PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley traded his No. 26 jersey for a T-shirt that celebrated his 2,000 yards rushing this season and Jalen Hurts remained sidelined with a concussion.
The list of Philadelphia Eagles players who sat out the regular-season finale against the New York Giants read like a Pro Bowl roster. Wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Offensive linemen Landon Dickerson and Lane Johnson.
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New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson (17) runs with the ball during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
A Philadelphia Eagles' fan watches action during the second half of an NFL football game between the Eagles and the New York Giants Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
New York Giants tight end Chris Manhertz (85) is tackled by Philadelphia Eagles safety Tristin McCollum (36) and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Oren Burks (42) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
Philadelphia Eagles tight end E.J. Jenkins (84) scores a touchdown past New York Giants safety Dane Belton (24) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (1) catches the ball before scoring a touchdown past Philadelphia Eagles safety Tristin McCollum (36) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (1) catches the ball before scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
Actor Bradley Cooper watches action during the second half of an NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee chases a loose snap during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee (16) throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley poses for photos with kids before an NFL football game against the New York Giants on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee (16) throws to Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Ainias Smith for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee warms up before an NFL football game against the New York Giants on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The Eagles created their own bye week in the finale with a 14-win season and reaped the reward by resting their starters before they host a wild-card playoff game next week against Green Bay.
“We'll settle our sights on them,” coach Nick Sirianni said.
Tanner McKee threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns in a game full of backups to help the Eagles tune up for the postseason with a 20-13 victory over the Giants on Sunday.
The NFC East champion Eagles (14-3) are the No. 2 seed in the conference and will get a rematch with the Packers, whom they beat in Brazil in the season opener.
Barkley scored three touchdowns in the first NFL game in South American to lead the Eagles to a 34-29 victory over Green Bay.
“Of course, we'll use that,” Sirianni said.
Philadelphia opened as 3 1/2-point favorites, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
With making a run at the Super Bowl the lone priority, the Eagles rested their core starters.
Barkley lost his shot at breaking Eric Dickerson’s NFL single-season rushing record. Barkley finished the season with 2,005 yards rushing, 101 yards shy of breaking Dickerson’s record of 2,105 yards set with the Los Angeles Rams in 1984.
While the move was the prudent one, there was some disappointment in Philly that Barkley didn’t get a chance at breaking the record, especially against the team that let him go at the end of last season.
“Would have broke the record in the first quarter,” former Eagles running back Brian Westbrook wrote on social media.
Any doubt that Sirianni made the right move to play it safe was erased about 750 miles away in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where Packers wide receiver Christian Watson was carted into the locker room and quarterback Jordan Love hurt his throwing elbow in a loss to Chicago. Love, whom Coach Matt LaFleur said after the game was held out as a precaution, was expected to play against the Eagles.
Hurts might not have played anyway — he was present at Saturday's walkthrough — after the franchise QB spent a second straight week in the NFL concussion protocol. He missed the last two games. Kenny Pickett started last week against Dallas but hurt his ribs, opening the door for 2023 sixth-round draft pick McKee to start in a half-empty Lincoln Financial Field.
McKee impressed with a pair of touchdown passes in garbage time last week against Dallas and opened strong against the Giants.
McKee completed all three passes for 48 yards on the first drive and hit Ainias Smith for a 15-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead. He threw a 7-yard TD pass to E.J. Jenkins in the fourth for a 17-3 lead.
The game may have been meaningless to the Eagles, but not to McKee. The 24-year-old threw for 190 yards in the first half in what was essentially his first real audition to unseat Pickett next season as the backup quarterback.
“I just feel like I showed have confidence in myself to go out and operate the offense,” McKee said.
With Barkley sitting out, the Eagles rushed for only 51 yards in a game with fairly muted play-calling.
Tight end Dallas Goedert had four catches for 55 yards in his return from a knee injury. Goedert missed the last four games and his return is a needed boost ahead of the postseason.
Hurts likely will return against Green Bay. But with one big hit potentially enough to knock him out of the game and Pickett still banged up, the Eagles feel better knowing what they have a solid, tested NFL quarterback in McKee ready in case of emergency.
“I'm going to do my preparation to play,” McKee said. “I'll be ready whether I'm the (No.) 1 the 2 the 3 the 6, whatever it is.”
Giants coach Brian Daboll said he would “believe in the people, believe in our process,” but did not say if he has received any guarantee he will return for a fourth season.
Daboll is 18-32-1 with the Giants and missed the playoffs each of the last two seasons.
“Three wins, not good enough. So, a lot of work to be done,” Daboll said.
The Giants saw their bid for the No. 1 draft pick take a serious blow when they upset Indianapolis last week, and it officially ended when Cleveland lost Saturday to Baltimore. Tennessee wound up with the top pick, followed by the Browns.
Both the Browns and Giants are 3-14, but New York's Week 3 win in Cleveland was the tiebreaker.
Wide receiver Malik Nabers had five catches to finish with 109 overall and top Steve Smith for the season franchise record. Smith had 107 receptions in 2009.
Drew Lock, just 22 of 29 for 138 yards passing, hit Nabers for a 45-yard touchdown in the fourth that cut the deficit to 17-10.
Jake Elliott kicked field goals of 24 and 32 yards. He missed a 39-yarder on a windy day.
Graham Gano kicked a 25-yard field goal for the Giants in the third quarter and added a 53-yarder in the fourth that made it 17-13.
The Eagles host Green Bay while the Giants face a decision on Daboll.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL
New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson (17) runs with the ball during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
A Philadelphia Eagles' fan watches action during the second half of an NFL football game between the Eagles and the New York Giants Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
New York Giants tight end Chris Manhertz (85) is tackled by Philadelphia Eagles safety Tristin McCollum (36) and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Oren Burks (42) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
Philadelphia Eagles tight end E.J. Jenkins (84) scores a touchdown past New York Giants safety Dane Belton (24) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (1) catches the ball before scoring a touchdown past Philadelphia Eagles safety Tristin McCollum (36) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (1) catches the ball before scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
Actor Bradley Cooper watches action during the second half of an NFL football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee chases a loose snap during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee (16) throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley poses for photos with kids before an NFL football game against the New York Giants on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee (16) throws to Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Ainias Smith for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee warms up before an NFL football game against the New York Giants on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The Israeli military launched a wave of raids across the occupied West Bank overnight and into Tuesday, killing at least three Palestinians it said were militants a day after a deadly shooting attack.
The army said it killed two militants in an airstrike after they fired at troops in the area of Tamun in the northern West Bank. It said another militant was killed in “close-quarters combat” in the nearby village of Taluza and an Israeli soldier was severely wounded. The military said it arrested more than 20 suspected militants.
Hamas said in a statement that one of its veteran commanders, Jaafar Dababsah, was killed by Israeli forces in the area of the two deadly raids.
It said the overnight operations were not related to Monday's shooting in which gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying Israelis in the West Bank, killing two women in their 70s and a 35-year-old policeman before fleeing.
Palestinians have carried out scores of shooting, stabbing and car-ramming attacks against Israelis, especially during the past 15 months of the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Israel has launched near-nightly military raids across the West Bank that frequently trigger gunbattles with militants and have also killed civilians.
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DAMASCUS, Syria — The first international commercial flight since the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad last month landed Tuesday at the Damascus airport from Qatar.
Jordanian state-run Petra news agency also reported that a Royal Jordanian Airlines plane was heading to Damascus on a test flight.
The head of Syria's Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission, Capt. Haitham Misto, who was on board the flight with a team of specialists, said the aim was to evaluate the condition of the Damascus airport before resuming regular flights.
A woman protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and call for the release of hostages, held in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas militant group, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Israelis protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and call for the release of hostages, held in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas militant group, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Mourners attend the funeral of three members of Hussein family who were killed in the Israeli bombardment in Maghazij, central Gaza Strip, at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Mourners attend the funeral of three members of Hussein family who were killed in the Israeli bombardment in Maghazi, central Gaza Strip, at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
A man mourn over the bodies of two members of Abeid family who were killed in the Israeli bombardment in Maghazi, central Gaza Strip, at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)