Brandon Graham was in Baltimore on Sunday afternoon. He wore cleats, went out for the coin toss and was as energetic on the sideline as ever.
He just can’t play.
Graham suffered a season-ending triceps injury last week in Los Angeles and Sunday’s 24-19 win over the Ravens was the first game the Eagles had to play without him this season. Everyone was wondering how the Eagles would split up his reps. Graham through 11 games had played 311 snaps or 46% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps.
While the Eagles used Milton Williams and Zack Baun sporadically on the edge, they basically went to a three-man edge rotation in Graham’s absence on Sunday:
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Nolan Smith: 58/72 (81%)
Josh Sweat: 51/71 (71%)
Jalyx Hunt: 35/72 (49%)
That’s a major uptick for both Smith and Hunt. Smith entering Sunday’s game had played 44% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps this season and Hunt had played a total of just 66 defensive snaps all season. Sweat wasn’t the top-snap getter on Sunday but even he saw an increase from 63% on the year to 71% in this game.
And all three played well the entire afternoon.
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Smith had 8 tackles and a sack, Sweat had 5 combined tackles and Hunt had 2 tackles and half a sack.
The Eagles claimed Chuck Harris off waivers from the Panthers during the week but he did not see any action in this game. The Eagles will probably work him into the mix at some point but the shortened bench worked for a huge game against one of the top offenses in the NFL.
Another note: Sunday was the first time the Eagles played a game without Graham, Jason Kelce or Fletcher Cox since late in the 2010 season. It had been 234 consecutive regular or postseason games with at least one of them on the field for the Eagles. The last three connections to Andy Reid’s time in Philly.
Other defensive notes
• What Jalen Carter is doing right now is incredibly impressive. The Eagles’ defensive tackle played 71 of 72 defensive snaps on Sunday and didn’t leave the game until the final play. This is the second-most snaps Carter has ever played in a single game behind just the Buffalo overtime game last year.
Over the last three weeks, Carter has played 191/202 defensive snaps — 94.6 percent.
And he’s been an absolute menace. Carter had 4 tackles, 1 sack, 2 QB hits and 3 tackles for loss. And that came as he was double-teamed on 25 of 43 pass rushes in this game.
• It wasn’t just Carter who had a good game at defensive tackle. Milton Williams played 41 snaps (57%) and had a team-high five pressures. Jordan Davis played 24 snaps (33%) and stuffed the run. Moro Ojomo played 20 snaps and Thomas Booker played 4.
• Zack Baun, Isaiah Rodgers and C.J. Gardner-Johnson played all 72 snaps in the win. Carter (71), Quinyon Mitchell (70) and Nakobe Dean (69) were right behind them.
• Reed Blankenship played 51 snaps on Sunday before leaving with a concussion. He was replaced by Tristin McCollum, who played 21 snaps and had a pass breakup on a key fourth down.
• Just two snaps for Avonte Maddox and they were eventful. He was called for a defensive hold early in the game and was in the area on that deep incompletion to Nelson Agholor.
Offensive notes
• Jalen Hurts and his entire offensive line played all 56 snaps. That’s always a really good sign.
• At WR, A.J. Brown played 54 of 56 snaps, followed by Jahan Dotson (36), Parris Campbell (28) and Britain Covey (8). Ainias Smith did not see the field. Brown caught 5 passes for 66 yards and the only other receiver to have a catch was Dotson with 1 for 7. DeVonta Smith missed his second straight game with a hamstring injury but could return against the Panthers.
• Saquon Barkley played 49 snaps, while Kenny Gainwell played just 7 and Will Shipley played 1. Gainwell actually didn’t get a touch in this game; this is the first time all year that has happened. Shipley got one touch and it came in 21 personnel early in the game.
• Dallas Goedert played 40 snaps before leaving the game with a knee injury. Goedert after the game said he thought he’d be fine. Grant Calcaterra played 27 snaps and C.J. Uzomah got 20. Without Ben VanSumeren, Calcaterra took over some fullback responsibilities.
• Tyler Steen got nine snaps, mostly late in the game, as an extra tight end/blocker. This could be something we see more the rest of the way.
• With Blankenship (concussion) on the shelf, Cooper DeJean filled in as the deep guy in victory formation. He got one snap.
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