Eagles-Commanders Snap Counts: Unrest Among the Starters
The Philadelphia Eagles' Week 18 loss to the Washington Commanders revealed some interesting snap counts and strategic decisions. Here's a breakdown of the game's key players and their roles.
Offensive Snap Counts
- Drew Kendall: Center, full game.
- Fred Johnson: Left tackle, full game.
- Matt Pryor: Right tackle, then right guard, then left guard.
- Tanner McKee: Second career start, full game.
- Jahan Dotson: WR3, nearly full game, led in targets (8) but with only 3 catches for 40 yards.
- Darius Cooper: Caught 3 of 5 targets for 33 yards, but penalized for taunting.
- Cameron Williams: NFL debut at right tackle against Von Miller.
- Kylen Granson: Top tight end after Grant Calcaterra's injury.
- Brett Toth: Left guard, started but exited due to concussion.
- Tank Bigsby: 16 carries for 75 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 reception on 1 target.
- Britain Covey: First reception since September 22, 2024.
- Grant Calcaterra: Second career touchdown.
- Tyler Steen: Right guard, then left guard, re-entered after Toth's concussion.
- Will Shipley: 3.5 yards per carry and 6.2 yards per reception, not impressive.
- Cameron Latu: Could have used a touch or target.
- DeVonta Smith: 9 snaps to surpass 1,000 receiving yards.
- A.J. Dillon: Healthy scratch since Week 6, returned but barely played.
Defensive Snap Counts
- Jeremiah Trotter Jr.: Off-ball linebacker, strong performance.
- Kelee Ringo and Jakorian Bennett: Poor performance.
- Michael Carter: Nickel cornerback, then safety due to injury.
- Jihaad Campbell: Most of the game.
- Byron Young: DT1, usually DT4.
- Ty Robinson: 53 defensive snaps before Week 17, 51 in Week 18.
- Josh Uche: Fresh legs from being a healthy scratch since Week 12.
- Jalyx Hunt: More snaps in 11 games, significant playing time.
- Nolan Smith, Moro Ojomo, and Jordan Davis: Also saw significant playing time.
- Brandon Graham: Helped fill snaps in what might be his last regular season game.
- Mac McWilliams: Entered after Brandon Johnson's injury.
Special Teams
- Smael Mondon: Limited to special teams duty.
Inactives
- Lane Johnson, Jalen Carter, Nakobe Dean, Jaelan Phillips, Dallas Goedert, Marcus Epps, Landon Dickerson
Active Players
- Jalen Hurts, Adoree' Jackson, A.J. Brown, Sam Howell, Saquon Barkley, Quinyon Mitchell, Reed Blankenship, Cooper DeJean, Cam Jurgens, Zack Baun, Jordan Mailata
Strategic Decisions
The Eagles' decision not to rest all starters, despite the game's outcome, sparked debate. Some fans called for starting players to be inserted later, but the team's strategy of not doing so cost them the No. 2 seed. The game highlighted the challenges of managing player health and performance, especially with key injuries and strategic snap counts.
