Eagles shut out the Raiders 31‑0 on Sunday, and the win came with a strategic move that saw the team empty its bench early in the fourth quarter to give players much‑needed rest before the Week 16 showdown in Washington.
Offensive Snap Breakdown
Philadelphia’s offense ran 69 plays. Fred Johnson and Tyler Steen were the only linemen to play every snap, handling all 69. Jalen Hurts, Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens each logged 52 snaps before being pulled in the early fourth quarter. In their place, Brett Toth, Drew Kendall and Matt Pryor filled the line for the final 17, 17 and 19 snaps respectively, with Pryor also seeing a couple of snaps earlier in a jumbo package.
Backup Quarterback Steps In
Tanner McKee, who had only four offensive snaps all season in Week 8 against the Giants, was thrust into action when Hurts left. McKee led the backup unit on a 17‑play, 79‑yard drive that consumed 11:22 of the clock in the fourth quarter. Although the offense stalled at the goal line, McKee completed all three of his passes for 33 yards and ran the ball efficiently.
Running Game Highlights
Saquon Barkley carried the ball 22 times for 78 yards and a touchdown, appearing in 39 of the 69 offensive snaps (57%). Tank Bigsby, who played a season‑high 27 snaps (39%), gained 57 yards on 17 carries. Will Shipley saw only four snaps.
Receivers and Tight Ends
The wide‑receiver rotation was as follows: A.J. Brown played 50 snaps (72%), Jahan Dotson 37 snaps (54%), DeVonta Smith 36 snaps (52%), Darius Cooper 21 snaps (30%) and Britain Covey 4 snaps (6%). Brown and Smith had modest production but made the plays called for them. Cooper had two catches for 29 yards after a 19‑yard reception the week before.
Dallas Goedert had a standout performance with six catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns. He had a chance for a third touchdown but dropped a pass in the end zone. The tight‑end snap distribution was: Goedert 51 snaps (74%), Grant Calcaterra 37 snaps (54%), Cameron Latu 19 snaps (28%) and Kylen Granson 18 snaps (26%).
Defensive Snap Usage
Philadelphia’s defense recorded a shutout while playing only 42 snaps. The Raiders ran 42 offensive plays, the second‑lowest total the Eagles have faced under Vic Fangio. Since 1978, opponents have run 42 or fewer plays against the Eagles only seven times.
No defender played every snap. Five players—Cooper DeJean, Marcus Epps, Zack Baun, Quinton Mitchell and Reed Blankenship—each played 39 of the 42 snaps. Adoree’ Jackson logged 37 snaps.
Brandon Graham, who had a season‑high 30 snaps the previous week, played just seven snaps but was highly productive. At 37, he became the oldest Eagle to ever record a sack, finishing with two in this game.
Defensive Rotations
The defensive‑line rotation was: Moro Ojomo 33 snaps (79%), Jordan Davis 28 snaps (67%), Byron Young 16 snaps (38%), Brandon Graham 7 snaps (17%) and Ty Robinson 5 snaps (12%).
The edge‑rushing rotation consisted of Jaelan Phillips 30 snaps (71%), Nolan Smith 26 snaps (62%) and Jalyx Hunt 25 snaps (60%).
Bench Usage
Towards the end of the game, the Eagles brought in several bench players for the final three snaps: Sydney Brown, Smael Mondon, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Kelee Ringo, Andre’ Sam, Michael Carter and Jakorian Bennett.
Key Takeaways
- The Eagles used a strategic bench‑emptying strategy early in the fourth quarter to give players rest before Week 16.
- Backup quarterback Tanner McKee led a 17‑play drive, completing all three passes for 33 yards.
- The defense shut out the Raiders while playing only 42 snaps, the second‑lowest total the Eagles have faced.
The 31‑0 victory not only showcased Philadelphia’s depth but also set the stage for a rested squad heading into the critical Week 16 matchup against Washington.
