Eagles vs. Packers snap counts: Alshon Jeffery inexplicably sees another increase in playing time

Time to analyze the Philadelphia Eagles’ snap counts from their Week 13 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

OFFENSE

• Jack Driscoll got the start at right tackle, as expected. It was his first start since Week 6.
• Dallas Goedert saw the most snaps and targets of any skill player. He led the Eagles in receiving with five catches for 66 yards. He could’ve had even more production if he wasn’t underthrown while wide open on this play:

• Nice to see Jalen Reagor show some positive flashes on Sunday. The Eagles’ 2020 first-round pick had a good grab down the field on a Jalen Hurts throw for a 34-yard gain. Somehow, that was Reagor’s only target of the entire game. What the heck. He did have an end-around for 11 yards. And the 73-yard punt return for a touchdown, obviously. All the more reason to keep him — instead of Greg Ward — back on returns.
• Speaking of Ward, though, solid game for him with three receptions for 57 yards. That includes his 32-yard touchdown reception from Hurts on 4th-and-18. Still not great that Ward saw five targets while Reagor only got one.
• You may not have noticed this but Carson Wentz got pulled after the Eagles went down by 17 points mid-way through the third quarter. He had completed just 40% of his attempts for 79 yards (5.3 yards per attempt), zero touchdowns, zero interceptions, and a 57.4 passer rating. Wentz’s 72.8 passer rating this season ranks only above Sam Darnold and Drew Lock. Wentz might not play another snap this year ... or ever again with the Eagles? Far from a foregone conclusion but the possibility now exists.
• Jason Peters had to leave the game early. He’s been playing through a toe injury. Might as well just keep Nate Herbig in at right guard at this point anyway. There’s nothing to gain by playing a soon-to-be 39-year-old Peters.
• Speaking of nothing to be gained, Alshon Jeffery played 35 snaps for the second week in a row. His snap percentage actually increased by 7% compared to last week. WHY?! Jeffery finished with one target for zero catches. He had another target that didn’t count because he committed obvious offensive pass interference that brought up 4th-and-18. At least he had a nice smile about it (see below). Seriously, though, there’s just not reason to be playing Jeffery. This team should be keeping him inactive. He’s not helping in the short-term or the long-term. That he’s getting snaps over Travis Fulgham is insanity. Annoying that I have to write this every week but I’m not going to stop until they make a change.

• Miles Sanders only logged 10 carries for 31 yards. He was targeted once but he slipped. Really disappointing how the Eagles haven’t been able to get him going as a pass catcher this year.
• Zach Ertz had four targets for two catches and 31 yards in his first game back from injury. His relatively limited playing time indicates the Eagles were easing him back in.
• Jalen Hurts unquestionably gave the Eagles a spark after coming in for Wentz. The final passing numbers obviously weren’t pretty: 41.7% completion for 109 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and a 67.7 passer rating. But there were some good throws in there. The Eagles need to keep him in at quarterback for the rest of the season.
• Miss me with the “Fulgham’s struggles justify his lack of playing time” takes. He surely hasn’t made the most of his targets lately. Too many drops. But, c’mon, this dude was recently LEADING THE NFL IN RECEIVING for a four-week stretch. Let him play through the struggles. There’s not a single good reason to have Jeffery taking snaps away from him. The Eagles have gone three straight games without targeting Fulgham in the first half and that’s just nonsensical. There has to be more they can do to get him the ball.
• John Hightower saw two targets but wasn’t able to catch either one. He’s probably not that good. But the Eagles should still keep playing him.
• Boston Scott had two runs that combined for 35 yards wiped out by holding penalties.
• Jordan Howard was efficient in his first game back with the Eagles; he had four carries for 19 yards (4.8 average). But why is Howard getting those touches when they should be going to Sanders instead?!
• No targets for Richard Rodgers with Ertz back.

DEFENSE

• Rodney McLeod is the only Eagles player to not miss a snap this season. He sure did miss a tackle on Aaron Jones’ 77-yard touchdown run, though.
• Alex Singleton continues to be a tackling machine; he had 12 in this game. You have to like his hustle. You do not have to like how the Packers were clearly targeting him in coverage and having success in that regard. Ideally more of a backup or role player at linebacker.
• Avonte Maddox got banged up at one point after breaking up a potential touchdown pass for Davante Adams but didn’t miss playing time. Maddox got roasted way too often in this game.
• Jalen Mills was also liable in coverage.
• It’s a shame that Brandon Graham hasn’t had a sack since Week 8. Probably won’t be able to make the Pro Bowl now. Need three more sacks in the Eagles’ final four games to reach double digits for the first time in his career. Hopefully he gets there.
• Darius Slay entered the game with a calf injury and had to leave early. Struggled to shut down Davante Adams.
• Derek Barnett got banged up early in the game but played through the pain. Zero sacks and zero quarterback hits for him. It won’t be good for the Eagles if he gets seriously hurt and that causes his fifth-year option (worth $10 million and guaranteed only for injury) to become guaranteed.
• Zero sacks and zero quarterback hits for Fletcher Cox, who had missed time in practice last week with a neck injury.
• Malik Jackson has not produced a sack or quarterback hit since Week 6.
• Javon Hargrave has been a little better lately. He notched his first full sack of the season in Green Bay, bringing him up to 2.5 on the year. He also had a quarterback hit, bringing him up to five on the year. Those totals are clearly still not good for the contract the Eagles handed out.
• Josh Sweat’s last eight games: one sack, four quarterback hits. He’s cooled down after a hot start.
• Good to see that Raequan Williams got some decent playing after being elevated from the practice squad. Let the young guys play!
• In that vein, Michael Jacquet seemed to do OK while filling in for Slay. Same thing we said about him when he played in Week 8. Of course, it’s hardly like he’s been majorly tested. But, hey, it’s something. And Jacquet did a nice job of hustling as a gunner to down a Cameron Johnston punt at the 1-yard line.
• T.J. Edwards saw a decreased role with Duke Riley getting more playing time than him. Thinking the Eagles were concerned about his coverage limitations.
• Vinny Curry had a nice tackle for loss and three quarterback hits. But he’s also a 32-year-old defensive end who doesn’t have a long-term future with this team. So I’m not sure what his playing time really accomplishes.
• With Will Parks gone, K’Von Wallace got his most extensive playing time since Week 5. Good to see him getting reps. Not as good to see him missing tackles.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Sizeable role for Grayland Arnold on special teams after getting signed to the main roster. He made one special teams tackle.
• Davion Taylor committed a special teams penalty that forced the Eagles to start their third drive at their own 10-yard line. Then he suffered a knee injury and didn’t return.
• Matt Pryor went from starting at right tackle last week to barely playing at all this week.

DID NOT PLAY

INACTIVE: J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, Genard Avery, Quez Watkins, Rudy Ford, Jason Huntley Nate Sudfeld

ACTIVE: Brett Toth

• JJAW probably isn’t good. But the 2019 second-round pick should at least be active over Jeffery. Let’s see if Hurts playing makes any difference for him since Wentz clearly didn’t trust him.
• The Eagles rushed to activate Avery off injured reserve so he could log zero defensive snaps in Week 12 and then be a healthy scratch in Week 13. What’s the point? Avery’s playing time only decreased after he had his best game with the Eagles in Week 4. We said it at the time and we’ve said it a billion times since: trading a 2021 fourth-round pick for Avery was so bizarre and not smart.
• Would like to see Huntley and/or Elijah Holyfield active ahead of Jordan Howard.