What is the story about?
The official snap counts from the Philadelphia Eagles’ Week 6 loss to the Carolina Panthers are in. Let’s take a look and run through some analysis.
OFFENSE
- Jordan Mailata is the only player on offense who’s played 100% of the Eagles’ offensive snaps this season. He’s also played 11.32% of the Eagles’ special teams snaps.
- Well, the Eagles did have offensive line continuity in this game with the same lineup from last week and none of the starters getting hurt in this game. Not that it really made a difference for the offense.
- Tanner McKee posted a 77.5 passer rating in his first career start in a game where the Eagles weren’t resting starters. He wasn’t good and neither was his support system (coaching and talent combined).
- With Carson Steele suffering a shoulder injury, Dameon Pierce nearly had to play the entire game. The Eagles dressed Jaydon Blue, who was called up from the practice squad, but clearly did not trust him to play. Pierce has logged 10 targets combined over the last two games.
- Makai Lemon has logged the highest snap count percentages of his rookie season in back-to-back games. He saw the third-most targets on Sunday with six. They resulted in three catches for 19 yards.
- DeVonta Smith clearly wasn’t 100% while playing through a hamstring injury. Despite seeing more limited snaps than usual, he led the Eagles with 14 targets, which produced seven receptions for 75 yards and a touchdown.
- Dontayvion Wicks was also not 100% while playing through a hamstring injury. He saw the fifth-most targets on the team.
- There have been calls for Darius Cooper to play more. And not just from me! He’s the team’s best blocking receiver and he was coming off a career receiving performance in Week 5. And how was he rewarded? With the fifth-most snaps of any pass-catcher and just two targets, the same amount as Elijah Moore and Carson Steele. And this despite the fact that McKee and Cooper have worked well together in the past! Not to mention Smith and Wick playing through injuries. Just seems like the coaching staff could’ve done a better job of trying to get one of their more inspiring offensive options at the moment more involved.
- PHLY’s Bo Wulf pointed out that Johnny Mundt leads the NFL in holding penalties at his position. Hasn’t exactly been a great addition to the tight end room.
- Elijah Moore logged his first touch in an Eagles uniform; a single reception for four yards.
DEFENSE
- Yet another game where the defense had to be on the field a lot because the offense simply can’t sustain drives. The Eagles’ defense has faced the third-most snaps in the NFL this season and they’re not very far behind the teams ahead of them.
- This was Jalen Carter’s second-highest snap count percentage of the season, only behind Week 1. This jibes with the sentiment that he’s getting healthier. Though it’s not really ideal to be playing him this much. He played 36 more snaps than the next-closest defensive tackle!
- With Jalyx Hunt unable to play in this game, Nolan Smith getting hurt early on, and Jonathan Greenard clearly playing through injury, Arnold Ebiketie was the Eagles’ top edge rusher.
- Keyshawn James-Newby went from being a temporary practice squad elevation to the Eagles’ No. 2 edge rusher in this game due to all of the injuries at that position.
- Kenny Moore, not Marcus Epps, was the safety next to Andrew Mukuba in nickel packages.
- Jihaad Campbell and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. rotated at off-ball linebacker but it wasn’t exactly a 50-50 split.
- Jordan Davis logged his second-highest snap count of the season and that was with him getting injured in the fourth quarter. He was credited with half of a sack, which gives him half of a sack on the season.
- Byron Young playing the same amount of snaps as Moro Ojomo? Not really what you want to see. But Ojomo did get banged up.
- Again, Greenard was clearly limited coming into this game.
- Ty Robinson played more often than usual and actually logged a pressure on just five pass rush snaps! Perhaps he warrants some more playing time.
SPECIAL TEAMS
- Making his NFL regular season debut, rookie safety Cole Wisniewski was limited to special teams duty after being temporarily elevated from the practice squad.
- Marcus Epps was limited to special teams duty in his first game back from injury. This after beginning the season as the safety next to Mukuba in nickel packages.
DID NOT PLAY
ACTIVE: Cole Payton, Jaydon Blue, Drew Kendall
INACTIVE: Marquise Brown, Joe Milton III, Saquon Barkley, Michael Carter II, A.J. Epenesa, Jalyx Hunt,
Lane Johnson
- Payton served as QB2 behind McKee.
- A little curious to have Blue active but not use him at all to spell Pierce. Blue is relatively newer to the team but he’s been in Philly since the last day of August.
- Kendall was active on an emergency depth basis. Perhaps he’ll be healthy enough to replace Jake Majors in Week 7.
- Hollywood Brown missed three games due to injury and then was a healthy scratch behind six active receivers. I can’t imagine he’s on this roster for much longer? Can’t imagine he has much trade value but maybe Howie Roseman tries to hold out hope on that front? And then maybe cuts him after the trade deadline, if not sooner?
- Milton III was designated as the emergency third quarterback after only joining the Eagles on Friday.
- Barkley, MC2, Epenesa, and Hunt all missed the game due to injury. There seems to be hope that Barkley might be able to play in Week 7.
- As a reminder, Johnson is set to remain on the Eagles’ roster until June 2027, even though he retired.
