In their Week 8 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, the Philadelphia Eagles played 61 snaps on offense and 58 on defense. Let's just get right to the snap counts, and some notes.
Quarterback
• 61 snaps: Jalen Hurts
Notes: After a couple of shaky drives to begin the game, Hurts rebounded and had probably had his best game of the season, completing 16 of 20 passes (80%) for 236 yards, 1 TD, and no turnovers for the third straight game. He also rushed for 36 yards and 3 TDs.
Running back
• 50 snaps: Saquon Barkley
• 9 snaps: Kenny Gainwell
• 4 snaps: Ben VanSumeren
• 2 snaps: Will Shipley
Notes: Barkley carried 22 times for 108 yards, 57 of which came on a 12-play, game-sealing touchdown drive that ate up more than half of the fourth quarter.
Shipley had a 17-yard TD run that got called back for a hold on Nick Gates.
Wide receiver
• 57 snaps: DeVonta Smith
• 50 snaps: A.J. Brown
• 26 snaps: Jahan Dotson
• 8 snaps: Ainias Smith
• 6 snaps: Johnny Wilson
Notes: DeVonta Smith had a big game (6-85-1) on 7 targets after catching 1 pass for -2 yards last week. Brown (5-84-0) had a down day, for him.
Dotson got some cardio work in. He wasn't targeted.
Ainias Smith appeared in his first NFL game after being activated from IR on Saturday. He went in motion a few times but the ball never came his way.
Tight end
• 57 snaps: Grant Calcaterra
• 35 snaps: Jack Stoll
Notes: Calcaterra had 3 catches on 3 targets for 58 yards, as he continues to work his way into Hurts' circle of trust. He was wide open on all three of his receptions.
MORE: 10 awards from the Eagles-Bengals
Offensive line
• 61 snaps each: Fred Johnson and Cam Jurgens
• 59 snaps: Tyler Steen
• 58 snaps: Landon Dickerson
• 55 snaps: Lane Johnson
• 7 snaps: Jack Driscoll
• 3 snaps: Darrian Kinnard
• 2 snaps: Nick Gates
Notes: The offensive line as a group pass protected well all afternoon long, as Hurts was not sacked once.
Lane Johnson was writhing in pain after one play, but he only left the game for one play before re-entering.
Steen had a couple of penalties called against him, but I thought both were questionable.
Fred Johnson did an excellent job on star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, even when asked to block him one-on-one. There were a bunch of plays that looked something like this on Sunday:
Fred Johnson neutralizes Trey Hendrickson. Clean pocket. Picture perfect throw 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/BMmJkS2bHU
— Victor Williams (@ThePhillyPod) October 28, 2024
This was by far his best game of the season.
Edge defenders
• 38 snaps: Josh Sweat
• 30 snaps: Nolan Smith
• 22 snaps: Bryce Huff
• 21 snaps: Brandon Graham
• 3 snaps: Jalyx Hunt
Notes: Generally speaking, the defensive line did good job shutting down the run and getting the Bengals into long downs and distances, but they didn't turn those opportunities into sacks. They did get a fair amount of pressure, but Joe Burrow was often able to slither away and make plays on the run.
Nolan Smith split the Eagles' only sack with Milton Williams.
Interior defensive line
• 45 snaps: Jalen Carter
• 28 snaps: Milton Williams
• 25 snaps: Moro Ojomo
• 22 snaps: Jordan Davis
• 5 snaps: Thomas Booker
Notes: I didn't think anyone along the interior of the line stood out in a good or bad way. I did think it was interesting that Davis came off the field on the 4th and 1 stop made by Cooper DeJean.
MORE: The pivotal plays from Eagles-Bengals
Linebacker
• 55 snaps: Zack Baun
• 51 snaps: Nakobe Dean
• 3 snaps: Oren Burks and Jeremiah Trotter, Jr.
Notes: Baun had 12 tackles and a forced fumble. He is averaging 9.9 tackles per game. He is tied for 11th in the NFL with 69 tackles, despite playing one few game than most of the players on the leaderboard.
Dean played a physical game, and I didn't notice any missed tackles, which have been an issue for him this season.
Cornerback and safety
• 55 snaps each: Quinyon Mitchell, Reed Blankenship, and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
• 47 snaps: Cooper DeJean
• 41 snaps: Darius Slay
• 17 snaps: Isaiah Rodgers
• 8 snaps: Avonte Maddox
• 3 snaps each: Kelee Ringo, Sydney Brown, and Tristin McCollum
Notes: DeJean had one of the plays of the day when he tracked down Ja'Marr Chase in the flat for a tackle for loss that led to a turnover on downs. He also made a rookie mistake when he chose to go after a scrambling Burrow instead of sticking with his man in coverage, Mike Gesicki. But overall, he and Mitchell already appear to be good rookie players.
Rodgers made an outstanding play when he volleyballed a Burrow throw to Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, who made the INT.
Slay left the game with a groin injury, and did not return. He did not look good walking to the locker room.
Eagles CB Darius Slay headed off the field. Walking very gingerly. pic.twitter.com/FpNsUQ7VLq
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) October 27, 2024
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.
⭐⭐⭐: QB Jalen Hurts
🌟🌟: WR DeVonta Smith
✨: RB Saquon Barkley
Eagles game ball 🏈
🏈: LT Fred Johnson: Johnson played against his former team, and did an excellent job of keeping Hendrickson away from Hurts.
Season game balls
- Week 1, vs. Packers: Saquon Barkley
- Week 2, at Falcons: Nobody
- Week 3, at Saints: Vic Fangio
- Week 4, at Buccaneers: Saquon Barkley
- Week 5: BYE
- Week 6, vs. Browns: Brandon Graham
- Week 7, at Giants: Saquon Barkley
- Week 8, at Bengals: Fred Johnson
MORE: Eagles get it right against Bengals to keep win streak going
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