Four Eagles Who Require More Playtime to Take Home the Championship
With five straight losses heading into the postseason, the Philadelphia Eagles are in free fall. The defense is helpless against opponents, the offense is mediocre, and the club appears to have entirely lost trust in the coaching staff and one another.
It follows that certain adjustments must be made before their NFC Wild Card game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Eagles will need to make some changes starting Monday night if they are to go all the way to the Super Bowl, including giving worthy players in important positions more playing time.
1. Smith, Nolan
Throughout the season, Smith—one of Philadelphia’s two first-round selections in the 2023 NFL Draft—has seen limited playing time. This is the 22-year-old linebacker’s first season, and despite the immense anticipation, he has primarily been benched. He has, nevertheless, progressively improved his playing time and has been in more than 20% of the Eagles’ last three games’ snap totals.
Yes, he is inexperienced and prone to errors. Still, this defense is reprehensible. How bad can things get? Smith, at least, can make plays with his burst, enthusiasm, and speed when attacking the ball. With his athleticism, he might make a big impact on the defensive end rotation, which has had a difficult season.
It might make sense to give Smith and Brandon Graham’s snaps a slower pace.
