December 30, 2024
In their Week 17 win over the Dallas Cowboys, the Philadelphia Eagles played 65 snaps on offense and 62 on defense. Let's just get right to the snap counts, and some notes.
• 44 snaps: Kenny Pickett
• 21 snaps: Tanner McKee
Notes: Pickett finished with 10 of 15 passing for 143 yards and a TD before injuring his ribs. McKee took over and completed 3 of 4 passes for 54 yards and 2 TDs.
The Eagles only attempted 19 passes vs. 42 runs, predictably opting to lean heavily on the ground game.
Both quarterbacks exceeded expectations in the blowout win. We'll have more on McKee later today (I think).
• 49 snaps: Saquon Barkley
• 15 snaps: Kenny Gainwell
• 5 snaps: Tyrion Davis-Price
Notes: Barkley carried 31 times in order to get to 2,000 yards on the season. There's a parallel universe where Barkley breaks his leg while getting fourth quarter carries in a blowout and the Eagles' staff is vilified for life, but Barkley survived, and ultimately the milestone is probably good for team morale. Barkley finished with 167 rushing yards on the day. It was the 11th (!) time this season that he went over 100. He went over 100 yards 17 times in six seasons with the Giants.
Barkley needs 101 yards to break the all-time single-season rushing record. I'm sure there will be debate on WIP and the like over whether the Eagles should let Barkley go for it, or not. And that's fine. Sports are great for meaningless debate. For those of you interested in reality, I'll save you the trouble — There is no way in hell the Eagles are going to run Barkley however many times it would take him to get his 101 yards when the Eagles are already locked into the 2 seed. That would not only put Barkley at risk, but also the Eagles' offensive line starters when they are legitimate Super Bowl contenders.
"I'm 34," said Lane Johnson, on the possibility of getting a week of rest before the Eagles begin their playoff run. "It means a lot... If we get a week off, obviously we'll lift, try to feel good, and get ready for who we're playing."
• 59 snaps: A.J. Brown
• 52 snaps: DeVonta Smith
• 30 snaps: Jahan Dotson
• 20 snaps: Johnny Wilson
• 5 snaps: Ainias Smith
Notes: DeVonta Smith had a big day, catching 6 passes for 120 yards and 2 TDs. He almost had 3 TDs, but was ruled down at the 1 after review on a deep ball from Pickett. Brown only had 3 catches for 36 yards and a TD on the day, but he also had an absurd one-handed catch in the back corner of the end zone, but landed out of bounds.
Assuming Smith and Brown both rest up Week 18, they will have finished with the following stat lines:
• A.J. Brown: 67 catches, 1,079 yards, 7 TDs.
• DeVonta Smith: 68 catches, 833 yards, 8 TDs.
Brown and Smith missed three games apiece.
The Eagles emptied their benches on both sides of the ball in the fourth quarter, as you'll see throughout this snap counts post.
• 52 snaps: Grant Calcaterra
• 23 snaps: C.J. Uzomah
• 11 snaps: E.J.Jenkins
Notes: Calcaterra had a really nice one-handed catch of his own on Sunday that led to a TD drive when the Eagles would have otherwise punted.
Dallas Goedert is eligible to come off of IR this week, but since there's no way they'll play him Week 18 the Eagles will likely leave him on IR to preserve the roster spot until after the Giants game.
• 65 snaps each: Jordan Mailata and Cam Jurgens
• 60 snaps: Landon Dickerson
• 59 snaps: Lane Johnson
• 52 snaps: Mekhi Becton
• 16 snaps: Tyler Steen
• 7 snaps: Fred Johnson
• 5 snaps: Jack Driscoll
Notes: The Cowboys played decent enough run defense for parts of the first half, but the Eagles' OL eventually started to push them around. Pickett and McKee were not sacked in this game.
Becton came out of the game earlier than the rest of the offensive linemen, but the Eagles never announced an injury for him. To be determined if he'll show up on the injury report this week.
• 40 snaps: Nolan Smith
• 37 snaps: Josh Sweat
• 30 snaps: Jalyx Hunt
• 14 snaps: Bryce Huff
Notes: Sweat came close to Cooper Rush on a couple of pass rushes, but did not get home. He quietly had a good season, and will finish with eight sacks if he rests Week 18.
Smith was one of the Eagles' most improved players this season. He had a forced fumble in this game.
Huff returned from IR and got his feet wet. He also left with a shoulder injury.
• 44 snaps: Jalen Carter
• 33 snaps: Moro Ojomo
• 29 snaps: Milton Williams
• 16 snaps: Thomas Booker
• 15 snaps: Jordan Davis
Notes: Jalen Carter played a modest 44 snaps. He will get some much needed and well-deserved rest Week 18. Expect to see a lot of Ojomo and Booker next Sunday.
• 51 snaps: Oren Burks
• 49 snaps: Zack Baun
• 23 snaps: Jeremiah Trotter, Jr.
Notes: Burks filled in for Nakobe Dean (abdomen) and seemed to play well. He had a forced fumble that led to a turnover.
Trotter split a sack with Booker.
• 49 snaps each: Quinyon Mitchell, Darius Slay, and Reed Blankenship
• 47 snaps: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
• 39 snaps: Cooper DeJean
• 18 snaps: Avonte Maddox
• 14 snaps: Isaiah Rodgers
• 13 snaps: Tristin McCollum
• 10 snaps each: Kelee Ringo and Sydney Brown
• 3 snaps: Eli Ricks
Notes: Gardner-Johnson had 2 INTs, one of which he returned for a pick-six. He now has six INTs on the season, one off the league lead. (Xavier McKinney and Kerby Joseph both have seven INTs.)
Mitchell went most of the season without giving up a TD reception, but he got victimized for TDs by the Commanders and Cowboys in each of these last two matchups. Assuming he doesn't play Week 18, his rookie season will close without an INT, and yet he still played well enough to garner legitimate NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.
Brown was ejected for getting jumped by two Cowboys players and then body slamming one of them. He left to a standing ovation.
✨: WR DeVonta Smith
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