Tag: Devonta Smith

Sights and sounds from first half as Eagles hold a 24-7 lead over the Cowboys

Sights and sounds from first half as Eagles hold a 24-7 lead over the Cowboys

It was another disastrous first quarter, but the Eagles’ defense found their footing, and Kenny Pickett discovered a connection with DeVonta Smith. Buoyed by two C.J. Gardner-Johnson interceptions, Philadelphia found their rhythm and held a 24-7 lead over the Cowboys in the first half.

An Eagles win Locks up the NFC East and the No. 2 seed in the conference while allowing Jalen Hurts another week to recover from his concussion.

With the second half set to begin, here are ten takeaways from the first half.

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DeVonta Smith injury updates: Latest news on Eagles WR

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith is dealing with a wrist injury. Here are the latest updates.

The Eagles and Cowboys are tied 7-7 at Lincoln Financial Field, and one key storyline has developed regarding the health of star wide receiver DeVonta Smith.

Smith suffered a wrist injury when he was shoved in the back by a Cowboys defensive back on a play where Kenny Pickett threw the football away.

Smith has 62 catches for 713 yards and six touchdowns and is looking to rebound from the costly dropped pass in Week 16.

Did the ‘Terrible Towel curse’ strike down the Philadelphia Eagles?

After a Philadelphia fan disrespected the Terrible Towel, the Eagles were plagued by misfortune, reinforcing the Steelers’ infamous curse.

When will opposing teams’ fans learn to respect one rule about the Pittsburgh Steelers: never disrespect the Terrible Towel. For those who fail to heed this warning, a dreaded curse awaits.

The Terrible Towel curse struck down the now 3-12 Jacksonville Jaguars for over a season after S Andrew Wingard disrespected the tradition back in Week 8 of 2023.

Another curse is on the way, as footage from the Steelers-Eagles Week 15 contest showed a Philadelphia fan throwing a Steelers fan’s Terrible Towel out of the stadium.

Following the incident, a series of misfortunes plagued the Eagles in Week 16. Not only did Eagles QB Jalen Hurts suffer a concussion and get ruled out—forcing the atrociously inconsistent backup QB Kenny Pickett to take his place—but the team also blew a 27-14 lead over the Commanders in the fourth quarter.

The Eagles had a chance to seal the game, but WR DeVonta Smith had one of the worst drops fans had ever seen—with two minutes remaining on third down.

The Washington Commanders scored a last-minute TD with less than 10 seconds remaining, further proving the age-old Pittsburgh adage: don’t mess with the Terrible Towel.

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What did Commanders’ DC think of Marshon Lattimore’s debut?

Commanders DC Joe Whitt Jr. weighs in on Marshon Lattimore’s debut.

Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt noticed some things he really liked in Marshon Lattimore’s debut last Sunday.

The Commanders traded for Lattimore a month ago, but his injured hamstring kept him from playing against Dallas and Tennessee before the bye week. So he debuted last week in New Orleans against his old team, the Saints.

“There was a couple things,” Whitt said. “He played with a lot of confidence. He communicated well. There was two reductions where he was the one, and he wasn’t supposed to be the one that led the communication on those reductions, but he did. And that was really positive to see.”

One reason GM Adam Peters went after Lattimore was his experience. The former Ohio State Buckeye had seen action in 97 NFL games prior to last week.

Another reason is Lattimore’s ball skills, he employs, playing defense. He sees the ball well, and he catches the ball well, intercepting 15 passes thus far, including two he has returned for touchdowns.

Whitt liked how Lattimore was also prepped well and ready, referring to “just the command that he had of the defense. And like I said, I give a lot of that credit to [Assistant Defensive Back Coach] William Gay because he was with him from day one, teaching him and being that mentor that we asked William to do with a lot of these guys. So, but I was just really pleased with the command that the young man had of his game.”

Of course, everyone on the defense, including the coaches, is well aware that this Sunday will be a greater test for Lattimore. Quarterback Jalen Hurts is completing 69 percent of his passes this season.

Hurts’ top two receivers, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, both have 56 receptions this season, and both have missed three games. Tight end Dallas Goedert and Saquon Barkley have also contributed 38 and 31 receptions, respectively.

Therefore, Whitt knows he will need a good game from Lattimore this Sunday.

Notre Dame football lands former Alabama transfer

The Irish strike in the transfer portal

While Notre Dame football has yet to see a player enter the transfer portal, that doesn’t mean they haven’t been active with those who have.

Ohio native and former Alabama cornerback [autotag]Devonta Smith[/autotag] committed to the Irish on Monday afternoon, adding some much needed depth to Notre Dame’s secondary. They will most likely lose star corner Benjamin Morrison, even though he is out for the remainder of the season with an injury.

Smith saw his best season this past fall with the Crimson Tide, registering 30 tackles and forcing a fumble. He also batted five passes away, showing that he has the ability to cover at a high level as well.

It’s had to believe that Smith will be a starter for the Irish, but he will most likely give them quality minutes when he does get a chance to see the field. This is a great pick-up for Notre Dame.

Oct 12, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back DeVonta Smith (8) brings down South Carolina Gamecocks tight end Joshua Simon (6) at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

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Alabama transfer safety announces playing destination for 2025

The Alabama safety has now announced his commitment.

Only two days after officially entering the transfer portal, Alabama Crimson Tide safety DeVonta Smith has now made a decision surrounding his playing destination in 2025, committing to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Monday afternoon.

Smith was a starter in the Crimson Tide’s secondary in 2024, appearing in 12 games to amass a combined stat line of 30 tackles, one TFL, five PD, and one forced fumble. Over his Alabama career, Smith has a combined 36 tackles, one TFL, five PD, and one forced fumble across four seasons in Tuscaloosa from 2021-24.

Prior to Alabama, Smith was a member of the Crimson Tide’s 2021 recruiting class where he was rated as a four-star cornerback out of La Salle High School in Ohio according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

Smith now joins the likes of Keanu Koht and fellow defensive back Jahlil Hurley as Alabama transfers who have now officially announced where they will be playing in 2025.

Sights and sounds from first half as Eagles hold a 17-13 lead over Steelers

Sights and sounds from first half as Eagles hold a 17-13 lead over Steelers

Philadelphia established its passing game and was dominant on defense, but the scoreboard tells a different story as the Eagles hold just a 17-13 lead over Pittsburgh after one half.

Vic Fangio’s defense held the Steelers to just 80 yards of offense on 30 plays in the first half, but two costly Eagles turnovers and two Chris Boswell field goals have Mike Tomlin’s team within four.

With the second half set to begin, we’re looking at sights and sounds from the first half.

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Why Steelers fans should temper expectations for Week 15 Eagles matchup

Steelers fans may need to adjust expectations as injuries and key matchups make the road to the playoffs more challenging.

As exciting as it is to be only two games behind the number one seed in the AFC playoff race, or defeating a fellow powerhouse Super Bowl contender in Week 15 against the Eagles, this simply may not be in the cards for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

This isn’t to say fans should lack belief in the team’s ability to pull off a deep playoff run or even capture the coveted seventh Lombardi Trophy. However, the short-term outlook for the Steelers leaves much to be desired.

For example, as many are aware, WR George Pickens’ hamstring injury could force him to miss the last few games of the regular season.

On top of that, arguably the best defender in the Steelers secondary, SS DeShon Elliott, will miss the Week 15 matchup as well.  His talent will be sorely missed, as the Eagles offense boast several of leagues best offensive players: QB Jalen Hurts, RB Saquon Barkley, WR A.J. Brown, and WR DeVonta Smith.

Ultimately, fans should come to grips with a Week 15 loss being acceptable for the 10-3 Pittsburgh Steelers and save their excitement for the Week 16 matchup against the Ravens instead—a game that far greater playoff implications.

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Alabama veteran defensive back enters NCAA transfer portal

A 2024 starter for Alabama has entered the transfer portal.

Only a day after a prominent Alabama Crimson Tide offensive player entered the NCAA transfer portal, a notable name on defense has now done the same, as safety DeVonta Smith announced his intentions Saturday afternoon.

Smith, a redshirt junior, had spent each of the first four seasons of his college career at Alabama.

A former four-star prospect from the 2021 recruiting class, Smith did not see much in-game action aside from special teams during the 2021-23 seasons, but did however enjoy a breakout 2024 campaign this fall. Across 12 games in which he was a starter in Alabama’s secondary, Smith compiled 30 tackles with one TFL, five PD, and a forced fumble.

Over his Alabama career, Smith has a combined stat line of 36 tackles, one TFL, five PD, and one forced fumble from 2021-24.

Smith is now transfer portal entry No. 13 for Alabama so far this cycle, as well as the first entrant at the safety position.

Top photos from Eagles 22-16 win over Panthers that saw Saquon Barkley make history

Top photos from Eagles 22-16 win over Panthers that saw Saquon Barkley make history

The Eagles are 11-2, winners of nine straight games after a 22-16 win over the much improved Carolina Panthers (3-10) at Lincoln Fnaincla Field.

The afternoon saw Saquon Barkley break LeSean McCoy’s franchise record for rushing yards in a season. This set Philadelphia up for a huge intrastate matchup against the Steelers (10-3) in Week 15, which should certainly be the NFL’s game of the week.

With preparation for Pittsburgh set to begin, we’re looking at the top photos from Sunday’s win.

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