The fabric of a rivalry | Sports Daily Newsletter
NFL gamesmanship: When the Eagles made the Cowboys wear blue.
The Eagles will wear their kelly green jerseys for their home game Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. Once upon a time in Eagles lore, that would have been a no-no.
When the Cowboys were “America’s Team” (and not the perennial also-rans they are these days), they hated playing in their blue jerseys. Their white uniforms back then were almost iconic, so Eagles coach Dick Vermeil decided to deny the Cowboys of the chance to wear them at the Vet. The Eagles wore white, the ‘Boys wore blue, and the Birds stomped Dallas in the NFC championship game in January 1981.
A tradition of sorts was born. “It was just another thing to add to the rivalry,” Vermeil said. “I don’t know if it made any difference to the winning or losing. It didn’t make one block, one tackle, one throw, or one reception. But the overall addition to the preparation, it just adds another focal point.”
Fast forward to December 1995 at the Vet: The Eagles, wearing white, beat the Cowboys, in their hated blue, by stopping Emmitt Smith on fourth-and-1 at the Dallas 29.
The mind games with the jerseys became part of the fabric of a great rivalry, Matt Breen writes. If the Eagles have any trouble on Sunday against Dallas, blame it on the green.
— Jim Swan, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.
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The Eagles play in Week 17 against the Dallas Cowboys. 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.
The 76ers signed Caleb Martin with hopes that he would be a do-everything role player for a star-laden starting lineup. Martin hasn’t exactly lived up to those expectations yet, struggling to shoot and handle the ball as he has played through a shoulder injury. But in the Sixers’ Christmas Day matchup against the Boston Celtics, he looked more like the guy the team envisioned when it lured him from Miami. Martin scored 23 points and hit seven three-pointers. He also played a major role in defending star forwards Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in the Sixers' big win. The Inquirer’s Keith Pompey takes a closer look at Martin’s history as a “Boston Strangler.”
All eyes are on quarterback Jalen Hurts as the Eagles approach Sunday’s game against Dallas with another chance to clinch the NFC East title. Hurts (concussion/left finger) did not participate Thursday in practice, casting doubt on his availability for the game.
It could be up to Kenny Pickett to lead the charge again. After suffering an injury to his ribs against Washington, Pickett tested out additional padding under his jersey at practice and promised to be ready. Says Pickett: “I’m just focused on being as prepared as I can be right now.”
When Hurts left the loss to Washington, it affected more than just the Eagles' passing game. Without the threat of Hurts taking off, the Commanders clamped down on Saquon Barkley and the Birds' rushing attack. Barkley ran for only 27 yards in the second half. Similarly, if Hurts is out again, the Cowboys could focus on the run and dare Pickett to beat them in the air.
One player who won’t take part in the latest installment of Eagles-Cowboys is Dallas receiver CeeDee Lamb, who is out with a shoulder injury.
The future of hockey is on display in Ottawa, Ontario, at the World Junior Championship, and a few Flyers prospects are in the mix. Defenseman Oliver Bonk, forward Jett Luchanko, and goalie Carson Bjarnason are playing for Canada. Flyers general manager Danny Brière and his staff are at the tournament, where they can size up players for the next draft.
The next test for Penn State in the College Football Playoff is a quarterfinal matchup with Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve at 7:30 p.m. (ESPN).
On paper, the Nittany Lions are set up for a national championship run with a more favorable playoff draw than other teams. But does their roster have enough to reach the final in Atlanta on Jan. 20? Here’s our breakdown of where Penn State stands ahead of its matchup with Boise State.
Texas A&M will wrap up its season tonight in the Las Vegas Bowl against Southern Cal. One of the Aggies' players, Sam Salz of Merion Station, beat long odds to make the team as a walk-on.
Philly fan photo
Here is our Philly fan photo for this week as part of our Friday lineup. We’ll need you to submit photos with a Philly sports theme to keep this feature going. Send your photos here for the opportunity to be featured.
Worth a look
Coach DeSean: Former Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson reportedly is finalizing a deal to become Delaware State’s head coach.
“Small but mighty”: A sense of community fuels St. Joseph’s women’s sports teams.
The Eagles experienced a disappointing collapse against the Washington Commanders, impacting their playoff chances. In the latest episode of unCovering the Birds, Jeff McLane dives into the costly mental errors and Jalen Hurts’ early exit, breaking down what Eagles fans should take to heart — and what they can still feel confident about — after their impressive 10-game winning streak came to an end. Listen now.
The schedule
The Flyers visit the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday at 4 p.m. (NBCSP).
The Sixers visit the Utah Jazz on Saturday at 9:30 p.m. (NBCSP).
The Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday at 1 p.m. (Fox29).
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Matt Breen, Olivia Reiner, Jeff McLane, Jeff Neiburg, Gustav Elvin, Keith Pompey, Gabriela Carroll, Jackie Spiegel, Isabella DiAmore, Devin Jackson, and Mia Messina.
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.
Thanks for reading. I’ll see you Monday morning in the next edition of Sports Daily. — Jim