Philadelphia Eagles Football Team

San Francisco decided Ricky Watters wasn't worth a three-year, $6.9-million investment, but former 49er assistant Ray Rhodes disagreed, so Watters became a Philadelphia Eagle on Saturday. The Eagles had given Watters the offer a week ago and San Francisco decided that matching it wouldn't work under the NFL's salary cap. The 49ers were also not exactly magnanimous in bidding him farewell.

It has been quite a holiday season for the New Orleans Saints. "We traveled on Christmas Day, we practice on New Year's Day and if things go the way I hope they will, we'll still be at it heading toward Mardi Gras," Saint defensive lineman Jim Wilks said. The Saints (12-4) will play the Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) today, seeking their first postseason victory after three failures. The Eagles also will be trying to end a playoff losing streak, extending to 1980.

Phoenix Cardinal owner Bill Bidwill, whose team has not had a winning record since 1984, said Coach Joe Bugel and General Manager Larry Wilson will be retained. Bugel, who had been in the last year of a four-year contract, has a 13-35 record in three seasons. His last two teams have finished 4-12 and fallen off in the second half of the season, losing eight in a row to end 1991 and six of seven to finish 1992. But Bugel, 52, never thought he would be fired.

The Philadelphia Eagles put veteran center Dave Rimington, a two-time Outland Trophy winner at Nebraska, on waivers.