Eagles-Buccaneers snap counts: DeVonta Smith, Brandon Graham among few players who came to play

Playing time breakdown.

The official snap counts from the Philadelphia Eagles’ Wild Card loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in. Let’s take a look and run through some analysis for the last time this season, I guess.

OFFENSE

• Jordan Mailata was the only Eagles player to play 100% of the snaps on either side of the ball this season.
• Jalen Hurts was obviously dealing with the finger injury … but the offense should not be limited to just nine points when he plays the entire game behind the starting offensive line. And it’s not even like giveaways prevented scoring; the Eagles did not turn the ball over.
• Jason Kelce seemingly played his last snaps as an Eagle. Man. What a sad way for him to go out.
• DeVonta Smith is a baller. 12 targets, eight receptions, 148 yards (18.5 average). One of a few players who actually came to play.
• The 2024 Eagles head coach needs to figure out how to get Dallas Goedert more involved again.
• Quez Watkins talked a big game leading up to Monday after performing in garbage time last week. The result? Four targets, three receptions, 12 yards. Good luck in free agency, Quez.
• D’Andre Swift only had four carries in the first half. He finished with 10 for 34 yards.
• Olamide Zaccheaus ever since his great touchdown against the Bills? Just six offensive targets (four in Week 18 garbage time) over the final seven games. Feels like they could’ve found a way to get him involved over the middle of the field as a counter to blitzes. But nope.
• Kenny Gainwell’s six touches resulted in 13 yards. Great.
• Julio Jones’ Eagles career ended with a concussion.
• Marcus Mariota finished the season with 46 total snaps played.

DEFENSE

• Due to multiple injuries, Avonte Maddox saw playing time at safety next to Kevin Byard. Didn’t go great.
• Darius Slay got carted off late in the game. Hopefully not as serious as it looked.
• Haason Reddick did not have a sack in the Eagles’ final five games.
• Josh Sweat had a sack for the first time since Week 9. Yay.
• Jordan Davis played his third-highest snap count percentage of the season. He finished the year without having a sack or QB hit since Week 7. His last TFL came in Week 2.
• I feel bad for James Bradberry. He was genuinely excellent in 2022 but his decline came fast and hard in 2023. He looks done. The Eagles partially benched him in this game.
• Kelee Ringo came in to play on the outside with Bradberry getting taken out at points.
• After the game, Brandon Graham said he’d like to return for a farewell campaign in 2024. The Eagles should let the player who made the biggest play in franchise history do whatever he wants, in my opinion. Besides, he can still contribute as a rotational edge rusher. One sack, three TFLs in this game.
• Milton Williams had a TFL and a drive-ending sack that knocked the Bucs out of field goal range. At the very least, a quality rotational defensive tackle.
• It was nice to see Nolan Smith notch a drive-ending half sack (split with Fletcher Cox). The rookie beat the Bucs’ right tackle clean off the edge. It’s a shame the Eagles didn’t play him more in 2023, maybe he could’ve been further along in his development.
• It felt like Eli Ricks played more than he did with how often he was missing tackles out there.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Tristin McCollum and Mekhi Garner strictly played special teams after being temporarily elevated from the practice squad.
• Not a good game for Braden Mann, who has otherwise punted well this season.

DID NOT PLAY

INACTIVE: A.J. Brown, Sydney Brown, Reed Blankenship, Rashaad Penny, Moro Ojomo, Tyler Steen, Tanner McKee

ACTIVE: Shaq Leonard

• A.J. was said to be able to play in the Divisional Round, had the Eagles made it there, which they didn’t.
• Blankenship tried to give it a go in pregame warmups but wasn’t able to play.
• Remember when the Eagles and Cowboys were competing to sign Leonard? He didn’t even play in this game despite being active. Sad to see a previously great player devolve into being donezo like this.