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The 2022 NFL season has reached its quarter mark, and the Philadelphia Eagles are soaring over the competition. The Eagles are the league's last remaining unbeaten team, and they've looked fantastic the vast majority of the time. Their impressive start has raised their Super Bowl odds to +750, the third-best in the league behind the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, per FanDuel.
There is a ton to like in Philly this season on both sides of the ball. The Eagles have the second-best total offense in football through four weeks, averaging 435.5 yards per game. Jalen Hurts has shown tremendous improvement in Year 3, and with Miles Sanders, A.J. Brown, Devonta Smith, Dallas Goedert and a great offensive line around him, he leads one of the most dangerous offenses in the league.
Philly's defense has been rock solid as well. The Eagles currently sit at third in yards allowed per game (277.3), second in sacks (16) and first in turnover margin (+8). With Fletcher Cox, Darius Slay and more, the Eagles have stars all over on defense.
Everything appears to be going smoothly in Philly, and there's very little to complain about. However, one player has gotten off to a disappointing start, and his days in Philly may be numbered.
Eagles’ biggest disappointment in 2022
Since Hurts became the full-time starter, Philly has relied on its potent running game to drive its offense. The Eagles led the league in rushing with 159.7 yards per game last season, over 10 yards more than the next-closest team. They are currently fifth in rushing, but are actually running for more yards this season, with 165.3 yards per game.
Sanders and Hurts have easily been the biggest parts of that rushing success, with over 750 yards each last season. That has held true this season, as Sanders has 356 yards and three touchdowns, while Hurts has 205 yards and four scores. However, those two wouldn't have that success without the complementary rushers around them.
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Philly had a chorus of running backs last season, including Jordan Howard, Boston Scott and Kenneth Gainwell. All three made significant contributions, with Howard running for 406 yards, Scott for 373 and Gainwell for 291. Those three backs also combined for 15 rushing touchdowns, including seven by Scott.
With Howard leaving in free agency, Scott should have taken on a bigger role as the No. 2 back behind Sanders. Instead, Scott has yet to make a real impact on the ground, with just 10 carries for 29 yards and one score. He also hasn't been a factor in the passing game, with just a single catch for two yards.
To be fair to Scott, he suffered a rib injury against the Washington Commanders in Week 3. That injury caused him to miss Week 4's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he is questionable to suit up on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. However, the Eagles weren't using Scott much before that, with only four carries in each of the first two games.
Gainwell also hasn't been great, with just 15 carries for 52 yards and four catches for 21 yards. He has been better than Scott, though, so he avoids being the biggest disappointment on the team.
Scott is in the final year of his deal, and he actually carries a higher cap hit than Sanders. If he continues to underperform, he likely won't be back in Philly next season. Though, if the Eagles' biggest disappointment is a backup running back, they're doing just fine.
