The Philadelphia Eagles will travel south to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this weekend. It's no secret that the team has a lot of work to do if they plan on keeping up with and eventually surpassing the Buccaneers on Sunday.
Click here for the odds for the Eagles Wild Card game against the Buccaneers, courtesy of FanDuel.
As expected, the Wild Card matchup against Tom Brady and the reigning Super Bowl champions has earned the Birds the title of underdogs once again. The “hungry dogs run faster” mentality worked out extremely well for the Eagles in their 2017-2018 Super Bowl victory, proving that there's no obstacle too big for the franchise — not even the GOAT himself.
A lot has changed since the last time the Eagles made it to the playoffs. They are working under completely different leadership with first-year starting quarterback Jalen Hurts and first-year head coach Nick Sirianni. The regular season, which most people had very low expectations for, was supposed to be a rebuilding season for the Birds. Instead, they came out of it with a winning record and a postseason opportunity.
For more insight on the Eagles' Wild Card playoff matchup against the Buccaneers, listen below:
Of course, all of their regular-season success led them to this weekend, but the past is in the past. How will the Eagles extend their season even further and defeat arguably the toughest opponent in the league on Sunday? Contrary to popular belief, the answer isn't in the quarterback, but in wide receiver Devonta Smith.
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Eagles X-Factor vs. Buccaneers in 2022 NFL Playoffs
Honestly, if the Eagles think they are getting anywhere close to the Lombardi Trophy this year, they are going to have to start using Smith and his talents WAY more often. The rookie receiver has outdone himself this season, proving his capabilities as a dominant and threatening offensive weapon.
Smith had multiple ridiculous catches in his first NFL regular season, but one, in particular, stands out. For his fifth touchdown of the season, Smith managed to get both feet down just before being out of bounds. According to the rookie, he “kinda felt like Michael Jackson” as he dragged his foot to complete the pass in bounds.
🦶 Eagles WR DeVonta Smith!!
Smith ranks 4th among rookies in rec. yards and scores his 5th TD! #Eagles
— Jeff Skversky (@JeffSkversky) December 26, 2021
This catch in the end zone is not unlike many other critical catches Smith has made over the last 18 weeks. He has proven time and time again his awareness on the field, as well as his ability to break coverages and make difficult, clutch catches.
Going up against the Buccaneers, the Eagles are going to have to divert from their usual run-oriented offense to a passing dominant style on Sunday. Smith has played in multiple do or die games before, including the CFP Championship in 2020. Despite only playing in a little over half of the game, Smith recorded 215 receiving yards and three touchdowns to secure the win for Alabama.
Smith is a rare talent that the Eagles are fortunate to have acquired in the 2021 NFL Draft. He is capable of performing under pressure, and the Birds need to recognize this and capitalize on his talents in order to win on Sunday.
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