The Packers defensive backs were not prepared for the Eagles’ WR tandem of AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith in Brazil. They dominated from several positions off the line, proving too much for Green Bay to handle.
Fans have been excited all offseason to see what wrinkles the new Eagles offensive coordinator brought with him to Philadelphia. Friday night in Brazil the world got a good look!
Eagles wideouts dominate in Brazil
DeVonta Smith
The Slim Reaper lived up to his nickname on Friday night versus the Packers by making a clutch catch after clutch to ice the game. He hauled in 7 of his 8 targets good for 84 yards, and was active in the offense all night. His numbers, while not pedestrian, also are not indicative of how important he was to the Eagles in week one. DeVonta’s tough-contested, chain-moving, receptions made that made the difference in Brazil.
A lot of opposing fan bases seem surprised by this.
Many always point to his weight as a point of contention, but he has never let it hinder him, and it has never prevented Smith from making a meaningful reception over the middle, or anywhere on the field. His size has been written about so often that beat writers should be as sick of it as DeVonta is. It has become a lazy narrative. He should have quieted the doubters regarding his size by now. It’s time to focus on the production.
Last season Smitty lined up wide on 790 of his 1043 snaps. He played from the slot in 253 of them good for a 24.3% rate of his snaps. The addition of Kellen Moore should utilize DeVonta from the slot even more and allow him the freedom to move around the line.
Fans went into the season wondering how DeVonta could be put into more favorable spots with a new coordinator in town The Eagles showed their hand in week one.
The number of routes ran from the slot differs between the stat sites ranging from 24 to 27, but either way, it is the highest total of his career, besting his previous mark of 21. It was also more than every other Eagles wideout combined.
Defenses will have more to think about in assessing plays during pre-snap reads with all of the movement. Smith should also be able to put up bigger numbers while facing a lot of off-coverage defenses, allowing him to get a cleaner release and create more separation.
The Eagles’ offense is looking to emphasize this moving forward, which should excite fans.
AJ Brown
AJ has always had speed and breakaway touchdown ability, as shown by his 21.05 mph run to the endzone in Brazil.
Brown appeared to get into a heated exchange with Green Bay corner Jaire Alexander in the second quarter which led to a little bit of pushing and jawing back and forth. From that moment on AJ took the matchup over.
He scored on a long 67-yard touchdown and finished the night with 119 yards. He led the team in targets, as expected, and is primed for a big season.
AJ doesn’t just bully opposing DBs with his rare blend of size and power. He has a very quick-footed release while simultaneously hand-checking to create more separation. He exploits opposing defenses by using his combative hands in contested catches and his legs to run crisp routes and breaks to the ball. He is blessed with great balance and has also worked hard all offseason, and every season, to be the best at his craft in the NFL.
His legendary work ethic of attacking each offseason with a relentless hunger is contagious. His determination has made the wide receiver room better. You can see how the other wideouts, even when not getting the ball, are engaged and blocking hard on every play.
The work ethic, the attention to detail, and the winning are all just as infectious. There is a lot of the season left to be played. But it has begun on a promising note.
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REUTERS/Carla Carniel
