Eagles coach Chip Kelly: ‘We’re not trying to win rushing titles’
By Wes Goldberg
Despite being down as much as 14 points in each of their first two games, the Philadelphia Eagles are standing at 2-0. Those early deficits have led to a lot more passing—and a lot less running—than Chip Kelly may have planned for. While the offense is leading the NFL in yards and points scored, the Eagles players aren’t satisfied. According to Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com, quarterback Nick Foles and running back LeSean McCoy have been disappointed with the team’s struggles early in games.
Part of that has to do with team’s zoning in on McCoy, winner of the rushing title last season and a threat to score from anywhere on the field.
"“We’re not trying to win rushing titles,” Kelly said. “We’re trying to win football games.”“Sometimes things are geared to take him away,” Kelly said. “If they’re geared to take him away, then other guys have to make plays. We have enough weapons around LeSean where you have to pick your poison, so to speak, in terms of who you have to defend. People are honed in on him and rightfully so. Now it opens the field up for some of the other guys. So some of our big plays have all occurred on play-action passes. There’s a reason for that. If you’re going to gang up on the run game, we need to have guys open in play-action pass.”"
In his first two games, McCoy has rushed for 153 yards and one touchdown on 41 carries. He’s averaging just 3.7 yards per carry, compared to 5.1 yards per carry last season.
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With team’s focused on stopping the reigning rushing champion, the Eagles have utilized the talents of Darren Sproles, who has 15 carries for 97 yards (6.5 YPG) and two touchdowns and 11 catches for 166 yards this season. Tight end Zach Ertz also has seven catches for 163 yards.
With teams keying in on the run game, it puts more pressure on Foles to lead the offense. But as he continues to play well and guys like Sproles and Ertz are killing defenses, it should re-open things back up for McCoy.
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