Jon Ritchie asked Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni if the Eagles are a "running team."
"Damn right," Sirianni replied during his weekly call-in on Tuesday's 94WIP Morning Show with Ritchie and Joe DeCamara.
"Yes!" Ritchie, the former Eagles' fullback, exclaimed.
"Anytime you go over 200 yards rushing you can say that for sure," Sirianni continued. "Since I've been here, we've been able to run the football efficiently. In goes in ebbs and flows, right? Sometimes the box is stacked and you have to be able to throw it. And I have so much faith in Jalen are our receivers and our tight ends to be able to do that when we need to. But in this game, you do what you need to be able to do to win the game.
"It's just this great feeling when you're able to [go over that 200 rushing yard mark]. I said we're a running team, definitely, but we have the ability to do both things. And the game will dictate that and we'll try to dictate that...Regardless of what level of football you play, it starts up front and I can't say enough of our offensive line."
Over the last two games, Jalen Hurts has not committed a turnover throwing the ball just 25 times in a 20-16 Week 6 win over the Browns and just 14 times in a 28-3 Week 7 win at the Giants. Previously, Hurts had thrown the ball 30 or more times in every game this season and committed seven turnovers, which was second most in the NFL after five weeks.
Additionally, the Eagles rushed for 116 yards against the Browns and 269 against the Giants led by Saquon Barkley, who is now second in the NFL averaging 109.7 rushing yards per game this season. As a team, Philadelphia also ranks second in the NFL averaging 166.7 rushing yards per game behind only Baltimore (210.9).
The Eagles rank 29th in the NFL in passing plays (48.72%) and 31st over their last three games (44.81%) behind only the Miami Dolphins who have been without their starting quarterback in Tua Tagovailoa.
Under Sirianni, however, Philadelphia has finished among the bottom 10 NFL teams in passing percentage each season and ranked dead last in 2021, Sirianni's first.
All of this has some fans and media speculating a philosophical offensive shift to a run-heavy approach may have been made for Philadelphia coming out of their Week 5 bye.
"We may be finally rounding into what our identity as a team should be for the 2024 Philadelphia Eagles and that says we need to be led by Saquon Barkley," Ike Reese said on Monday's 94WIP Afternoon Show. "And Jalen will make a few key throws throughout the game. But when you're going into the game, 26 is your bell cow. He gets things going."
When asked about the identity of his football team, Sirianni said on Tuesday's 94WIP Morning Show, "One thing I know is that, I know this is a close team and I know this is a physically tough team."