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November 21, 2022

Eagles snap count analysis: Week 11 at Colts

Eagles NFL
112122NdamukongSuh Armond Feffer/USA TODAY Sports

Ndamukong Suh (pictured) and Linval Joseph played immediate roles for the Eagles after signing days ago.

In their Week 11 win over the Indianapolis Colts, the Philadelphia Eagles played 68 snaps on offense, and 65 on defense. Let's just get right to the snap counts, and some notes.

Quarterback

• 68 snaps: Jalen Hurts

Analysis: Despite the scoreboard, Hurts had a solid game. He was 18 for 25 190 yards, 1 TD, and 0 INTs through the air, and he rushed 16 times for 86 yards and the game-winning TD on the ground.

I do think it's noteworthy that on the Eagles' final go-ahead drive, the coaching staff called nine consecutive run plays to close out the game, and it wasn't as if they were trying to bleed clock because they were in hurry-up mode. Were they simply taking what they thought they were given by the Colts' defense, or did the staff seek to take the game off of Hurts' arm and put it on his legs?

Running back

• 44 snaps: Miles Sanders

• 13 snaps: Boston Scott

• 11 snaps: Kenny Gainwell

Analysis: The Eagles rushing numbers:

 Eagles RBsRush Yards YPC TD 
 Miles Sanders13 47 3.6 
Boston Scott 2.7 
Kenny Gainwell 0.0 


All three of Scott's carries came on three consecutive plays in the red zone on the Eagles' final offensive drive with the game on the line. He got eight yards, and the Eagles were forced to sweat out a fourth down conversion. The Eagles' coaching staff has done an outstanding job calling plays for the better part of the season, but if there's one gripe that I have, it's that they sometimes forget to go to their best players in high-leverage moments, and this was another example of that.

Wide receiver

• 64 snaps: DeVonta Smith

• 60 snaps: A.J. Brown

• 36 snaps: Quez Watkins

• 29 snaps: Zach Pascal

Analysis: The Eagles' receiving numbers on Sunday:

 Eagles WRsTargets Rec Yards YPC TD 
 DeVonta Smith78 13.0 
A.J. Brown 60 12.0 
Quez Watkins 31 15.5 
Zach Pascal 9.0 


Brown had what could have been an extremely costly fumble in the fourth quarter. He only had three career fumbles before Sunday, so the Eagles will hope that he has already met his quota for the season.

Tight end

• 55 snaps: Jack Stoll

• 19 snaps: Grant Calcaterra

• 9 snaps: Tyree Jackson

Analysis: As we noted in our 10 awards, this trio of tight ends combined for three penalties and one target in Dallas Goedert's absence. If you could pick a player on the team who the Eagles are least equipped to replace, it's probably Goedert on offense, and either safety on defense.

Offensive line

• 68 snaps each: Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Jason Kelce, Isaac Seumalo, Lane Johnson

Analysis: This was the fifth time this season that all five offensive line starters played every snap.

Defensive line

• 48 snaps: Fletcher Cox

• 47 snaps: Javon Hargrave

• 36 snaps: Josh Sweat

• 29 snaps: Brandon Graham

• 26 snaps: Linval Joseph

• 18 snaps: Milton Williams

• 17 snaps: Ndamukong Suh

• 10 snaps: Robert Quinn

Analysis: Cox and Hargrave played a more reasonable number of snaps after Cox played 70 snaps against the Commanders, and Hargrave played 66.

The two new guys — Joseph and Suh — found themselves in roles immediately, and they produced, combining for a sack (literally), and 7 tackles. Joseph was particularly effective clogging up the middle of the line against the run.

Eight defensive linemen played at least 10 snaps, nine if you include Haason Reddick's D-line snaps. They produced four sacks on the day, two of which came in huge moments.

The Eagles still got virtually nothing from Quinn.

Linebacker

• 63 snaps: T.J. Edwards

• 56 snaps: Kyzir White

• 50 snaps: Haason Reddick

• 5 snaps: Patrick Johnson

Analysis: Edwards now has 96 tackles on the season after collecting 10 on Sunday. I think that one underdiscussed trait of Edwards' is his blitzing ability. He has a knack for timing up his blitzes in a way that he doesn't give away that he's coming, and he's a freight train running through running backs.

Cornerback and safety

• 65 snaps each: Darius Slay, James Bradberry, Marcus Epps, and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson

• 48 snaps: Josiah Scott

• 2 snaps: Reed Blankenship

Analysis: In addition to missing Goedert, the Eagles also really miss Avonte Maddox. Opposing offenses seem to be trying to get their best wide receivers lined up opposite Josiah Scott in the slot. The Commanders did it with Terry McLaurin, and it appeared that the Colts did it as well with Michael Pittman.

Those two Reed Blankenship snaps are interesting. Is he the new No. 3 safety over K'Von Wallace?


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