The official snap counts from the Philadelphia Eagles’ Week 17 LOSS to the Arizona Cardinals are in. Let’s take a look and run through some analysis.
OFFENSE
49 offensive snaps is the fewest for the Eagles this season. Their previously low was 55 in their loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The Cardinals clearly planned to shorten the game and it worked well for them. 49 offensive snaps is the fewest for the Eagles in a game since they played 46 in their home loss to the Seattle Seahawks in 2014. Random fact: Jordan Mailata is the only player on the entire team who hasn’t missed one snap this season. A.J. Brown’s five targets were the second-fewest from any game this season. He was targeted just once in the entire second half. Jack Stoll played his highest snap count percentage this season. Kenny Gainwell played his third-highest snap count percentage this season. The Eagles are 2-5 when he plays 40.6% or more of the snaps and 8-0 when he plays 40% or fewer. D’Andre Swift played his third-lowest snap count percentage. He had his fourth-lowest touch total. Julio Jones his third-highest snap count percentage. And he was effective! His two targets resulted in two catches for 34 yards and two touchdowns. It was nice to see him targeted downfield as opposed to using the NFL’s oldest wide receiver on screen plays in long to-go situations. Olamide Zaccheaus has been targeted once for zero receptions on offense (so, not counting his special teams reception) since making that crazy catch in the Bills game. So, one target from Jalen Hurts in the last five games.
DEFENSE
Random fact: James Bradberry has played the most defensive snaps this year with 1014. That’s 109 more than the next closest player, Reed Blankenship. Nicholas Morrow almost played the entire game as the top linebacker despite being ruled questionable to play. Haason Reddick played only his seventh-highest snap count percentage in a very important game. Incredibly bizarre usage! Haason Reddick, who reached double-digit sacks in 4 consecutive seasons, dropped into coverage more yesterday than any time since joining the Eagles. He had his lowest percentage of snaps as a pass rusher since joining the Eagles. Milton Williams was DT1 in this game. His sack on Kyler Murray was officially changed to a TFL. Josh Sweat still doesn’t have a sack since taking down Dak Prescott late in the Eagles’ Week 9 win over the Cowboys. He could’ve had one but Murray broke out of it to throw a touchdown pass instead. Sweat’s up to 816 defensive snaps played in 16 games this season after logging just 587 in 16 last year. That’s a snap difference of like four games played. Jordan Davis doesn’t have a sack or QB hit since Week 7. He doesn’t have a TFL since Week 2. Davis only had one combined tackle in this game where the Cardinals ran 40 times. Shaq Leonard … woof. Guy is pretty donezo. Jalen Carter had a sack and a TFL. He played only his eighth-highest snap count percentage this season. Avonte Maddox played a limited role in his first game since Week 2. Looked rusty. And he got banged up. Sydney Brown’s 99-yard pick-six was pretty cool. Shame it happened in one of the most embarrassing Eagles losses ever. Brown’s usage snap count percentage dropped for the third straight week. Nolan Smith continues to get more chances. The Eagles must keep playing him. Ben VanSumeren was relegated to sparing playing time with Morrow back and Leonard ahead of him on the depth chart. Moro Ojomo was curiously ahead of Marlon Tuipulotu, a healthy scratch, in the DT rotation. Tui had previously been ahead of him all year.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Brandon Smith was active for his second Eagles game after being temporarily elevated from the practice squad. Braden Mann’s last four punts have resulted in a 56.3 average and a 46.5 net average. The NFL lead for average is 53.1 and for net average is 44.9. So, not bad! At least the punter doesn’t suck!
DID NOT PLAY INACTIVE
Zach Cunningham, Darius Slay, Bradley Roby, Tyler Steen, Marlon Tuipulotu, Tanner McKee
ACTIVE
Marcus Mariota, Rashaad Penny, Quez Watkins, Britain Covey
Cunningham and/or Slay might be back for Week 18? If not then, they should be able to play in the playoffs. Whoop-dee-doo. Making Roby a healthy scratch in Maddox’s first game back from injury was odd. Especially while choosing to Penny up (for the first time in forever) instead … and not use him? Steen was serving as the eighth OL for a bit but he’s been replaced by Sua Opeta in that capacity. Four active players with zero snaps is pretty rare. Mariota’s obvious. Activating Penny to not use him … why? Good on not using Quez but why’s he even active then? Zero punts for Covey to return. Just the second time in 60 years that the Cardinals haven’t punted in a game, according to Brian Baldinger on PHLY’s Eagles show.
