DeVonta Smith’s rare drop highlights tough 36-33 loss for Eagles on Sunday vs the Commanders

Every once in a while, even the most reliable players have a moment they’d love to take back. For DeVonta Smith, that moment came in the Eagles’ 36-33 loss to the Commanders on Sunday. Late in the fourth quarter, with the game on the line, Smith dropped a pass that could’ve all but sealed a win.

With just over two minutes remaining, the Eagles were up 30-28 and facing 3rd-and-5 at Washington’s 22-yard line. Kenny Pickett, who replaced Jalen Hurts after a first-half concussion, delivered a perfect pass to Smith. A catch would’ve kept the drive alive and allowed the Eagles to run out the clock.

But Smith couldn’t hang on. The Eagles kicked a field goal to go up 33-28, but a bad kickoff and a defensive collapse let Washington march down the field for a game-winning touchdown.

DeVonta Smith Drops Game-Sealing Catch vs Commanders

DeVonta Smith how do you drop that??

pic.twitter.com/iOzaga6KUR

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) December 22, 2024

“I just dropped the ball,” Smith said without hesitation after the game. “Ain’t gonna beat myself up over it. It’s life. It’s part of the game. I made all the tough catches today, and the easiest one I had, I dropped. It is what it is.”

Smitty on the drop:

DeVonta Smith takes full accountability on the dropped pass on third down pic.twitter.com/aHaidEVDSz

— DIE-HARD 🦅 REALTOR® (@Eaglesfans9) December 22, 2024

Should Smith have made the play? Of course. He catches that ball 99 times out of 100. But focusing solely on that one moment ignores the bigger picture.

Eagles fans have seen this before. Remember Saquon Barkley’s drop against the Falcons in Week 2? With 1:46 left, Barkley missed a crucial catch, forcing the Eagles to settle for a field goal. On the ensuing drive, Kirk Cousins led Atlanta to a game-winning touchdown.

It’s a frustrating parallel: two drops in pivotal moments, two losses by razor-thin margins. Without those mistakes, the Eagles could very well be sitting at 14-1 instead of 12-3.

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Obviosuly, Smitty’s drop was an anomaly. Coming into Sunday’s game, the typically sure-handed receiver had just three drops on 71 targets this season, per Pro Football Focus. Despite the late-game miscue, he had an otherwise solid performance, hauling in six catches for 51 yards on seven targets- mostly from Pickett who was in the game for an injured Hurts.

“Listen, we wouldn’t be in that position in that game without him to begin with,” Kenny Pickett said. “He’s an unbelievable player. He knows that we’re going to throw him the football, and A.J. [Brown], no matter what. There’s not an ounce of confidence lost in 6.”

The team’s belief in Smith hasn’t wavered—and for good reason.

As Saquon Barkley pointed out, football is a team game, and plenty of moments contributed to Sunday’s loss.

“Smitty is a hell of a player,” Barkley said. “He’s probably going to try to put the responsibility on himself. But in reality, there were a lot of plays that every single body could have made—offense, defense, special teams. He knows we got his back.”

The Eagles’ special teams put the defense in a tough spot with a poor kickoff after the field goal. The defense, in turn, couldn’t get the final stop they needed.

Smith appreciated the confidence the Eagles showed in him by targeting him in that crucial moment. No one doubts that he’ll make that play next time. The Eagles now turn their focus to Dallas, knowing they need to clean up mistakes to finish the season strong.

Smith’s drop was a tough moment, but it’s not one that defines him—or this team. The Eagles remain 12-3 and very much in control of their own destiny. And if you’re worried about Smitty? Don’t be. He’s as reliable as they come, and he’ll have plenty of chances to remind everyone why.

Again, two plays—Smith’s drop against Washington and Saquon’s against Atlanta—are the difference between 12-3 and 14-1. That’s football for you. But the Eagles still have everything in front of them, and with players like Smith and Barkley, they’re built to bounce back.

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