Eagles snap count analysis: Week 4 vs. Chiefs

In their Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Philadelphia Eagles played 74 snaps on offense, and 67 on defense. Let's just get right to the snap counts, and some notes.

Quarterback

• MORE ON THE EAGLES
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• Eagles' red zone issues ruin potential upset of high-powered Chiefs
  
• Final observations: Chiefs 42, Eagles 30
  

• 74 snaps: Jalen Hurts

Analysis: If you look at the stat sheet, it looked like Hurts had an amazing day, going 32-for-48 for 387 yards, and two TDs, with 0 INTs. He was (mostly) accurate, and he threw to all parts of the field, which signaled some improvement. And the results were certainly there. Hurts led the Eagles offense to 30 points, despite having three TDs called back due to penalties. 

He did leave some plays on the field, most notably an overthrow of an open Zach Ertz in the end zone. Hurts was pressured on the play and was forced to throw a fadeaway, but that's a throw he'd like to have back.

Still, this was a game that Hurts helped himself in his quest to become the franchise's unquestioned quarterback.

Running back

• 47 snaps: Miles Sanders

• 29 snaps: Kenny Gainwell

Analysis: Sanders rushed seven times for 13 yards, and left some meat on the bone. Gainwell rushed three times for 31 yards and a TD, while also catching six passes on eight targets for 58 yards. Sanders chipped in three catches for 34 yards.

Sanders and Gainwell (combined) are averaging 14 carries per game. 

Wide receiver

• 68 snaps: DeVonta Smith

• 52 snaps: Jalen Reagor

• 43 snaps: Quez Watkins

• 22 snaps: Greg Ward

• 11 snaps: J.J. Arcega-Whiteside

Analysis: Smith had even catches for 122 yards. He topped 100 yards for the first time as a pro, and made some impressive catches along the way.

Reagor had one catch for 9 yards on a single target. Watkins had three catches for 33 yards on seven targets. A look at the snap counts and stats of each of the Eagles' top three wide receivers so far this season:

Watkins' seven targets on 43 snaps vs. Reagor's 1 target on 52 snaps might suggest that Hurts has a higher comfort level throwing to Watkins, as he should, since Watkins is the better receiver right now. Reagor is averaging 8.3 yards per catch, and is being used as little more than a quick screen guy, while Watkins has been making catches down the field. It remains confusing why Reagor continues to get more playing time.

Tight end

• 55 snaps: Dallas Goedert

• 37 snaps: Zach Ertz

• 6 snaps: Jack Stoll

Analysis: Goedert had a good game, catching five passes for 56 yards and a TD. The TD was a nice contested catch, and on his other TD (wiped off the board by a penalty), Goedert bulled his way through a defender on his way to the end zone. 

Ertz had a couple of opportunities for TDs. On one he got open in the end zone, but Hurts sailed the pass over his head, as noted above. On the other, Hurts put the ball where it needed to be, and while Ertz had a defender draped on him, he was not able to bring in that pass. That's a catch he used to make with ease.

Offensive line

• 74 snaps each: Andre Dillard, Landon Dickerson, Jason Kelce, Nate Herbig, and Jack Driscoll

Analysis: Let's go ahead and update the offensive line juggling act chart:

The plan heading into this game, with both starting guards (Brandon Brooks and Isaac Seumalo) out was for Dickerson to slide from RG to LG, and for Driscoll to fill in at RG. With Dickerson being the top interior OL reserve, moving him to LG now makes sense, as Brooks could fill back in at RG whenever he's ready, and Dickerson wouldn't have to move later on.

When the Eagles published their inactives an hour and a half before the game, Lane Johnson's name was unexpectedly on it, with the only explanation given that it was a "personal matter." And so, Driscoll kicked out to RT, and Herbig filled in at RG instead.

To be determined what Johnson's personal matter was.

This group of four backups and Kelce had about as good a day as could be reasonably expected. They stepped up.

Defensive line

• 46 snaps each: Fletcher Cox and Josh Sweat

• 44 snaps: Javon Hargrave

• 38 snaps: Derek Barnett

• 23 snaps: Milton Williams

• 22 snaps: Ryan Kerrigan

• 21 snaps: Hassan Ridgeway

• 19 snaps: Tarron Jackson

Analysis: Sweat had a sack taken off the board because of a penalty, and he got pressure on Mahomes' INT, but those positive plays were offset to some degree by a pair of offsides penalties. Hargrave had his fifth sack of the season, as he continues to play like an All-Pro.

Otherwise, this group as a whole simply did not get enough pressure on Mahomes all day, and I think their failures start with Cox, who did not register a stat in his 46 snaps. Cox didn't see many double teams, at least from what I could tell viewing the game live. His game will be interesting to watch when the coaches film becomes available. 

Linebacker

• 56 snaps: Alex Singleton

• 49 snaps: Eric Wilson

• 18 snaps: Genard Avery

• 17 snaps: T.J. Edwards

• 3 snaps: Shaun Bradley

Analysis: The Eagles need a real three-down linebacker already. 

Cornerback and safety

• 67 snaps: Darius Slay, Steve Nelson, and Anthony Harris

• 58 snaps: Avonte Maddox

• 48 snaps: Rodney McLeod

• 19 snaps: Marcus Epps

Analysis: Almost immediately after losing a game in which the opposing quarterback threw five TD passes, Slay took to Twitter to proclaim how good of a player he is. The game reviews will reveal what went wrong in the secondary, but it doesn't really matter. Nobody wants to see that from a player on a defense that allowed six TDs on seven possessions.

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