Despite most of the starters getting rest in the Week 18 matchup against the Washington Commanders, one Philadelphia Eagles star was able to stay on the field for the contest.
Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith was asked earlier in the week by head coach Nick Sirianni if he wanted to play in the game to get his 1,000-yard season. Smith said yes and knew he would risk getting hurt, but that wouldn't stop him from doing his job.
It all worked out early in the game as Smith caught three of his four targets for 52 yards and finished the season at 1,008 yards, and ended up being the leading receiver on the Eagles for the season. His teammate, A.J. Brown, finished second with 1,003 yards on the year.
Smith took a chance and got what he accomplished
The Eagles ended up losing the game to the Commanders 24-17 in a game that had playoff implications, but there were at least good vibes in the locker room with Smith getting his 1,000 yards for the year. Smith was asked about his decision to play, and he put his trust in God with the outcome of his performance.
“If God wants it to happen, it’s going to happen regardless.”
As soon as Smith reached 1,000 yards, he said his teammates were speedy enough to make sure he never stepped on the field again.
“Everybody told me to get the hell out.”
In a game that had weird vibes from a fan base perspective, with the starters resting and a lot of controversy surrounding it, there was some solace in knowing that Smith accomplished what he wanted. He's a guy who always gets overlooked with all the talk about Brown every week and every season.
Many would argue that Smith has been the best receiver on the team this season, despite Brown's incredible turnaround late in the year. When the Eagles need Smith to come up with a big catch in a big moment, he has been able to step up and make an incredible reception that most receivers in the NFL can't make.
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It was a good moment for Smith to reach 1,000 yards, and the Eagles made history with him and Brown being the first pair of Eagles receivers to hit that mark in the same year. Philly must now move on from the game and focus on taking down the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card as the number three seed in the NFC playoffs.