With still a slight chance to clinch the No. 2 seed in the NFC, the Philadelphia Eagles will have to navigate through their Week 18 game against the New York Giants without wide receiver DeVonta Smith.
Smith will miss his first NFL game since being drafted by the Eagles in 2021 with an ankle sprain, the team announced Friday. He suffered the injury late in Philadelphia's Week 17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals and did not practice all week.
This ends a streak of 50 consecutive games Smith played to start his NFL career. Despite being criticized for his lack of size and strength, Smith has proven his durability as a pro.
He recorded his second consecutive 1,000-yard season this year, hauling in 81 receptions for 1,066 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. Smith and AJ Brown became the first duo in Eagles history to each have 1,000 receiving yards in the same season in 2022 and followed it with another such season this year.
How will the Eagles fare without Smith?
Playing without DeVonta Smith is unfamiliar territory for the Eagles and they'll have to find a way to beat the Giants without one of their top weapons.
Naturally, the expectation is that Philly will target AJ Brown more in Week 18 and not just because of Smith's absence. Brown has been visibly frustrated several times during games over the last month and cleared the air with the media this week about what exactly he's been upset about. He even mentioned Smith's injury as a reason for his recent exasperation.
Outside of Brown, the Eagles may rely more heavily on the run game given their success in that area against the Giants in Week 16. Philly rushed for 170 yards against New York in its 33-25 win on Christmas. It's important to note, however, that starting running back D'Andre Swift is questionable with an illness.
Regardless of who is on the field for the Eagles on Sunday, they'll try to sweep the season series against the Giants and build any sort of momentum heading into the playoffs.
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