Eagles-Steelers snap counts: Kenny Gainwell steps up

Playing time analysis.

The official snap counts from the Philadelphia Eagles’ Week 15 home win over the Pittsburgh Steelers are in! Let’s take a look and run through some analysis.

OFFENSE

• The Eagles’ offense sure was on the field a lot. 80 snaps is a season-high.
• Mekhi Becton got banged up late in the game. Jack Driscoll came in to play right guard with Tyler Steen already filling in at left guard for Landon Dickerson.
• Lane Johnson missed one snap due to injury. Fred Johnson filled in for him. The Eagles were also using Fred as a blocking tight end on their final drive.
• DeVonta Smith led the Eagles’ receivers in snaps played, targets (12), and receptions (11).
• Grant Calcaterra was targeted on the Eagles’ first play from scrimmage. He made a nice leaping 22-yard grab. He didn’t officially log a target for the rest of the game, though he did have a catch wiped out by offensive pass interference on DeVonta (extremely late flag).
• A.J. Brown saw a season-high 11 targets. It was his first game with double-digit targets since … Week 1, when he had 10.
• Saquon Barkley played his fourth-lowest snap count percentage. He seemed to be fighting through an injury.
• Jahan Dotson was WR3. He saw a target that was unlikely to be completed on a Hurts scramble.
• With Saquon less than 100%, Gainwell played his second-highest snap count percentage this season (only behind Week 4, where he soaked up garbage time opportunities). Gainwell took advantage of the increased role by making an impact as a pass-catcher with three receptions for 40 yards. Two of those catches went for really big third down conversions.
• C.J. Uzomah had a limited role as TE2.
• Johnny Wilson, who was ruled questionable to play in this game due to illness, had a limited role as WR4. This was his lowest snap count percentage in a game since Week 11.
• E.J. Jenkins played sparingly as TE3.

DEFENSE

• 43 max snaps for the defense is a very low number. That’s good for the sake of getting these players some rest down the stretch.
• Zack Baun has played 100% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps in six out of 14 games this season.
• Nolan Smith barely left the field as the Eagles’ top edge rusher. He had a productive game with two QB hits, two TFLs, one sack, and one pass deflection.
• Nakobe Dean led the Eagles in tackles despite playing fewer snaps than five other defenders.
• Jalen Carter continues to play a high snap count percentage.
• Darius Slay missed some time due to injury. Isaiah Rodgers filled in for him. Rodgers also saw playing time ahead of Avonte Maddox as the Eagles’ dime cornerback.
• Underrated play from this game: Jalyx Hunt drew a holding call to knock the Steelers’ offense back and ultimately help force a punt. Hunt was the third man in the Eagles’ three-man edge rush rotation.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• No offensive role for fullback Khari Blasingame in this game. Blasingame has one more temporary practice squad elevation left for the regular season.
• No defensive role for Avonte Maddox. Good. He’s best limited to special teams duty.
• No defensive role for Chuck Harris. Just one special teams snap. He’ll likely be waived if/when Bryce Huff is ready to return from injured reserve.
• Sydney Brown suffered a concussion on the opening kickoff. He might miss Week 16.

DID NOT PLAY

INACTIVE: Britain Covey, Eli Ricks, Nick Gates, Darian Kinnard, Trevon Keegan, Tanner McKee

ACTIVE: Kenny Pickett, Ainias Smith

• Covey was ruled out despite practicing in full on Thursday and Friday last week. Unusual. Perhaps he’ll be able to return in Week 16.
• Keegan is three games away from being a healthy scratch all season long. Ditto for McKee, who at least gets to be in uniform as the emergency third quarterback.
• The Eagles should’ve put Pickett in to handle victory formation against his former team.
• For the third week in a row, Smith dressed to play but did not get in the game.