Eagles Schedule: Listing Toughest WR-CB Matchups for A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith
The schedule is out, so it’s time to start looking at some individual matchups within the games.
Pro Football Focus got things rolling by looking at five games that should challenge Philadelphia Eagles receiver A.J. Brown.
Those games are:
- Week 6 vs. New York Jets Sauce Gardner
- Week 7 vs. Miami Dolphins Jalen Ramsey
- Weeks 9 and 14 vs. Dallas Cowboys Trevon Diggs
- Week 12 vs. Buffalo Bills Tre’Davious White
- Week 15 vs. Seattle Seahawks Tariq Woolen
There will be others, of course, but these are the five PFF released.
Brown, of course, is considered the Eagles’ top receiver following a season in which he put up a career-high 1,496 yards receiving with a career-tying 11 touchdowns. His yards receiving broke a franchise record for most in a single season which had been held by the team’s current radio analyst Mike Quick, who had 1,409 in 1983.
As Quick pointed out to SI.com Eagles today when Brown set the record: “Yeah, but I did it in 16 games.”
Quick wasn’t being negative, just pointing out that Brown needed 17 games.
Brown’s two matchups last year, presumably against Diggs, yielded 11 catches for 170 yards and one touchdown as the Eagles and Cowboys split their two regular-season games. Brown has never matched up against Gardner or Woolen, both of whom will enter their second seasons.
Taking the receiver-cornerback matchup a step further is DeVonta Smith. He would be a No. 1 receiver on most teams but isn’t viewed that way with Brown running with him. Last year, Smith had 95 catches for 1,196 yards and seven touchdowns, all of which were career highs.
So, Smith, if form holds and is matched up against the No. 2 cornerback on the four teams spotlighted, would be defended by:
- Jets D.J. Reed or Bryce Hall
- Dolphins Xavien Howard
- Cowboys Stephon Gilmore
- Bills Kaiir Elam
- Seahawks Devon Witherspoon
That’s a solid group.
Howard is probably at the top of the list, with 28 career interceptions and three straight Pro Bowl appearances.
Gilmore isn’t far behind. He had made four straight Pro Bowls until missing the honor last year. Despite turning 33 when the season begins, he is still very good and a savvy veteran.
Witherspoon is a rookie, Elam struggled with an ankle injury as a rookie last year but made two interceptions in six starts, and Reed is steady.
Still, with two No. 1 receivers and a tight end regarded as one of the top five at his position in the league, there should be plenty of matchups that favor the Eagles in the passing game.
Ed Kracz covers the Philadelphia Eagles for SI's EaglesToday.
Please follow him and our Eagles coverage on Twitter at @kracze.
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