Eagles vs. Browns snap counts: Alshon Jeffery was clearly worth the wait

Time to analyze the Philadelphia Eagles’ snap counts from their Week 11 loss to the Cleveland Browns.

OFFENSE

• Isaac Seumalo played the entire game in his first one back from injury.
• Matt Pryor got the start at right guard even though Nate Herbig wasn’t on the injury report. I don’t get what’s going on with that situation.
• Carson Wentz is the Eagles’ only offensive player who hasn’t missed a snap this season. That needs to change with him getting benched.
• Travis Fulgham didn’t see a target until about midway through the third quarter. He wasn’t efficient when the Eagles finally DID look his way. Fulgham caught just one of his seven targets for eight yards. That brings him to two receptions for 15 yards over the past two games. He’s had multiple drops in that span. Not very encouraging.
• Jason Kelce was in obvious pain late in the second quarter but wasn’t able to miss much time. The guy is super tough and is sacrificing his body for a crappy Eagles team that doesn’t deserve his effort. Nothing but respect for Kelce.
• Jalen Reagor had four receptions for 52 yards. 25 of those yards came on the Eagles’ final drive in garbage time.
• Jason Peters shouldn’t be playing at left tackle. He had to miss some snaps due to injury and ultimately didn’t finish the game due to that reason.
• Greg Ward is down to averaging 7.3 yards per carry after logging three receptions for nine yards on Sunday. That’s a running back number.
• Miles Sanders finished with 19 total offensive touches for 81 yards and one fumble. His three fumbles in seven games this year top his two from his 16-game rookie season. Sanders is averaging just 16.6 receiving yards per game this season with him never going over 36. He only had 15 receiving yards against a Browns defense that’s been really bad at stopping pass-catching running backs. Wentz and the coaching staff both play a role in Sanders not being effective as he should be in that regard.
• Lane Johnson had to leave the game early with a shoulder injury. He was limited in Friday’s practice due to his shoulder, which is a new issue for him. Johnson didn’t finish the game and it sounds like he might miss some time.
• Boston Scott’s eight touches went for 50 yards. Had a real nice cut on a rainy field for a first down on Philly’s first drive.
• Jordan Mailata took some snaps at both left and right tackle in this game. He should just be the starting left tackle at this point. Stop wasting snaps on Peters. He’s not helping the team win now and he’s not a long-term fixture.
• Richard Rodgers has been the most efficient target for Wentz this season, which is a serious indictment of this team’s pass catching options.
• Sua Opeta came in to play right guard when Pryor shifted out to right tackle to finish the game.
• Jack Driscoll got one drive at right tackle after Johnson got hurt but then he wasn’t back in. Did he get injured? Or just benched?
• The Eagles just had to burn a roster spot on Alshon Jeffery all season so he could come back and play 23 snaps in his first two games back (18 last week, five this week). Totally worth it. Three targets, zero catches, one drop, one interception while targeted.
• Luke Juriga played four snaps at center when Kelce was getting looked at. The Eagles gave up a sack when he was in.
• John Hightower has played four offensive snaps over the past two weeks. Why continue to see what you have in him when you can play Jeffery instead.
• Jalen Hurts’ sole snap went for a six-yard rushing gain. I’m ready to see Hurts get a lot more snaps in this offense.

DEFENSE

• Rodney McLeod is the only Eagles defender to not miss a snap this season.
• Alex Singleton played the entire game on defense and almost all of the special teams snaps as well. Filled up the stat sheet with 12 total tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss, one quarterback hit, and one fumble recovery.
• Jalen Mills saw playing time at cornerback after Cre’Von LeBlanc got hurt. The Eagles shifted Avonte Maddox back to the slot and moved Mills down from safety to play the outside. To no one’s surprise, Mills got beat in coverage by a double move.
• Brandon Graham hasn’t had a sack since Week 8 but he did have two tackles for loss in this one.
• Darius Slay almost had a pick early in the game but it was on a free play for the Browns so it wouldn’t have counted. It looked like Slay could’ve been called for pass interference on a Browns third down but the ref held his flag.
• Javon Hargrave has half a sack and one quarterback hit through his last five games combined. Amazing investment.
• We’re seeing why T.J. Edwards is ideally more of a role player than a full-time starter at linebacker.
• Fletcher Cox had a strip-sack, a tackle for loss, and a quarterback hit before having to leave the game due to injury.
• Maddox gave up some big plays in the passing game. Just not an ideal option as a starting cornerback on the outside.
• Derek Barnett logged half a tackle for loss and blocked a Browns field goal. He got hurt at one point but returned. Remember that his fifth-year option for the 2021 season is guaranteed for injury. Worth just over $10 million. Wouldn’t be good if he gets seriously hurt.
• After not logging a sack or quarterback hit since Week 4, Josh Sweat had one of each of those in this one. Did a nice job of beating first-round rookie left tackle Jedrick Wills. One of the very few positives from Sunday’s game.
• Zero sacks and zero quarterback hits for Malik Jackson in his last three games.
• Top five slot cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman didn’t log a stat.
• Davion Taylor notably got beat in coverage down the left sideline at one point. Good to see him getting defensive snaps, though.
• Will Parks saw a little more playing time this week. Had a crushing hit on Donovan Peoples-Jones on punt coverage.
• Poor Joe Ostman got embarrassed by Nick Chubb stiff-arming the crap out of him in his first NFL game.
• Can we see some more playing time for K’Von Wallace? Could be cool.
• Small defensive role for Marcus Epps in his first game back since testing positive for COVID-19.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Michael Jacquet failed to properly down a nice Cameron Johnston punt deep in Browns territory.
• Elijah Holyfield only played on special teams after being elevated from the practice squad.

DID NOT PLAY

INACTIVE: Nate Herbig, Rudy Ford, Quez Watkins, Jason Huntley, Brett Toth, and Nate Sudfeld

• Again, not sure what’s going on with Herbig.
• Deactivate Jeffery and activate Watkins.