The Philadelphia Eagles are a puzzling team. They have losses to the Detroit Lions and the Atlanta Falcons, but wins against the Green Bay Packers and most recently, the Buffalo Bills. In the game against the Bills, one rookie came up with tremendous contributions.
Running back Miles Sanders had a career day last Sunday. If the Eagles want to continue their winning ways, he will be featured when the Eagles play the Chicago Bears in Week 9.
The Bears had a fearsome defense in 2018, and the tradition still stands in 2019. The team currently ranks as the 11th best defense in the NFL, but there are weak spots. They have allowed 46 catches to running backs, good for 11th in the NFL.
While those running back receptions have resulted in one touchdown, that trend is bound to change based solely on volume. Unfortunately for the Bears, Sanders is a more than capable receiving threat.
The former Penn State star is sporting a ridiculous 14.4 yards per reception, with a total of 274 yards on the receiving end. He is the clear-cut receiving option out of the Eagles' backfield, as Jordan Howard isn't as menacing in that facet of the game. Howard only has nine catches on the season, and isn't as skilled as a receiver as Sanders is.
Tying into Sanders' receiving ability is the pressure that the Bears bring. Due to the constant pressure that Chicago can supply, screen passes will be a crucial part of Philly's offense. Sanders is shifty enough to weave through tacklers in open space, a the huge part of running successful screens.
Besides his exceptional pass-catching abilities, Sanders isn't a slouch as a runner. The rookie is averaging 4.5 yards per carry, another stat that should help Sanders see the field against Chicago. The Bears have been great against the run this season, allowing only 86 yards a game on the ground. Jordan Howard will continue to take the lion's share of the carries, but Sanders will still be a big part of the offense.
With Howard's battering ram-style running softening up the defense, Sanders' quickness and finesse will inevitably cause problems for tacklers.
The same philosophy rang true against the Bills, where Howard had 23 carries for 96 yards and a score. Sanders only took three totes but ran for an insane 74 yards and a touchdown. Most of his yardage came on a long touchdown run, where the defense seemed unprepared for Sanders' speed and quickness. This shows how deadly a weapon Sanders can be if utilized in the correct situations.
Expect a big game for the complimentary back, just like last week.
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