Eagles Can't Lean on Their 2024 Formula With Run Game in Shambles

Sports admin October 10, 2026 0 Comments

Eagles Can’t Lean on Their 2024 Formula With Run Game in Shambles

The Philadelphia Eagles cannot simply summon the formula that rescued their 2024 season. Former Eagles center Cam Jurgens is now with the Baltimore Ravens, while running back Saquon Barkley (hamstring) and center Drew Kendall (knee) are both out for Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. The roster that once could lean on a dominant front and a historic rushing attack is suddenly asking inexperienced linemen to stabilize an offense already short on healthy playmakers.

Locked On Eagles host Louie DiBiase argued that head coach Nick Sirianni’s confidence in another turnaround is understandable, but that this team lacks the unused advantage that powered their 2024 run. Philadelphia reshaped its identity around the running game that season, when Barkley produced an NFL-record 2,504 rushing yards across the regular season and playoffs and helped the club win Super Bowl LIX.

The change up front makes the comparison especially difficult. Philadelphia sent Jurgens and a 2027 seventh-round pick to Baltimore for a 2027 fifth-round pick and a 2028 second-rounder earlier this week, a deal that added future draft capital but removed a veteran starter during the season. The team said Jurgens had moved from center to left guard after Landon Dickerson went on injured reserve, with Kendall taking over at center.

DiBiase said the Eagles may use Willie Lampkin at guard and Markel Bell at tackle with Kendall out. That would put a young, reworked front in charge of creating room for backs Will Shipley and Dameon Pierce. The host’s larger point was that Philadelphia can still recover from a 2-2 start, but it cannot expect its rushing attack to carry the same margin for error.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts becomes the clearest path to an offensive reset. Hurts has 713 passing yards and 105 rushing yards through four games, and DiBiase believes the Eagles need to use his mobility more aggressively against Jacksonville rather than ask him to consistently operate as a stationary pocket passer behind a depleted line.

DiBiase still sees a route to the NFC East title and a playoff berth, largely because Philadelphia’s defense can keep games close. He stopped well short of predicting another championship push, though, framing this season as a test of whether Sirianni and Hurts can find a new way to win rather than recreate an old one.

Sunday’s Jaguars matchup will show whether the Eagles can manufacture enough offense around Hurts while protecting a depleted front. The game kicks off Oct. 11 at 9:30 a.m. ET in London.

Eagles News and Notes

– Tight end Dallas Goedert (knee) expects to return after missing the previous two games, giving Hurts a proven target as the offense manages injuries at running back, wide receiver and on the line.

– Like Goedert, linebacker Zack Baun (concussion) was a full participant in practice Friday while outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard (ankle) did not practice. Their availability will matter for a defense DiBiase views as Philadelphia’s best chance to remain in the playoff race.

Philadelphia Eagles Essentials

5 Best Eagles Quarterbacks of All Time
5 Best Eagles Running Backs of All Time
5 Best Eagles Wide Receivers of All Time
Lincoln Financial Field: Top 5 NFL Home-Field Advantages
NFL’s Richest Owners: What Is Jeffrey Laurie’s Net Worth?

Some or all of this content may have been generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, AI can occasionally produce incorrect information. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.

This story was originally published October 10, 2026 at 12:30 AM.