Why didn't Dallas Goedert see more targets without A.J. Brown in lineup?

For the last few years, Nick Sirianni has mentioned over and over again that the Eagles’ passing offense runs through three players: A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert.

So on Monday night, when the Eagles were without Brown, you probably expected to see more targets to go to Smith and Goedert.

It just makes sense, right?

Well, Smith had a big game. He was targeted a game-high 10 times and caught 7 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown.

But Goedert? Not so much. At least not in the passing game.

The Eagles’ top tight end saw just 4 targets and caught 3 passes for 38 yards in the devastating 22-21 loss to the Falcons on Monday Night Football. 

“We'd love to get Dallas the ball,” Sirianni said on Wednesday. “Dallas has gotten the ball a lot. But different teams play things different ways, whether they junk up the middle, whether they give you things on the outside. 

“Yeah, would we like Dallas to have the ball more? Absolutely, of course we would. But again, sometimes it's not that simple, either.”

Maybe it’s not that simple. But maybe the Eagles could also make a more concerted effort to get one of their best players the ball too.

In fairness, Brown suffered his hamstring during the week so there was less time to game plan without him. But he was officially ruled out on Sunday so it’s not like he was a game-time decision either.

Entering a game without Brown, did Goedert expect to be a bigger part of the passing game? 

“I’d like to,” Goedert said. “But it’s all dependent on the game plan and how the defense is playing me and what plays get called. It’s one of those things, I’m going to go out there and whatever play is called, I’m going to try my best to get open. Or if we’re running the ball, I’m going to try to spring Saquon (Barkley) or Kenny (Gainwell) or Will (Shipley) as much as I can.”

The Eagles’ offense on Monday night put up 365 yards of offense but they put up just 21 points and scored just two touchdowns.

Goedert in this game was actually fourth on the Eagles’ in targets after Smith (10), Britain Covey (6) and Saquon Barkley (5). His fellow tight end Grant Calcaterra even had 2 catches for 19 yards.

“I was more frustrated with the loss than I was not having targets, not having receptions,” Goedert said. “I thought we were moving the ball really well, we were running the ball really well. It’s one of those things that you wish the outcome was different.”

The Eagles have been lucky over the last couple of years because both Brown and Smith have been healthy. In 2022 and 2023, the only game Brown has missed was the playoff game in Tampa last season and the only game Smith has missed was Week 18 last year.

So it’s not like the Eagles have had to game plan much without their top receivers in mind. But it’s also notable that Goedert’s usage in the pass game has decreased since 2022.

In the Super Bowl season, Goedert played in just 12 games but had 55 catches for 702 yards and 3 touchdowns. That was the best season of his NFL career. But look at what has happened to his production since then:

2022: 4.6 receptions per game, 58.5 yards per game

2023-24: 4.1 receptions per game, 41.6 yards per game

It’s worth noting that Goedert averaged 5.75 targets per game in 2022 and has averaged 5.75 targets per game in 2023-24 too. But his yards per target and yards per reception are way down.

The good thing with Goedert is that he is such a good run blocker. So he’s still adding value even when he’s not catching the football. But it’s surprising to see his production drop off this way.

And it’s even more surprising to see him not be featured in a game without Brown.

“We can't tell the quarterback just throw it to this guy,” Sirianni said. “He's got to read the defense. That's why playing quarterback is the hardest position in the NFL, or in sports, in my opinion. They have to read the defense to see where the hit is coming or where the pressure is coming, where the coverage is, all those different things, and deliver the ball where it's supposed to go. So, it's not always that simple.

“Now, we can put Dallas at the No. 1 spot where we think it might go, but that doesn't also necessarily mean that. Do we need to get Dallas the ball more? Is that a conscious effort? Yeah, but sometimes it's not that simple.”

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