Naughty or nice: NFC East Edition
We made a list, checked it twice and applied it to NFC East. Somehow, Philadelphia took all the “naughty.” That's not very nice.
Naughty
Dominic “Big Dom” DiSandro, Philadelphia Eagles Chief Security Officer
DiSandro isn’t a player or coach, but that didn’t stop him from getting into an altercation with 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw last week after Greenlaw body-slammed wide receiver DeVonta Smith on the Eagles sideline.
Pushing and shoving ensued and both were forced to leave the game. San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan was livid, telling reporters, "I just can't believe someone not involved in a football game can taunt our players like that, and put their hands in our guy's face."
All sides have since apologized but that didn’t stop the NFL from sending a memo to teams regarding the conduct of team personnel. Remember, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is always watching, just like Santa.
The “Tush Push”
Speaking of pushing and shoving, has there ever been a more polarizing play than Philadelphia's signature quarterback sneak? Opposing defenses hate it and no wonder. According to Fox Sports, the Eagles have had a 93.5% success rate with the play since 2022.
Now Goodell wants to "permanently" ban the play, per @DMRussini. Tired of the debate surrounding the controversial play, Eagles center Jason Kelce expressed his frustration on his New Heights podcast. "Listen, ban it," Kelce said. "I really, at this point, I don't care. I'm over the discussion about it."
The Eagles’ defense
Forget “naughty”, Philadelphia’s defense has been downright nasty this year. Only the 49ers gave up fewer yards per game than the Eagles (301.5) last year and no team was better against the pass.
This year the Eagles are giving up the 11th-most yards per game (350.6) and have allowed the fourth-most passing yards (3,123) in the NFL. The 42 points they gave up to San Francisco last week were the most since a Week 4 loss to Kansas City in 2021.
Nice
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys quarterback
Isn’t it nice when someone keeps a promise? After tying Houston quarterback Davis Mills for the most interceptions (15) in 2022, Prescott told reporters he’d have less than 10 in 2023.
So far, so good. His six interceptions this year put him well below his NFC counterparts with just five games left. Aside from the interceptions (or lack thereof) Prescott is having an MVP-caliber season with 3,234 yards and a league-leading 26 touchdowns.
Sam Howell, Washington Commanders quarterback
More specifically, Howell’s fantasy football numbers since becoming a starter are very nice. With the Commanders so often playing from behind, Howell has put up some big numbers this year. His 509 attempts are the most of any quarterback and his 3,466 yards trail only Houston’s C.J. Stroud.
Howell went undrafted in most leagues over the summer, but his 250.94 fantasy points in Yahoo! leagues are fourth-most at the position, one spot ahead of Stroud.
Alexandra DeVito, Tommy’s mom
In a recent interview with ESPN, the Giants’ starting quarterback revealed that as far as domestic chores are concerned, he has very little to worry about.
"I don't have to worry about laundry, what I'm eating for dinner, chicken cutlets and all that is waiting for me when I get there. My mom still makes my bed,” he said. “Everything is handled for me.”
DeVito still lives with his parents in Cedar Grove, N.J. His childhood home is nine miles away from the team's practice facility, which is nice.
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