Head coach Doug Pederson said all week leading into Sunday's game against the New York Giants that he wanted to work the running game and get that part of the offense in gear.
Well, the Eagles did just that on Sunday in a 27-24 victory at Lincoln Financial Field. Not including quarterback Carson Wentz's runs, the Eagles called 33 running plays and gained 172 ground yards against a run defense that was the league's second best in 2016.
"I just think it is the mindset," Pederson said after the game. "Our offensive line put it on their backs to make it go."
Wendell Smallwood had 12 carries for 71 punishing yards and LeGarrette Blount picked up 67 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. Rookie Corey Clement scored for the first time in his young career on a 15-yard run to tie the game 21-21 in the fourth quarter.
The running game showed up for the Eagles at the right time.
"We got into a little bit of a rhythm. The guys up front did a terrific job and I just followed them," Smallwood said. "It was fun getting the carries and staying with it."
Blount was a wrecking ball early, running with great aggressiveness.
"They weren't able to stop us," Blount said. "We got the run game going early. We got the offense going early. Usually when you do that, it's pretty tough to stop.
"The offensive line played their tails off. All the support - the tight ends, the receivers, everybody was blocking well. It was a collective team effort."
The Eagles started Chance Warmack at left guard in place of Isaac Seumalo and then replaced Warmack with Stefen Wisniewski. The changing personnel didn't seem to impact the continuity too much. Although quarterback Carson Wentz was sacked three times, some of that was due to good downfield coverage in the passing game.
Meanwhile, the running game just steamrolled a good Giants front seven missing middle linebacker B.J. Goodson.
"They're a defense that tries to pride themselves on one level," Clement said. "Linebackers shoot the gaps and we just tried to - you just have to believe in the offensive line. We had a great game plan and we just work off them."
The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the New York Giants, 27-24, thanks to a historic Jake Elliott field goal.
DT Fletcher Cox and DE Vinny Curry
QB Carson Wentz
DE Steven Means
DT Beau Allen
Home Sweet Home
Our tiny fans are gameday ready
G Brandon Brooks
All smiles here at Lincoln Financial Field today
Go Birds
Our fans are happy to be back home today
Eagles Drumline
WR Alshon Jeffery and QB Carson Wentz
TE Brent Celek
WR Alshon Jeffery
LB Najee Goode
WR Nelson Agholor
RB Darren Sproles
DT Tim Jernigan
T Lane Johnson
RB LeGarrette Blount
QB Coach John DeFilippo
WR Alshon Jeffery
Fly Eagles Fly
Game time
In a display of unity, Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie joined the team for the National Anthem
In a display of unity, Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie joined the team for the National Anthem
In a display of unity, Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie joined the team for the National Anthem
In a display of unity, Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie joined the team for the National Anthem
In a display of unity, Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie joined the team for the National Anthem
QB Carson Wentz
RB Corey Clement
P Donnie Jones
Get well soon Jon Dorenbos!
Well wishes for Jon Dorenbos
Honorary Alumni Captain Jason Avant
C Jason Kelce
QB Carson Wentz
TE Brent Celek, T Lane Johnson and G Brandon Brooks
Fighting for yards
RB Darren Sproles
WR Mack Hollins
This is our house
RB LeGarrette Blount and QB Carson Wentz
RB LeGarrette Blount
QB Carson Wentz
TE Trey Burton
DT Tim Jernigan
LB Kamu Grugier-Hill
RB LeGarrette Blount
CB Rasul Douglas
QB Carson Wentz
QB Carson Wentz
QB Carson Wentz and RB LeGarrette Blount
RB Wendell Smallwood
Eagles Drumline
LB Nigel Bradham
Sixers Head Coach Brett Brown and Joel Embiid
RB LeGarrette Blount
RB LeGarrette Blount and QB Carson Wentz
K Jake Elliott
RB Wendell Smallwood
RB LeGarrette Blount
RB LeGarrette Blount
RB LeGarrette Blount
RB LeGarrette Blount and RB Wendell Smallwood
CB Rasul Douglas
WR Alshon Jeffery
Philadelphia 76ers
DE Brandon Graham
FlyEaglesFly
DT Tim Jernigan
RB LeGarrette Blount
RB LeGarrette Blount
DE Brandon Graham
S Malcolm Jenkins
TE Trey Burton
Home opener
G Brandon Brooks
CB Patrick Robinson and CB Rasul Douglas
CB Patrick Robinson
A pumped up fan
This fan approves
CB Patrick Robinson
TE Zach Ertz
LB Nigel Bradham
S Malcolm Jenkins
DE Vinny Curry
RB LeGarrette Blount
T Jason Peters
LB Nigel Bradham
CB Rasul Douglas, S Chris Maragos, and CB Patrick Robinson
QB Carson Wentz
TE Zach Ertz
TE Zach Ertz
TE Zach Ertz
QB Carson Wentz and TE Zach Ertz
QB Carson Wentz
RB Corey Clement
RB Wendell Smallwood
Head Coach Doug Pederson
LB Mychal Kendricks
K Jake Elliott
P Donnie Jones and K Jake Elliott
K Jake Elliott
Head Coach Doug Pederson
Dave Spadaro, K Jake Elliott, and RB LeGarrette Blount
That winning feeling
K Jake Elliott
K Jake Elliott
K Jake Elliott
LB Mychal Kendricks, K Jake Elliott, and LB Kamu Grugier-Hill
S Malcolm Jenkins
