Eagles Running Attack Turning Modern NFL World Upside Down

The Philadelphia Eagles went against the grain in a passing league and ran right at the Minnesota Vikings in their home-opening win, dialing up 48 runs for 259 yards

PHILADELPHIA – Shane Steichen used to say if a defense wasn’t going to stop something he was calling then he was going to keep right on calling it.

That’s exactly what Brian Johnson did to the Minnesota Vikings in a 34-28 win for the Philadelphia Eagles at home on Thursday. Johnson, who succeeded Steichen as the Eagles offensive coordinator when Steichen left to be the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, kept dialing up inside zone reads because Brian Flores, the Vikings’ defensive coordinator, never seemed to adjust.

So, the Eagles' game plan became something straight out of a beginner reader’s book – “See D’Andre run.”

The Eagles ran the ball 48 times in total. D’Andre Swift had 28 of those carries and bullied his way to a career-high 175 yards, as the team scored three of its touchdowns on the ground.

Along the way, the Eagles dropped the modern NFL on its head. In what has increasingly become a passing league, they went old-school and pounded the ball right into the toothless Vikings defense during a 34-28 win to bring Philly to 2-0 on the young season.

D'Andre Swift celebrates a touchdown with tight end Dallas Goedert (left) and left tackle Jordan Mailata / USA Today

“I’ll be honest, from the first drive, it felt like they were daring us (to run),” said left tackle Jordan Mailata. “When we saw a 3-down front, we’re like, ‘Something’s wrong.’ They got a stop on us.

“…Once we figured out that’s how they’re going to play the rest of the game, we started getting what Coach Stout (Jeff Stoutland) calls a vertical ball and staying in their face and try to create a seam for the running back to hit.”

Credit Johnson and the Eagles’ staff for making an in-game adjustment.

How many times have we seen the Eagles fail to do that throughout their existence? Not this time.

“We talked about it in the meeting room, but you don’t really know the defensive front they’re going to play till game day, then it’s just adjustments,” said Mailata. “We adjusted, made them critical changes, and started executing.”

It may not make for an exciting watch and concern some fans that the passing game isn't clicking, but running the ball is what the Eagles have done so well with their offensive line and under head coach Sirianni since he took over after the 2020 season.

Sirianni has coached 36 regular-season games with the Eagles and this was the 10th time they ran for more than 200 yards as a team. In contrast, the Eagles ran for more than 200 yards just five times in 80 games coached by Doug Pederson.

The Vikings gave the Eagles something they hadn’t shown, and Johnson and company were able to think quickly on their feet and adjust. The trick was sticking to it like Steichen said he would do. And Johnson did.

“Obviously, it can be kind of monotonous for the play caller, you know, ‘I’m just going to call inside zone 18 times?’” said center Jason Kelce. “But I think that’s the mark of somebody who is taking what the defense is giving and being smart.

"I think with what was happening out there, that was clearly something we were having success with. Even though it appears simple, I think it can be harder than it appears to stay with it.”