Eagles: Nick Sirianni talks situational football with one key player in win over 49ers
There is one particular play we all remember from the Philadelphia Eagles' massive win over the San Francisco 49ers. It was a play that really shouldn't have counted, but it did, and it helped the Eagles a ton. There are 10 minutes left in the first quarter, and it's fourth and three in the red […]
There is one particular play we all remember from the Philadelphia Eagles' massive win over the San Francisco 49ers. It was a play that really shouldn't have counted, but it did, and it helped the Eagles a ton.
There are 10 minutes left in the first quarter, and it's fourth and three in the red zone. Jalen Hurts scrambles as he is being rushed and hist DeVonta Smith up the field for a huge catch. The crowd went crazy, meanwhile, Smith is running to the line of scrimmage getting his guys ready before the 49ers can challenge the play.
Philly was able to get the playoff and keep going, and it turns out it wasn't even a catch. That's smart football by Smith.
"Football intelligence," Sirianni said of Smith's play. "Like, smart players do smart things and he did a smart thing right there. Made an unbelievable play. I don't know if he caught it and I haven't seen the TV copy you got, didn't catch it? Well then, that was an even better play. We talked a lot about situational football is not just third down in the red zone in two minutes. It's not just those things, right?
"It's the situations that happen within the game. That particular thing is a situation that happens within the game. Devante has done that. In fact, in the very first game we had here against Atlanta Zach Hertz did the same thing. And again, smart players do smart things and we've had a couple of those and our guys are, you know, we talked a lot about it, our guys are locked in and, you know, it's a special group of guys."
The Eagles have played smart football all year long, but this play was beyond smart football, it was genius. If he doesn't do that and they challenge that play, the Eagles don't score and turnover the ball on downs.
Smith has shown that he is a huge asset to this team, even if he isn't the number one guy. That is why this offense has been so hard to handle all year long.
Featured Image Via Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
