Eagles Snap Count Analysis: Week 8 at Commanders

In their Week 8 win over the Washington Commanders, the Philadelphia Eagles played 63 snaps on offense and 72 on defense. Let’s get straight to the snap counts and some notes.

quarterback

• 63 snaps: Jalen Hurts

Analysis: Hurts had by far his best statistical performance of the season (29 of 38 for 319 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs) while dealing with a bone bruise in his knee. He only rushed 4 times for 6 yards and most of his damage came from the inside pocket. The Eagles have a big game next Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, and then the Hurts can get some rest during the bye week.

Run back

• 44 snaps: D’Andre Swift

• 19 snaps: Kenny Gainwell

• 1 snap: Boston Scott

Analysis: During the 2022 season, Swift came out strong in September and then faded a bit in October due to injury. The same pattern applies in 2023, minus the injury:

The Eagles’ rushing attack as a whole actually cooled down in October. The return of Cam Jürgens could help.

Aside from Week 2 against the Vikings, when he didn’t play at all due to injury, Gainwell had his lowest number of snaps of the season. The previous low point was last week against the Dolphins when he played 23 snaps. Based on snap count numbers, his role appears to be shrinking somewhat, although Nick Sirianni insists the team hasn’t lost confidence in him.

Scott played his only snap during the Eagles’ first drive of the game.

Wide receiver

• 62 snaps: AJ Brown

• 61 snaps: DeVonta Smith

• 30 snapshots: Olamide Zaccheaus

• 15 snaps: Julio Jones

Analysis: We’ve covered Brown, Smith and Jones extensively in our 10 Awards, so we won’t rehash it all here. (But obviously they were all positive in this game, to say the least.)

One player not mentioned above is Britain Covey, who had a 25-yard punt return and would have had more if Nolan Smith hadn’t gotten in his way. Covey now ranks third in the NFL in punt return average with 14.7 yards per return, despite requiring significantly fewer fair catches than the other top punt returners. He was excellent.

Covey said after the game that he was watching every punt from across the NFL from the previous week. It usually takes him about three hours.

Close end

• 58 snaps: Dallas Goedert

• 23 snapshots: Jack Stoll

Analysis: Stoll had to temporarily leave this game with an undisclosed injury, but returned to the field. Grant Calcaterra left with a possible concussion. Calcaterra briefly retired from football in college due to a concussion.

Offensive line

• 63 snaps each: Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson

• 57 snapshots: Sua Opeta

• 6 snaps: Tyler Steen

• 2 snapshots: Jack Driscoll

Analysis: Johnson appears to be back to full form after a scare in Week 6 against the Jets.

Opeta missed six snaps, allowing Tyler Steen to make his professional debut. He seemed to play well in the few snaps I saw of him.

Cam Jurgens is eligible to come off injured reserve before the Eagles’ game against Dallas this week.

Edge defender

• 61 snaps: Josh Sweat

• 59 snaps: Haason Reddick

• 14 snaps: Brandon Graham

• 7 snapshots: Derek Barnett

• 4 snaps: Nolan Smith

Analysis: Sweat and Reddick played a lot Number of snaps in this game. Before Week 8, Sweat averaged 44 snaps per game and Reddick averaged 43. It seems like the defensive staff doesn’t trust Barnett (for good reason) and Smith (for now). In my opinion, additional depth at edge rusher would make more sense than at linebacker.

Internal defensive line

• 56 snaps: Fletcher Cox

• 41 snaps: Milton Williams

• 22 snapshots: Kentavius ​​Street

• 17 snaps each: Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis

• 13 snapshots: Marlon Tuipulotu

Analysis: Davis played despite being listed as questionable and not participating in practice on Friday. Carter left that game with a back injury and did not return. I imagine we’ll find out more about his status a little later today.

Linebackers

• 51 snaps: Zach Cunningham

• 50 snapshots: Nakobe Dean

• 27 snapshots: Nicholas Morrow

Analysis: Cunningham also played the most snaps against the Dolphins in Week 7 and appears to be the Eagles’ best linebacker. Dean led the team with 12 tackles on Sunday, although while watching live I initially got the impression he had some shaky moments.

Cornerback and safety

• 72 snaps each: Darius Slay, James Bradberry, Reed Blankenship and Kevin Byard

• 40 Snaps: Sydney Brown

• 25 snaps: Eli Ricks

Analysis: After acquiring Byard via trade last Monday, he played every moment.

Brown got the start with mixed results. He had a few tackles for loss and a big hit on Terry McLaurin.

However, he was also responsible for the touchdown pass to a wide-open Jahan Dotson.

“I’m not afraid to make a mistake, and if I mess up, I belong,” Brown said. “This is how I go about my business. I had a play in the red zone that I messed up and it resulted in a touchdown, but it’s what you do afterward and how you react that matters. I thought I came out in the second. “I got halfway through and did what I had to do. But just like that, little growing pains that you go through, I just need to get back and really improve my technique and what I need to do.”

Slot corner is a difficult position to play. It’s not easy being placed there as a rookie safety and having to cover guys like McLaurin, but I thought Brown was up to the challenge for the most part.

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