PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Britain Covey finally got his chance to show the Philadelphia Eagles what he can do as a wide receiver. It was a chance three years in the making, a chance for Covey to prove he can play as big a role on offense as he can on special teams.
“I thought it was awesome,” Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore said of Covey’s performance. “Great example of a guy who steps in late in the week and is ready to go.”
Covey was called to action after AJ Brown pulled his hamstring during training late last week. Jalen Hurts, who had a role in the offense, confirmed his confidence in Covey with six targets, which led to six catches for 23 yards. Covey also had a 7-yard and 14-yard catch that were taken away by two illegal man downfield penalties.
“The game plan wasn’t really geared toward the position that I was going to play,” Covey said. “But I mean, we have so much experience that I’m coming into, we put Smitty back out there, put me in the slot and it just works. It’s just going to work out like it always does.
“I’m proud of my separation above all else, because I can’t afford not to have a separation of my own. So my goal is to always have a meter more separation than anyone else, and I’ve achieved that.”
With Brown still recovering, Covey will get even more opportunities to catch passes in the coming weeks. The Eagles wideout has earned Jalen Hurts’ trust over the past few years, making him an easy target (pun intended) in the passing game.
“That’s what happens in NFL seasons. Guys like Covey, they’re ready and they’re available, and they never know when to step out,” Moore said. “And he stepped out and handled it really well, capitalized on some things, gave us a nice run after the catch and a lot of positive things.”
Covey chose to overshadow his performance with the end result — a loss. His face in the locker room after Monday’s game said it all.
“I hope for more chances, but man, I just want to win,” Covey said. “That was the most frustrating. I wasn’t even happy after the game that I was involved in it. It was just so frustrating.”
The pain of the loss was what impressed Hurts the most, even after Covey’s big night. Covey is a part of this offense moving forward, proving he’s more than just a really good punt returner on one of the most talented teams in the NFL.
“He showed up for us,” Hurts said. “And we need him to continue to do that.”
