Jalen Hurts’ admission reveals DeVonta Smith’s real place in Eagles’ offensive room
The Eagles' offense looked like a dormant Heisenberg, all the components for something powerful sitting idly in the lab. The potential for dominant results was undeniable, yet the final catalyst remained elusive. Everyone was waiting for the precise chemical reaction to kick in, to transform raw elements into pure, uncut dominance.
That reaction arrived against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 7. The catalyst was not a lab recipe. It was a quiet conversation that revealed the real chemist in the offensive room. Jalen Hurts’ post-game admission pulled back the curtain on a vital dynamic.
The DeVonta Smith Effect
Hurts confirmed the influence of his star receiver, DeVonta Smith. He stated, "Yeah, he's very vocal. He's always been very vocal since college about what he sees and what he thinks we can take advantage of."
And it was a historic day for DeVonta Smith. He exploded for a career-high 183 receiving yards. His 79-yard touchdown was a direct product of his own lobbying. Smith identified a Vikings’ defensive tendency. He then championed the play at halftime. The coaching staff listened. This player-driven insight unlocked the entire offense. It was the spark the Eagles desperately needed.
Smith’s big play forced Minnesota to respect the deep threat. And the field opened up for A.J. Brown. He capitalized with 121 yards and two touchdowns of his own. The duo combined for a staggering 304 yards. They were responsible for 93% of Hurts’ passing yardage. This was the offensive explosion fans had been anticipating all season long. It showcased their championship-caliber firepower.
The Ripple Effect of Trust
This game was a testament to in-game adaptation. Coach Nick Sirianni values this input from his players. He said, "Smitty does a great job of communicating what he’s seeing out there. He’s got great football instincts and football IQ."
Hurts’ performance was one for the record books. He became just the third Eagles quarterback to post a perfect passer rating. Moreover, Smith is now on a career-best pace. He is projecting over 1,200 receiving yards this season. And this offensive surge might just be a direct result of empowering the players. Besides, the Eagles’ offense now faces a new reality.
Opponents can no longer simply sell out to stop the run. They must account for Smith’s football intelligence and deep-threat ability. This creates a devastating pick-your-poison scenario for defensive coordinators. The Giants, up next, will have to prepare for a completely different animal
The Eagles’ victory was about more than one game. It was about unlocking their identity through collaboration. The offense that once felt like a broken jukebox now hums on player playlists. Smith called the shot, the band hit the riff, and the defending champs finally looked repeatable. And in a league of copycats, the Eagles just copyrighted collaborative arrogance.
Buccaneers Deliver Bucky Irving Verdict Ahead of Week 8
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving was ruled out for Week 8.
In Week 8, ahead of a matchup with the division rival New Orleans Saints, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers once again left no doubt about whether or not running back Bucky Irving and wide receiver Chris Godwin would return in time for the game. They will not.
Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles delivered the bad news on Wednesday, October 22, ruling out both Irving and Godwin immediately (per FOX Sports reporter Greg Auman).
With a bye week upcoming in Week 9, it’s certainly not a shocker that both Irving and Godwin will get another game to recover, but what is concerning is how quickly Bowles has been ruling them out. Last week, the news came on Monday — ahead of a Monday night showdown a full seven days away.
In Week 8, the news comes on a Wednesday, which is a slight improvement, but certainly nothing to write home about.
Clearly, Irving and Godwin are not close enough to returning where Bowles feels a few extra days could be the difference. They are a long way away from retaking the field.
With that in mind, it’s fair to wonder if Irving and Godwin will even be ready to play following the Week 9 bye.
Tampa Bay’s Week 10 matchup with the New England Patriots is a full 18 days from today (October 22). The assumption was that Irving would be back by then, at the latest, but the lack of clarity from Bowles and the Buccaneers leaves room for doubt.
Why Didn’t the Buccaneers Place RB Bucky Irving on the Injured Reserve?
The nature of Irving’s recovery timeline has been strange. When he first suffered his injuries, only a foot sprain was reported, and the estimated absence was maybe one week.
A few days later, it was revealed that Irving also suffered a shoulder injury, and after a long cryptic social media message from the running back, we have not really seen or heard much from him since.
That was back on October 5, and at that point, it was reported that Irving could miss several weeks.
If the Bucs had transferred Irving to the injured reserve before their October 5 matchup, the Saints game would be absence number four. Meaning he’d be eligible to return from IR after the bye.
However, Tampa Bay chose not to place Irving on IR, and now every week that they wait is another four weeks that he’d be forced to miss. Basically, at this point, it’s far too late to place the RB on the injured reserve.
Why the Bucs chose not to do it when they initially found out about his shoulder injury is a mystery, but there are two likely reasons. One, the training staff was unsure how long Irving would miss, or two, he suffered some sort of unexpected setback.
Hopefully, Irving can retake the field for the Buccaneers in Week 10.
Bucs OLB Haason Reddick Also Expected to Miss Week 8
It’s not just Irving, Godwin and Mike Evans that the Bucs will be without in Week 8.
Per Tampa Bay Times beat reporter Rick Stroud, veteran outside linebacker Haason Reddick is also expected to miss the Buccaneers’ final game before their bye week.
So, Tampa Bay will be without key players on both sides of the football. Fortunately, they’ll be up against the 1-6 Saints, but you can never take any team too lightly in a league like the NFL.
