🤲🏽 Hands down | Sports Daily Newsletter

It was a debate I had with my friends as soon as I saw the headline because, honestly, it’s a fair question.

Is A.J. Brown the greatest Eagles wide receiver of all time?

Yes, that is the actual headline. Take a look.

It’s part of a larger discussion on the latest edition of the Inquirer’s unCovering the Birds podcast with Jeff McLane that dropped earlier this week. The debate was based largely on Brown’s impressive statistics over three seasons in Philly, but I just knew that a question like this is tailor-made for debate, so let’s have it. When you think of all the notable wideouts the Eagles have had over the decades, does Brown sit atop your pantheon?

Mike Quick, Harold Carmichael, DeSean Jackson, Cris Carter, Alshon Jeffery, Irving Fryar, and even Terrell Owens and all his sit-ups. These are names that immediately come to mind for me. But despite his brief time in Midnight Green, does Brown surpass all of these names? It’s my big question; one I hope you email us back with an answer to for a chance to be featured in Friday’s newsletter.

As a complete aside: Is Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie considering selling a slice of the team? Sure looks that way.

As far as today, we’re looking at a carbon copy of yesterday with sunny skies and highs in the upper 70s on Halloween.

Now, that’s a catch. 😎

— Kerith Gabriel, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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The Eagles’ other offensive playmakers are riding high after a big win against the Bengals, with Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley all smiles after a meaningful fourth-quarter touchdown. Hurts scored and then handed the ball off to Barkley so he could spike the ball. Yes the quarterback has been scoring many of the Tush Push touchdowns that otherwise might have been Barkley scores. But Barkley understands that the play for the Eagles is “winning football.”

Barkley and Hurts also joined Lurie as part of a golf outing with former President Barack Obama, who’s campaigning in the area. Hurts wasn’t able to actually play golf due to his player contract, but still talked up his golf game with Obama: “I told him he didn’t want these problems yet … His day will come.”

It’s one thing to lose to one of the worst teams in your conference. It’s another when one of your former teammates are the ones who cooked you. That would be the Sixers last night who dropped a game to the previously winless Detroit Pistons last night. Making matters worse is that it was former forward Tobias Harris that provided the blow leading the Pistons behind his 18 points.

Additionally, Paul Reed, who also was sent packing to Detroit, didn’t play in last night’s game but said before the Pistons’ win that he “felt some type of way” about having to leave Philly.

The Sixers will certainly look to rebound in their game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday (7:30 p.m., NBCSP).

The bullpen — which, together with the outfield, had been the Phillies’ focus at the trade deadline — fell flat when it mattered most. Dave Dombrowski’s biggest acquisition in July, reliever Carlos Estévez, delivered the pitch to Francisco Lindor that spelled the end of the Phillies’ season with a go-ahead grand slam. Though the core might remain mostly the same, hoping that the National League Division Series performance truly was an anomaly, there is some room for movement with Estévez and Jeff Hoffman set to hit free agency. José Ruiz and Kolby Allard are also both arbitration-eligible this offseason. Let’s break down some possibilities for the Phillies’ bullpen in 2025.

Which Phillies should stay or go? We asked you earlier this month and you voted. Check out the results.

When you are building something solid, the best way to do it is block by block. The rebuilding Flyers are hoping to build themselves into a consistent contender and while that may seem a ways away, on Tuesday they did it literally, blocked shot by blocked shot.

The Flyers blocked 28 shots in all in a 2-0 win over the Boston Bruins, a sign that they are starting to get back to the identity that helped them overachieve last season. Blocked shots might not be as glamorous or as trendy as some of the game’s new analytics, but as John Tortorella said, “it creates a camaraderie within the group.” And we all know how powerful that can be in sports.

Jackie Spiegel has other takeaways from a victory the Flyers hope will serve as a turning point in their season.

Hey, Philly sports fans! Show us your fan caves for a chance to be featured in our Haven series! Nominate yours by sending us an email at properties@inquirer.com to show our readers how you celebrate your sports fandom!

Oct. 31, 2019: Sixers center Joel Embiid is suspended for two games without pay for an on-court fight with Minnesota center Karl-Anthony Towns.

Eagles should pursue Myles Garrett if the price is not too steep. I always thought Howie was wrong not to draft Penn State’s Micah Parsons, who is probably the best in the NFL right now. But then, of course, we would not have DeVonta Smith. — Everett S.

Obviously, the Eagles should address their weakest link at the trade deadline. Meaning, they should hire a new head coach. And while he’s at it, maybe Howie can hire Nick Foles as a team psychologist and motivator — someone who could instill in the Eagles a little BDE (pardon my French) — Stephen T.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Ariel Simpson, Gina Mizell, Lochlahn March, Jeff McLane, Jeff Neiburg, Jeff Gammage, Olivia Reiner, Bob Ford, Jackie Spiegel, Aaron Carter, Paulie Loscalzo, 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.

Thanks for reading. Jim will be back on the controls for Friday’s newsletter. — Kerith