3 Keys to divisional round success for the Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles will have to ride Jay Ajayi and the running game all the way into the next round of the playoffs.

If head coach Doug Pederson wants to control the time of possession, then a heavy dose of a ‘ground-and-pound’ attack will need to be employed. Running backs Jay Ajayi, LeGarrette Blount, and Corey Clement will have a busy day Saturday trying to take the pressure off of Foles. Ajayi specifically, could, and should, have the biggest day out of the three.

The Eagles have been resting Ajayi these past couple of weeks in order to get him ready to unleash come game time. These are the types of games that Ajayi should thrive in, and it’s one of the reasons that the Eagles traded for him in the first place. Coach Pederson should be giving him plenty of opportunities early and often.

If you take a look back at Week 6, you will notice that Ajayi already has experience against this Falcons defense. This was back when he was still with the Miami Dolphins obviously. Ajayi played well tallying 130 yards on 26 carries.

Furthermore, besides taking pressure off of Foles, a solid running game can neutralize the Falcons aggressive front-seven. When you take away the pass rush, you can set-up Foles for success.

In Conclusion…

When the Eagles are in the playoffs, it’s always an exciting time for Philadelphia. Whether they win or lose, this has certainly been a season to remember.

We’ll find out if this memorable season will continue on or send us back to the couch after Saturday.