Eagles Spank Cowboys, 41-7

🚦 THE Philly sports newsletter

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Philip Keidel & John Foley
December 30, 2024

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Happy Victory Monday!

“Dallas Week” isn’t what it used to be around these parts. But 41-7 rout of Dem Boyz should still put smiles on faces throughout the Delaware Valley this morning.

Elsewhere in Philly sports, the Sixers just may have un-zombified themselves, and the Flyers didn’t have a bad weekend. Not much Phillies news in today’s email send, but you can always check in on the website to get the latest on your Fightins. (As we near the end of the year, we’re finishing up our series on the 15 best Phillies games of 2024.)

Let’s jump in, starting with your 13-3, NFC East Champion Birds.

In the email today:

😯 Eagles Spank Cowboys, 41-7

It was a Sunday Funday in South Philly for the Eagles, as they broke out the kelly green unis, lit up the Dallas Cowboys for 41 points, and clinched the 2024 NFC East championship.

Saquon Barkley ran the ball 31 times for 167 yards, putting him over 2,000 rushing yards for the season and well within reach of Eric Dickerson's single-season NFL rushing record (2,105 yards) with one game remaining. Whether the Birds should let Barkley go for the record--risking possible injury just before the playoffs--will be the subject of significant debate. File that dilemma under good problems to have.

Barkley, for his part, is focused on a Super Bowl victory: "We all know what the goal is."

Perfect attitude from the Eagles RB. But that won't stop the rest of us from celebrating his regular season accomplishments:

Kenny Pickett and Tanner McKee did exactly what they needed to do at the quarterback position in Jalen Hurts' absence, combining to complete 13 of 19 passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns. Neither QB turned the ball over or took a sack.

McKee's touchdown throw to A.J. Brown was the first of his career. Hilarity ensued.

On defense, CJGJ snagged two interceptions, including a pick-six for the first score of the game.

We're just happy Jimmy Carter got to see it. (RIP, Mr. President.)

The Eagles outscored the Cowboys 75-13 in a season sweep over their division rival.

Sunday. Funday.

The Birds close out the regular season next week at home against the Giants.

📈 Here They Come! Sixers Win 8th of 11, Down Jazz

We got a lot of mileage out of the Zombie Sixers bit. Rest assured, if any of the Big 3 go back to their load management ways, the 🧟 emoji is always at the ready.

As 2024 winds down, though, the Sixers almost appear resurrected. It is alive.

Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey had 32 points apiece in the Sixers’ win. Paul George was subpar again, but Guerschon Yabusele covered for George with 12 points and eight rebounds in 22 busy minutes.

This game had a little bit of everything, starting with Embiid looking to get the hell out of Salt Lake City even before tipoff.

Elsewhere, the Sixers’ penchant for attracting ref shows continued when Nick Nurse’s effort to call a timeout was ignored, leading to a technical foul.

In a three-point game, a baseless technical foul can make a significant difference. The Sixers could do with a. more competent officiating and b. maybe toning it down a bit.

The win pulled the Sixers to within half a game of the 10th position in the Eastern Conference standings. The teams immediately above them (Detroit and Chicago) are demonstrably worse than the Sixers.

Beyond that, the picture is muddy. But at least for now, the Undead Sixers are back on course. They’re in Portland to take on the actively terrible Trail Blazers tonight.

🖕Flyers Beat Gauthier’s Ducks, Split Cali Weekend

Philadelphia fans are notorious for many things. One of them is their innate ability to create and hold a grudge.

Whether it’s a player who comes here and steals money (Al Horford) or a player who vocally decides not to play here (J.D. Drew), they’re marked for life.

Cutter Gauthier, welcome to being marked for life in Philadelphia.

The Flyers won the first of four straight games in the Western U.S. with a sneaky good win over the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday night. Noah Cates, Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost all scored for the Flyers.

But this game was really about two rookies. Gauthier logged only 13:19 in ice time, nearly all of it at even strength. He was a non-factor.

Unfortunately, so was another high-profile rookie, this one wearing Orange and Black. Head coach John Tortorella tried to defuse the situation, as best he could, anyway.

Our colleague Anthony SanFilippo understood Flyers’ fans concerns, but backed the coach.

Good luck trying to predict anything Torts does. Michkov played last night and was back on the score sheet with an assist on the Flyers’ second goal and then scored one of his own from an angle that Kings goaltender David Rittich probably didn’t love.

Sadly, the Flyers blew a two-goal lead en route to a regulation loss. It was another night to forget for Flyers netminder Aleksei Kolosov, who was beaten five times on 20 shots.

The difference ended up being that the Kings had Anze Kopitar and the Flyers didn’t. Kopitar scored twice last night, matching his two-goal performance against the Flyers on December 19.

The Flyers’ western swing continues in San Jose Tuesday night.

📆 This Day in Philly Sports History

On December 30, 1995, the Eagles defeated the Lion 58-37 in the playoffs.

📊 Poll

Should the Eagles let Saquon Barkley go after the NFL single-season rushing record on Sunday?

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Results from Friday:

📺 Coming Up

Games before our next send.

Monday, December 30, 2024

  • Sixers v. Trail Blazers, 10:00 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia)

Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow.

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