Put Up Or Shut Up For Eagles’ Running Game

PHILADELPHIA -- There has been a noticeable swagger to the Philadelphia Eagles this week, a bit of a surprise coming off consecutive losses for the first time since a far different team dropped three straight to end the 2023 season, including the playoff debacle in Tampa Bay.

From a styles-make-fights standpoint, there are a lot of things to like heading to 3-2 Minnesota against the banged-up Vikings. However, the confidence is related to the preparation, according to multiple team sources, with the ugly 34-17 loss to the New York Giants serving as a wakeup call that the coaches feel has been answered by the players.

All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley verbalized what’s going on behind the scenes on Friday, but also highlighted that talk is cheap if it’s not backed up on Sunday.

"The thing that gives me confidence is our preparation this week,” Barkley said. “I know we came in with the right mindset.”

In his historic 2,504-yard rushing season over a 20-game run (he sat out the meaningless Week 18 regular-season finale) en route to a Super Bowl LIX championship in 2024-25, Barkley failed to reach 60 yards on the ground twice.

During the Eagles’ 4-2 start this season, Barkley has hit that landmark once, an 88-yard rushing performance at Kansas City in Week 2, and his longest run of 18 yards came on the first play of scrimmage against the Giants on the familiar MetLife Turf.

Overall, the Philadelphia running game is ranked 25th in the NFL at just 95.3 yards per game, and Barkley is averaging 3.4 yards per carry vs. 5.8 last season. Moreso, the Eagles’ rushing totals in the previous four games have been 86, 88, 45, and 73, only the third time in the last 50 years the franchise has gone four straight games under 90 yards on the ground.

Much has been made of the 482 touches on Barkley’s odometer last season, but the superstar seems like himself physically.

“If anything, I think he had more juice this summer, and he looks like the same guy on film,” a team source told Eagles On SI. “He might be pressing a little bit for explosives, but he’s the same guy [physically].”

However, the curveball to those 482 touches is what it took from the offensive linemen who cleared so many massive holes for Barkley, particularly Pro Bowl interior players Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens.

Banged-Up

Philadelphia Eagles guard Landon Dickerson (69). | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

It’s only Week 6, and Dickerson has already dealt with multiple knee injuries, a balky back, and a high ankle sprain, while Jurgens has acknowledged he’s still working to get back to 100% after offseason back surgery. The departed Mekhi Becton has also been dealing with physical ailments out with the LA Chargers.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Tyler [Steen] is the one who looks the sharpest [from a physical standpoint],” the source said.

The number of minor car crashes went through by the O-Line last season reads: Jurgens at 1,285, Dickerson at 1,232, Lane Johnson at 1,190, Jordan Mailata at 1,070, and Steen with just 400 as a backup who spelled at times.

Despite the obvious issues inside from a health perspective on the interior, the Eagles have focused on inside zone.

"They’ve been trying to run into the A/B gaps where the struggles have been the worst," a former Eagles' scouting executive said. "They’re also putting themselves into very predictable situations with their personnel, formations, and down/distance. "

If the running game is ever going to start to resemble last season, it has to be against the Vikings, who are built in the front seven with the passing game in mind.

Already this season, Brian Flores’ defense has been gashed by Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson, former Eagles’ backup Kenny Gainwell with Pittsburgh, and Cleveland rookie Quinshon Judkins.

The top five interior defensive linemen with the Vikings, led by another former Eagle in Javon Hargrave, are plus pass rushers and minus run defenders. Meanwhile, undersized linebackers Eric Wilson (yep, another ex-Birds player) and Ivan Pace Jr. are more havoc players than traditional run-stuffers.

Minnesota’s two best run defenders – LB Blake Cashman and game-wrecker Andrew Van Ginkel have been injured. Cashman is expected to return from injured reserve against the Eagles, while Van Ginkel has been ruled out again with a neck injury.

“Do your F@#$ing job,” was Mailata’s blunt assessment earlier in the week. “I’m gonna do my job. They are gonna do their job. Everybody is gonna do their job, which is why the mini-bye week we had was just [about] ‘do your job.’

"Don’t look at anything else. Dominate your blocks and everything will take care of itself.”

The best way to help may be to lighten the box with more spread formations.

"I’d love to see them be more multiple in their play calls from fewer formations, preferably 11 personnel with looks that spread the defense out," the exec said.

Whatever the answer is, it must be found because it’s getting late early for the Eagles.

The reigning Super Bowl champions have been outgained in all six of their games so far. Of the 92 teams that have started 0-for-6 in that metric, only five have made the postseason, and none reached the Super Bowl.

“We've got to stop talking about it and stop saying we're one play away,” Barkley admitted.

It’s time to put up or shut up for the Eagles’ ground game.

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