The Eagles are just 3-4 this season, but because of the parity in the NFC East, are well within striking distance of the first-place Giants. Head coach Chip Kelly is under the microscope this season for a slew of offseason moves many observers found questionable, and he would prove to be a wise decision-maker if he made one switch in particular. He needs to bench DeMarco Murray for Ryan Mathews.
On Sunday night Mathews carried the ball six times, while Murray ran 18 times. Mathews gained 97 yards and scored a touchdown, while Murray gained 65 yards and did not score a touchdown. This season Mathews is gaining almost a full three yards more per carry than Murray, and yet has been given the ball 32 fewer times. Mathews has also scored three touchdowns on the ground, three, as Murray.
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At the moment, Mathews is being diplomatic. "There's only one ball," Mathews said. "We've got three good running backs."
The problem is that Mathews has been far better than Murray and Darren Sproles, and Murray has been the worst of the bunch per attempt. When Kelly’s uptempo offense is at its best, the Eagles are wearing out defenses with relentless runs that set up deep strikes. Right now, Murray is running them into second and third down situations that remove the mystery of what Philadelphia will do next.
Murray signed a five-year, $40 million contract this offseason that instigated head-scratching around the league. Murray led the NFL in rushing last season, but he also led the league in attempts, and ran behind the top offensive line in football. Running backs historically see their production dip after big workloads like that, and Murray has been no exception. The Eagles also traded away a star running back in LeSean McCoy, and looked like they preferred to piece their running game together with cheaper options like Mathews and Sproles. Instead, they are force-feeding a back who has been less effective than two other capable players in their rotation.
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Kelly doesn’t have to eliminate Murray from the equation; Mathews’ injury history suggests that he’s not cut out for the type of work Murray had in 2014. But Mathews should be a larger part of the Eagles offense if they want to make a run.
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