PHILADELPHIA — Nolan Smith, the Eagles’ second-year linebacker and edge-rusher out of Georgia, knew there would be a learning curve when he came to the NFL.
So, even if many fans were frustrated with his lack of production last year and early this season, he wasn’t. He knew it would just take time to grow into his role. Now, in the last two games, perhaps that time has come.
“You don’t ever get frustrated,” said Smith, a former 30th-overall pick. “You just know in the NFL it’s hard to get sacks, it’s hard to get pressure on the quarterback. You’ve just got to keep working every day and prepping the same and don’t let it get to you. Don’t get too high, don’t get too low. Just even keel and keep working.”
Through his first 21 games in the league, Smith had just one sack, one tackle for loss and four quarterback hits. The last two weeks, he has two sacks, two tackles for loss and two QB hits.
“Coach Wash (DE/OLB coach Jeremiah Washburn) has been working with me a lot.,” Smith said. “We work before practice and after practice every day. Still just trying to learn the game and how everything flows. And I just feel like it’s slowing down a little bit for me.
“I mean, last year, man, I was behind an excellent group of guys,” said Smith, who is getting more snaps this season. “I had Derrick Barnett in front of me. I had B.G. (Brandon Graham), I had Hass (Haason Reddick), I had (Josh) Sweat. So, it was more like I was learning. I know some people don’t see it, but that’s mostly how you learn and be a sponge and just absorb everything that you see.”
The Eagles’ defense as a whole has begun to emerge and play more cohesively the past two weeks, including offseason edge-rushing acquisition Bryce Huff and rookie defensive back Cooper DeJean. But defensive coordinator Vic Fangio pointed out Smith’s development.
‘I think Nolan in particular has continued to improve as the season has gone on,” Fangio said. “He’s not a big guy as edge players go, per se. But he did win on a rush the other day where it was more of a power-type rush, which he has to incorporate more into his game. And that was good to see.”
The Birds’ defense, which has 13 sacks and 21 QB hits in the past two games, will have to keep up the pressure Sunday in Cincinnati (3-4) against quarterback Joe Burrow, who has been playing well this season despite his club’s record. He’s sixth in the league in passing yards (1,759) with 14 touchdowns (4th-t) against just two interceptions.
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For the first time in their lives, Eagles safety Sydney Brown and his twin brother, Bengals running back Chase Brown, will square off against each other. In their high school careers, their team in Bradenton, Fla., didn’t lose a game. They later played together in college at Illinois.
“Man, it’s things like that that I think are so cool,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “I have a lot of respect for their Brown and our Brown, and the fact that that could be a collision is pretty cool. I think that’s a special moment for their mom. I think that’s a special moment for their family. I think that’s a special moment for them to be able to — I’m assuming they’re trading jerseys after the game. Because for forever, they’ve been on the same team, right? High school, college. And now there’s an opportunity for them to go against each other. … Yeah, that’s special.”
Sydney Brown was in his first game back from a torn ACL last Sunday at MetLife Stadium, where he suffered the injury in Week 18 of last season. He had a solo tackle. Chase Brown has rushed the ball 66 times for 327 yards and three touchdowns this year.
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Eagles RG Mekhi Becton (hamstring) didn’t participate in practice Friday and is officially ruled out against the Bengals, as is TE Dallas Goedert (hamstring). With LT Jordan Mailata (hamstring) on injured reserve for at least four weeks, the Birds will again rely on LT Fred Johnson, G Tyler Steen and TE Grant Calcaterra up front.
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Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X at @the_defranc.
