How good was Monday night? Carson Wentz threw for 268 yards and four touchdowns and the Eagles beat Washington 34-24 to go to 6-1 on the season, the best record in the NFL.
Ben Simmons had 21 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists — his first career triple double — as the Sixers got their first win of the young NBA season, topping the Pistons in Detroit, 97-86.
How good was Monday night? Joel Embiid had 30 points on 11-of-15 shooting and he’s the third on the list of notable performances.
For real, Philly. How good was Monday night!
Wentz has 4 TD passes.
Embiid had 30 points.
Simmons had a triple double.#PhillyDelivers— Dan Levy (@DanLevyThinks) October 24, 2017
Let’s start this with the Eagles. The first quarter was terrible, but the Birds were down just 3-0 after the first 15 minutes. A field goal and a Washington touchdown had the Eagles down 10-3 and looking rather anemic halfway through the second quarter. But the offense showed up in a big way, starting with a 64-yard strike to Mack Hollins for his first career touchdown.
Big throw by Carson Wentz.
BIG DANCE by Mack Hollins. #Eagles pic.twitter.com/PFIVIqj7p9
— Dan Levy (@DanLevyThinks) October 24, 2017
A three-and-out for Washington gave the Eagles the ball back and Wentz led the offense on an eight-play drive in the waning moments of the half, giving the Birds a 17-10 lead at the break.
The Eagles added another touchdown on the first drive after halftime where Wentz looked like an escape artist.
Hey @cj_wentz, ummm what?
#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/rCJGQYFgzO— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) October 24, 2017
That play looked like nothing compared to this:
How? Just… how??? pic.twitter.com/WXY0SwjhHj
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) October 24, 2017
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Wentz was already the favorite for NFL MVP coming into the week and he did nothing but prove the praise is warranted. It’s hard to think of anyone in the league who deserves more plaudits than him. Through seven games, Wentz has 17 touchdown passes and four interceptions. He only had 16 touchdown passes all of last season and he has 11 in the last three weeks!
Carson Wentz becomes the first #Eagles QB to throw 3+ touchdowns in three straight games since 1953. #FlyEaglesFly @EAMaddenNFL pic.twitter.com/quAmLT9anG
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) October 24, 2017
Monday wasn’t all good for the Eagles, as key injuries continued to mount. Jordan Hicks — the heart of the linebacking corp and a leader on defense — had to be helped off the game with an ankle injury and did not return. Then All Pro left tackle Jason Peters had a defensive lineman collapse on his knee, needing an air cast and the cart to get him off the field.
Emotional moment as Eagles players come to show their support for an injured Jason Peters while he’s carted off the field. pic.twitter.com/4SmzT6e6GG
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) October 24, 2017
The injury looked bad, but Peters was seen telling teammates he’d be okay. Granted, he said it while being wheeled off the field, so that’s an obvious concern for the Eagles moving forward.
Whatever the injury concerns, this year, the Eagles have been able to overcome them. Wentz has led the Eagles on offense and a stout defensive line and Malcolm Jenkins’ veteran presence in the secondary has led the defense to six wins in seven games, the most victories and fewest losses in football.
Monday sure ended well, but the night started pretty darn well too.
Embiid SLAM. pic.twitter.com/bl4M8sQnNN
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) October 23, 2017
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The Sixers got their first win in four tries, giving Simmons and Markelle Fultz their first wins as professional basketball players. While Fultz had just two points in 16 minutes of play, Simmons had the kind of game Sixers fans have been waiting for since he was drafted last year.
He dominated the floor, scored his 21 points on just 11 incredibly efficient shots and made five of his six free throws, recording the first triple-double for a player this early into his NBA career in quite some time.
21 PTS / 12 REB / 10 AST@BenSimmons25‘s 1st triple-double pic.twitter.com/e0zG52fe13
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) October 24, 2017
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Simmons was only the third player in NBA history to record a triple-double in one of his first four NBA games, joining Oscar Robertson and Hambone Williams. (Lonzo Ball was one assist short of a triple-double in his second game for the Lakers.)
Simmons was a plus-10 on the night, playing 33 minutes, while Embiid played 28 minutes and was plus-21. Embiid did have seven turnovers, something he’s had trouble with so far in his young career, but Simmons had just four, which is rather remarkable for a guy the size of a power forward who is playing point guard in just his fourth NBA game.
Simmons ROTY
Embiid MVP
Wentz MVP
?— Jon Johnson (@jonjohnsonwip) October 24, 2017
So how’s this for a stat, and a reminder of just how good Monday was? The last time both the Eagles and Sixers won on the same day was December 29, 2013. The Eagles topped Dallas that day, while the Sixers won against the Lakers.
The two teams have only played on the same day eight times since, including Monday, and until this both had not won since one of the final days of 2013. Of the last 15 times the Eagles and Sixers played on the same day — dating back to 2010 — both teams have won just four times.
| Date | Year | Eagles | Result | Sixers | Result |
| Mon, Oct 23 | 2017 | vs Washington | W 34-24 | @ Detroit | W 97-86 |
| Sun, Dec 18 | 2016 | @ Baltimore | L 27-26 | vs Brooklyn | W 108-107 |
| Sun, Dec 11 | 2016 | vs Washington | L 27-22 | @ Detroit | W 97-79 |
| Mon, Nov 28 | 2016 | vs Green Bay | L 27-13 | @ Toronto | L 122-95 |
| Sat, Dec 26 | 2015 | vs Washington | L 38-24 | @ Phoenix | W 111-104 |
| Sun, Dec 20 | 2015 | vs Arizona | L 40-17 | @ Cleveland | L 108-86 |
| Sun, Dec 13 | 2015 | vs Buffalo | W 23-20 | @ Toronto | L 96-76 |
| Sat, Jan 4 | 2014 | vs New Orleans | L 26-24 | @ Portland | W 101-99 |
| Sun, Dec 29 | 2013 | @ Dallas | W 24-22 | @ Los Angeles | W 111-104 |
| Sun, Dec 1 | 2013 | vs Arizona | W 24-21 | @ Detroit | L 115-100 |
| Sun, Dec 23 | 2012 | vs Washington | L 27-20 | @ Brooklyn | L 95-92 |
| Sun, Nov 18 | 2012 | @ Washington | L 31-6 | vs Cleveland | W 86-79 |
| Mon, Nov 5 | 2012 | @ New Orleans | L 28-13 | vs NY Knicks | L 110-88 |
| Sun, Dec 12 | 2010 | @ Dallas | W 30-27 | vs New Orleans | W 88-70 |
| Sun, Nov 7 | 2010 | vs Indianapolis | W 26-24 | @ NY Knicks | W 106-96 |
Yeah. Monday was pretty incredible. With young stars on the rise — the Flyers didn’t play Monday and the Phillies have a few months before their young team gets back on the diamond — it’s fair to expect more nights like this. Trust the process, because it’s finally paying off.
