Eagles Turn Their Attention to Wounded Cowboys

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It appears that the Cowboys lost more than just another game over the weekend. Paul George made his Sixers debut; it didn’t end like anyone in Sixerland might have hoped. And Kyle Neptune’s Villanova Wildcats struggled to put away a Patriot League team in their opener.

Let’s go.

In the email today:

• 🤠 Eagles Turn Their Attention to Wounded Cowboys

• ⬇️ Sixers Lose Close in the Desert as Paul George Debuts

• ✌️ Villanova Opens Season with Tight Win Over Lafayette

  • 📆 This Day in Philly Sports History

  • 📊 Poll

  • 🔗 Links

  • 📺 Coming Up

The Birds visit Dallas this weekend to take on a struggling, banged-up Cowboys squad.

This Eagles team is still hard to figure out. Their talent was on full display Sunday against the Jaguars, as they made one spectacular play after another. They are 6-2, one Saquon Barkley drop away from 7-1, and have won four straight games.

But their faults were on display Sunday as well. They turned a game that looked like a laugher into a competitive match that went down to the wire. Yes, some of it was on the refs for an atrocious call on the Barkley “fumble.” Coaching decisions were also partly to blame.

But while the Eagles continue to progress, the Cowboys are looking at a lost season. Dallas enters week ten 3-5 and facing a possible extended absence for Dak Prescott.

And if that’s not enough, Dem Boyz may be without the services of CeeDee Lamb. His status for the game is very much up in the air:

So Dallas Week will have a little less juice than usual leading up to Sunday. But that’s not really the Eagles’ concern. Their job is to pocket another win before a November 14 showdown with the Commanders, who currently lead the NFC East with a 7-2 record.

As of Monday night, the Eagles are 7-point road favorites over the Cowboys. Just like the Jaguars victory, a win over Dallas won’t tell us much about the Birds’ championship odds.

But a loss to backup Cowboys QB Cooper Rush would certainly tell us something. Let’s hope the team can take care of business without a last-second INT this week.

Here are the latest FanDuel Super Bowl odds:

So the touts don’t see the Commanders ahead of the Eagles yet. As we noted above, though, holding serve against a hurting Cowboys team is imperative.

Joel Embiid remains sidelined, but the Sixers finally got to see Paul George play regular season minutes in their uniform.

George went scoreless in eight first quarter minutes. He scored his first basket as a Sixer — a three-pointer — at the 11:45 mark of the second period on his way to ten points and five rebounds in the first half.

The game was close throughout and at one point the Sixers led by seven with 3:38 to go.

But the Sixers could only manage one more point. They lacked Embiid’s rim protection. They were also not helped by Guerschon Yabusele missing two threes and traveling over three late possessions. Those are Embiid’s minutes.

Still, the Sixers had a chance to tie or take the lead on the final possession. There was only one way for the Sixers to make this otherwise ordinary November regular season road game have a sports movie finish

Mind you, Tyrese Maxey had 32 points (on his birthday, no less). Maybe give him the last shot? Instead, the Sixers ran iso for George, who ended up taking arguably the worst shot in basketball (a stepback 22-footer).

There were some positives. Six Sixers scored in double figures, clearly the effect of George drawing extra defensive attention and giving lesser teammates open looks. And taking a team with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal to the wire without Embiid was impressive. Great game, tough end.

The Sixers are in Los Angeles tomorrow to take on the Clippers and (checks notes) some guy named James Harden.

Good teams win, great teams cover. ✌️ 

Villanova was an 18-point favorite at home against Lafayette, who 10-8 in the Patriot League last season and a desolate 11-21 overall. A win’s a win, we guess.

The Wildcats led this game by one point at halftime and the game was tied at 37 early in the second half. Villanova fans were probably looking for a comfortable blowout to get the season started on the right note. This wasn't that.

Head coach Kyle Neptune’s starting five was about as “new look” as it gets, due in part to Eric Dixon’s one-game suspension.

Even after Dixon returns, you might need a scorecard to tell the players on this Villanova roster.

• Dixon and co-captain Jordan Longino are back this season.

• The revamped backcourt features several transfers, including Wooga Poplar (Miami), who was named Preseason Third Team All-Big East, along with Jhamir Brickus (La Salle), Kris Parker (Alabama), and Tyler Perkins (Penn).

• In the frontcourt, transfer Enoch Boakye (Fresno State) has featured early in Dixon’s absence.

• Freshmen forwards Josiah Moseley, Matthew Hodge, and Malcolm Thomas are also part of the front-line rotation, although Hodge is currently awaiting eligibility clearance.

The win over Lafayette brought Neptune’s record at Villanova to within a game of .500. That’s really not what anyone on Lancaster Avenue was expecting from the coach who took over a Final Four program from Jay Wright.

Poplar had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the ‘cats.

Villanova hosts Ivy League Columbia on Wednesday night at the Pavillion.

📆 This Day in Philly Sports History

November 5, 2022 was a dark day in Philadelphia sports. The Union lost in the MLS Cup final and the Phillies were bounced from the World Series.

📊 Poll

Results from Monday:

🔗 Links

• 💰️The Yankees lost the World Series, but they won their standoff with Gerrit Cole.

• 📱Somewhat predictably, Jason Kelce apologized for that IPhone smash over the weekend.

• 🏒 The Flyers traded defensemen with the Oilers.

• ⚾️ There might finally be Hall of Fame justice for Dick Allen.

• 🔴 Taylor Swift was at Arrowhead for DeAndre Hopkins’ coming out party for the Chiefs.

📺 Coming Up

Games before our next send.

November 5, 2024

• Flyers at Hurricanes | 7:00 p.m. | NBC Sports Philadelphia

Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow.

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