D'Andre Swift went from 3 to 175 in one week’s time.
Speeding past Minnesota Vikings defenders, Swift posted a career-high 175 rushing yards as the Philadelphia Eagles ground attack ran roughshod en route to a 34-28 win on Thursday Night Football.
It was a homecoming to remember for the Philadelphia native playing in his first home game at Lincoln Financial Field.
“It’s a blessing,” said Swift, who became the first Eagle with 175 yards and a touchdown on the ground since LeSean McCoy in 2013, per NFL Research. “Especially, home opener, first game playing in the stadium, just thank God.”
Seemingly an afterthought in his Eagles debut a week prior, Swift had just one carry for 3 yards in his team’s win over the New England Patriots with two touches total.
Four nights later, Swift averaged 6.3 yards a carry and outran the Vikings’ entire offense, 175-28. He ended the night with 31 touches for 181 yards. The aforementioned career-best 175 rushing yards came on 28 carries, which stands as his second-highest career tally and just the second time he’s surpassed 20 carries in a game.
“He just showed vision, explosiveness,” Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said. “I thought the offensive line did a phenomenal job of pushing them off the ball. So, I was really pleased he protected the ball.
“That was a lot of touches, too. Not only pleased with how he saw it and how he hit it, but also thought he protected the ball. Especially, when they are coming after it in situations at the end of the game like that.”
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The former Detroit Lions back was every bit the bell cow as the Eagles scored three touchdowns on the ground and racked up a resounding 259 rushing yards Thursday. Quarterback Jalen Hurts was the beneficiary of Swift’s offensive excellence, sneaking for a pair of touchdowns that came after Swift had led Philly to the 1-yard line.
Trailing, 7-3, in the second quarter, Hurts’ first TD sneak concluded a 16-play, 75-yard march in which Swift carried the ball eight times for 39 yards. On the Eagles’ opening drive of the third quarter, Swift took a handoff after a Kirk Cousins fumble at the Vikings’ 7-yard line and burst through the left side for a 6-yard gain, once again setting up Hurts.
Swift finally got his first Eagles TD deep in the fourth quarter on a 2-yard plunge. By then, he’d already run to his first 100-yard game since Week 1 of last season, which so happened to be against the Eagles.
In the aftermath of the Eagles’ sluggish win over the Pats, first-year offensive coordinator Brian Johnson said he’d be “mindful” of getting Swift the ball more. Johnson did, and Swift repaid his coach in kind.
Granted, Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell was inactive due to a rib injury, so it was a bit easier to divvy up more carries to Swift, but considering his performance Thursday, Philly will be hard-pressed to lessen his load going forward.
Swift flashed brilliance plenty during three seasons with the Lions, whetting anticipation that he could be a Pro Bowl-caliber, 1,000-yard runner. Neither happened for the 24-year-old RB, who’s been hampered by injuries and missed at least three games each season.
So, the Eagles still have to proceed with caution, but Swift produced 175 reasons for optimism going forward with his new franchise.
“He’s amazing,” Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith said. “He’s a bad m———–.”
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