Miles Sanders Tested for Concussion versus Patriots: Report

Miles Sanders

Getty Eagles RB Miles Sanders was a finalist for NFL Rookie of the Year honors in 2019.

Miles Sanders shockingly only touched the football four times in the second half of Sunday’s 17-10 loss. Now we know why.

According to Eagles sideline reporter Howard Eskin, Sanders checked into the medical tent and was being evaluated for a concussion versus the Patriots. The rookie running back was never listed on the injury report but Eskin described a chaotic scene late in the third quarter as Sanders came off the field.

“A lot of people don’t know this but he was being checked for a concussion,” Eskin said on 94 WIP SportsRadio’s Brandon Graham Show on Monday night at Chickie’s & Pete’s.

Sanders’ disappearance from the game plan was a hot-button issue after the game, with critics blaming the team for favoring Boston Scott over the rookie. It looks like a possible concussion may have played a major factor in the decision.

He carried 11 times for 38 yards on 64 offensive snaps while Scott toted it seven times for 26 yards on 14 total snaps. Sanders was supposed to be a difference-maker with starter Jordan Howard out due to a shoulder injury.

On Monday, head coach Doug Pederson admitted the Patriots made a concerted effort to take Sanders away. They put linebackers on him and rotated safeties over to his side, keeping tabs on the explosive speedster all game. Pederson wanted Sanders to have a bigger role but the Patriots “schemed him up.”

“I believe I noticed that every time I would go out, they started putting safeties on me instead,” Sanders told reporters, via PennLive. “Even when I would go on swing routes or flats, the end tried to get a piece of me and with the back over top. They tried to make it real difficult for me.”

Analyzing the Eagles Snap Counts from Sunday

One of the things being dissected ad nauseum on Monday morning were the snap counts. Brandon Brooks — fresh off his new contract extension — was tied with Jason Kelce, Carson Wentz and Isaac Seumalo for the team-high with 75 snaps.

Kelce remains the only Eagles player to never leave the field this season. Left tackle Jason Peters played a whopping 73 snaps in his first game back from a sore knee. Remember, Lane Johnson left the game with a concussion.

Meanwhile, Malcolm Jenkins, Rodney McLeod and Jalen Mills paced the defense with 74 snaps apiece. Mills and fellow starting cornerback Ronald Darby looked healthy and played their best games of the year.

Perhaps the most notable snap counts were in the wide receivers group. The unit played 162 total snaps and finished with six catches for 75 yards, per NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Dave Zangaro.

Nelson Agholor played 66 snaps and caught four passes for 40 yards, which is tremendous production compared to the other receivers. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside played 19 snaps and eventually hauled in that big 29-yard pass.

But Jordan Matthews (64 snaps) and Mack Hollins (13) combined to play 77 snaps and had a total of one catch for six yards on seven targets.

There was plenty of blame to go around in the loss to New England. Still, the lack of production from the wideouts remains an alarming concern. It needs to be addressed.