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Here’s the situation.
The Philadelphia Eagles are facing 2nd-and-goal from the Baltimore Ravens’ 3-yard line with 13:32 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Eagles are trailing by 18 points.
Carson Wentz is lined up under center. He takes the snap, drops back, fakes a handoff, scans forward, turns left, looks back right, dodges an oncoming rusher, and throws on the move to a wide open target for an Eagles touchdown.
The recipient? A man by the name of ... Jason Croom.
Everybody started Jason Croom in fantasy this week, right?#BALvsPHI | #FlyEaglesFly
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) October 18, 2020
: CBS pic.twitter.com/8Wqv4FQ6Po
WHO?!
Let’s be real, that’s the question many were asking when they saw No. 81 catch that ball.
And since I’m a sicko who tracks every single roster move, I have the answer for you.
You see, the Eagles originally added Croom to their practice squad on September 29. We wrote the following about him at the time:
The Eagles clearly think more of Croom than [former practice squad tight end Jordan] Franks. Croom, also 24, boasts more NFL experience with 22 receptions for 259 yards (11.8) average and one touchdown in 15 games played (three starts) back in 2018. Croom actually led all Buffalo tight ends in receptions that year before spending the 2019 season on injured reserve. The Bills released Croom from their practice squad last week.
With Dallas Goedert expected to miss “some time” due to an ankle injury, the Eagles could look to elevate Croom to the game day roster to give them more depth behind Zach Ertz and Richard Rodgers.
Sure enough, Sunday’s game against the Ravens marked the second time that the Eagles elevated Croom from the practice squad to be their third tight end. And it was incredibly efficient performance for him as he caught a touchdown in his only offensive snap played.
Croom might be forced into playing more snaps for the Eagles soon with Goedert still on injured reserve (though now eligible to be activated) and Ertz leaving the Ravens game with an ankle injury.
Regardless of what happens moving forward, though, we should really appreciate this bizarre moment in Eagles history where a guy that nobody knew was even on the roster scored a touchdown. It really speaks to how many injuries the Eagles have suffered on offense.
I also just love how wide open Croom was on the play. The Ravens basically didn’t even know he existed. There’s no one near him when he catches the ball. He’s standing still!
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You can’t see it so much in the preceding video but, having watched the play from the press box (flex), I can tell you that Croom was basically wide open the entire play. It’s kinda crazy how Wentz didn’t notice it sooner! Thankfully he eventually did so we’ll always have this glorious moment to look back on.