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sports Diamars 27 september 2022

Hurts, undefeated Eagles looking dominant three games in

(AP) — Jalen Hurts Through three games, three Super Bowl halftime show?
bounded off Washington's wins and a sharp rise in Cool. Bummer for Hurts,
field and waved his arms Philadelphia's most popu- though, he'll be game-plan-
while the Eagles fans who lar athlete rankings, Hurts' ning at halftime and have to
turned the stadium into performance has soared to miss the performance.
a South Philly pep rally MVP standards and has fans
chanted "MVP! MVP!" already predicting the NFC OK, that's a bit of a stretch for
East will be won in a walk- late September — and with
Too soon? No way. over. Hey, did you hear Ri- the Phillies still in a pennant
hanna will headline the 2023 race.

But Hurts and the Eagles
76ers’ Harden, Embiid healthy, have barely scratched the
surface of what a healthy
happy and chasing a title team can achieve. Hurts was
22 of 35 for 340 yards and
three touchdown passes, one Thy Kingdom Crumble. The Eagles head home to
(AP) — James Harden each to DeVonta Smith, A.J. play the Jacksonville Jaguars,
leaned into a microphone Brown and Dallas Goedert in The game went Philadel- led by coach Doug Pederson.
and deadpanned that he Sunday's 24-8 win over the Pederson, of course, was the
lost 100 pounds over the Washington Commanders. phia's way. So did the fran-
summer. Joel Embiid's chise's decision to scrap Wen- first Eagles coach to ever win
the Super Bowl, knocking off
summer vacation — at "I think we have yet to play tz for Hurts.
least, according to the our best ball," Hurts said. the New England Patriots af-
ter the 2017 season. Pederson
NBA scoring champion — WHAT'S WORKING
was spent entirely in bed. The Eagles and their fans are The offense. The defense. was 42-37-1 in five seasons.
overjoyed they have Hurts The Eagles are 3-0 for the He guided the Eagles to two
And what of that NBA inves- and not his predecessor, Car- 10th time in franchise history division championships and
tigation into the Philadelphia son Wentz — the quarterback and won their first two road three playoff appearances
76ers for possible tamper- Hurts replaced as the starter games for the first time since before going 4-11-1 in 2020.
Pederson was fired with two
ing in offseason free-agency hamstring issues that both- went down more often than 2010.
moves? ered him for parts of last the price of his still-for- years remaining on his con-
season. The 33-year-old is sale authentic Eagles jersey. "We see 3-0 teams, 5-0 teams, tract. Pederson was a start-
"The league office does an starting his first full season Wentz was sacked nine times, start hot all the time, but it's ing quarterback in Philadel-
amazing job," basketball with the 76ers, and credits lost a fumble that set up one just about going back to work phia in 1999 and later served
President Daryl Morey said. his physique transformation Philadelphia touchdown and because this game will hum- as an assistant coach under
to a healthy diet, proper rest, all but 24 of Wentz's pass- ble you very quickly if you Andy Reid with the Eagles
Well, that seems settled. strengthening his muscles ing yards came in the second get too high on it," Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. The
Eagles hired him in Janu-
coach Nick Sirianni said
and summer workouts with half, long after the outcome
But for a franchise that has his teammates in Los Ange- had been determined. NEXT STEPS ary 2016 after abruptly firing
Chip Kelly a month earlier.
seen a smattering of tumul- les.
tuous issues and confusing The reunion tour continues.
players over the last decade, And, yes, Embiid shook out
the 76ers enter the season at of his so-called summer
peace. The Sixers enter train- slumber and joined the pick-
ing camp this week at the up sessions.
Citadel in Charleston, South
Carolina, without a signifi- Harden's return triggered the
cant injury or a holdout or a only minor hiccup in the off-
trade demand or any kind of season. The 10-time All-Star
distraction that could derail declined his $47.4 million
them from a serious champi- player option, instead agree-
onship run. ing to a new two-year deal
that will pay him $32 million
Harden has snapped out of in 2022-23. Harden said his
the "tough times, lot of dark decision was meant to give
moments" that plagued him the 76ers the flexibility they
the last couple of seasons as needed to go after other play-
he dealt with injuries. Em- ers, such as Tucker and Dan-
biid is recovered from hand uel House.
injuries that cost him playoff
games. So did Harden actually en-
courage the new teammates
"I believe this, this is the best to join the 76ers?
talent I've had since I've been
here," third-year 76ers coach The Sixers also added backup
Doc Rivers said at team head- center Montrezl Harrell, the
quarters in New Jersey. NBA Sixth Man of the Year
in 2019-2020. Again, Harrell
Harden and Embiid can said he made up his mind to
make a dominant pair. And join the Sixers without any
Tyrese Maxey flashes smiles input from Harden.
as wide as his potential,
seemingly on the brink of a But he was honest about
breakout season. what he wants to achieve in
Philly.
Harden, officially listed at
220 pounds, does look more "Win as many as champion-
in shape and doesn't have the ship as I can," he said.