How Cam Jurgens has Transformed the Eagles’ Running Game – NBC Sports Philadelphia

Cam Jurgens has participated in 4 ½ games this year.

During his time on the field, the Eagles ran 149 times for 698 yards, averaging 4.7 yards per carry.

When he was not on the field, they ran 168 times for 583 yards, averaging 3.5 yards per carry.

Quite a difference indeed.

Various factors have influenced the Eagles’ success in running the ball, including Jalen Hurts’ health, play calling, and the defenses they face.

However, a difference of 1.2 yards per carry is considerable, and it’s reasonable to assume that Jurgens’ presence is a significant part of that variation.

In the first month of the season, the Eagles ranked third in the NFL in yards per carry and second in yards per game.

Then Jurgens suffered a foot injury just before halftime in the Week 5 win over Washington.

During the six weeks (and five games) he missed, they ranked 30^th in yards per carry and 24^th in yards per game.

When he returned on Monday night in Kansas City, the team ran for 114 yards and averaged 4.2 yards per carry, their best ground performance since Jurgens got hurt.

D’Andre Swift also had a great game, with 76 rushing yards, a touchdown, and 31 receiving yards.

None of this is coincidental.

The Eagles are now back at full strength on the offensive line, and they hope this will enable them to continue running the ball effectively in the upcoming games.

“It was huge,” Jurgens said. “We’ve got some great backs and we get Swift the ball in open space, he’s going to make someone miss, and it was fun to see him out there again (and also) passing the ball and getting some of the screens going, too.”

When the Eagles rush for 100 yards they’re 28-8 under Nick Sirianni. They’re 6-6 when they don’t.

“Yeah, I mean it kills the defense,” Jurgens said. “You get a big run right away, and then it’s like 2nd-and-1. You’ve just got to keep at it, keep running. There’s gonna be plays throughout the game where one person doesn’t get a block and you lose a yard, but you keep at it, and he’s going to get it next time.”

Even with some sub-par games while Jurgens was out, Swift is still on pace for nearly 1,200 rushing yards and more than 1,500 scrimmage yards. His 4.7 yards per carry is 7^th-best in the league among backs with at least 100 carries, and his 690 yards are 3^rd-most, behind Christian McCaffrey and one-time Eagles training camp phenom Raheem Mostert.

The Bills are ranked 29^th in the league against the run, allowing 4.5 yards per carry, though they’ve shown improvement lately, only allowing 3.6 in the last six games after 5.8 in the first five weeks of the season.

If the Eagles are going to defeat the Bills on Sunday at the Linc and reach a 10-1 record, they will likely have to rely on their ground attack.

Fortunately, Jurgens is back at 100 percent, and we’ve all seen the difference he can make.