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Philadelphia Eagles: Will the real Josh Huff please stand up?

By Anthony Fabrikant

Oct 23, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Josh Huff (13) reacts after scoring on a kick return against the Minnesota Vikings in the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Josh Huff (13) reacts after scoring on a kick return against the Minnesota Vikings in the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports /
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Have Eagles fans gotten a glimpse of a new and improved Josh Huff?

Wide receiver Josh Huff was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2014 NFL draft. Since that happened, this team has been patiently waiting to see the speedster that torched defenses in his time with the Oregon Ducks.

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Huff finally had his best overall performance on this past Sunday. It all started with a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that sparked a 21-10 victory over the previously unbeaten Minnesota Vikings.

On Sunday, Huff led the Eagles in both receptions (four) and receiving yards (39). Head coach Doug Pederson devised a gameplan that created space for Huff. This has been a glaring weakness over the years for Huff, and his inability to gain separation from corners at the line of scrimmage has hindered his ability to contribute. Pederson, employed tactical motions that created natural separation for Carson Wentz to make quick, decisive, and accurate throws.

Still, it may be unrealistic to imagine that Huff will continue what we saw on Sunday based upon his history and the precedent that he’s created during his relatively short time in the NFL.

You’re probably asking what we mean, so we’ll make it clearer for you.

Huff’s four receptions in Sunday’s game would have accounted for 50% of his catches in 2014. It would have accounted for 15% of his catches in 2015. His 2015 stats can be misleading. His 64.3% catch rate is a result of him reeling in a mere 27 receptions on a grand total of 42 targets a year ago.

Oct 23, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Josh Huff (13) runs past the tackle attempt of Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Chad Greenway (52) during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. The Philadelphia Eagles won 21-10. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Josh Huff (13) runs past the tackle attempt of Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Chad Greenway (52) during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. The Philadelphia Eagles won 21-10. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Aside from Sunday’s big game, Huff has only accumulated 39 or more receiving yards on four other occasions throughout his career. What can be even more unsettling is that they were far between. One was in 2014, and three were in 2015. Of those four other games, Huff only recorded one catch in two of them.

Don’t toss aside the notion that Huff could be a consistent contributor to the Eagles offense. Let’s not forget Pederson was the offensive coordinator with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he helped find ways to make De’Anthony Thomas a relevant weapon. If Pederson continues to create space for receivers like Huff on the team, fans should be prepared to see glimpses of the speed and open-field ability that Huff dazzled the nation with in college.

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Huff’s talent is irrefutable. Yet, his inability to consistently get open has hindered his success. He now owns the franchise record for longest kickoff return (107 yards), and fans are eagerly awaiting similar performances. His ability to contribute on special teams and offense will be essential as the Eagles push for the division crown.

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