Although the Eagles may have found a way to win against the Vikings it seems that Nick Sirianni is still trying to keep a competitive edge by not naming a designated RB1. Kenny Gainwell seemed to be their bell cow against the Patriots after receiving 14 carries while the rest of the RB group only received two carries in total.
He missed the next game against the Vikings due to a rib injury that suffered in week 1. That only further complicated things for the Eagles’ offensive coaching staff. Fortunately, they chose to feature D’Andre Swift and ride the “hot hand”. Swift impressed the entire NFL as he rushed 28 times for 175 yards and one touchdown.
It wasn’t only in what he did that was impressive but it was in the manner he did it. Swift was patient behind the offensive line as he waited for the right holes to open. He was relieved by Boston Scott, who had 5 carries for 40 yards before having to leave the game with an injury.
Who should be the Eagles RB1?
We have only seen a small sample size from both Kenny Gainwell and D’Andre Swift but one sticks out far more than the other. Both running backs faced similar style defenses but the talents were different. Kenny Gainwell ran into traffic on most of his carries against the Patriots but was that due to a lack of vision or scheme?
He rushed 14 times for only 54 yards. His longest run of the day was for 14 yards which shows how little the run game impacted the game. He averaged 3.8 yards per carry which is not bad at all but it’s proof that the run game impact was not there in week 1.
Would Gainwell have been RB1 in week 2?
It remains to be seen if Sirianni would’ve rode the “hot hand” against the Vikings. He received a bit of backlash after Swift’s lack of touches in week 1. It also doesn’t help the Coaching staff’s case for week 1 after Swift’s incredible week 2 performance.
D’Andre Swift made his hometown debut in front of the Philly faithful on Thursday night and shined brighter than expected. He finished with 175 rushing yards while averaging 6.2 yards per carry.
He made the most of his opportunities as he was efficient on the ground and he attacked the Vikings’ defense with his quick feet and strategic decision-making.
Who is the Eagles RB1?!
Swift’s week 2 performance should in no way diminish the way that people view Kenny Gainwell. He is a good running back with a high ceiling but he is not the RB1 that the Eagles need right now. While the Eagles should go with the running back by committee approach, Swift should be the undisputed RB1 and receive a bulk of the opportunities.
Gainwell can be a great change of pace back for this offense but the Eagles need to be wise in not forcing him to be the guy right now. The offense is better if both are utilized properly. Against a Bucs defense that has been stingy against the run so far, they will need to make the most of their opportunities to win. One of those opportunities is to decide to ride the best hand and not overthink it.
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
