Will Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Replace Nakobe Dean on Sunday for Birds?

Happy Thursday!

Are the nerves starting to kick in for Sunday’s Eagles game against the Rams? If so, we don’t blame you. The Birds remain heavy favorites but we all know that means little once the game begins.

One particular concern for the Eagles is the loss of linebacker Nakobe Dean, who was having a breakout season. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is likely to pick up at least some of Dean’s snaps, according to Vic Fangio. That could make for some magical Eagles moments… or simply a huge day for Matthew Stafford and the talented Rams offense.

The Sixers are also a Philadelphia sports team. That’s maybe the nicest thing we can say about them right now. They lost to the Knicks in OT last night after coming back from double-digits. We will review.

We’ll also discuss the Union’s trip to Spain, and consider whether we should allow them to come home.

In the email today:

• 🪓 Will Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Replace Nakobe Dean on Sunday for Birds?

• 🗽 Sixers Erase 13-Point Deficit but Lose to Knicks in OT

• 🇪🇸 Union Head to Holiday (OK, Training Camp) in Spain

  • 📆 This Day in Philly Sports History

  • 📊 Poll

  • 🔗 Links

  • 📺 Coming Up

The Eagles put smiles on faces throughout the Delaware Valley when they selected Jeremiah Trotter Jr. in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The elder Jeremiah Trotter, after all, was an absolute monster in many of Jim Johnson’s ferocious defenses in the early aughts.

The Axeman Sr. was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2000, 2001, 2004, and 2005.

Whether Axeman Jr. can come close to playing at the level his father did in the NFL remains to be seen. The rookie played just 51 snaps all season before getting extended playing time (all 53 defensive snaps) in Week 17 against the Giants. He racked up 11 tackles in that game.

It was Oren Burks, not Trotter Jr., who stepped in when Nakobe Dean suffered a season-ending injury during Sunday’s game against the Packers.

On special teams, Burks had forced a fumble on the opening kickoff. But Eagles fans were largely unimpressed by Burks’ performance at linebacker.

And on Tuesday, Vic Fangio hinted that “the future may be now” for Trotter Jr.:

The most likely scenario is a mix of Burks and Axeman Jr. this Sunday against the Rams.

Fellow linebacker Zack Baun has expressed faith in both players.

Would Birds fans be as excited about Trotter Jr. if his father wasn’t a beloved member of the Eagles Hall of Fame? No.

But that doesn’t mean the kid can’t play. Trotter the second was a highly productive player at Clemson and earned a reputation as a smart, tough linebacker. He slipped in the draft due to his size (6’0”, 225 lbs.) and concerns about his other measurables (bench press, 20-yard shuttle time, etc.).

Burks may very well be the better choice for the most snaps on Sunday. Fangio knows better than anyone what his two top options are capable of.

It sure will be a hell of a story, however, if Axeman Jr. balls out against LA about 23 years after the Rams defeated his father’s Birds in the NFC Championship game.

Tuesday night’s loss to the Thunder — where Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George all sat out — was another new low point in a season full of them for the Sixers.

The second half of the home back-to-back came last night against the hated Knicks on a nationally televised game on ESPN. Early indications were pretty discouraging.

Bad news travels fast.

Maxey and George returned to the lineup against the Knicks after all, but struggled early. George had 12 points on 3-8 shooting in the first half. Maxey had six points on 3-12 shooting.

The Sixers trailed by a baker’s dozen at halftime. Watching the game on ESPN’s national broadcast, you heard two things repetitively: The Sixers really miss Embiid and the Knicks are doing this just running their normal game plan.

Doris Burke wasn’t the only one to notice what the Sixers cannot do without Embiid.

Just when it seemed safe to turn the game off, the Sixers turned the game on its head. It took him 30 shots to do it, but Maxey had 31 points at the end of regulation including the bucket that sent the game to overtime. George ended regulation with 23 points.

Unquestionably, though, the energy the Sixers spent collectively forcing the game to overtime just wasn’t there for them in OT.

The Knicks scored the first eight points in the extra session on their way to a 125-119 victory. Villanova products Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart combined for 71 points.

The Sixers head to Indiana to take on the Pacers on Saturday night.

We documented the pitiful end to the Union’s 2024 MLS campaign and the toll it took. Usually, when a team conspires to miss the playoffs and get its coach fired, there is a cost to pay for the players responsible.

The Union are apparently out-of-the-box thinkers, though, because they won’t have to spend their preseason training camp in bitterly cold Chester. No sir. The Union are failing up.

That’s right — Spain. We didn’t believe it either.

Also unbelievable: This motley crew the Union sent to foreign soil to prepare for a 2025 season that begins (incredibly) on February 22 in Orlando. Mercifully, the Union’s home opener was held until March. March 1. In Chester. Let us know how that goes.

Here’s a quick look at the training camp attendees.

This is the least talented Union group since probably 2018. And you don’t have to look beyond last season’s opener against Chicago to see what happened.

Gone from the team sheet from the February 24, 2024 draw with the Fire at Subaru Park are: Julian Carranza, Jose Martinez and Jack Elliott. Leon Flach was not in the squad that day, but he left, too.

Real MLS heads will tell you that the Union can throw out a spit-and-baling wire XI with Blake, Harriel/Glesnes/Mbaizo/Wagner, Gazdag/Bueno/the Sullivans/Uhre.

It’s lacking central defensive strength and anything resembling scoring punch, but it’s a professional lineup. The problem is that you can’t play them all for 90 minutes in an eight-month season. The depth here is entirely non-existent.

So maybe the Union should sign some reinforcements? Yeah, about that.

Spain will be lit, though.

📆 This Day in Philly Sports History

On January 16, 2005, the Eagles defeated the Vikings to advance to the NFC Championship Game vs Mike Vick’s Falcons.

Freddie Mitchell caught two touchdowns, including an L.J. Smith fumble. Afterwards, he thanked his hands for being so great.

Full highlights of the game:

📊 Poll

Results from Wednesday:

🔗 Links

• 🐅 Auburn legend Bo Jackson relinquished a probably uncollectible judgment.

• 🔥 A second Chicago Fire reference in the same newsletter as they might be in the mix for Neymar.

• 🦈 Greg Norman is out as LIV Golf CEO.

• 🦅 Karl-Anthony Towns wore Birds gear on the sideline last night.

• ❄️ The Rams might be fleeing wildfires to play the Eagles in snow.

📺 Coming Up

Games before our next send.

Thursday, January 16, 2025

• Flyers at Islanders, 7:30 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia)

Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow.

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