Sometimes the answer to problems is right in front of our eyes.

For the Eagles pass rush, that seems to have clearly been the case. We just missed it while focused on something we assumed was of actual importance. Fast forward three months later: The Eagles are going to the Super Bowl, in part because of the development of an out-of-nowhere star that’s taken the NFL and postseason by storm.

And he’s changing the trajectory of the entire roster along the way.

When the Eagles walked off the field in Tampa Bay in Week 4, this season looked doomed. The team was 2-2. The defense looked like a multi-year fix for Vic Fangio. Bryce Huff, the $53M edge rusher brought in to ease the loss of Haason Reddick, was lost. And as for the 2023 first-round pick edge rusher? Well, Nolan Smith had one career sack in 17 regular season games.

It didn’t look good for the present or the future.

Then the bye week hit and something drastic changed.

I first noticed it in the Cleveland game, when Smith’s pressure off the edge forced a broken Cleveland play in the red zone during the fourth quarter of a tight game. Then came a sack against the Giants. Then more snaps against the Bengals. All while the production was piling up.

Smith’s development was a good story, but was it enough to offset the loss of Reddick, invisible Huff and (eventual) loss of Brandon Graham? By going silent at the trade deadline, the Eagles made it known what they believed deep down: Yes, it was.

They were right. Over the last two months (starting with being the best defensive player on the field when Pittsburgh came to town), Smith has been a monster. Over his last 10 games (including the postseason), Smith has 8.5 sacks. He’s taken his game to another level in January, with a sack in each postseason game. At the age of 24, Smith is now already second all-time in postseason sacks in Eagles history.

His bend is so good and speed so electric that Hugh Douglas invoked the name Derrick Thomas on yesterday’s WIP Midday Show. His progression is so rapid that he may be the key to stopping the best quarterback of this generation in two weeks. And his trajectory is so impressive that he may be the next edge rusher to build this defense around, taking away pass rush as the No. 1 need for the front office when the offseason arrives.

There’s been a ton of great stories on the 2024 Eagles. But Nolan Smith going from possible bust to carrying the torch of Eagles pass rush stars on the way to a Super Bowl might be the biggest development of them all.

We celebrated the NFC Championship all day on WIP.

I handed out six game balls to Eagles after the blowout of the Commanders.

The great Merrill Reese joined us to talk about the win and look forward to the Super Bowl vs. Kansas City.

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