Eagles snap count analysis: Week 8 vs. Cowboys

In their aesthetically unpleasing Week 8 win over the Dallas Cowboys, the Philadelphia Eagles played 63 snaps on offense, and 79 on defense. Let's just get right to the snap counts.

Quarterback

• 
  
• Visit TheLines.com, PhillyVoice’s official 2020/2021 betting odds partner, for the latest upcoming NFL game lines and odds.

• 63 snaps: Carson Wentz

• 3 snaps: Jalen Hurts

Analysis: I'm curious to see Hurts throw more passes.

Offensive line

• 63 snaps each: Jason Peters, Nate Herbig, Jason Kelce, Matt Pryor, and Jordan Mailata

Analysis: All five Eagles offensive linemen played every snap! It's a Festivus miracle! That said, Lane Johnson was ruled out the day of the game, and the Eagles fielded their seventh different starting offensive line combination in eight games. Let's go ahead and update those Eagles' offensive line versions (some perceived) since May.

The guess here is that we'll see the following lineup Week 9, which would be the same as Version 9.0 (Week 3) above:

We'll be taking a look at Mailata's play in more depth during the bye week.

Running back

• 41 snaps: Boston Scott

• 20 snaps: Corey Clement

• 2 snaps: Jason Huntley

Analysis: Scott had his best game of the season, which was partly aided by the Cowboys' horrendous run defense, which left gaping holes at times Sunday night. Still, as we saw in 2019, Scott has a skill set that can be useful to the Eagles. 

I'm not sure the same can be said for Clement, who did have 24 yards on five carries, but hasn't seemed to get the most out of his opportunities since his rookie season in 2017. The Eagles really could use a bigger power back who can run through tackles.

Wide receiver

• 59 snaps each: Travis Fulgham and Greg Ward

• 46 snaps: Jalen Reagor

• 10 snaps: John Hightower

• 5 snaps: J.J. Arcega-Whiteside

Analysis: There's no question at this point that Fulgham is the Eagles' No. 1 wide receiver, and Wentz's go-to guy. He led the Eagles in targets, catches, yards, and TDs, again. Reagor scored his first TD in his return to the field, and was able to contribute despite being away for more than a month, which isn't the easiest thing for a rookie to do. He can build on that. 

Reagor took snaps away from Hightower, though the Eagles did run a shot play specifically designed for Hightower. It was a double move (an out and up) that looked like it could have been completed, but Hightower had difficulty tracking it. Arcega-Whiteside had his lowest snap output of the season.

Will Alshon Jeffery be on the team this time next week?  

Tight end

• 53 snaps: Dallas Goedert

• 16 snaps: Richard Rodgers

• 1 snaps: Jason Croom

Analysis: Goedert did not look like himself in his return to the field. He's clearly not 100 percent, but he'll have a couple of weeks to get back to full strength. He played the role of decoy Sunday night, as he only had 1 target.

• MORE ON THE EAGLES
• Handing out 10 awards from the Eagles-Cowboys game
  
• Eagles are their own buyers, should avoid splashy trade deadline moves
  
• Final observations: Eagles 23, Cowboys 9
  
• The good, bad and ugly from the first half of Eagles-Cowboys

Defensive line

• 74 snaps: Fletcher Cox

• 48 snaps: Javon Hargrave

• 43 snaps: Brandon Graham

• 41 snaps each: Derek Barnett and Josh Sweat

• 36 snaps: Vinny Curry

• 17 snaps: Malik Jackson

• 16 snaps: Raequan Williams

Analysis: That is a lot of playing time for Cox, as he only came off the field for five snaps. The Eagles needed him, with Jackson leaving early.

Sweat's and Barnett's snap counts have been pretty similar in each game all season long. Sweat has made more of an impact in his playing time than Barnett.

And let's acknowledge here that Curry had a good game. We criticized the front office for bringing Curry back from IR early at the expense of losing Casey Toohill, a move that remains dumb, but Curry was productive, and helped the Eagles win against Dallas.

Linebacker

• 62 snaps: T.J. Edwards and Alex Singleton

• 55 snaps: Duke Riley

Analysis: Week 8 was probably the best the linebackers have played all season, and it's no coincidence that happened on a week that Edwards started and played most of the game. Both he and Singleton are better than Nate Gerry. #Analysis.

Cornerback and safety

• 79 snaps each: Jalen Mills, Rodney McLeod, and Avonte Maddox

• 35 snaps: Nickell Robey-Coleman

• 30 snaps: Michael Jacquet

• 28 snaps each: Darius Slay and Will Parks

• 16 snaps: Marcus Epps

Analysis: Slay left early with an ankle injury and did not return. That'll be cause for concern over the next two weeks, perhaps, as he has been a bright spot this season. With Slay out, the moment didn't seem too big for Jacquet, an undrafted rookie free agent. Granted, the Cowboys' quarterback stunk, which makes life easier on corners, but Jacquet seemed to have good coverage whenever I noticed him. 

This content and the links provided are sponsored by thelines.com and playpennsylvania.com, PhillyVoice.com’s Official 2020/2021 Betting Odds Partner, independently created by PhillyVoice.

Follow Jimmy & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @JimmyKempski | @thePhillyVoice

Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports

Add Jimmy's RSS feed to your feed reader