Darius Cooper went out and grabbed the game-winning touchdown against the Titans in Week 2, straight up making his case for a bigger role. After playing just eight snaps with zero targets in Week 1, his snap count percentage jumped a wild 26% this past Sunday, showing what happens when this dude gets involved. Good things seriously happen when the Eagles throw the ball to DC.
DC Making His Mark, Smitty Still Dominating
Cooper didn’t just snag the game-winner, he logged three targets for 26 yards, and honestly, he would’ve had even more yardage if the ball hadn’t been thrown a little too far out in front of him. This guy’s flashing potential on offense and grinding on special teams, he’s earned more opportunities.
Meanwhile, DeVonta Smith is still absolutely tearing it up. He led all Eagles skill players in playing time once again, pulling in a team-high 13 targets, which was more than double the next closest player! Smitty ended up with 11 receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown. That’s just pure domination. Dontayvion Wicks also carved out a role as WR2 in usage with six targets for 74 yards, and get this, all of his yardage came on either third or fourth down. Jalen Hurts is clearly demonstrating he trusts “Donny Candles.” Makai Lemon’s snap count percentage stayed around 64%, but his touches dropped significantly from four targets in Week 1 to only two against the Titans. What’s the deal there?
Barkley Down Early, Tight End Depth a Real Problem
The Eagles definitely faced some adversity when Saquon Barkley suffered a stinger injury on the first play of the game. Brutal! His workload got split between Will Shipley and Tank Bigsby. Bigsby had more total touches with 15 for 38 yards and a touchdown, compared to Shipley’s nine touches for 29 yards. But Shipley ultimately played more often, and that’s because the Eagles trust him more in pass protection. Gotta protect the QB!
Then there’s the tight end situation, which is just not ideal. Dallas Goedert’s knee injury meant Johnny Mundt took over as the top tight end. Seriously, the Eagles need to get serious and add more help at this position, especially if Goedert misses significant time. Get Zach Ertz on the phone! E.J. Jenkins moved up from TE3 to TE2 with Goedert out, but he’s still waiting to see his first target of the season. And Hollywood Brown? Zero snaps on offense or special teams despite being active in Week 1. That’s a head-scratcher.
So yeah, Week 2 brought some serious ups and downs for this Eagles squad. From Darius Cooper proving he deserves more looks after that game-winner, to a revolving door in the backfield and some real head-scratchers at tight end, there’s a lot for them to sort out. They just gotta keep feeding Cooper and hope for some health. This early season is all about finding out who you are, and these Eagles are definitely still figuring it out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleeding Green Nation.
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