The Philadelphia Eagles saw a noticeably different running game in Week 3 against the New York Jets. After failing to top 63 rushing yards throughout the first two weeks of the season, Ryan Mathews rumbled to 108 yards on the ground in DeMarco Murray's absence against a tough Jets front seven. Now was Mathews doing something differently or did Philly just have a more effective game plan?
If it's the former, Mathews could see more snaps and Chip Kelly could move to more of a timeshare in the backfield. However, three games is hardly a big enough sample size to draw firm conclusions.
"DeMarco fits in perfectly with what we are doing and Ryan fits in perfectly with what we are doing, and so does [Darren Sproles]," Kelly said via Philly.com on Monday. "God willing and the pope can bless us again, all three of them will be available to us on Sunday against the Redskins."
Murray was sidelined last week due to a hamstring injury but is expected to return against Washington this week. Both he and Mathews have dealt with several injuries throughout their careers which is why Philly was expected to have a more even distribution of carries between them.
Murray played 56 percent of the snaps as the primary option out of the backfield through the first two weeks. He carried the ball 21 of a possible 31 times in that span. Sproles, who is the primary pass-catcher of the trio, played 30 percent while Mathews played just 16 percent. But that might have to change after his 128 total yards and touchdown reception last week.
"Really, what got that play going today was the offensive line blocked it well at certain times," Eagles center Jason Kelce said of the outsisde zone plays that sprung Mathews. But that's not to say Murray couldn't have succeeded as well.
"He's a physical runner," Kelly said of Murray. "He does a nice job with the ball in his hands and can break contact at the line of scrimmage."
To his credit, Mathews isn't worried about the number of carries he gets. He says he walked into this situation with his eyes open and is just trying to help win ball games.
"I knew what I was signing up for when I signed with the team," Mathews said. "We have DeMarco Murray and Darren Sproles. Both of them are great running backs. I just tried to wait for my number to be called."
That call may come more often moving forward.
