Eagles-Packers snap counts: Nolan Smith makes franchise history

Playing time analysis.

The official snap counts from the Philadelphia Eagles’ Wild Card playoff win over the Green Bay Packers are in! Let’s take a look and run through some analysis.

OFFENSE

• Jalen Hurts and the starting offensive line played the entire game. Typically a recipe for success.
• Despite playing the most snaps of any receiving option, A.J. Brown saw just three targets that resulted in one catch for 10 yards. The Eagles must get him more involved next weekend.
• Dallas Goedert caught four of his six targets for 47 yards and a touchdown.
• DeVonta Smith caught all four of his targets for 55 yards to lead the Eagles in receiving.
• Saquon Barkley touched the ball 27 times for 123 yards from scrimmage. He played his third-highest snap count percentage this season.
• Jahan Dotson played his eighth-highest snap count percentage this season. With him at 57% and TE2 Grant Calcaterra at 53%, you can see there was a near even split of 11 personnel and 12 personnel.
• Johnny Wilson saw his lowest snap count percentage since Week 8. Not much playing time for WR4.
• Khari Blasingame played two offensive snaps in three regular season games. The fullback played two offensive snaps in this one playoff game.
• TE3 E.J. Jenkins saw a single offensive snap.

DEFENSE

• C.J. Gardner-Johnson missed one defensive snap while visiting the medical tent early in the fourth quarter.
• Reed Blankenship missed only two snaps after getting banged up at one point.
• Jalen Carter nearly played the entire game. The Eagles clearly plan to heavily lean on him in the playoffs.
• Cooper DeJean nearly played the entire game.
• Nolan Smith led all Eagles edge rushers in playing time by only missing eight defensive snaps. Smith had a very active game; he logged eight total tackles, four solo tackles, two sacks, and two TFLs. Smith made franchise history by becoming the youngest player to log a multi-sack performance in a playoff game.
• Darius Slay missed some playing time due to an elbow injury but he played well when he was on the field, coming up with his first career playoff interception.
• Milton Williams seemed to be more active than the box score indicates (one tackle, one QB hit). Ditto for Moro Ojomo.
• Oren Burks filled in at linebacker after Nakobe Dean was carted off the field.
• Isaiah Rodgers filled in when Slay missed some time.
• Jordan Davis logged a season-low snap count percentage at 19.7% (rounded up to 20% in the graphic). His previous low was the 20.7% he played in Week 7. Davis did draw a holding penalty in his limited playing time.
• Avonte Maddox briefly filled in at safety when Blankenship missed two snaps.
• Bryce Huff played a single defensive snap, which came later in the game. Not ideal for Howie Roseman’s most expensive free agent signing to be barely seeing the field in a playoff game. Roseman’s clearly had more hits than misses but, man, this was a bad flub.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Jeremiah Trotter Jr. recovered the fumble forced by Burks on the opening kickoff.
• Jake Elliott handled kickoff duty this week.
• With Jack Driscoll placed on injured reserve, Brett Toth was active as the eighth offensive lineman. A little interesting to see him leapfrog Nick Gates, Darian Kinnard, and Trevor Keegan after being signed from the practice squad to the roster.
• This was only the second game this season in which Trevor Booker didn’t play at least one defensive snap. The Eagles shortened their DT rotation.
• Parris Campbell was limited to two special teams snaps after being temporarily elevated from the practice squad.

DID NOT PLAY

INACTIVE: Tanner McKee, Nick Gates, Darian Kinnard, Trevor Keegan, Ainias Smith, Eli Ricks, Lewis Cine

ACTIVE: Kenny Pickett