Rams Vs. Dallas Cowboys: Snap Counts

Rams Vs. Dallas Cowboys: QB Jared Goff Got Less Playing Time Than QB Case Keenum

Here’s the snap counts from Saturday’s game and what they mean.
By 3k

[www.turfshowtimes.com]

Offense
PLAYER POS OFF OFF%
Brian Folkerts C 46 65.71%
Sean Mannion QB 42 60.00%
Demetrius Rhaney C 36 51.43%
David Arkin G 35 50.00%
Andrew Donnal T 29 41.43%
Darrell Williams T 28 40.00%
Eric Kush G 27 38.57%
Jordan Swindle T 27 38.57%
Mike Thomas WR 27 38.57%
Pace Murphy T 27 38.57%
Paul McRoberts WR 26 37.14%
Duke Williams WR 24 34.29%
Brian Quick WR 21 30.00%
Aaron Green RB 20 28.57%
Malcolm Brown RB 20 28.57%
Nelson Spruce WR 20 28.57%
Tyler Higbee TE 20 28.57%
Garrett Reynolds G 19 27.14%
Pharoh Cooper WR 17 24.29%
Cody Wichmann G 17 24.29%
Temarrick Hemingway TE 17 24.29%
Bradley Marquez WR 16 22.86%
Justice Cunningham TE 15 21.43%
Greg Robinson T 15 21.43%
Jamon Brown G 15 21.43%
Case Keenum QB 15 21.43%
Rodger Saffold T 15 21.43%
Lance Kendricks TE 15 21.43%
Tim Barnes C 15 21.43%
Kenny Britt WR 14 20.00%
Benny Cunningham RB 13 18.57%
Jake Stoneburner TE 13 18.57%
Jared Goff QB 13 18.57%
Cory Harkey TE 11 15.71%
Zach Laskey FB 11 15.71%
Tavon Austin WR 11 15.71%
Chase Reynolds RB 10 14.29%
Terrance Magee RB 7 10.00%

So yes, ultimately, rookie franchise QB Jared Goff played one less snap than starting QB Case Keenum. With Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher indicating he’d like to get some first-team work for Goff, we’ll have to see if that changes. That makes for a tough situation in the preseason games, though.

Normally, you can pull your entire-first team entirely. Goff, though, could certainly use more snaps to prepare for Week 1 when he’ll hopefully be the starting QB as the Rams head north to take on the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football. Does that mean he gets the playing time with the second string offense as he did on Saturday? How does Case Keenum factor in moving forward for playing time in-game? Does that disrupt his ability to form any chemistry or consistent timing with his key targets including the rookie crop led by TE Tyler Higbee and WR Pharoh Cooper?

And with those offensive linemen and wide receivers at the top of this sheet, let’s see how things stack up in Week 2 to see what we need to take away. On this alone, it’s hard to really break down except that clearly the staff needed to get those guys snaps to see where they go on the depth chart right now, not really for the 53-man.

Defense
PLAYER POS DEF DEF%
Bryce Hager LB 33 57.89%
Ethan Westbrooks DT 31 54.39%
Lamarcus Joyner CB 30 52.63%
Troy Hill CB 28 49.12%
Coty Sensabaugh CB 27 47.37%
Dominique Easley DT 27 47.37%
Cam Thomas DT 26 45.61%
Cameron Lynch LB 23 40.35%
Michael Jordan DB 23 40.35%
Quinton Coples DE 23 40.35%
Ian Seau DE 23 40.35%
Akeen Ayers LB 20 35.09%
Jabriel Washington DB 19 33.33%
Cody Davis FS 16 28.07%
Christian Bryant S 16 28.07%
Maurice Alexander SS 16 28.07%
Marcus Roberson CB 15 26.32%
Eugene Sims DE 14 24.56%
T.J. McDonald SS 14 24.56%
Jordan Lomax DB 14 24.56%
Brian Randolph DB 13 22.81%
Jordan Kovacs DB 13 22.81%
Brandon Chubb LB 12 21.05%
Rohan Gaines DB 12 21.05%
Darreon Herring LB 12 21.05%
Trumaine Johnson CB 12 21.05%
Mark Barron LB 12 21.05%
Alec Ogletree LB 12 21.05%
Aaron Donald D 11 19.30%
William Hayes DE 10 17.54%
Michael Brockers DT 8 14.04%
Josh Forrest LB 4 7.02%
Cory Littleton LB 2 3.51%
Nic Grigsby LB 1 1.75%

Again, the takeaway at the top is that the coaches are trying to sort out the CB and DL depth chart more than anything, not necessarily that they “like” those guys.

And figuring out how to sort out the linebackers could just be a function of deciding whether or not Bryce Hager and Cameron Lynch are legit backup linebacking options and not just special teams contributors. The real indicator you know this was a test for those two? Not just how much they played, but look at 2016 NFL Draft sixth-round pick Josh Forrest and UDFAs Cory Littleton and Nic Grigsby. From where they’re sitting, their playing time likely increases over the next two games, but it’ll honestly be too late for LB depth.

The audition just took place.

Special Teams
PLAYER POS ST ST%
Brandon Chubb LB 14 50.00%
Josh Forrest LB 13 46.43%
Rohan Gaines DB 12 42.86%
Cory Littleton LB 11 39.29%
Bryce Hager LB 10 35.71%
Cameron Lynch LB 10 35.71%
Justice Cunningham TE 10 35.71%
Cody Davis FS 9 32.14%
Nic Grigsby LB 9 32.14%
Cory Harkey TE 9 32.14%
Johnny Hekker P 8 28.57%
Troy Hill CB 8 28.57%
Zach Laskey FB 8 28.57%
Marcus Roberson CB 7 25.00%
Aaron Green RB 7 25.00%
Bradley Marquez WR 7 25.00%
Chase Reynolds RB 7 25.00%
Taylor Bertolet K 6 21.43%
Matt Longacre DE 6 21.43%
Michael Jordan DB 6 21.43%
Christian Bryant S 6 21.43%
Eugene Sims DE 6 21.43%
Ethan Westbrooks DT 5 17.86%
Demetrius Rhaney C 5 17.86%
Malcolm Brown RB 5 17.86%
Jake McQuaide LS 4 14.29%
Jeff Overbaugh LS 4 14.29%
T.J. McDonald SS 4 14.29%
Brian Randolph DB 4 14.29%
Nelson Spruce WR 4 14.29%
Greg Zuerlein K 3 10.71%
Lamarcus Joyner CB 3 10.71%
Coty Sensabaugh CB 3 10.71%
Akeen Ayers LB 3 10.71%
Jabriel Washington DB 3 10.71%
Maurice Alexander SS 3 10.71%
Darreon Herring LB 3 10.71%
Trumaine Johnson CB 3 10.71%
Aaron Donald D 3 10.71%
William Hayes DE 3 10.71%
Michael Brockers DT 3 10.71%
Brian Folkerts C 3 10.71%
David Arkin G 3 10.71%
Andrew Donnal T 3 10.71%
Darrell Williams T 3 10.71%
Eric Kush G 3 10.71%
Jordan Swindle T 3 10.71%
Duke Williams WR 3 10.71%
Tyler Higbee TE 3 10.71%
Pharoh Cooper WR 3 10.71%
Quinton Coples DE 2 7.14%
Jordan Lomax DB 2 7.14%
Mark Barron LB 2 7.14%
Mike Thomas WR 2 7.14%
Paul McRoberts WR 2 7.14%
Benny Cunningham RB 2 7.14%
Benson Browne TE 1 3.57%
Dominique Easley DT 1 3.57%
Cam Thomas DT 1 3.57%
Ian Seau DE 1 3.57%
Garrett Reynolds G 1 3.57%
Cody Wichmann G 1 3.57%
Greg Robinson T 1 3.57%
Jamon Brown G 1 3.57%
Jake Stoneburner TE 1 3.57%
Terrance Magee RB 1 3.57%

Here’s your first sign of the inside track at the back of the 53-man roster.

Chubb, Forrest, Gaines and Littleton all got the key rookie snaps on special teams.

Let the battle begin.