LeGarrette Blount Seems to be the Odd Man Out in Eagles’ Backfield
LeGarrette Blount wasn’t hurt on Sunday.
He just wasn’t part of the game-plan.
"That's how the game went," Blount told reporter after the Eagles loss to the Chiefs.
Darren Sproles lead the team with 10 carries and Blount became the odd man out, after leading the team with 14 carries a week ago.
He was on the field for just six of the teams 72 offensive play calls, it’s at least a little concerning that the free-agent pick-up and experienced running back was essentially inactive in what was just his second regular-season game as a Eagle.
“In LeGarrette's case, still got a lot of confidence in him, and we'll find ways to get him on the field,” Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said today at his day after press conference.
The reasoning Pederson seemed to give was down-and-distance, he mentioned that Sproles has a role and Blount has a different role.
"Yesterday we had, I believe we had seven third-and-ten pluses again, and then there were another five third-and-sevens, and that's unacceptable," Pederson admitted.
"We can't be in that many long-yardage situations in these football games. We've got to focus on the run game and we've got to get the run game fixed and we've got to have a great plan going forward and commit to that and it just takes pressure off your quarterback as well."
But when push came to shove, it wasn't that Blount wasn't in the game-plan or that Sproles was to be the featured back on Sunday, Pederson said he wanted to attack the Chiefs down-the-field.
“My aggressiveness play calling was down the field and to attack down the field," the coach said. "And again, by no means was it a game plan designed specifically for [RB] Darren [Sproles] or anybody. Everybody had a role in this game. We just didn't get to that role at that particular time in the game."
Blount was signed to a one-year, $1.25 million contract.