The Watson situation looks different in Philly. Composite image by Jack Brame.
Today on The Maury Povich Show:
"In the matter of 25-year-old Derrick Deshaun Watson …. Philadelphia Eagles, you ARE the team most likely to trade for the Houston Texans talented but troubled quarterback."
At least that's what we're hearing from national football pundits at ESPN, the NFL Network and Sports Illustrated.
It does make sense, if you're not plugged into the Philly sports scene. The Eagles seem to be the only team that has the trade capital the Texans are seeking for Watson: two first-round (possibly three) draft picks coming up, and a couple of veterans who might start for the Texans or at least make the squad.
But up in Philadelphia things look different. As Lee Corso would say, when it comes to Watson to the Eagles, not so fast, my friend.
I contacted my buddy Glen Macnow, veteran sports talk host on WIP Radio and co-author of several bestselling books including The Great Philadelphia Fan Book, The Great Book of Philadelphia Sports Lists, and children's biographies of Allen Iverson and Charles Barkley.
Macnow isn't known as "The Professor" in Philadelphia media for nothing.
I asked him, "In addition to rumors of Watson going to Philadelphia, we're also hearing that many teams won't touch him because it could be a public relations nightmare. Are the Eagles unconcerned about that? They did sign Michael Vick after he spent two years in prison for his involvement in an unimaginably cruel dog fighting ring. I'm thinking that the Eagles would sign Kim Jong Un if he could throw 60 yards on a frozen rope. What about it?"
Here's how Macnow sees the probability – or let's say improbability – of the Eagles emptying their first-round treasure chest to trade for Watson.
Macnow said, "I think you're incorrect. The Eagles did sign Vick. The owner (Jeffrey Lurie) initially disapproved but was talked into it by Andy Reid, whose own kids had gone through the criminal justice system. Reid argued that Lurie should believe in criminal rehabilitation. To Vick's credit, he really did seem a different person after imprisonment. He got involved in charities here and never again got into trouble."
"Watson is toxic right now. With Vick, there were no more surprises to arise. He had done his time and there were no pending cases. With Watson, who knows where this is going? One other factor, Jeff Lurie may not be a dog lover, but he got his doctorate in women's studies. He's a feminist. Watson's civil court accusations and potential criminal charges involving sexual misconduct go against everything Lurie has ever stood for. Next season, maybe, after all this plays out. Right now? I can't see it."
Like any hard-hitting investigative reporter, I followed up: so how come the national media keeps pushing the Eagles as Watson's likely landing spot? Surely those reporters know all this stuff about the Eagles and their owner.
Macnow: "The Eagles are always cited because of the Vick precedent. Carson Wentz is gone and a second-round untested quarterback (Jalen Hurts) has the keys to the car. The Eagles own two first-round picks, perhaps three if Wentz plays 75-percent of plays with Indy. It adds up, so reporters keep going with it. That doesn't make it true. Rumors come out for a lot of reasons. This could be Watson's agent floating it to reporters for all I know. And if Watson is suspended or goes on the NFL commissioner's exempt list, how does that help the Eagles? Anyway, that's what I've been telling my listeners. I've been incorrect before."
Macnow's resume is impressive. He made his mark writing for the Philadelphia Inquirer, then moved to WIP Radio where he's a trusted voice of Philadelphia sports, and he's a respected author.
But his real claims to fame: Macnow grew up in Buffalo, and one summer his parents sent him to overnight summer camp. His camp counselor was Wolf Blitzer, anchor of The Situation Room on CNN.
And No. 1 on his LinkedIn resume (or should be), one of his first newspaper jobs was at Florida Today in Cocoa, where I also worked, and we lived in the same apartment building across the Banana River in Cape Canaveral. Rocket launches rattled our windows. That's when Macnow and I developed an insane habit, given our newspaper starting salaries, of attending jai alai matches in Melbourne. We occasionally snuck out from work at lunch to catch matinées at the fronton. Here's a jai alai betting tip. Don't box the 1-2-5-8, especially at the end of the month when your gas tank is on E and rent is due.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
The Texans make just their third ever visit to Lambeau Field Sunday. It’s a dandy matchup as the Texans try to run their record to 6-1 at the expense of the 4-2 Green Bay Packers. The Texans have one win and one loss in Wisconsin. In 2008 the gameday high temperature was 13 degrees. Kris Brown kicked a 40 yard field goal as time expired to give the Texans a 24-21 win over a Packers team that struggled to a 6-10 record under first-year starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Texans posted their second consecutive 8-8 finish that year. In 2016 the mercury reached a balmy high of 34 degrees as the Texans fell 21-13 at Lambeau. Inexplicably, Rodgers somehow managed to win the quarterback matchup with Brock Osweiler. The Texans and Packers each won their division that year. Both Texans’ trips to “America’s Dairyland” occurred in December. No risk of frozen tundra this time around. The forecast for Green Bay Sunday calls for a high of 75 degrees! That’s almost 20 degrees warmer than normal there for October 20.
It’s a dynamic QB matchup with C.J. Stroud and Jordan Love sharing the field. Love broke out in a huge way in 2023 after serving a two-year apprenticeship under Rodgers. After a stumbling 3-6 start to their season the Packers went 6-2 the rest of the way to snag a playoff spot. They obliterated the Cowboys in a Wild Card game in Arlington (before everyone obliterated the Cowboys in Arlington...) then led at the 49ers with under 90 seconds to go before San Francisco scored to win 24-21. The Packers made crystal clear their belief in Love by signing him to a four-year 220 million dollar contract extension in July. That’s 55 mil per season. Stroud becomes extension-eligible after next season. Anyone think he won’t be in position to command at least 65 mil per season?
Stroud sure looks to be the guy to finally give the Texans the long-term stability and excellence they have never had at the most important position in the sport. The Pack is all in on Love continuing its unreal long-term QB stability and excellence. Love took the reins after Rodgers helmed the offense for 15 seasons. Rodgers took the reins after Brett Favre’s 16-year tenure. So if Love makes it for nine years as the starter, that’s three primary QBs in 40 years. Absolutely amazing.
After missing two games because of a sprained knee ligament suffered in the final seconds of the Packers’ season opening loss to the Eagles in Brazil, Love has thrown 10 touchdown passes in three games. But he has only completed 59 percent of his passes, and has thrown at least one interception per game.
The Texans’ first trip to the NFC North this season went brutally badly, the 34-7 beatdown from Minnesota. The Vikings beat the Packers 31-29 in week four of the season. That was Love’s first game back, he threw four touchdown passes and three picks. One defensive weapon the Texans will have against the Pack they did not have against the Vikes is Denico Autry. The 34-year-old Autry returns from his six-game banned substance suspension. That happens as one of the fill-ins for him, Mario Edwards, starts his own four-game substance abuse suspension. That should be a net improvement for the Texans.
X-factors
The single biggest variable in swinging the outcome of football games is turnovers. So far this season the Packers have been a takeaway machine. Last season the Packers generated just 18 turnovers over their 17 regular season games, only six teams took the ball away less often. Through just six games this season the Packers already have 17 takeaways. No other NFL team has more than 13, the Texans have just seven. The Packers have produced exactly three turnovers in five of their six games, and got two in the other. Every defense preaches turnovers, so it’s not as if first-year Green Bay defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has introduced radical concepts that are yielding magical results. But the results are what they are.
If the Texans take care of the ball, they have a terrific chance to win. Having Joe Mixon back aids the cause on two fronts. One, Mixon is obviously the Texans’ best running back. Two, Mixon last fumbled in 2021. The Texans probably best plan to score 25 or more points to win this one because the Packers figure to score a bit. In Love’s four starts the Pack has lit the scoreboard for 29, 29, 24, and 34 points. On the other hand, the Texans’ D has been pretty stout, allowing the third-fewest yards per game (Green Bay rates 18th). It’s a strength vs. strength battle. The Texans have allowed no opponent more than 313 yards in total offense. The Packers have amassed at least 378 yards in five of their six games, and managed 328 in their worst performance.
For Texans’ conversation, catch Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me on our Texans On Tap podcasts. Thursdays feature a preview of the upcoming game, and then we go live (then available on demand) after the final gun of the game: Texans on Tap - YouTube
The Astros are always in season for discussion. Our Stone Cold ‘Stros podcasts drop Mondays: Click here to watch!