DeVonta Smith has spent most of his Eagles career as the guy who lived just behind A.J. Brown on the depth chart. On Sunday in Nashville, he got the stage to himself - and he made sure the Eagles walked away with a win.
In Philadelphia’s 24-20 victory over the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium, Smith looked every bit like a true No. 1 receiver. He finished with 117 receiving yards on 10 catches, matched a career high with 13 targets and found the end zone. When the Eagles needed a late scoring drive to avoid an ugly upset, Smith kept the chains moving and set up the finish.
“I feel like it was time,” Smith said postgame. “It was time for me to go out there, show what I can do, be that guy.”
That fourth-quarter drive was his moment. Smith hauled in four passes on the march, including a toe-tap grab for a first down and a tough 19-yard catch that put the Eagles right on the doorstep. Jalen Hurts leaned on him in those biggest spots, and that trust didn’t come out of nowhere.
The two have built it over years of work and, as Smith put it, “being on the same page.”
“Every now and then we give each other that look,” Smith said of his relationship with Hurts. “Like, it’s time to go pull this out. We’re always ready for that.”
Smith has been ready for this kind of role for a while.
Before Brown arrived in 2022, Smith was already the Eagles’ top wideout. As a rookie in 2021, the first-round pick out of Alabama led Philadelphia with 916 receiving yards and 64 catches.
Even after Brown joined the team, Smith kept producing. Over the last four seasons, Smith has 321 receptions for 4,103 yards and 26 touchdowns, while Brown has 339 catches for 5,034 yards and 32 touchdowns.
Together, they helped fuel three NFC East titles, two Super Bowl trips and a Lombardi Trophy. Both scored in Super Bowl LIX against the Kansas City Chiefs, and Smith delivered the dagger from Hurts in the biggest moment of all.
Sunday was a different version of that story, with Brown out of the picture and Smith carrying more of the load. Other receivers chipped in - Dontayvion Wicks had another strong game, and Darius Cooper caught the game-winning touchdown - but Smith was the one who owned the WR1 job when it mattered most.
“I take a lot of pride in it,” Smith said. “I had an opportunity, and I went out there and did it.”
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