Doug Pederson must rely on running game if Eagles are to win out

If Doug Pederson hopes to get his Philadelphia Eagles back into the playoffs, he must rely on his rushing attack the rest of the way.

A balanced offensive attack has always been the key to success for the Philadelphia Eagles during the Doug Pederson era. When he employs an effective running game, it allows him to control the clock and get Carson Wentz out of the pocket on play-action passes. Wentz is a much better passer when he’s rolling out as well, possessing the best QBR outside of the pocket in the NFL with a 94.4 mark.

Heading into the bye week, it seemed like Pederson had figured out the offensive formula that would benefit his team the most. The Eagles had a combined 76 rushing attempts for 364 yards in their back-to-back victories over the Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears.

Pederson then inexplicably abandoned the run game after the bye, and his team suffered through an excruciating three-game losing streak. Jordan Howard being sidelined with a shoulder injury probably played a part in the lack of a rushing attack, but it doesn’t excuse the fact that the Eagles have run the ball on only 30 percent of the offensive plays.

With his team’s back against the wall and in a must-win game against the hated New York Giants, Pederson finally seemed to come to his senses with his play calling. Even with his team down by two possessions in the second half, Pederson continued to lean on the legs of Miles Sanders and Boston Scott as the duo combined for 104 yards on the ground.