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Bowen: Whichever quarterback plays, Eagles need to be less careless with kickoffs and defense

December 24, 2024

Dec 22, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders wide receiver Luke McCaffrey (12) returns a kickoff as Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Oren Burks (42) defends during the first quarter at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

DeVonta Smith needed a little help.
Smith, one of the most reliable Eagles, needed his special teams and defense to pick him up, after a rare mistake. Smith flat-out dropped a Kenny Pickett third-down pass just before the two-minute warning, when a catch probably would have salted away an Eagles victory Sunday against the host Washington Commanders.
The ensuing Jake Elliott field goal gave the Eagles the lead anyway, and provided an opportunity for Smith’s teammates to prove they really are the kind of tough, special, Super Bowl-bound group they often appeared to be during the 10-game win streak that ended with Sunday’s 36-33 loss.
Instead, what Smith got, watching in parka-clad misery from ...

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