Eagles news: 49ers lineman arrested after domestic incident; NFC championship tickets sell out in minutes
© Jose F. Moreno/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS
The Eagles will practice Thursday and Friday ahead of Sunday's NFC championship game.
- What you should know
- The Eagles will host the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC championship game on Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets sold out in minutes Tuesday morning, drawing Ticketmaster complaints.
- 49ers defender Charles Omenihu was arrested after a domestic incident involving his girlfriend. He was released on bail, but his status for Sunday’s game is uncertain.
- Ailing A.J. Brown is expected to play and Avonte Maddox has a chance to return, according to head coach Nick Sirianni.
- Is it better for the Eagles that they’re getting to face San Francisco instead of Dallas? Our beat writers weigh in.
- Here are the key Eagles-49ers matchups to watch on Sunday.
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Eagles fans tailgate near Lincoln Financial Field.
Darius Slay was starstruck seeing ‘favorite player’ Peyton Manning before Giants game
// Timestamp 01/24/23 5:48pm
There’s something adorable about seeing a football player — or any celebrity, really, but especially ones who are supposed to be tough guys — gush over meeting someone, just like you would if you got to meet that person.
Well, that’s exactly what happened to Eagles cornerback Darius Slay on Sunday before his team took on the Giants at the Linc. Both Peyton and Eli Manning were in attendance — with the older Manning’s son wearing a Birds jersey, not one of his Uncle Eli’s Giants jerseys — and Slay made a point to say hi to Peyton, who he said is his “all-time favorite player.”
— Matt Mullin
How to avoid getting scammed if you buy Eagles tickets on the secondary market
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Eagles running back Kenny Gainwell has 112 yards on just 12 carries against the Giants.
// Timestamp 01/24/23 4:24pm
Many people hoping to nab tickets to Sunday’s NFC Championship game were left disappointed Tuesday as Eagles playoff tickets once again sold out in minutes.
Out-of-luck Birds fans are resigned to stalking secondary market sites this week, scouring for the cheapest tickets to see the Eagles take on the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field.
© YONG KIM / Staff Photographer/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts throws against the 49ers during a game last season.
But proceed with caution and common sense.
© David Maialetti/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS
Philadelphia Eagles fans cheer at the start of the divisional playoff game against the Giants at Lincoln Financial Field.
Scammers are familiar, too, with all the frenzied ticket hunts happening in the days leading up to popular events, consumer protection experts told The Inquirer earlier this month.
Here are some consumer protection experts’ tips for avoiding scams:
- Buy through well-known resellers, such as SeatGeek, StubHub, Ticketmaster, and Vivid Seats
- Confirm the seat and section actually exist in the stadium
- Avoid too-good-to-be-true prices
- Pay with a credit card — not Venmo or PayPal
For more tips on how to avoid ticket scams, click here.
Searching for Eagles-49ers tickets? Here’s how to steer clear of scams.— Erin McCarthy
Watch: Brandon Graham talks trash during coin toss before Giants game
// Timestamp 01/24/23 3:49pm
Key Eagles-49ers matchups to watch
// Timestamp 01/24/23 2:30pm
The Eagles are now just one game away from reaching the Super Bowl for the second time in six seasons. The conference’s top seed will host the second-seeded San Francisco 49ers in the NFC championship game at 3 p.m. Sunday.
“As far as the players, man, this is a talented team,” coach Nick Sirianni said Monday. “A lot of good playmakers on this football team offensively and defensively, and it’s no surprise that they’ve won [12] games in a row. They have good coaches, and good players. We’re going to have to have a plan...we’re working on [making] sure that their good players don’t wreck the game.
“But we have good players, too, and we’re excited about the matchups. There’s a lot of good-on-good out there that’s going to be happening in this game. That’s what the NFC championship game should be. It’s going to be good-on-good, and it’s going to be tight.”
Here are several key matchups to pay attention to:
Key Eagles-49ers matchups to watch in the NFC championship game— Josh Tolentino
Kenny Gainwell could get more playing time after big Giants game
// Timestamp 01/24/23 1:14pm
Kenny Gainwell may have carved out a role for himself just in time for the biggest game of the season.
The second-year running back out of Memphis had a career day against the New York Giants, rushing for 112 yards on 12 carries. It was the first time ins his career surpassing 100 yards.
Some of Gainwell’s work came with the Eagles salting away the clock late in the game, but he had a handful of productive carries early as well. During his Tuesday news conference, Eagles offensive coordinator suggested Gainwell has become a viable change of pace option behind Miles Sanders.
“I think it’s just mixing those guys in,” Steichen said. “Kenny’s running hard right now, the offensive line is doing a great job blocking for him. He’s been really good.”
Gainwell’s season high in carries going into the playoffs was eight, and he had zero attempts twice this year. He had five carries in the regular-season finale against the Giants for 35 yards and set his career high in rushing in the divisional-round win last Saturday.
— EJ Smith
49ers lineman arrested after domestic incident
// Timestamp 01/24/23 12:10pm
San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Charles Omenihu was arrested Monday on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence, San Jose police said.
According to police, officers were called to Omenihu’s home on a report of domestic violence. A woman who identified herself as Omenihu’s girlfriend said she felt pain in her arm after he “pushed her to the ground during an argument.” Police said the woman declined medical attention.
Omenihu, 25, has been released on bail, police said. The case will be submitted to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office for possible charges.
“We are aware of the matter involving Charles Omenihu and are in the process of gathering further information,” the 49ers said in a statement.
Omenihu, a fifth round pick by the Houston Texans in 2019, was traded to the 49ers during the 2021 season. He has been a key part of the 49ers’ stingy defense this season, and had two sacks and a forced fumble in San Francisco’s blowout win against the Seattle Seahawks in the wild-card round.
49ers lineman Charles Omenihu arrested ahead of Eagles game— Rob Tornoe
For now, Eagles sticking with Brett Kern at punter
// Timestamp 01/24/23 12:07pm
TV ratings: Eagles-Giants down for Fox
// Timestamp 01/24/23 10:24am
The Eagles’ rout over the Giants was great for Birds fans, but not so great for Fox.
The Saturday night game drew 28.6 million viewers on Fox, the network announced Tuesday. According to Sports Business Daily’s Austin Karp, that’s down over 22% from the 36.9 million who tuned in last year to watch 49ers-Packers in the same window. The game did draw more eyeballs than Bills-Ravens on NBC did two years ago, which garnered 27.1 million viewers in the same Saturday night time slot.
But the Eagles game was really an afterthought for Fox. Sunday night’s game between the 49ers and Cowboys delivered 45.7 million viewers, the network announced, which would make it the second-most-watched NFL divisional round game on record.
Here are the TV ratings for all four games, as reported by their respective networks:
- Cowboys-49ers: 45.7 million (Fox)
- Bengals-Bills: 39.3 million (CBS)
- Jaguars-Chiefs: 32.3 million (NBC)
- Giants-Eagles: 28.6 million (Fox)
— Rob Tornoe
Eagles-49ers tickets appear to sell out in minutes, drawing ticketmaster complaints
// Timestamp 01/24/23 10:24am
Eagles tickets to Sunday’s NFC championship game against the San Francisco 49ers appeared to sell out in minutes Tuesday morning.
With overwhelming demand for a limited number of tickets, most fans were placed in a queue on the Ticketmaster website. Most lucky enough to move through the queue ended up with errors or more expensive resale tickets as the only option, with prices already reaching upward of $700 for the cheapest seats.
The Eagles declined to comment on the number of tickets available for sale.
Why were so few tickets for sale? Because season ticket holders are given first dibs, and seats to each game are given to players, coaches, staff, and corporate partners. It’s the remaining tickets that went on sale Tuesday.
As of Tuesday morning, the cheapest seats available for Sunday’s game were going for around $700 on StubHub, VividSeats, and SeatGeek. But each resale site also charges fees of $100 or more on top of the actual ticket price. For last week’s NFC divisional-round game against the New York Giants, Vivid Seats charged the cheapest fee for one ticket at $79.97. SeatGeek was most expensive, charging $104.31 in ticket fees.
Ticketmaster was also the subject of a Senate hearing Tuesday morning. Senators are attempting to determine whether Ticketmaster’s merger with Live Nation has created a monopoly that has harmed consumers after the company’s botched sale of Taylor Swift tickets last year.
— Rob Tornoe
Chris Stapleton to sing national anthem at Super Bowl
// Timestamp 01/24/23 9:44am
Country music star Chris Stapleton will sing the national anthem at Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Ariz., the NFL announced Tuesday.
Troy Kotsur, who won an Academy Award for his work in Coda, will perform the national anthem in American Sign Language.
In addition to Stapelton, here is a rundown of the Super Bowl’s pregame entertainment:
- R&B star Babyface will sing “America the Beautiful.”
- Abbott Elementary star Sheryl Lee Ralph will sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
Rihanna will perform the Super Bowl halftime show, which we know Sixers star Joel Embiid will be watching.
— Rob Tornoe
Howie Roseman spotted at WWE’s ‘Monday Night Raw’ in Philly
// Timestamp 01/24/23 9:30am
The Eagles’ suplex of the Giants on Saturday night apparently wasn’t enough for Howie Roseman.
The Birds general manager was spotted with his sons attending WWE’s Monday Night Raw at the Wells Fargo Center. And Eagles spokesperson confirmed that Roseman was in attendance, noting that he and his two sons are “huge wrestling fans.”
Lincoln Financial Field is hosting WrestleMania XL in April 2024, the first time WWE’s flagship play-per-view event will be held in Philadelphia since 1999.
— Rob Tornoe
49ers injury report: Two running backs dealing with injuries
// Timestamp 01/24/23 7:50am
The San Francisco 49ers came out of their 19-12 win against the Dallas Cowboys mostly healthy, but do have a couple of nagging injuries.
San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan offered an update on his team’s injury situation Monday:
- Christian McCaffrey: The star running back, acquired in a trade with the Carolina Panthers earlier this season, suffered a calf contusion. McCaffrey told reporters he was feeling discomfort in his calf, but was optimistic he’ll be ready for the Eagles Sunday.
- Elijah Mitchell: The 49ers’ other running back injured his groin on Sunday and is day-to-day, but is also expected to play the Birds.
— Rob Tornoe
Eagles-49ers tickets go on sale this morning
// Timestamp 01/24/23 7:00am
Eagles tickets for Sunday’s NFC championship game against the San Francisco 49ers will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Ticketmaster’s website, but don’t expect them to last long.
Tickets for last weekend’s divisional round game against the Giants sold out in minutes, forcing most fans to secondary sales sites like SeatGeek and StubHub, where prices for even the cheapest seats ballooned over $400 with fees.
The team suggests fans log on to Ticketmaster right at 10 a.m. for the best shot to purchase seats at face value. There is a four-ticket limit per household for the game, which is scheduled to take place Sunday at 3 p.m.
Why are their so few tickets for sale? Because season ticket holders are given first dibs, and seats to each game are given to players, coaches, staff, and corporate partners. It’s the remaining tickets that go on sale Tuesday.
How to buy Eagles-49ers NFC Championship tickets— Rob Tornoe
Eagles practice schedule this week
// Timestamp 01/24/23 7:00am
No changes to Nick Sirianni’s schedule this week leading up to the NFC championship game against the San Francisco 49ers.
As they’ve done the past few months, Eagles’ schedule looks like this:
- Wednesday:Walk-through
- Thursday:Practice
- Friday:Practice
- Sunday: NFC championship vs. San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field
— Josh Tolentino
It will be tough for the Eagles to run on the 49ers
// Timestamp 01/24/23 7:00am
As good as San Francisco is at limiting explosive plays, the team is even better at containing the run.
According to TruMedia, the 49ers defense leads the NFL in expected points added with 114.98. The metric measures how effective a defense is to decrease an opponent’s likelihood of scoring on each play.
A significant part of that number stems from the rushing defense, which ranked second in efficiency during the regular season according to Football Outsiders. Can the No. 1-ranked Eagles rushing offense prevail as it has against so many other top-ranked rushing defenses with Hurts juicing the numbers?
It’s a bit of a crapshoot. The 49ers haven’t faced a quarterback with anywhere close to the impact Hurts has on the running game since a season-opening win against Justin Fields in September. Fields had 11 carries for 28 yards in that game, but their exposure to true QB running game looks has been limited since then.
They played the Falcons in Week 6 and Marcus Mariota managed six carries for 50 yards. Taysom Hill of the Saints had six carries for 13 yards in Week 12.
San Francisco’s athletic linebacker pairing would suggest the 49ers can handle Hurts on zone reads capably, but the history has favored the Eagles against vaunted rushing defenses with little experience with a quarterback as dynamic as Hurts on the ground.
Eagles-49ers stats: Breaking down the NFC championship matchup by the numbers— EJ Smith
Eagles look to the Senior Bowl for NFL draft prospects
// Timestamp 01/24/23 7:00am
Over the last three NFL draft classes, the Eagles have found difference makers — several of whom participated in the annual Senior Bowl.
They include quarterback Jalen Hurts, who participated in 2020. In the 2021 draft class, while left guard Landon Dickerson and wide receiver DeVonta Smith didn’t compete in the Senior Bowl due to injury, they left lasting impressions in Mobile, Ala., on the Eagles, becoming the first two picks of their draft class.
This past draft, the Eagles spent a sixth-round pick on SMU tight end Grant Calcaterra, who played a small but significant role for the offense this season with Dallas Goedert missing time with his injury, accumulating five receptions for 81 yards in the regular season.
It’s clear the Eagles value players who participate in the Senior Bowl, and with potential needs at right tackle and running back, this year’s accepted invites include promising prospects who can fill those holes on the roster.
Eagles draft: 2023 Senior Bowl offensive prospects the Birds could pick to fill roster needs— Devin Jackson
Eagles vs. 49ers: Comparing sack totals
// Timestamp 01/24/23 7:00am
NFL playoff schedule
// Timestamp 01/24/23 7:00am
Here’s the remaining NFL playoff TV schedule (all times are Eastern):
Championship round
Sunday, Jan. 29
Super Bowl LVII
Sunday, Feb. 12
— Rob Tornoe
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