The Philadelphia Eagles finally returned to their winning identity with a dominating 44-6 victory over the Detroit Lions.
Weirdly, they abandoned the run game in their four previous games before facing Detroit.
But head coach Nick Sirianni finally realized that the ground game is their key to success.
236 rushing yards
4 rushing touchdowns
1 fantastic day on the ground#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/266cd4vSgc— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) October 31, 2021
They ran the ball 46 times against the Lions to gain 236 yards and four touchdowns.
That’s the most carries they’ve had since their 31 rushing attempts during their Week 1 victory against the Atlanta Falcons.
What’s fascinating is that the Eagles executed a balanced approach to address Miles Sanders‘ absence.
Eagles Stomping The Ground
Sanders did not play against the Lions due to a foot and ankle injury, putting him on injured reserve.
Still, the Eagles soared by ramming through the Lions’ defensive line.
Jalen Hurts, Boston Scott, and Jordan Howard each went over 50 rushing yards on 31 combined tries.
“We wanted to be physical”
-Boston Scott on running the ball and mindset this week pic.twitter.com/fbebyArb5w
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) October 31, 2021
Hurts led the way with 71, while Scott and Howard had 60 and 57, respectively.
It’s a feel-good story that backup running backs carried the game for the team.
Scott was a sixth-round selection in the 2018 NFL Draft who always took a back seat to Sanders.
Meanwhile, Howard got his opportunity after getting a call-up from the practice squad.
Jordan Howard doing Jordan Howard things.#PHIvsDET | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/wxPszMLpAo
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) October 31, 2021
Their backfield partnership resulted in two rushing touchdowns apiece and a combined average of 9.8 yards per attempt.
Hurts always extended plays with his feet when the intended outcome did not materialize, but he did not force questionable runs this time.
More importantly, the Eagles’ offensive line deserves a ton of credit for creating the gaps that their rushers exploited all game long.
Despite playing without Lane Johnson and Jason Kelce, their linemen allowed zero quarterback hits and zero sacks.
.@JayGlazer and @Eagles OT @LaneJohnson65 sat down to have an open conversation about mental health and the every day struggles that impact people that suffer from anxiety and depression. pic.twitter.com/CeKGYVCfGW
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 31, 2021
However, Jack Driscoll‘s injury earlier in the game could be a cause of concern.
Rediscovering Run Game Success
It seemed like Sirianni adjusted his game plan to copy the other team’s strength during the previous weeks.
They did not stick to their effective run game, and that decision developed adverse effects.
In Week 2, the Eagles ran the ball 29 times but lost to the San Francisco 49ers, 17-11.
But in their loss to the Dallas Cowboys, they had only 12 carries for 64 yards even when Sanders was having success with 13.5 yards per carry.
Miles Sanders seeing Sirianni finally embrace the run pic.twitter.com/wmYyEj85tW
— Bleeding Green Nation (@BleedingGreen) October 31, 2021
Philadelphia won against the Carolina Panthers in Week 5 but ran the ball 22 times.
Hurts and Sanders split the Eagles’ 19 attempts in their defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
However, Sirianni and offensive coordinator Shane Steichen re-established their run dominance last week versus the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Eagles lost, 33-22, but gained 135 yards on the ground.
After Week 8, Philadelphia ranks sixth in run offense, averaging 131.6 per game.
See Jalen Hurts don’t miss to many guys when he has a run game 👀 #Eagles
Oh by the way Jordan Howard is back!
— FLOWERS EVERYWHERE Podcast (@Philly_Mike25) October 31, 2021
They also rank third in yards per carry with five (tied with the Kansas City Chiefs) and in rushing touchdowns with 12 (tied with the Arizona Cardinals).
Seeing their success against Detroit will convince the Eagles think tank to establish the run game as their core on offense.
With Sanders, Johnson, and Kelce set to return, pounding the ground could be the key to gaining more victories in their nine remaining games.
