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- Mar 19, 2019
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The Philadelphia Eagles had just three healthy wide receivers in uniform when Monday night’s game against the New York Giants kicked off. That total dwindled to two when Alshon Jeffery left the game with a non-contact injury in the second quarter. Then it was cut to just one when J.J. Arcega-Whiteside was forced off the field in overtime.
The solution? Zach Ertz was deputized to fill in as the Eagles chased a needed victory over the Giants.
“The offense, we just banded together,” Ertz said in an interview with the NFL Network after the game. “I mean, I was playing receiver at the end of the game cause we didn’t have any more bodies. So we just had to find a way.”
It’s not a foreign concept for Ertz to line up detached from the end of the line of scrimmage. However, it is a bit of an on-the-fly ask for Ertz to handle routes and assignments usually prescribed for other individuals in the Eagles’ offense.
“Luckily I’ve been in this offense for four years now and so I’ve kind of learned every spot,” Ertz said. “It was only a few plays that I had to be out there at receiver and we just found a way to get it done. We never doubted each other. We never pointed fingers. I’m really proud of this team.”
Ertz and fellow tight ends Dallas Goedert and Joshua Perkins were all needed in the final drives for Philadelphia. Ertz’s game-winning touchdown catch came with him initially aligned wide to the right side of the offense before motioning to a position closer to the line of scrimmage. He was then left completely uncovered for the 2-yard score to give the Eagles the win.
Nelson Agholor was out for the night with a knee injury and inactive. However, three receivers is still an awfully thin margin to have at that position for a game. The Eagles had that reality reinforced as their top tight end had to plug a hole in overtime Monday night.