Game ball, three stars and snap number analysis: Divisional round, Eagles vs. Rams

Come back running

• 57 shots: Saquon Barkley

• 6 shots: Kenny Gainwell

• 1 snap (victory formation): Reed Blankenship

Notes: Most rushing yards, single season, regular season and playoffs:

I’ll do the math for you. Barkley needs 148 rushing yards to pass Davis’ record of 2,476 rushing yards. He totaled 146 rushing yards against the Commanders in Week 11 and 150 against them in Week 16.

Wide receiver

• 61 shots: AJ Brown

• 57 shots: DeVonta Smith

• 39 shots: Jahan Dotson

• 8 photos: Johnny Wilson

Notes: Brown has three catches on 10 targets for 24 yards so far in the playoffs. He had two drops against the Rams. Perhaps worth noting, Brown had seven catches for 50 yards in the Eagles’ first two playoff games of 2022, before making a big impact in the Super Bowl. Unfortunately for Brown, he is at the mercy of the Eagles passing attack.

Smith has reached all eight of his targets in the playoffs so far, but he only has 76 yards.

Dotson was WIDE OPEN at the back of the field on one play, and Hurts was looking to his side of the field, but the ball didn’t go Dotson’s way. Dotson was so wide open that there was an audible OOOOOH from the crowd as Hurts rolled to Dotson’s side.

If Dotson is just there to do cardio, opposing defenses can and will (already will) simply ignore him and pay more attention to Brown and Smith. But also, if a guy is that open, even if the game design doesn’t suit him, improvise.

Side note: I posted this clip on Twitter – and I shouldn’t be surprised because people will say anything – but some were trying to say the Rams safety was covered, lol. Folks, unless this safety can teleport, he has no chance of playing football with a semi-precise throw that drives Dotson to the sideline.

Tight end

• 60 shots: Dallas Goedert

• 22 photos: Grant Calcaterra

• 3 shots: EJ Jenkins

Notes: Goedert had four catches on four targets for 56 yards. He would have had five catches for 75 yards if a 19-yarder hadn’t been called back following an illegal man penalty downfield.

Goedert has recovered from his injury and has been very good so far. He should probably be the focus of the passing attack.

Offensive line

• 63 shots each: Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens and Mekhi Becton

• 62 shots: Lane Johnson

• 2 photos: Fred Johnson

Notes: The Eagles allowed seven sacks. I cut them out and timed them from the moment they took place to the first contact from a defender.

1. 4.01
2. 3.36
3. 1.88
4. 5.31
5. 3.71
6. 3.27
7. 3.86

The offensive line is certainly not flawless. Jurgens got beat at safety, Becton seemed to miss an assignment on a blitz on a quick sack, etc. But it is also true that the ball does not go out.

Hurts often plays with his legs when he doesn’t like what he sees on the field, and on some of these sacks he tries to do that. You don’t want to lose this part of his game, but there are also times when it’s best to just throw it at someone’s feet and live to fight another day.

Edge defenders

• 62 shots: Josh Sweat

• 58 shots: Nolan Smith

• 17 shots: Jalyx Hunt

Notes: Smith had a huge sack/fumble. He now has three sacks in the playoffs.

When asked about the one snap Bryce Huff got last week, Vic Fangio said, “We had a good three-man rotation with the other guys, and we held on.”

Huff has no role at this time. As a result, Sweat plays a lot of clichés, which is also not ideal.

Interior defensive line

• 69 shots: Jalen Carter

• 44 shots: Milton Williams

• 19 photos: Moro Ojomo

• 17 shots: Jordan Davis

Notes: There were fair concerns about whether Carter would be healthy enough to play a large number of snaps, but he made the two plays of the night on his 68th and 69th snaps in the 19th game of the season.

Ojomo got his first sack in the NFL and has been playing very well lately.

Linebacker

• 71 photos: Zack Baun

• 68 shots: Oren Burks

Notes: Fangio sure made it look like Jeremiah Trotter was going to play in this game, but his contributions were limited to special teams.

Cornerback and safety

• 71 shots: Darius Slay, Reed Blankenship and CJ Gardner-Johnson

• 68 shots: Cooper DeJean

• 57 shots: Isaiah Rodgers

• 9 shots each: Quinyon Mitchell and Kelee Ringo

Notes: We will learn throughout the week how quickly Mitchell can return from his shoulder injury. Early reports suggest he has a chance to play in the NFC Championship Game against the Commanders.

Three stars 🤩

I’ve always loved the hockey tradition of awarding “stars” to each of the top three players in a game, so let’s apply that to Eagles games.⭐⭐⭐: DT Jalen Carter🌟🌟: RB Saquon Barkley

✨: EDGE Nolan Smith