Eagles find a way | Sports Daily Newsletter

Sure felt like an Eagles loss was coming up on Sunday, didn’t it? Lane Johnson, Mekhi Becton, and DeVonta Smith were knocked out of the game. Nick Sirianni kept on making questionable decisions. Jalen Hurts threw two interceptions and lost a fumble. And yet ...

The Eagles slipped past the Saints, 15-12, in New Orleans. Sports can be so strange, Mike Sielski writes.

The Eagles won because Saquon Barkley ran for both touchdowns and piled up 147 more rushing yards. They won because Dallas Goedert caught 10 passes for 170 yards, including a late 61-yard jaunt that broke the Saints’ backs. They won because Vic Fangio’s defense did a complete turnaround.

Goedert found wide-open field on his catch-and-run with less than two minutes left. Jahan Dotson ran a pass route that flummoxed the Saints as three players ran into each other. “I looked and said, ‘Where is everybody?’” Goedert said. “And I ran as fast as I could as long as I could.”

The Eagles’ offensive line picked up the slack after Johnson and Becton exited with injuries. Fred Johnson and Tyler Steen stepped in and Jeff Stoutland’s line stayed right on track.

Jalen Carter had an especially dominant game for the Eagles on the defensive line, earning postgame congratulations at his locker from Jeffrey Lurie.

Next: The Eagles visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at 1 p.m. (Fox29).

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

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❓ The Eagles gained 460 yards but struggled to score. How can they find the end zone more? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

In need of one victory to lock up their first National League East title in 13 years, the Phillies dropped back-to-back games to the Mets, including a 2-1 loss Sunday night in New York. In a tense finish, Mets closer Edwin Díaz finished off a six-out save by striking out Kody Clemens with Bryson Stott on third base. The Phillies will try again for the clincher tonight on their home turf.

The Phillies are gearing up for their third straight postseason run, and Rob Thomson is proud of the fact that the team is established enough to be in the running year in and year out. “This is the standard,” he said. “The goal is now firmly entrenched, that it’s to win a World Series. And that’s it. That’s good to feel. It really is.”

Ranger Suárez could help their postseason quest if he regains the form that made him an All-Star in July. The Phillies say a recent adjustment might help.

Next: The Phillies host the Cubs tonight at 6:40 (NBCSP).

Goalkeeper Andre Blake returned to the Union’s lineup after missing two games with a groin injury and his team marked the occasion by blanking D.C. United, 4-0, at Subaru Park. Dániel Gazdag scored twice for the Union, who improved to 9-12-9, good for ninth in the Eastern Conference as they fight for a playoff spot.

Next: The Union host Atlanta United on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. (Apple TV).

Winger Bobby Brink played in just 57 NHL games in 2023-24 and was benched, scratched, and sent down to the Phantoms more than once. He is well aware that the Flyers are expecting more from him, and he is off to a good start. He scored twice in the preseason opener.

All eyes were on Matvei Michkov as the Russian rookie made his debut for the Flyers. Check out how he did in the 6-2 victory against the Capitals.

The Savannah Bananas entertained a sellout crowd with their unique brand of baseball Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park. So how did it compare to regular baseball? In some ways, it was more entertaining, Gabriela Carroll writes.

Sept. 23, 1983: Steve Carlton won his 300th game in a 6-2 Phillies victory against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Here’s a place to access your favorite Philadelphia teams’ statistics, schedules, and standings in real time.

In this week’s episode of unCovering the Birds, Jeff McLane analyzes the Eagles’ heartbreaking 22-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in their home opener. With the team now at 1-1, he explores the troubling underperformance of the defensive line — did GM Howie Roseman and his team make critical missteps in assembling this talented unit? Plus, McLane revisits a pivotal “what if” moment from Nick Foles’ career as he returns for his retirement ceremony at Lincoln Financial Field. Listen now.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Mike Sielski, Olivia Reiner, EJ Smith, Jeff McLane, Jeff Neiburg, Jackie Spiegel, Scott Lauber, Alex Coffey, Jonathan Tannenwald, Gabriela Carroll, and Conor Smith.

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.

Brighten up. It’s Monday but at least the Phillies are on the brink of clinching and the Eagles are winners. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you tomorrow. — Jim