For the first time this season, the Philadelphia Eagles finally look like the world-beating, reigning champions they came into the season as. After an up-and-down start, they finally got it going over the last two weeks, registering consecutive blowouts to secure a playoff spot and win the NFC East.
However, facing the Buffalo Bills in Week 17, they have one of their biggest remaining challenges of the year against another Super Bowl contender. Unfortunately, an extremely quiet first half may have raised the alarm bells once again, with star wide receiver DeVonta Smith having a particularly brutal outing.
What Happened to DeVonta Smith?
With the struggles of the Eagles’ passing offense, which ranks among the five worst teams in terms of 3-and-out possessions, the limelight has been on them all season long. Add in the drama surrounding A.J. Brown, and those conversations further intensify.
However, side-by-side, another star receiver in Smith has remained relatively quiet throughout the year. While his numbers have been solid, the same can’t be said for his showing against Buffalo.
Failing to get a single pass thrown towards him, the offense instead ran through a combination of Saquon Barkley and Brown himself, as Smith found himself in the passenger seat once again.
For all of the drama that the constant chatter from Brown had caused over the course of the season, the numbers for the two star wide receivers on the Eagles were nearly identical.
MORE: 7-Round 2026 NFL Mock Draft: Dante Moore Spells Geno Smith, Carnell Tate Blesses Big Apple
Smith, despite having four fewer yards at 931 receiving yards and three fewer touchdowns (4), was still ranked ahead of Brown on PFSN’s WR Impact, coming in at number 16. After falling to 25 last season, it marked a return to form for him, as he recorded his third year inside the top-20.
But despite his individual excellence, the overall concern over the Philly offense was undeniable. Barkley, after setting the rushing record in a regular season and playoff run combined, hasn’t been nearly as effective.
That has reflected in a unit that ranks 14th on PFSN’s Offense Impact. Given the calibre of players on the roster, that sounds like a massive underachievement, especially as most of their pieces from the run to the Super Bowl have remained the same.
The last two weeks, though, have been a step in the right direction. Now the team has to hope that they can carry that momentum forward as the competition tightens up before the inevitable playoff run.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.
