

So Gannon will be on the opposing sideline Sunday in a game that has great meaning to the Eagles. Arizona’s Week 3 win over the Cowboys would seem reason enough to take the Cardinals seriously. It might be a stretch to call this Gannon’s Super Bowl, David Murphy writes, but it could be the closest he comes to another one.

— Jim Swan, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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Patience is the name of the game for the likes of Britain Covey and Grant Calcaterra.

The pair of special-teams stalwarts got their chance in the win over the Giants on Monday, though. Covey recorded his first NFL catch, a 7-yard grab for a first down, and Calcaterra snagged a pair of receptions for first downs. Olivia Reiner explores how the two view their roles in the Eagles’ offense and stay ready for anything.

Preparing for the Rose Bowl against Michigan, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe says he gets inspiration from Jalen Hurts.

Carolina Panthers great Cam Newton says he is rooting for Hurts to break another of his touchdown records.

Next: The Eagles host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday (1 p.m., Fox29).

The Eagles will host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Join Eagles beat reporters Olivia Reiner and EJ Smith as they dissect the hottest storylines surrounding the team on Gameday Central, live from Lincoln Financial Field.

In his first full season as Vancouver’s coach, Rick Tocchet has directed the Canucks to the best record in the Western Conference. He began his NHL career as a 20-year-old with the Flyers in 1984-85. The Inquirer’s Jackie Spiegel caught up with Tocchet to chat about his current spot and his time with the Orange and Black.

Next: The Flyers visit the Seattle Kraken tonight at 10 (NBCSP+).

The Sixers have had quite the eventful 24 hours. After being forced to spend an extra night in Orlando because of trouble with their charter flight to Houston, they learned they are set to play yet another game without Joel Embiid, who will sit out for a third straight time with an ankle injury. Nicolas Batum also will sit out as the Sixers continue to be tested on a shorthanded road trip.

Elsewhere in the league, the Pistons’ 128-122 overtime loss to the Boston Celtics on Thursday marked Detroit’s 28th-straight loss and tied the Sixers’ record for longest overall losing streak in U.S. professional sports. A Pistons loss on Saturday to the Toronto Raptors will replace the 2014-15 and 2015-16 Sixers in the history books of futility.

Next: The Sixers visit the Houston Rockets tonight at 8 (NBCSP).

A big year in Philadelphia sports saw the Eagles reach the Super Bowl and the Phillies almost make it back to the World Series. There were many, many great stories by our Inquirer journalists in those defining moments and beyond. Here’s a rundown of our best stories of 2023.

Behind a lockdown defense, Penn State is gearing up to face Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl. At the center of the defensive storm is sophomore linebacker Abdul Carter, the pride of La Salle College High School. Another Philadelphia player is freshman Jameial Lyons, a defensive end out of Roman Catholic with a bright future.

Next: No. 10 Penn State faces No. 11 Mississippi in the Peach Bowl on Saturday (noon, ESPN).

Happy new year from all of us at Sports Daily. The newsletter will take a break on Monday and Tuesday. Look for us to return to your inbox on Wednesday.

We asked you: What will it take for the Eagles to get their fans 100% behind them again? Among your responses:

Consistency, consistency and more consistency will calm our nerves and temper our agita. Concentrate on playing a clean game w/o all those stupid penalties. Keep using the run game and let’s hope our receivers can get open again. — Vince H.

Nothing fills the bill more than a victory. That of course is why they keep score. You want the fans to be rambunctious after a stirring play yet Hurts wants silence during execution of same. You don’t get it both ways. ... Hurts is paid handsomely for his dismal performance. He’s living up to his overratings. — John B.

Scream till it hurts, but not while Hurts has the ball. He can’t hear and it seems that the entire offense can’t hear. Having wild and crazy and extremely noisy dedicated fans is a problem that I have never even thought of. We are all accustomed to seeing the QB raise his hands asking for quiet and having the fans respond accordingly. ... Hopefully enough fans who read Marcus’ article this morning will have spread the word that the team really needs the fans to tone it down while the Eagles are on the offense. Save the noise for the opposition and the let the Eagles fly. — Everett S.

Misery: Eagles beat reporter Jeff McLane provides an insider’s look into the Eagles’ spiraling season. After their third consecutive loss, McLane takes us behind the scenes, breaking down the four major issues impacting the team. As we gear up for the final three games of the regular season, tune in to uncover whether the Eagles can turn things around or if they were destined to disappoint from the start. Listen here.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from David Murphy, Olivia Reiner, Gabriela Carroll, Keith Pompey, Jackie Spiegel, Jeff Neiburg, Devin Jackson, Mike Sielski, and Isabella DiAmore.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

Happy new year, everyone. We’ll return to your inbox on Wednesday with the first Sports Daily newsletter of 2024. — Jim