Game ball, three stars and snap count analysis: Week 6, Eagles vs. Browns

In their Week 6 win over the Cleveland Browns, the Philadelphia Eagles played 62 snaps on offense and 57 on defense. Let's get straight to snap counts, some notes, and some additional identifying features.

quarterback

• 62 snaps: Jalen Hurts

Notes: Hurts started 0 for 5 but went 16 of 20 for 264 yards, 2 TDs and 0 INTs. He also ran 14 times for 33 yards and converted four brotherly shoves in the first half. The numbers looked good and to Hurts' credit he had his first clean turnover game of the season.

However, his check on a low-percentage deep ball against AJ Brown with under two minutes left was a concerning decision that he was rightly criticized for in a similar situation a season ago in Seattle. He made a good throw and Brown made a great catch, but there's an alternate universe if that play goes differently and the Eagles end up losing the game.

Run back

• 49 snaps: Saquon Barkley

• 13 snaps: Kenny Gainwell

• 3 snapshots: Reed Blankenship

Notes: The Browns have struggled with the run this season, and their focus on stopping it seemed pretty evident in this game. They packed the box and Barkley didn't have much room to run. He carried 18 carries for 47 yards, his least productive game of the season. Gainwell threw for 23 yards on three carries.

Aside from his rushing performance, Barkley had a strange 2nd-and-1 play late in the first half where he caught a pass in the flat and legitimately went to the sideline to stop the clock, only he didn't get the ball over that Goal achieved This causes the ball to get stuck, resulting in a 3rd and 1 instead of a new set of downs. On 3rd-and-1, Hurts was sacked, and on 4th-and-9, the Browns blocked a 57-yard field goal attempt by Jake Elliott and returned it for a touchdown. Small mistakes like this can lead to disastrous results, and Barkley has had a few lapses in concentration in key moments so far this season.

And of course, every time Blankenship gets a few snaps means the Eagles won because they were in victory formation.

Wide receiver

• 62 snaps: DeVonta Smith

• 57 snaps: AJ Brown

• 22 snaps: Jahan Dotson

• 4 snaps: Johnny Wilson

Notes: Brown (6-116-1) and Smith (3-64-1) were the bright spots in this game for the Eagles. They are one of the top three WR duos and Hurts is lucky to have them.

Dotson was beaten by Hurts for obvious throws on a few targets, but he made the plays that came his way, including a key 10-yard catch for a first down just before the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter.

Tight end

• 57 snapshots: Grant Calcaterra

• 39 snapshots: Jack Stoll

• 3 snaps: Dallas Goedert

Notes: Goedert left early with a hamstring injury and Calcaterra stepped in as TE1. He had a good day as a receiver, catching all four of his targets for 67 yards. If you get 4 goals from Hurts in a game, you can safely say that you are in the nest of the trust tree with him.

Here are these 4 Calcaterra catches:

Calcaterra has had some struggles as a blocker this season, but he showed something as a receiver on Sunday.

Offensive line

• 62 snaps each: Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Mekhi Becton, Lane Johnson

• 49 snaps: Jordan Mailata

• 13 snapshots: Fred Johnson

• 1 snap: Tyler Steen

Notes: Mailata injured his hamstring and did not return. Dickerson and a trainer had to help him off the field and he found it difficult to put any weight on his left leg. Because of the way he was hobbled, I assumed it was a foot or ankle injury, so it was a surprise to me when it was revealed it was a hamstring injury. Mailata has only missed three games due to injury since winning the starting LT job in 2021. He was very durable. We will see if and for how long he will miss games due to this hamstring injury.

Jürgens was lucky that he didn't have to be called up for an illegal hands-to-the-face penalty on the DeVonta Smith TD. He stuck his hands into Browns DT Dalvin Tomlinson's face mask and pushed his helmet off.

This is almost always called out. Tomlinson also put his hands in Jürgens' face, so maybe the officers saw all this and just left it alone? 🤷‍♂️

Edge defender

• 39 snaps: Josh Sweat

• 31 snaps: Bryce Huff

• 23 snaps: Brandon Graham

• 21 snaps: Nolan Smith

Notes: Graham had 5 tackles in his 23 snaps, including this standout play in a big moment on 3rd-and-1 when the Browns were knocking on the Eagles' red zone door.

He has been by far their best full-back so far this season.

Nolan Smith was credited with a sack in that game, but his best play of the game (and season) was a run by Deshaun Watson near the goal line. He jumped out of the tight end's block (84th), then made a 2-gap to the RG (70th), waited for Watson to decide which direction he wanted to run and then made the play.

That was really well done. I was hoping to add a little more color to this game, but Smith declined to comment after the game.

Internal defense line

• 43 snaps: Jalen Carter

• 26 snaps: Milton Williams

• 21 snaps: Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo

• 8 snapshots: Thomas Booker

Notes: Davis had three tackles in his 21 snaps, but as you know, he only played 21 snaps.

Carter was on his sack like a bull in a China store:

By the way, the Eagles defense had 5 sacks in this game, their highest this season.

Linebackers

• 57 snapshots: Zack Baun

• 55 snapshots: Nakobe Dean

Notes: Dean had 12 tackles, but he also had a number of missed tackles, like in Week 4 in Tampa. During training camp, I thought Dean was the most physical player on the field, but that doesn't always mean he's a “safe tackler.” He has to clean this up.

Cornerback and safety

• 57 snaps each: Quinyon Mitchell, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson

• 52 snaps: Cooper DeJean

• 29 snaps: Darius Slay

• 22 snaps: Isaiah Rodgers

• 6 snapshots: Kelee Ringo

• 2 snapshots: Avonte Maddox

Notes: Mitchell was close to making his first career INT, but CJGJ came in and broke up the pass instead. As always, I appreciate this man's comment:

I thought this was a lack of awareness from CJGJ.

DeJean made his first start, taking over for Maddox. I thought he gave a very encouraging performance. We'll take a closer look at his day soon.

Three stars 🤩

I've always liked the hockey tradition of awarding “stars” to each of the top three players in a game, so we're applying that to Eagles games.

⭐⭐⭐: WR AJ Brown: He's just so big and strong. He's a competitive beast, but hardly a one-trick pony. He also has great hands, the ability to separate and gain yards after the catch.

🌟🌟: DE Myles Garrett: Garrett is just a special player. The stats say he had 4 tackles and 0 sacks, but he made his presence felt and his field goal block was an incredible play.

✨: RT Lane Johnson: Johnson returned from a concussion and had an outstanding performance in this game.

Eagles game ball 🏈

🏈: Brandon Graham: He played his 200th game and is still a good player.

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