October 05, 2026

Game ball, three stars, and snap count analysis: Week 4, Eagles vs. Rams

Analyzing the snap counts from the Eagles' late-game implosion against the Rams in Week 4.

By Jimmy Kempski
PhillyVoice Staff

Eric Hartline/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Saquon Barkley injured his hamstring against the Rams, and only played 4 snaps.

In their Week 4 loss to the Los Angeles Rams the Philadelphia Eagles played 61 snaps on offense and 84 on defense. Let's just get right to the snap counts, some notes, and some special recognition.

Quarterback

• 61 snaps: Jalen Hurts

Notes: Hurts finished 12 of 27 for just 93 yards, 2 TDs, and 0 INTs. One of the TDs looked like it was going to be intercepted by Quentin Lake, but Darius Cooper made a phenomenal play, catching Lake's drop. If you include the four sacks Hurts took, the Eagles' offense had 68 net passing yards on 31 dropbacks. He had a bad game.

As noted in our 10 awards post, Hurts played this game without DeVonta Smith, Lane Johnson, Dallas Goedert, and for the most part, Saquon Barkley. Also, the offensive line can't protect him, and he is playing in an offense that the head coach acknowledged has no identity.

So, the degree of difficulty is high. He made plays anyway and turned what could have been losses into wins the first two weeks of the season. That was going to be unsustainable, and sure enough, Hurts has not been Superman the last two games.

Also, the Eagles' comical mishandling of the QB2 spot trudged forward, as Tanner McKee was promoted to QB2 and Andy Dalton was demoted to QB3. If Dalton never throws another pass for the Eagles again, his only pass attempt will be the devastating INT he threw in Chicago.

Running back

• 29 snaps each: Tank Bigsby, Will Shipley

• 4 snaps: Saquon Barkley

Notes: Barkley injured his hamstring in the first quarter and did not return.

Saquon Barkley
Initial thought is right hamstring but hard to tell exactly how he planted with the right foot on the sideline.
Hopefully not his knee.
It was his right ACL in 2020. pic.twitter.com/3mrvNmGaSU
— Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) October 4, 2026

So, we'll find out this week how serious that is.

Bigsby carried 14 times for 55 yards (3.9 YPC). His production wasn't impressive, but I did think he showed some explosiveness. Shipley carried 6 times for 23 yards. I noticed a few nice blocks on blitz pickups, but I'll have to rewatch to see if he missed any.

Wide receiver

• 56 snaps: Dontayvion Wicks

• 55 snaps: Darius Cooper

• 45 snaps: Makai Lemon

• 10 snaps: Elijah Moore

Notes: Cooper had an outstanding catch for a touchdown, plus another touchdown when he found himself wide open in the back of the end zone. Wicks has gone quiet the last two games.

Lemon had 3 catches for 27 yards on 6 targets. The Rams were thin in their secondary, and I thought this could be an opportunity for Lemon to step up, but that didn't really happen.

Tight end

• 49 snaps: Johnny Mundt

• 13 snaps: Zach Ertz

• 12 snaps: E.J. Jenkins

Notes: A Mundt hold erased a 19-yard Bigsby run down to the Rams' 5 yard line. It also nearly helped knock the Eagles out of field goal range, but Jake Elliott was able to hit a 56 yarder. Mundt was signed to be nothing more than a good blocking tight end, but we haven't seen that yet.

Ertz only played 13 snaps, which was surprising given that the Eagles' top two pass catchers in DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert were out. He did get 4 targets on his 13 snaps, an indication that Hurts trusts him, at least over the guys who are currently available. 2 catches, 13 yards.

Offensive line

• 61 snaps each: Jordan Mailata, Cam Jurgens, Drew Kendall, Tyler Steen, Markel Bell

• 2 snaps: Willie Lampkin

• 1 snap: Micah Morris

Notes: Nick Sirianni and Eagles teammates were tight-lipped about Lane Johnson's absence in this game. That will obviously be a question local and national media will pursue until there are answers.

Jurgens' play is actively hurting the team. He gave up a lot of pressure on passing downs, and he had another holding penalty. I thought the following run play was his worst rep, just watching live:

Cam Jurgens man…… pic.twitter.com/VHg21y2L2q
— Pierrot B (@PierrotB3_) October 5, 2026

That's the type of play that illustrates the concern that he just physically can't block grown NFL defensive linemen anymore. The Eagles are going to have to consider a switch soon.

Bell gave up some pressure, but he also had a number of physical run blocks. I was encouraged by what I saw whenever I noticed him live. I also think Kendall is settling in more and more.

Edge defenders

• 64 snaps: Nolan Smith

• 63 snaps: Jalyx Hunt

• 21 snaps: Arnold Ebiketie

• 19 snaps: Jonathan Greenard

• 3 snaps: A.J. Epenesa

Notes: Smith was around Matthew Stafford a lot on Sunday, and he was able to notch one sack. He had a good game.

Hunt had a nice pass breakup, and although he allowed a reception down the sideline I thought he had exceptional coverage on the play, at least for an edge defender who would normally have no business sprinting downfield covering a good tight end. However, he has not made any real impact as a pass rusher yet after an outstanding training camp that had many local media guys/gals (self included 🙋‍♂️) thinking he was primed for an even bigger season in 2026 after a breakout season in 2025.

Greenard got pressure on the Andrew Mukuba INT, but he left with an ankle injury and did not return.

Interior defensive line

• 70 snaps: Jalen Carter

• 60 snaps: Moro Ojomo

• 29 snaps: Jordan Davis

• 13 snaps: Byron Young

• 6 snaps: Ty Robinson

Notes: Not only did the Eagles blow a big lead and get a bunch of guys hurt, they also put 70 snaps on Carter's odometer. Carter is playing handicapped with a cast on his arm, so his lack of production is understandable but also disappointing. He did have a batted pass that shot up in the air and could have turned into an INT, but was instead caught by a Rams receiver.

Ojomo had a tackle for loss and was generally active.

For the money that Davis is making, only playing 29 snaps in a game the defense was on the field all day is not an ideal return on investment.

Linebacker

• 84 snaps: Jeremiah Trotter

• 79 snaps: Jihaad Campbell

Notes: Trotter played his ass off. He had 15 tackles. He is a better player right now than Campbell, who got roasted all day in coverage. Trotter did have a chance for tackle for loss late on the Rams' game-winning drive, but could not make the play.

Campbell's size/athletic traits are impressive and the only way he is going to reach his ceiling is if he plays. But at the same time, if the Eagles want to convince themselves that they are contenders, they have to consider playing Trotter over Campbell whenever Zack Baun returns from injury. That's a tough call that I'm sure will have strong opinions on each side within the Eagles' coaching staff and front office.

Cornerback and safety

• 84 snaps each: Riq Woolen, Andrew Mukuba

• 81 snaps: Cooper DeJean

• 76 snaps: Michael Carter

• 48 snaps: Jonathan Jones

• 36 snaps: Quinyon Mitchell

• 3 snaps: Mac McWilliams

• 1 snap: Kenny Moore

Notes: After Mitchell went down, passing on the Eagles' secondary got a lot easier for the Rams.

DeJean and Mukuba each had INTs and good returns thereafter. The Eagles' inept offense was able to score 10 points on short fields after those takeaways. I also thought DeJean played hard and made some tough tackles after a slow start this season.