The official snap counts from the Philadelphia Eagles' impressive Week 3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams have been released, providing valuable insights into player performance and team strategy. Let's dive into the details and analyze the key takeaways from this game.
In this game, four players—Jalen Hurts, Jordan Mailata, Cam Jurgens, and Tyler Steen—played a remarkable 100% of the Eagles’ offensive snaps throughout the season. This consistency highlights their importance in the Eagles' offensive scheme. Interestingly, Saquon Barkley, who logged his highest snap count last season at 64 in Week 2, was just one snap shy of that total in this game. This marked the highest snap count percentage of Barkley’s career with the Eagles, emphasizing his central role, especially since he was the only running back to record touches during the match.
The Eagles effectively utilized their star wide receivers, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, throughout the game. Their involvement in the offense proved beneficial, confirming their status as key players who consistently contribute to the team’s success. Additionally, tight end Dallas Goedert returned to full strength following a knee injury, playing without limitations. The team opted for a more efficient 11 personnel setup, allowing Jahan Dotson to achieve a season-high snap count percentage of 78%, a significant increase from his previous games.
However, Dotson’s production was modest, managing only one catch for seven yards on three targets. Following a mid-game substitution, Fred Johnson replaced Matt Pryor at right tackle, leading to noticeable improvements in the Eagles' offensive performance. It appears Johnson may become Lane Johnson's top backup moving forward. Conversely, tight end Grant Calcaterra saw a reduction in his snap count, down to 19% from 58.7% in Week 1, indicating a possible shift in the Eagles’ strategy due to prior blocking struggles.
During the game, Darius Cooper exited early due to a shoulder injury and was subsequently ruled out. In his absence, Cameron Latu, who had recently been elevated from the practice squad, stepped up as a blocker and made significant contributions on special teams. Despite playing five snaps, A.J. Dillon did not receive any touches, raising questions about the Eagles' play-calling, particularly regarding the use of draw plays. It could be beneficial to involve Dillon more, particularly to minimize Barkley’s exposure to unnecessary hits.
Interestingly, Latu played more snaps than Kylen Granson on offense, while Granson excelled in special teams. John Metchie managed to catch a pass for eight yards during his limited opportunities.
On the defensive side, Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Reed Blankenship, and Zack Baun were the standout players, each logging 100% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps. After a productive Week 2 where he played 48 snaps (80% of the total), Jalen Carter increased his participation to 60 snaps (91% of the total) in Week 3. This comes after coach Vic Fangio noted the need for better conditioning, suggesting that the Eagles are allowing Carter to improve his fitness through game action.
This week also saw Andrew Mukuba experience a slight dip in his snap count percentage, though it was not a drastic fall from his previous games. Nolan Smith continued to lead as the Eagles’ primary edge rusher in terms of playing time, while Jordan Davis recorded his second-highest snap count of the season, demonstrating his effective performance.
Injuries affected Adoree’ Jackson's playing time, limiting his contributions. Meanwhile, Moro Ojomo's snap count percentage has declined for three consecutive weeks, indicating a potential lack of confidence from the coaching staff. Despite a larger role in this game, Za’Darius Smith did not register any statistics, while Sydney Brown achieved his highest snap count percentage of the season.
After Jackson’s injury, Jakorian Bennett stepped in, and Byron Young had a limited role as the fourth defensive tackle.
On special teams, Jeremiah Trotter Jr. shined, recording four tackles. The Eagles utilized their final temporary practice squad elevation for Marcus Epps this season, leaving questions about whether he will be signed to the active roster. Remarkably, Tank Bigsby has yet to log an offensive snap since his acquisition, despite Will Shipley's absence due to injury. Bigsby’s performance as a kick returner has not impressed so far, and Mac McWilliams had minimal involvement in the game.
Several players were inactive for this game, including Will Shipley, Tanner McKee, Drew Kendall, Kenyon Green, Patrick Johnson, Azeez Ojulari, and Ogbo Okoronkwo. Looking ahead, Shipley might return as the RB2 in Week 4. Meanwhile, McKee has been serving as the emergency third quarterback for the Eagles, with the potential to become QB2 if necessary. Notably, Sam Howell is positioned to be the emergency third quarterback once McKee is healthy enough to resume his role as Jalen Hurts' primary backup.
It is intriguing to note that the Eagles have seven edge rushers on their roster, with three of them being healthy scratches. This raises speculation about potential roster changes as the team looks to optimize their lineup.
Overall, the snap counts from the Philadelphia Eagles' Week 3 performance provide critical insights into player roles and the evolving dynamics of the team's strategy as they prepare for future matchups.
