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There was a wild scene midway through Sunday’s wild-card playoff loss where DeVonta Smith appeared upset with Jalen Reagor. The TV cameras panned to the Philadelphia Eagles’ sideline, specifically on the wide receivers bench, as FOX Sports’ Troy Aikman declared “frustration for sure for the Eagles and their wide receivers.”
Reagor was having another miserable game after muffing two punt returns. The second-year receiver was unable to get out of his own way and finished with one catch for two yards on three targets. Smith was fighting his own frustration, too, as the Eagles failed to get him involved in the offense early. He was essentially benched on the biggest stage.
But Smith wasn’t calling out teammates or coaches during his media availability on Monday. He said that viral sideline video had captured a friendly conversation between him and Reagor about a bad formation. There was no animosity there.
“What I was talking about, it wasn’t even Jalen’s fault,” Smith said. “It was just discussing the call and what was supposed to be done. It was nothing [that was] his fault in that case, it was just discussing why were in the wrong formation. He was in the right spot.”
Smith finished with four receptions for 60 yards on 11 targets in the 31-15 defeat. Nearly all of them came in garbage time, though. The Eagles never put an emphasis on feeding their top playmaker, a game-planning gaffe that will surely haunt them throughout the offseason.
“Everybody wants the ball, everybody wants to be involved,” Smith said. “That’s not being selfish, that’s just you wanting to showcase that you’re a playmaker. Everybody out here knows they have the abilities to go out there and make plays, so I feel like if you asked anybody on offense that you’d get the same answer.”
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Smith Didn’t Hit All His Preseason Goals
Smith has refused to share the preseason goals he set for himself. His 916 receiving yards set a new single-season rookie record for the franchise. The Eagles also made a surprise playoff run after getting off to a 2-5 start. Those things weren’t enough for Smith to call it a completely successful first year. He wanted to do more.
“Like I always say, there’s some stuff I left out there,” Smith said. “I’m still not satisfied. I still feel like I could be a whole lot better than I was.”
He’ll take the things that went unaccomplished and carry them into the 2022 campaign.
“I’ll carry those goals over to next season,” Smith said, “and try and get those goals next season.”
Jalen Hurts ‘Going to Be the Guy’
Jalen Hurts sounded like a man guaranteed a second year as the starter in Philly. He gave an informed, calculated response when asked about it the day after losing to Tampa Bay. The Eagles’ organization has expressed trust in him behind closed doors. Count Smith firmly in his corner, too. His former teammate at Alabama believes he’s on track to be the franchise quarterback.
“Most definitely, I think he has,” Smith said. “First-year starter leads us to the playoffs and things like that. Everything’s not going to be what you want it to be. You’re going to have ups and downs. You’re re going to have little bumps here and there and, I mean, when adversity strikes he responds. I think he’s going to be that guy.”
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