By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer
PHOENIX — While the fight song for the Philadelphia Eagles may be “Fly, Eagles Fly,” the offensive formula that carried the team to the Super Bowl was more grounded.
With a trio of capable running backs, one of the best running quarterbacks and a dominating offensive line, the Eagles eschewed the pass-happy approach that has taken over the league in recent years to rely more on the ground game to overwhelm opponents physically.
“It’s like a boxing match,” running backs coach Jemal Singleton said. “Hopefully we’re getting enough body blows in the first and second quarter that when it comes to the third and fourth quarter, those body blows get a little bit heavier and you start to diminish your opponent a little bit. That’s part of what we try to do is just stay physical throughout the game.”
Few teams have done that as well as the Eagles, who have run the ball on half their offensive plays and averaged 153.9 yards rushing per game, including the playoffs – which would be the highest mark for a Super Bowl champion since the 1998 Denver Broncos. Philadelphia’s 39 touchdown runs are the most ever in a season.
The Eagles have a variety of options to fuel the running game with Miles Sanders leading the way with a career-high 1,269 yards and 11 TDs in a contract year.
“This year was kind of one of those years where I just wanted to make everybody feel me,” Sanders said. “So I just took it upon myself to just control what I could control and just go out there and ball out every game, every time I touch the ball and make everybody pay for it.”
He has done that and gotten plenty of help from Boston Scott and Kenneth Gainwell, as well as quarterback Jalen Hurts. Gainwell leads the team with 160 yards rushing this postseason, with Scott adding two touchdown runs.
“It’s a really cool situation because we are all able to do pretty much everything you want,” Scott said. “Whatever is asked of us,…
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