'Mighty Possum' D'Andre Swift Leads Eagles' Dominant Ground Attack vs. Vikings
PHILADELPHIA – As far as homecomings go, this one was straight out of Hollywood.
D’Andre Swift was introduced prior to Thursday night’s home opener at Lincoln Financial Field as being from nearby St. Joseph’s Prep High School. In his first home game with the Philadelphia Eagles, after being acquired for a 2025 fourth-round draft pick in the offseason, the running back put on a show for about 30 friends and family, nearly 70,000 people in the stands, and millions more watching on national television.
How good was he in the Eagles’ 34-28 win over the Minnesota Vikings?
Try 175 yards worth of good. That’s a new career high.
“He’s like a little – I can’t really call him Mighty Mouse, there’s already one of those – how about Mighty Possum?” said left tackle Jordan Mailata. “He’s just real fast. He just hits it. That’s kind of why you practice, man.
"You kind of get a feel of where the ball’s going to hit, and you trust that the running back is going to see that hole. It’s like a flash, a gust of wind when he hits it behind you. You feel it.”
Swift averaged 6.3 yards per carry and his 28 runs were the second-most in his career. His yardage total is also the most an Eagles back has gained in 10 years. Not since LeSean McCoy had 217 on Dec. 8, 2013, had a Philly running back come that close.
“It’s a blessing, but there’s a lot we need to work at as a team and an offense,” said Swift. “There’s a lot I need to get better at as well. I’m looking forward to getting better and getting back out there, but it’s a blessing.”
It was his fifth career 100-yard game, and first since he put up his previous career high of 144 in last year’s opener against the Eagles. He had back-to-back 100-yard games in 2020 at Pittsburgh (130 yards) and Cleveland (136 yards). He also had one in his fifth game as a rookie at Jacksonville (116 yards).
© Bill Streicher, USA TODAY
Swift said that playing his first game in his hometown didn’t faze him.
“I was just locked in on the task at hand, but it’s great being back in my hometown and being able to come out with the win first and foremost,” he said, but later added, “Everything tonight was amazing. It’s a blessing to have the love and support from the people I grew up around from high school.”
As a team, the Eagles ran roughshod over the Vikings, putting up 259 yards on the ground (5.4-yard average) with three rushing scores, one from 2 yards out by Swift and the other two from quarterback Jalen Hurts from 1 yard away.
It was the second-most yards in the Nick Sirianni era, which began in 2021 behind the 363-yard performance on Nov. 27, 2022, against the Green Bay Packers.
The thing is, the Eagles had no idea the running game would blossom like it did.
They began the game trying to throw the ball and running Hurts, without much success. By the end of the first quarter, the crowd began to boo an ineffective game plan. Swift had just four carries for 24 yards in the opening quarter.
To the Eagles’ credit, they adjusted and turned to the run game.
“Once we figured out how we could attack their defense and what they were playing, I think we finally just started to say, like, ‘Hey let’s run it, let’s run it,'" said right guard Cam Jurgens. "It started working and our backs did a great job so we just kept at it.”
Boston Scott added 40 yards on five runs, Hurts added 35 on 12 carries, and Rashaad Penny turned out nine yards on three runs.
The night, though, belonged to Swift.
“He’s shifty, really shifty,” said Jurgens. “He does a good job at finding the hole and if it isn’t there shifting around and getting to a different one. There were several times where I think he was supposed to go, but it wasn’t a good block or it wasn’t open, he made himself a good run. I think he made us look good.”
Swift had his first touchdown as an Eagle and it was one that he helped set up. After the Vikings had trimmed Philly’s lead to 27-21 with just over seven minutes to go in the fourth quarter, the Eagles began a backbreaking march.
One of the big plays was a third-and-five completion to A.J. Brown for 12 yards. The other was Swift’s 43-yard gallop to the Vikings’ 4. Swift ran it twice from there, scoring on a 2-yard scoot to the left, running through an arm tackle by Vikings safety Harrison Smith.
“I knew it was my last opportunity to get it because we were calling QB sneak after that,” he said.
Swift said he thought he had another touchdown earlier in the game before Hurts finished it up.
“I think they gipped me on one,” he said. “I think I got in, looking at the end zone copy, but it’s all good. We got the win.”
Swift was the workhorse on the Eagles’ 16-play touchdown drive that gave them the lead back at 10-7 with 7:55 to play in the second quarter. The running back carried the ball eight times for 38 yards on that drive.
“Yeah, it was pretty good, huh?” said head coach Nick Sirianni, of Swift’s game. “He showed vision, explosiveness."
The Eagles will have an extra long week before taking on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on Monday, Sept. 25.
