December 09, 2024

Game ball, three stars, and snap count analysis: Week 14, Eagles vs. Panthers

The Eagles' pass game issues and their down-to-the-wire win over Carolina by the snap counts.

By Jimmy Kempski
PhillyVoice Staff

Bill Streicher/Imagn Images

Chauncey Gardner-Johnson

In their Week 14 win over the Carolina Panthers, the Philadelphia Eagles played 58 snaps on offense and 71 on defense. Let's just get right to the snap counts, and some notes.

Quarterback

• 58 snaps: Jalen Hurts

Notes: We covered Hurts' struggles in our postgame 10 awards post. In that article, I mentioned that he had A.J. Brown wide open deep down the field for what should have been a big gain, and possibly an 83-yard TD. He did not pull the trigger, instead opting to dump it down to Jahan Dotson for a 5-yard gain. Here's that play:

Guys don't often get more open deep down the field than that.

Running back

• 44 snaps: Saquon Barkley

• 14 snaps: Kenny Gainwell

• 1 snap each: Khari Blasingame and Cooper DeJean

Notes: Barkley rushed 20 times for 124 yards (6.2 YPC) and for like the 20th time this season (estimated) he was tackled at the 1. (He didn't score.)

Along the way, he broke LeSean McCoy's team record for rushing yards in a single season.

Gainwell ran 3 times for 26 yards.

DeJean played one snap in victory formation.

Wide receiver

• 55 snaps: A.J. Brown

• 52 snaps: DeVonta Smith

• 29 snaps: Johnny Wilson

• 24 snaps: Jahan Dotson

Notes: Brown only got 4 targets despite being open all day, and he was not happy after the game.

The Eagles have turned A.J Brown into a track athlete, just getting cardio.

If you’re a competitor, watch this, and tell me you wouldn’t be furious too. 🤬#AchoAnalysis | @TheFacilityFS1 10am pic.twitter.com/sasqpNV1ab
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) December 9, 2024

Tight end

• 53 snaps: Grant Calcaterra

• 14 snaps: C.J. Uzomah

• 2 snaps: E.J. Jenkins

Notes: Calcaterra caught all 3 of his targets for 16 yards and his first career TD.

Offensive line

• 58 snaps each: Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Mekhi Becton, Lane Johnson

• 1 snap: Tyler Steen

Notes: Hurts was sacked four times yesterday, but it's not easy protecting for a quarterback who is holding onto the ball for an eternity:

Jalen Hurts' 2024 average time to throw (3.05 seconds) is the longest of his career and the 3rd longest of any QB in the last 4 years. (The only two longer were 2023 Justin Fields and 2022 Justin Fields.)
The % of dropbacks resulting in no throw (18.4%) is also a career high. pic.twitter.com/3v13XMJs7B
— Deniz Selman (@denizselman33) December 9, 2024

Edge defenders

• 52 snaps: Nolan Smith

• 46 snaps: Josh Sweat

• 38 snaps: Jalyx Hunt

• 4 snaps: Charles Harris

Notes: The Panthers have a decent OT duo, and the Eagles' edges were quiet.

Interior defensive line

• 64 snaps: Jalen Carter

• 46 snaps: Milton Williams

• 25 snaps: Jordan Davis

• 21 snaps: Moro Ojomo

• 4 snaps: Thomas Booker

Notes: The interior guys, most notably Carter, often got into the backfield with a chance to make big plays, but they were usually unable to finish.

MORE: 10 awards from Eagles-Panthers

Linebacker

• 70 snaps: Zack Baun

• 69 snaps: Nakobe Dean

Notes: Baun is everywhere. Another double-digit tackle day. 11 tackles, 1 sack. Dean led the team with 12 tackles.

Baun is third in the NFL, with 129 tackles.

Cornerback and safety

• 71 snaps: Quinyon Mitchell

• 69 snaps: Darius Slay

• 68 snaps: Tristin McCollum

• 61 snaps: Cooper DeJean

• 60 snaps: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson

• 11 snaps: Avonte Maddox

• 2 snaps: Isaiah Rodgers

Notes: Slay had a few key pass breakups, but he was also toasted on the deep ball that was dropped by Xavier Legette. He guessed on Legette's route, and he guessed wrong.

Gardner-Johnson got hurt in this game twice, and was clearly in a lot of pain, but he re-entered the game after each injury. He threw his body around the entire day, and had arguably the Eagles' best hit of the season in the first quarter against Legette. Oh, and he also had an INT.

MORE: The pivotal plays from the Eagles' nail-biter win over the Panthers

Three stars 🤩

I've always liked the hockey tradition of awarding "stars" to each of the three best players in a game, so let's apply that to Eagles games.

⭐⭐⭐: RB Saquon Barkley

🌟🌟: S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson

✨: QB Bryce Young

Eagles game ball 🏈

🏈: S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson: The Eagles tried to add players this offseason who are tough and play with passion, and Gardner-Johnson is a great example of that.