September 13, 2024
Kirby Lee/Imagn Images
DeVonta Smith made some obviously great plays Week 1, but also some subtle ones.
Before we completely close the book on the Philadelphia Eagles' Week 1 win over the Green Bay Packers, let's take one last look at a few unheralded players and/or plays that helped the Birds start 1-0.
During the summer it was clear that DeVonta Smith was going to play more in the slot than he typically has. He made a bunch of clutch catches, most notably on the Eagles' final drive of the game. So to be clear, his night wasn't "unheralded."
But he also made a big play on a 4th and 3 in the second quarter that Kellen Moore singled out during his Tuesday presser.
"He's got great spatial awareness, great feel for the game," Kellen Moore said, when asked on Tuesday what skills he saw in Smith to play in the slot. "I think when you play inside as a receiver, there's a lot more variables. There's a nickel on top of you, but there's a safety, there's backers. You've got to have the awareness to kind of see -- have great spatial awareness to recognize all those aspects and see how those moving pieces change the picture for you.
"So I think he did an excellent job finding space in the zone a couple times. He had the critical 4th-and- 3, big time play where he saw one defender outside of him and one defender inside of him, he tight turned it, hooked it up, Jalen saw him. Those are big time plays. Those aren't easy to see that spatially in that quick instance."
Here's that route:
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski2) September 12, 2024
And the end zone view:
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski2) September 12, 2024
That doesn't look like much, but it's a savvy route that led to points.
Williams didn't have good pass rush production in 2023, but he was very good against the run. He made a fantastic run stop on a Packers two-point conversion.
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski2) September 12, 2024
Look at that whifffff by 71 because of Milt's quickness. Those two points were obviously huge at the end of the game.
Ojomo had a good training camp, and he was frisky as a pass rusher against the Packers. His highlight was a QB hit on Jordan Love on 3rd and 5 that kept the Packers out of the end zone and led to a field goal attempt.
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski2) September 12, 2024
Opposing offenses are going to shade heavily to Jalen Carter on the interior on obvious passing downs. The Eagles need someone else on the interior to win their one-on-ones, which Ojomo did there.
I wouldn't say that Wilson's blocking factored much into the result of the game, but Moore was happy with the receiver's debut.
"Johnny did an awesome job, fired up," he said. "There's a bunch of highlight blocks in there. He took advantage of his 10 or so snaps. He's got a role for us. Obviously, it'll evolve as we go week in and week out from a run game perspective. In the pass game, he'll come alive as we go, and we're really excited about him."
Here was one. Wilson is lined up at the top of the screen:
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski2) September 12, 2024
Zach Pascal played a dirty work role at receiver in 2022 that I think the Eagles missed to some degree in 2023. That could be Wilson's floor.
And finally, there's Hurts, who PFF laughably graded as the worst quarterback in the NFL in Week 1. Hurts certainly has to clean up some of his decision making going forward, but he was worse than Daniel Jones? He was worse than Bo Nix? Deshaun Watson? Bryce Young? Kirk Cousins? Gardner Minshew? Will Levis? Those guys all had horrendous games. Like, what are we doing?
If you have an hour to kill, I thought J.T. O'Sullivan's review of Hurts' performance was very good.
O'Sullivan was rightfully critical of Hurts at times, but it's not like Hurts didn't have his share of good plays that helped the Eagles win Week 1.
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