The Eagles were feeling the heat. After taking a commanding 33-7 lead in the third quarter against the New Orleans Saints at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, head coach Nick Sirianni admittedly took the conservative approach for the majority of the second half, allowing the visiting squad to play catchup in a must-win game.
The Saints had just scored 15 unanswered points, tightening the Eagles’ fourth-quarter lead to just 11 points with roughly seven minutes left to play. Sirianni could feel the energy within the home stadium evaporating, and he knew he needed to put together another scoring drive to cap what had been one of his more impressive coaching outings of the season.
After a one-yard loss on a screen pass from quarterback Jalen Hurts to wide receiver Jalen Reagor on first down, Sirianni drew up another passing play for the offense. With the Eagles’ offense feeling legitimate pressure for the first time in the game, an unsung hero — who most would call a draft bust — came out of nowhere to make what Sirianni would later call “the play of the game.”
On second-and-11 from their own 25-yard line, the Eagles lined up in 12 personnel (1 RB, 2 TEs, 2 WRs) with first-round rookie DeVonta Smith flanked to the right and former second-round pick J.J. Arcega-Whiteside positioned to the left. Arcega-Whiteside had played 9.29% of the offensive snaps entering the game. He had only been used as a blocker without a catch on the season.
That all changed when Hurts saw Arcega-Whiteside break free within zone coverage at the 30-yard line. Hurts targeted Arcega-Whiteside across the middle, and when the wideout turned around, he had plenty of room to run, picking up 23 yards and a first down on the play. Arcega-Whiteside’s first catch of the season eventually led to Hurts’ game-clinching 24-yard touchdown run seven plays later.
“We always vote for ‘player of the game’ and ‘play of the game’ and that, for sure, I guess I’ve got the trump card because I’m the head coach, so that’s going to be the play of the game,” Sirianni said. “I’m going to tell [offensive coordinator Shane Steichen] that on the way home.”
According to Sirianni, Arcega-Whiteside had a rough week leading up to the 40-29 win over the Saints. While the head coach wouldn’t elaborate on the wideout’s personal life, he did say that he was happy that Arcega-Whiteside finally got his moment to shine.
Arcega-Whiteside has been a standout in his first year of major special teams snaps, producing four tackles and a forced fumble on the season. He’s also graded out well as a blocker, receiving a 76.5 rating from Pro Football Focus. But the wideout was drafted in the second round two years ago to make plays as a receiver, and that success had eluded him until he made a fourth-quarter catch in the biggest game of the season.
“He’s been asked to do things that he hasn’t been asked to do before,” Sirianni said. “He’s been asked to be a special teams guy, that is really gritty and tough, because he has that in his body. He’s been asked to be our blocking-type of receiver in critical times. So it was great to reward him with a catch in that scenario.”
Perhaps, after putting together Sirianni’s handpicked play of the game, Arcega-Whiteside will draw more targets down the home stretch. Unlike his fellow receivers, Arcega-Whiteside offers a size mismatch against most cornerbacks.
He’s also got the toughness that Sirianni craves at the position.
“I love J.J.,” Sirianni said. “I think he embodies the toughness of this city and this football team.”
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Mike Kaye may be reached at mkaye@njadvancemedia.com.
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