by PHILADELPHIA – The Eagles have been doing a good job of getting Dallas Gedert the ball in space this season.
Or is it the other way around?
Does Goedert have more room to operate because of the attention given to the Eagles’ three Batmen – DeVonta Smith, AJ Brown and Quez Watkins?
“Anytime you have three guys that are really good athletes on the outside, you know, some guys are going to get more attention than others, and that opens up space,” Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen said.
“I think depending on what the defense does, that dictates where that ball is going to go and the space that’s going to open up and if they want to double somebody, it creates matchups on other players. It definitely helps.”
Goedert says he helped accept those three threats, but only up to a point.
“There’s definitely some games where you feel that space, and there’s games where they’re just playing normal defense,” he said Wednesday.
“They’ve crowded the corners a lot, shadowing a safety over there, but to be honest, the middle of the field is pretty much what it was. You just have to make sure you pick the right people and beat the right people.”
Whatever the case, Goedert is off to the best start of his five-year career.
He has 24 catches for 335 yards, giving him the third most receiving yards of any tight end in the league.
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Baltimore’s Mark Andrews leads with 349 and Kansas City’s Travis Kelce leads with 347.
Geddert is there with them.
The tight end also has the second-most yards after catches of any player in the league with 272, just seven yards behind leader Austin Ekeler of the Chargers. Goedert leads the Rams’ Cooper Kupp, who has 267.
Having some open space to roam is one reason for this. So is the way the Eagles use him in the screen game.
Another part is Goedert’s bull-like approach once he possesses the ball.
“It’s something that I always like to have the ball in my hands to be able to run over smaller defenders, to be able to make people miss,” he said.
“I’ve always loved doing this. I just feel like no defensive back should be able to tackle me, so I definitely take pride in running through people and trying to make people miss.”
Just as he doesn’t back off with the ball in his hands, he also doesn’t when called upon to run block, something he’s gotten better at since entering the league in 2018.
He’ll test that part of his game Sunday night when the Dallas Cowboys and their stingy defense visit Lincoln Financial Field for an NFC East battle.
The Cowboys have one of the best 1-2 edge rushers in the league with Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence.
“They’re both good players, the strength of their defense,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it. I’m never going to shy away from it. The better they are, the better you have to come and play and be ready for them. I’m looking forward to my opportunities against both of them.”
Ed Kracz is the editor of SI.com’s Eagles Today Fan Nation and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles the www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
