Torrey Smith Is The Key To An Eagles Playoff Run In 2017
By Matt Giraldi
Expectations for Torrey Smith in the Philadelphia Eagles offense varies widely. One thing is for sure: If the Eagles want to make the playoffs, Smith will need to perform better than he has the past three seasons.
The year was 2013 and Torrey Smith was king of the NFL. Fresh off a Super Bowl victory, Smith was terrorizing opposing defenses in a variety of ways. At just 24 years old, Smith appeared to be one of the biggest up and coming deep threats in the NFL.
Following the 2014 season, it has been rough sledding for Smith. His greatest statistical season was followed by mediocrity. Now Smith is hoping to revitalize his career in Philadelphia. Can Carson Wentz make Smith great again?
If we are using last year as a baseline, it’s going to be difficult to draw any inferences from either side. Wentz was not good throwing the deep ball as the season progressed. Smith meanwhile was on a Titanic-like failure in San Francisco.
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The one thing in common both players had, or lacked in this case, was a quality supporting cast. The Eagles struggled to stretch the field. The 49ers meanwhile struggled with everything, most importantly at quarterback.
That’s no longer an excuse entering this season. Smith has a chance to return to prominence and Wentz has a chance to develop into one of the better up-and-coming quarterbacks in the NFC.
Taking deep shots early and often is going to be the key. When Smith was at his best, he wasn’t just catching passes deep down the field. He was drawing penalties as well. Per Pro Football Focus, in 2012 Smith drew a penalty on the defense on 2.27% of his routes run, tops in the NFL. That continued in 2013 and 2014 as well. In fact, from 2011-2014, Smith drew a total of 26 defensive pass interference penalties on opposing defenses.
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Of course, that was forever ago. Smith, now 28 years old, didn’t bring an added dimension to the 49ers over the past two seasons. Given the dumpster fire that existed starting from the top down with the 49ers in the post-Jim Harbaugh era, it might not be wise to write off Smith yet. Wide receivers have a propensity for having gradual drop-offs after the age of 28, not the steep drop-off running backs face, which should put to rest any age criticism.
On an offense that acquired Alshon Jeffery and LeGarrette Blount, it’s easy to forget about Smith. However, if the Eagles want to stay relevant in the NFC in 2017, Wentz and Doug Pederson cannot forget about their newfound deep threat. After a season where Bryce Treggs and Paul Turner were the extent of a deep threat, I think it’s safe to say that Smith is going to be reminding folks he can still stretch the field.