The Eagles kept their playoff hopes alive on Monday night with a victory in overtime against the two-win New York Giants.
Due to injuries on the offensive side of the ball, the Birds were forced to turn to an unlikely hero, Boston Scott.
Scott was able to deliver in the absence of Jordan Howard. His style of play is reminiscent of teammate Darren Sproles: dangerous in open space.
He was impressive on the ground — rushing for 59 yards on 10 attempts with a touchdown — which isn’t even his strong suit. Scott especially thrives in the passing game. Through the air, the Eagles’ running back was able to catch six balls for 69 yards.
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While many tend to argue that running backs are of less value than other positions, Boston Scott’s impact on the Eagles’ offense should be huge. Scott brings an element to the Eagles that they haven’t had since Week one: speed.
The speedster ran a 4.45 40-yard dash prior to entering the NFL. His combination of speed and quickness is a matchup issue for any linebacker to cover.
When Jordan Howard returns to the lineup, I don’t see Doug Pederson and the coaching staff to shy away from Scott. Through his tenure with the Birds, Pederson has often gone with a running-back-by-committee system.
Howard, Scott, and Miles Sanders should each continue to receive a share of playing time; especially because of the lack of talent/experience at the receiver.
Scott has earned himself a solid role within the Philadelphia offense, and the Eagles’ new weapon is only 24. The former sixth-round draft pick is ready to make an impact.
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