The Eagles' offense is acting like a cold engine on a Monday morning. There’s a palpable tension in Philadelphia. The car has all the right parts, but it just won’t hum. The focus has zeroed in on the star wideouts, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, whose production has dipped dramatically. Frustration is boiling over, creating a low rumble that’s getting harder to ignore.
Now, a voice of championship experience cut through the noise. On the 9th October episode of Pro Football Talk, analyst Mike Florio set the table by challenging the common excuse for a stagnant offense. He pointed to Tony Dungy’s own powerhouse Colts team as the gold standard.
“You know, coach, I said earlier that we hear the 'there's only one football' excuse when there's a bunch of great players and they're not happy. I never heard there's only one football a single time when you had Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark and Marcus Pollard and Edgerrin James,” Florio stated. His point was undeniable. Winning teams find a way.
Coach Dungy wholeheartedly agreed and then delivered his masterclass. He reached into NFL history for a starker example, using a Pittsburgh Steelers legend.
“I can remember coming to Pittsburgh. Lynn Swann in a great year caught 33 passes, and he's got four Super Bowl rings,” Dungy explained. He emphasized that Swann’s legacy wasn’t built on 100-catch seasons, but on legendary moments in championship games. "His [Swann's] goal was to win. We're here to win a Super Bowl,, and if I only get four catches in the Super Bowl and three of them are phenomenal. People will be playing it for 50 years. So, that's the way I'd approach it."
The message was clear... greatness is measured in iconic plays, not weekly target shares. Above all, Dungy reiterated the most important feat of all: winning. So, how do the Eagles' current stars stack up against this championship standard?
A Lesson for the Eagles from the Steel City
The numbers are jarring. Through six games, Brown has a jarring 25 catches and 274 yards. Smith, while more reserved, has just one touchdown. This slump coincides with the Eagles' offense ranking a dismal 26th in pass attempts. Besides, the unit is struggling to stay on the field, posting the second-worst three-and-out percentage in the league at 34.9%. The "let your killers eat" philosophy Brown famously rallied behind has seemingly vanished.
Brown’s frustration has been public, from cryptic social media posts to his baffling denial of a players-only meeting. Smith, while quieter, confirmed the shared sentiment, saying, “I certainly feel the same way.” Their angst is understandable, but Dungy’s history lesson challenges their perspective. He argues that patience and a team-first attitude are the true paths to immortality.
Dungy’s advice for the Eagles’ receivers was direct and forward-looking.“If I'm a Philadelphia receiver, I'm going to get a chance to make a big play and a big moment, and that's what I live for. But until then, we're going to win games, and we all have to be on the same page,” he stated. He acknowledged the current struggle but pointed to the future payoff.
The opportunity for a season-defining catch in a crucial game is what separates the good from the legendary. This requires a shift in mindset from immediate gratification to long-term glory. Now, the Eagles stand at a familiar crossroads.
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They can continue to let individual frustrations fester, or they can embrace the unselfish model of past dynasties. The choice is simple: compile empty stats or chase eternal highlights. The ball is still only one, the road is long, and January highlights last longer than October tensions. As Don Corleone noted in The Godfather, “Great men are not born great; they grow great.” For Brown and Smith, greatness now depends on growing beyond the box score.