Eagles Have Quality and Depth At Running Back Position

In 2015, Eagles head coach Chip Kelly wants to maintain pressure on opposing defenses by getting four or five yards on first downs, maintaining the pace of the plays, spreading the defenses out from an alignment standpoint and pounding them with his big, physical Pro Bowl running backs.

The Eagles are stacked at the running back position with the NFL’s leading rusher in 2014, DeMarco Murray carrying the ball on first and second downs and another Pro Bowl running back in Ryan Mathews backing him up.  Then on third downs, the Birds will get quicker by bringing in yet another Pro Bowl running back, Darren Sproles to keep the pressure on the defense.

Murray and Mathews are big, slashing, north and south runners, who will pound opposing defenses with consistent three, four and five yard gains, which will keep the Birds in control and out of must-passing situations.  With these two bruisers hammering the defense in the quick-paced attack, defensive coordinators will have the difficult task of trying to give their front seven some help in stopping the Birds running game, while at the same time not leaving themselves vulnerable to big plays in the passing game.

Kelly will spread the defenses out with his two-tight ends and three wide receivers formations, which will make it hard for the defense to get their safeties involved in run support and thereby force the defense to pick their poison.  Will they try to take away the run or the pass?  If they play more zone, it makes run support easier for the secondary but it also isn’t as good against the passing game.  If the defense play man coverages, it leaves the front seven on their own against the running game because Chip makes sure his wide receivers do a great job of spacing, which means they use every yard of width on the field in their formation.  In addition to that, they know that blocking is a big part of their job.

In addition, there aren’t too many defensive backs in the league, who want to be caught trying to tackle Murray or Mathews while fighting off a block.  Kelly knows many defensive backs have the attitude of Hall of Famer, Deion Sanders, they don’t want to tackle anybody.  The Eagles head coach likes to force the defense to bring in extra defensive backs, then he runs the ball against them.

Now, back to the quandary the opposing defense is stuck with when facing Kelly’s attack. Will they be committed to stopping the Eagles ground game by keeping all their linebackers on the field vs. two-tight end and three wide receivers sets?  Will they let Kelly dictate their personnel and coverage, by forcing them into zone coverages and chasing their linebackers off the field with spread formations?

If they keep their linebackers on the field and play man-to-man coverages, they leave themselves vulnerable to match up problems, such as a linebacker one-on-one with a wide receiver or a speedy tight end like Zach Ertz.  If the defense commits to matching up against the three-wide receiver sets by putting an extra defensive back on the field, then Kelly is going to give them a good dose of Murray and Mathews.

This is the dilemma defenses face when they take on the Birds offense.  I expect defensive coordinators to stack the box against the Eagles running game, until Sam Bradford proves he can get the job done from the pocket with his arm.  Hopefully, he proves he’s healthy again and capable of making every read and throw needed in the preseason, which will force defenses to play them honestly, respecting their ability to pass and run the football.   Once the former number one pick in the draft backs defensive coordinators off, then Kelly will have the league’s defenses where he wants them, guessing.

Kelly is wisely talking about lowering the workload for Murray in the 2015 season with Mathews carrying part of it.  Last year with the Cowboys, Murray touched the football an astounding 449 times.  He averaged per carry while leading the league in rushing with 392 carries for 1845 yards.  He also caught 57 passes for 416 yards.

Murray is a big physical running back, who runs behind his pads.  He punishes tacklers and is always falling forward when he goes down.  His size, toughness and that forward lean are the reasons he’s so difficult to tackle behind the line of scrimmage.

The league rushing leader also has great vision and is an outstanding decision-maker with the football in his hands.  He’s going to take what’s there and not take the chances, which LeSean McCoy would decide to take.  Unlike McCoy who would make the amazing run by making somebody miss and improvising, these guys are going to be one-cut then north and south all day long until the opposing defense breaks.

Despite breaking his hand, the 2014 season was the first time Murray played all 16 games of a regular season.  He’s been sidelined with ankle and foot injuries during his four years in the league.

Mathews has as similar running style to Murray.  He too runs behind his pads with power and he breaks tackles.  In 2011, Mathews gained 1091 yards on 222 carries for a 4.9 yard per carry average.  He also caught 50 passes that year for 455 yards.  In 2013, he gained 1255 yards rushing on 285 carries, which was a 4.4 yard per carry average. He also caught 26 passes for another 189 yards.

The main reason Mathews was available is because of his injury history.  He’s broken both is left and right collarbones during his NFL career and he’s played only six games in 2014.  The former San Diego Charger first round draft pick has never played each game of a 16 game season. Hopefully, he can stay healthy here as a backup.

Again, you’re not going to see the great cut back run and quick jump outside from Murray or Mathews, that you saw from Shady.  These two big fellas are pounders, who will take the football and run to where the hole is supposed to be.

You won’t see the Eagles in second and long and third and long, very much.  They will keep the pressure off their quarterbacks, by getting plus yardage on first and second down.  Then on third down and short, the defense won’t be able to predict whether it will be a run or a pass.  This will keep the Birds out of must passing situations and allow them to prevent defensive pass rushers from being able to peel their ears back and disregard the run threat.

On those third downs, the lightning quick Sproles comes into the game and his ability to make plays in the run and pass game, on quick hitters up the middle, sweeps, draws, screens and pass routes out of the backfield, keeps the defense guessing.   I like the fact that he’s a change of pace from Murray and Mathews.  They pound tacklers, while Sproles darts past them.  Sometimes the diminutive Sproles just gets lost from defenders behind the big offensive linemen.

This little guy probably does more damage each time he touches the football as any player in the league.  His opportunities are spread out, but he makes the most of them, when he gets his hands on the football.  I love the patience he shows in the running game on draws and counters; as well as in the passing game with screens and pass routes.  He gives the play a chance to develop.

Last year, Sproles carried the football 57 times for 329 yards for a 5.8 yards per carry average with 6 touchdowns.  He caught 40 passes for 387 yards for a 9.7 yard per catch average.

The bottomline is that the Birds have three Pro Bowl level running backs, who can hurt you in every phase of the run and pass games.  Everything is on the table when any one of the three is in the game.

Kelly wants there to be a run and pass threat on each play, and he has that with these guys and that keeps the defense off guard.  It’s the main reason he despises dancing in the backfield and chancing losing yardage for a chance to get a 10 or 15 yard gain.  He would rather get the consistent four and five yard run to keep the defense on the defensive.

The Eagles don’t want to give defenses any chances of teeing off on Sam Bradford as he regains his confidence and gets comfortable in the offense.  I couldn’t say it too many times, that they want to stay out of must passing situations, keep the defenses guessing and on the defensive.  It’s like staying ahead of the count in baseball.

First team: DeMarco Murray
Second team: Ryan Mathews
Third team: Darren Sproles
Matthew Tucker, Kenjon Barner, Raheem Mostert