Who’s Counting? Reagor plays more snaps than Smith
There is something to be said for player snap count totals.
They don’t mean anything after a win, everything following a loss and always are the preferred check-in for conspiracy theorists.
Take the outrage over Quez Watkins’ 55 snaps, 48 for Jalen Reagor and just 44 for fellow wide receiver DeVonta Smith in a 33-18 romp over the Jets Sunday.
It was the lowest percentage of snaps for Smith (62 percent) since entering the league. Surely, head coach Nick Sirianni was trying to slip one past the snap counters.
“We were in 13 personnel and we were running some good things out of 13 personnel,” Sirianni said Monday. “We were having some success in the run game and in the play-action game. And with who we wanted in there in 13 personnel and what we were asking them to do in 13 personnel, that’s where Reagor got a lot of those snaps. That’s just the way it went. I’m not going to apologize. We didn’t punt until the last series of the game. That’s the flow sometimes.”
Watkins caught three passes on three targets for 60 yards, working his way open fluidly and quickly for Gardnew Minshew. The quarterback completed a combined 14 throws to tight end Dallas Goedert, who had six receptions for 105 yards and two TDs and running backs Kenneth Gainwell (5-32) and Miles Sanders (3-22).
For critics, Reagor getting more snaps than
Smith was just another opportunity to be hated. Reagor didn’t gain many fans Sunday making a block springing Gainwell on a touchdown run because he misjudged a kickoff and muffed a punt on special teams.
The Eagles started at their six-yard line after Reagor’s gaffe on kickoff return, the ball hitting the one with enough backspin to stay in play. He motored 21 yards after muffing the punt. Reagor also had one target — and catch — for seven yards and took a pitch in a botched triple reverse. Smith had four targets and two receptions for 15 yards.
Additionally tight ends Jack Stoll (28 snaps) and Tyree Jackson (27) got most of their snaps in the second half when the Eagles had 16 rushes and just 10 passes.
Tough as the 170-pound Smith is, Reagor has 27 pounds on him in the blocking department.
On the injury front, Eagles center Jason Kelce is on track to extend his streak of consecutive
games played to 119 in a couple of weeks, the team getting this week off for the bye.
That is great news because Kelce was in pain leaving the game in the fourth quarter with a leg injury. The previous week he sustained a knee injury.
“Obviously, everybody holds their breath when something like that happens to Jason,” Sirianni said. “Got good, positive news back on him today. So, I’m not going to put a timetable on anybody, as you know, but we’re hopeful after the bye, he’ll be ready to go.”
Running back Jordan Howard (sprained knee) also could be ready to roll after the bye per Sirianni, who expects to know the status of right guard Brandon Brooks (torn pect) at that point.
Banged up Sunday, cornerback Steven Nelson (shoulder) and linebacker Patrick Johnson (back) are expected to be healthy after the bye.
Offensive Line Coach Jeff Stoutland was back at work Monday.