Philadelphia Eagles fans should trust Doug Pederson’s offense

While the Philadelphia Eagles have been fairly suspect in the run game, fans should not feel discouraged by the way Doug Pederson runs the show.

As well documented and now the headline of the solvent to the Eagles offensive woes, Eagles running back LeGarrette Blount is a touchdown machine. Taking a look at his stats from last year when he led the NFL in scoring touchdowns as a running back for the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots, Blount stats through two games read 51 carries, 193 yards. This year as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles Blount’s stats read 14 carries, 46 yards.

I say that’s he’s a member because as of yet we can not count Blount as a running back for the Philadelphia Eagles. Yet Blount has positioned himself with the right attitude, saying all the right things and being ready to contribute when his number is called. He has brought into the pattern of how things have gone for years in Philadelphia ever since Andy Reid took over and we should expect nothing less from the disciple of Reid in Eagles head coach Doug Pederson. For a particular game plan, the coaches will match up schemes and packages and dictate which running backs they will use in each particular game. It worked for Reid despite heavy criticism, hopefully, Pederson can find his own rhythm.

Kansas City Cooking

This game apparently the Philadelphia coaching staff felt that they did not need any package that would effectively keep Alex Smith and a high-powered Kansas City offense off of the field. But let’s not be critical of the decisions that Philadelphia coaching makes without remembering that we used to complain about the same type game planning when now Kansas City head coach Andy Reid was running the show effectively in Philadelphia. Anytime after a gritty, tough-nosed Philadelphia defensive battle is lost we as fans and media scream for more attention to the run game.

Let’s not be so quick to forget how very effective our run game is when we do properly address it. How is Pederson planning on generating some positive gains from a now defunct and listless run game? Is Blount really a product of a great system and does he have what it takes to carry the load here in Philadelphia? I believe there are valid points that support and oppose both lines of thought….however the real question is are we underestimating the game planning of Coach Pederson?

If you look at the gamut of seasons when Andy Reid led a Donovan McNabb quarterbacked the team to numerous NFC East titles there were games where you look at the schedule and you say, ‘by the end of 4 games I would be happy with a 3-1 record.’ We are game planning for a 16 game PLUS season and only the jaded, overly optimistic, every year is our year Eagle fan expected Doug Pederson to outcoach Andy Reid in Kansas City a week after Reid and the Chiefs dismantled New England’s head coach Bill Belichick’s game plan IN New England. I’m looking at a potential 2-2 finish after 4 and the Eagles still very much in the hunt for the division title and a deep playoff run.

Blocking Help

Blount benefited greatly from a system where at times he lined up in a single back set out of the shotgun formation and was primarily behind a lead blocker. Pederson and Eagles running back coach Duce Staley see that and they know that they have not unveiled that wrinkle of the Eagles attacks to the masses, but we are only 2 games into a potential 18-game season.

Do not be surprised if we see TE Brent Celek go into motion and line up as the lead back for Blount as we start to take advantage of a beast of a man doing what he loves to do, and then we’ll cheer as Blount dominates. Pederson could even use TE Trey Burton in that role. The Eagles have so many solutions to a run game that is not broke but is just defunct by choice of play calling and game planning.

Next: Week 3 NFL Fantasy Football rankings & Philadelphia Eagles implications

Let’s not forget that Doug Pederson is a walking, breathing serious disciple of a very successful and brilliant coach and look back through the archives and you will see that we wrote about, complained about and ranted about the same problems when Reid was here and the Philadelphia Eagles ran through the NFC. Wentz is better than McNabb and if Pederson can finesse his way to maximizing the potential of the players on his roster without getting overwhelmed then Eagles fans can finally start to believe that we have something special brewing here.