As October starts to wind down and championship contenders come into focus, it’s becoming clear what teams fans in Pennsylvania can trust. As we delve into the past week’s action and what to expect going forward, keep an open mind and remember that I’m doing my best here.
Eagles
Beginning with the elephant in the room: if the Eagles’ season didn’t already appear dead in the water, it does now after the 37-10 beat-down they just took from the Cowboys. Now fans are left wondering what happened to the team that is supposed to contend for a Super Bowl this year.
Carson Wentz has to get better. He took three sacks, fumbled twice and completed 16 of 26 passes for 191 yards with a touchdown and a pick, yet another rough performance in what’s been a very lackluster year for the former MVP candidate. Obviously, there are a lot of other things this team needs to work on beyond the quarterback play, just too many to talk about here.
The point is that while Wentz isn’t the biggest problem right now, he’s not the solution right now either.
Up next: 10/27 @ Buffalo, 1:00 p.m./FOX
76ers
Finally, meaningful basketball. The Sixers open the campaign on Wednesday in a primetime matchup with the Celtics. In this new age of duos in the NBA, they have perhaps one of the best in Joel Embiid and the new-and-improved-three-pointer-shooting Ben Simmons.
Their new look supporting cast is the X-Factor for this team, with offseason acquisition Al Horford helping to stabilize the frontcourt and a new group of young reserves filling out the rotation. Look for the Sixers to come out gunning and start the new season with a bang.
Up next: 10/23 vs. Boston, 7:30 p.m./ESPN
10/25 @ Detroit, 7:00 p.m./NBC Sports Philly
Penn State
Saturday was magnificent for this team. College game-day, the white-out, the gutsy win over a ranked conference opponent, it was all there. If the 28-21 result against Michigan says anything, it’s that this team can find a way to win games.
Now they turn their focus to their most dangerous game of the year to this point. Coming off two extremely physical games, the Nittany Lions now head to East Lansing, MI, to face off with Michigan State.
Usually, playing tough, physical games, especially a highly emotional home win over a ranked team, leading up to a road game with a tough, physical team does not bode well. Upset alert, watch out for a letdown, danger Will Robinson, however you want to put it, this has all the makings of a trap game.
Up next: 10/26 @ Michigan State, 3:30 p.m./ABC
Flyers
A road trip north of the border did not go well for the Flyers. A tough shootout loss to Vancouver was followed up with a 3-1 loss to Calgary that wasn’t even that close and a 6-3 thumping at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers. Returning home didn’t help much either, ending the week with a 4-1 drubbing from the Dallas Stars.
What had been a promising start has suddenly given way to a four-game losing streak that has shown the holes in this team. Only a few players are scoring, the Carter Hart dam has burst with him allowing 16 goals in four games and the reality that this is a young team that might not be ready to contend is setting in.
It’s still early in the season, but that was a tough week.
Up next: 10/21 vs. Vegas, 7:00 p.m./NBC Sports Philly
10/24 @ Chicago, 8:30 p.m./NBC Sports Philly
10/26 vs. Columbus, 7:00 p.m./NBC Sports Philly
10/27 @ NY Islanders, 7:00 p.m./NBC Sports Philly
Temple
A promising run looks dead, as #19 SMU carved up Temple’s defense as the Owls continued their road woes on Saturday to fall to 5-2 on the season. The games do still have meaning, though, and with two of their toughest games left, Central Florida and Tulane, coming at home, a 9-3 finish is still well within reach.
Such is the life of college football outside the Power 5 conferences. Play to win the conference, if that is out of reach then go and win a bowl game.
Up next: 10/26 vs. UCF, 7:00 p.m./ESPN2
Union
“Wait, did he say the Union? Is this guy talking about soccer?”
Yes, yes I am.
The MLS playoffs began this past weekend and the Union, coming in as the no. 3 seed in the East, won their first-round matchup against the New York Red Bulls 4-3 in extra time (overtime, essentially).
Trailing 3-1 at halftime, the Union rallied in the second half behind goals from Jack Elliott and Fafa Picault, the latter coming on a header in the 78th minute, and Marco Fabian somehow found the net on a deflected ball from 20 yards out for the winner in extra time.
The Union now move on to the conference semifinals where they will face the reigning champs in Atlanta.
Up next: 10/24 @ Atlanta United, 8:00 p.m./ESPN2
3 Highlights
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World Series
The World Series kicks off on Tuesday night in Houston as the Astros look to win their second title in three years, while the Nationals will be playing in the series at all for the first time in the history of their entire franchise. Just a quick breakdown:
- Max Scherzer (WAS) and Justin Verlander (HOU) were teammates with the Tigers from 2010-2014, and Anibal Sanchez (WAS) after 2012. They combined for two Cy Young awards and a WS appearance in Detroit.
- Stephen Strasburg (WAS) and Gerrit Cole (HOU) were the no. 1 draft picks in 2009 and 2011, respectively (fun fact: in 2010 it was Bryce Harper).
- Anthony Rendon (WAS) and Alex Bregman (HOU) are both considered front runners for their respective MVP awards. If both win, it will be the first time the World Series has featured both MVPs since 2012 when the San Francisco Giants (Buster Posey) beat Scherzer and Verlander’s Tigers (Miguel Cabrera).
The Astros are the biggest World Series favorites since the Red Sox in 2007, but at least on paper this series could be a classic.
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Troy Dye, Linebacker, Oregon Ducks
Oregon needed everything they had to take home a road win over Washington on Saturday in Seattle. In the case of Troy Dye, that was taken to the extreme.
The Ducks linebacker broke his thumb early in the game, went to the sideline, had it wrapped up and was back on the field minutes later. He was interviewed about it after the game. Here’s how the conversation went:
Reporter: “You just played the rest of this game with a broken thumb.”
Dye: “Yes ma’am, you gotta do what you gotta do.”
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
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Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois came into Saturday’s game against sixth-ranked Wisconsin as 30.5 point underdogs. After James McCourt’s 39-yard kick split the uprights, Illinois had beaten the Badgers 24-23, pulling off the biggest upset in the BigTen since the 1980’s, when the conference actually had only 10 teams.
It was their first win over a ranked team since 2011, first win over a ranked BigTen team since 2007 (#1 Ohio State) and their first win over a ranked BigTen team at home since that same 2007 season (#5 Wisconsin) that ended in a Rose Bowl appearance.
This team isn’t going to the Rose Bowl, but they aren’t worried about that. Playing spoiler and winning football games is just fine as far as they are concerned.
