Eagles' Wendell Smallwood returns to site of greatest kickoff success

Wendell Smallwood has vivid memories of both Eagles encounters with the Washington Redskins last season.

In the first meeting, Oct. 16 at FedEx Field, Smallwood ran a kickoff back 86 yards for a touchdown. In the second, Dec. 11 at the Linc, Smallwood suffered an MCL sprain that ended his rookie season. The Eagles lost both games.

We don't know for sure how the Birds will deploy five running backs in the season opener Sunday against Washington – almost certainly, only four will be active — but Eagles coach Doug Pederson confirmed Wednesday that Smallwood will be the team's primary kickoff returner. Last season he returned nine kicks for a 29.0-yard average.

"Having some great blocking, having to run through a hole and keep moving," Smallwood said when asked what he remembered from the TD return.

He said a return touchdown somehow feels better than a rushing touchdown, though so far in the NFL, he only has one of each.

"It's more of a team effort on special teams," Smallwood said. "Not a lot of points come off special teams. It means a lot, all the work we put in, everyone getting their job done. It rarely happens, but it happens sometimes, and when it does [those are] big plays. It definitely means a lot. And I feel like we celebrate special-teams plays more than we do offense and defense."

Smallwood said he has always liked running back kicks, likes "just getting in space, getting a head of steam and hitting some holes … it's a lot of space to make plays and make guys miss. It's not a little tight hole or anything like that."

Smallwood, hobbled repeatedly by injury since being drafted last year in the fifth round, said he is confident he will have a substantial role from scrimmage as well.

"It's going to be a game plan-type thing, things I do well, they're going to try [to exploit], let me get out there and make plays," he said.

In a conference call with Philadelphia-area reporters Wednesday, Washington wideout Terrelle Pryor was asked the source of his zealous devotion to working out.

Pryor, a former quarterback, said there are three things he is scared of in life: spiders, sharks and failure.

"You don't want to fail, and you don't want to fail your teammates. That drives me," Pryor said. "When they come to you for a play [and you don't make it] you're letting your teammates down. You're letting yourself down. I'm letting my son down … That's what motivates me, I think a little deeper."

Corner Ronald Darby, who very much wanted a jersey number in the 20s, surveyed what was available after cutdowns and ended up wearing No. 41, which he said he feels is at least marginally better than the No. 35 he was wearing … Nickel corner Patrick Robinson said he's never faced Washington slot receiver Jamison Crowder, but he's noticed on film that Crowder "gets in and out of his breaks really good. I've definitely got to be on point with my technique and my eyes." Robinson also said it's apparent that Crowder takes pride in his blocking ability … Everyone practiced for the Eagles Wednesday but the injury report reflected the following players receiving treatment:  quarterback Nick Foles (right elbow), linebacker Najee Goode (forearm), defensive end Brandon Graham (triceps), safety  Corey Graham (hamstring), linebacker Jordan Hicks (quadricep), cornerback Jalen Mills (thumb), and defensive tackle Destiny Vaeao (calf).

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