Philadelphia Eagles must run the ball against Green Bay Packers
The Philadelphia Eagles haven’t run the ball much at this point. That should change this week against the Green Bay Packers.
Lately, the Philadelphia Eagles haven’t looked like the team we expected to see heading into the 2019 NFL season. Especially on offense, where we assumed the Eagles were built to go blow for blow with some of the league’s better offensive units.
With their two primary wide receivers out for now though, Philly is struggling to put points on the board consistently. Tight end Zach Ertz is always getting double-teamed by defenders. Wide receiver Nelson Agholor is struggling to overcome the pressure of being a No. 1 wideout.
Third-year wideout Mack Hollins has been decent, but his offensive pass interference penalties along with drops have been killer. And the rookie JJ Arcega-Whiteside is just not living up to the second-round hype as of right now.
You would think with these concerns in the passing game, the Eagles would look to utilize their supposed upgraded backfield for the time being — but that hasn’t been the case. Right now, the Eagles rank 17th in the league for total rushing, with 82 total attempts. Eleven of those total attempts have come from the quarterback, Carson Wentz as well.
As we know, the Eagles have once again been hesitant about utilizing their backs. Understandably, they may abandon the run while trailing multiple possessions, but it’s been evident that they are less balanced on offense, and less reluctant to let the running backs attempt to take over even when the games are close. That might have to change this week.
It’s time to utilize the ground and pound method
So far, what the Eagles have been doing hasn’t been working. Hence the 1-2 record through three weeks. This week, the Birds play a stout Green Bay Packers defense on the road, who have been pretty stingy in the passing game. Right now, the Packers’ defense has only allowed 197 yards-per-game, which ranks fifth in the NFL.
Meanwhile, their rushing defense hasn’t been as sharp. Ranked 25th in the league, Green Bay has allowed 131 yards-per-game, with a total of three touchdowns on the ground. Obviously, with the Eagles being a pass-heavy team, this matchup doesn’t really work well in their favor. However, it’s time for Doug Pederson and Mike Groh to switch it up on the short week.
Philly has a frequent competitor of the Packers’ in their backfield this season with former Chicago Bears running back, Jordan Howard. In six meetings against Green Bay, Howard has totaled for 361 yards, averaging roughly four yards-per-carry, with a total of three touchdowns.
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This week, the Eagles could and feature Howard as they should’ve been doing all along, and sprinkling in the rookie Miles Sanders every once in a while to offer a change of pace look.
With that, the Eagles can create more of an offensive balance and make it easier for Wentz in the passing game as the Eagles will be less predictable. This matchup won’t be easy, but it’s definitely a winnable game for the Eagles despite the difference in records. Pederson and his staff just have to be willing to switch it up this week.