In the NFC playoffs on Monday night, wide receiver DeVonta Smith stood out with an impressive performance of eight receptions for 148 yards, a notable contrast to the overall struggle of the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense in their 32-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Despite his standout showing, Smith expresses a desire for an additional catch and 17 more yards to enhance his already impressive stats.
Down 25-12 after successfully making a field goal with 12:02 remaining in the game, Philadelphia opted to cancel the three points from the scoreboard and instead accepted a defensive offside penalty that occurred during the kick.
In a critical moment, the Eagles found themselves facing fourth-and-5 at the Tampa Bay 17-yard line. Quarterback Jalen Hurts targeted DeVonta Smith in the end zone, but a breakup by Buccaneers cornerback Carlton Davis effectively brought an end to the Eagles’ season.
Expressing his desire to make a pivotal play, Smith approached coach Nick Sirianni, stating, “I told him to get me the ball. I just got to go make the play.”
Despite beating the Bucs 25-11 in the regular season, the Eagles’ postseason journey came to a halt against Tampa Bay. In the September 25 game, Philadelphia showcased a balanced attack with 201 rushing yards and 271 passing yards. However, on Monday night, the offense managed only 276 yards, with a mere 42 on the ground.
Smith explained the offensive struggles, noting, “They just sent a lot of pressure at us. Couldn’t run the ball because they were sending pressure. You can’t run the ball against blitz-zero. They just did a good job of taking away the run and forcing us to make plays on the outside. We made a lot of them, but we missed some, too.”
Reflecting on the game plan, Smith acknowledged that the Eagles were prepared for the challenges posed by the Buccaneers. Despite having opportunities, execution varied throughout the night, resulting in missed plays and a disappointing end to their postseason aspirations.
Despite making it to Super Bowl LVII last season and enjoying a strong start to this season with 10 wins in their first 11 games, the Eagles faced a downturn, exiting in the first round with their sixth loss in the past seven games.
DeVonta Smith acknowledged the frustrations, attributing the team’s struggles to “small, very fixable stuff.” He emphasized having the talent, the right mindset, and positive elements in place but pointed to the frustration of missing out on small details.
Looking ahead to the offseason, where the team will have to address these issues, Smith expressed uncertainty about the timeline for a turnaround. When asked about regaining their winning form through offseason work, he commented, “We got a long time. Right now, I don’t have an answer for you. We got a long time. I’m pretty sure nobody’s going to be thinking about any football anytime soon. We’ll see when we get there.”
Smith’s most productive game of the season coincided with the absence of Philadelphia’s other 1,000-yard receiver, A.J. Brown, who was sidelined due to a knee injury.
DeVonta Smith’s performance on Monday night marked his 11th 100-yard receiving playoff display as an Alabama alumnus, achieving this feat for the second consecutive time. In the Eagles’ 32-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he recorded 148 yards, following his seven receptions for 100 yards in the previous Super Bowl LVII against the Kansas City Chiefs, concluding the 2022 season.
Smith’s 148 yards place him behind only two postseason performances by Julio Jones on the Alabama alumni list. Jones had standout games with 182 yards and two touchdowns in the Atlanta Falcons’ 28-24 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on January 20, 2013, and 180 yards and two touchdowns in the Falcons’ 44-21 victory over the Green Bay Packers on January 22, 2017.
Since joining the Eagles as the 10th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Smith has amassed impressive regular-season statistics, including 240 receptions for 3,178 yards and 19 touchdowns in 50 games over three seasons. In the franchise’s history, no player has recorded more receptions or receiving yards than Smith in their first three seasons, surpassing Jordan Matthews’ 225 receptions from 2014 through 2016 and DeSean Jackson’s 3,124 yards from 2008 through 2010.
