Eagles snap counts: The bye week should help Miles Sanders

[time2rock]

Eagles snap counts: The bye week should help Miles Sanders

 

Put Miles Sanders on the list of players the bye week ought to help.

Sanders has been playing through a knee injury that last couple of weeks and has seen his playtime dip, presumably because of it.

In the Eagles’ 22-16 win, Sanders played just 29 snaps (40%). And that comes after he played just 22 snaps (40%) the week before against the Saints.

Those are his two lowest snap counts totals and percentages all season.

Against the Giants, Sanders had 11 carries for 33 yards. That average of 3.0 yards per carry was his lowest of the season. On the year, he’s average 4.9 yards per attempt.

The Eagles clinched the No. 1 seed and the bye week in the NFC. So having an extra week to rest that knee should definitely help Sanders. And having a healthier RB1 going into the playoffs would be nice.

Other offensive notes

• Jalen Hurts and four of his offensive linemen played al 73 snaps in this game. Landon Dickerson missed two snaps with an equipment problem and was replaced by Andre Dillard at left guard.

• DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert didn’t leave the field either, playing all 73 snaps. A.J. Brown (58 snaps), Quez Watkins (31) and Zach Pascal (19) followed Smith at receiver.

• With Sanders’ limited workload, Boston Scott played 24 snaps (33%) and Kenny Gainwell played 20 (27%). While Gainwell’s workload has remained pretty consistent, Scott seems to be the guy to get extra reps when Sanders is limited. Scott out-snapped Gainwell in each of the last two games.

• Cam Jurgens got one snap at the goal line as an extra lineman.

Defensive notes

• Robert Quinn played 18 snaps in his return from IR and gave the Eagles some juice. He had 4 pressures, according to ProFootballFocus. He had just 6 in 70 snaps in his first five games before the knee injury knocked him out of the lineup. Without Josh Sweat (neck), Quinn played well. And with Sweat’s status unclear going forward, getting something from Quinn would help.

• C.J. Gardner-Johnson returned after missing five games with a lacerated kidney and played all 63 defensive snaps. The Eagles played him at safety and at nickel corner with the lingering absence of Avonte Maddox. CJGJ had a good game.

• In addition to Gardner-Johnson, Marcus Epps, Darius Slay, James Bradberry and T.J. Edwards all played all 63 snaps too.

• The Eagles spent a lot of time in nickel in this game so Reed Blankenship played 45 snaps when Gardner-Johnson was at the nickel. The Eagles clearly felt better about playing Blankenship at safety than Josiah Scott at nickel.

• Here’s the full DL rotation: Haason Reddick (50/79%), Brandon Graham (44/70%), Javon Hargrave (41/65%), Fletcher Cox (39/62%), Ndamukong Suh (24/38%), Milton Williams (22/35%), Quinn (18/29%), Patrick Johnson (14/22%), Linval Joseph (12/19%), Jordan Davis (8/13%).

Without Sweat, Graham started his first game of the season and played his second-highest percentage of snaps after just last week. He looks good. And there weren’t many nose tackle snaps to go around; Joseph and Davis combined for just 20.

• Kyzir White played 60 snaps (95%) and had one of his best games of the season. He filled up the stat sheet. But it was notable that facing another 3rd-and-30 (OK, it was 3rd-and-29, but you get it), the Eagles kept Edwards on the field, which might have helped with communication.

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-snap-counts-bye-week-should-help-miles-sanders

[time2rock]

Quote

Sanders has been playing through a knee injury that last couple of weeks and has seen his playtime dip, presumably because of it.

I've been wondering why the play calling seem to be a bit more pass heavy than you might expect when you are playing a backup QB who is struggling (and a backup RT who is also struggling).  But could have played Gainwell and/or Scott more (or dressed Sermon).  

[Portyansky]

5 hours ago, time2rock said:

I've been wondering why the play calling seem to be a bit more pass heavy than you might expect when you are playing a backup QB who is struggling (and a backup RT who is also struggling).  But could have played Gainwell and/or Scott more (or dressed Sermon).  

I really thought Sermon was gonna add a lot of value to the O and thought he would be 2nd or at least 3rd in the rotation. 🤷‍♂️

[time2rock]

9 minutes ago, Portyansky said:

I really thought Sermon was gonna add a lot of value to the O and thought he would be 2nd or at least 3rd in the rotation. 🤷‍♂️

I thought he'd get more touches as a change of pace kinda back and also on 3rd and short, etc.

[Portyansky]

6 hours ago, time2rock said:

I thought he'd get more touches as a change of pace kinda back and also on 3rd and short, etc.

Same, thought he was our new Howard/Blount.

[Cochis_Calhoun]

Davis' snap counts are becoming a concern, I understand a pitch count the first couple of games off IR but to have slipped behind Joseph again 6 games later?

[EaglesAddict]

16 hours ago, time2rock said:

I thought he'd get more touches as a change of pace kinda back and also on 3rd and short, etc.

Sermon must struggle in some phase of being a RB.  He was drafted in the 3rd round in 2021, but then the 49ers proceeded to draft another 3rd round RB this year and a late round one as well.  Then he gets cut.  He's been quiet as a church mouse since he's been in Philly.  

[eggs]

15 hours ago, EaglesAddict said:

Sermon must struggle in some phase of being a RB.  He was drafted in the 3rd round in 2021, but then the 49ers proceeded to draft another 3rd round RB this year and a late round one as well.  Then he gets cut.  He's been quiet as a church mouse since he's been in Philly.  

There was one play in October in the red zone where he had a decent run that I remember but that was it. Really a shame, it would help our options at that position enormously if he played to his potential. 

[time2rock]

10 hours ago, eggs said:

There was one play in October in the red zone where he had a decent run that I remember but that was it. Really a shame, it would help our options at that position enormously if he played to his potential. 

You remember 50% of his touches then! 

He only has 2 carries on the year - both against Jacksonville on Oct 2.  He has been inactive since.  Shame we didn't get to see more of him.  Perhaps he isn't picking up the offense or is struggling with pass pro or something.