A couple takeaways from Eagles offensive coordinator Mike Groh's meeting with the media on Tuesday, two days after the Eagles upset the NFC West champions 30-23 at L.A. Coliseum.
Wendell Smallwood was one of the Eagles' unsung heroes Sunday night in Los Angeles, carrying the football 10 times for 48 yards and two touchdowns with Josh Adams limited by a back injury.
Smallwood had barely played the last month. Going into the Rams game, he had just four carries and three catches in five games since the bye week, and he had played just 11 snaps in the Eagles' last four games.
When he got his chance Sunday night, he was ready, and that's not an easy thing to do.
I think it says a lot about Wendell. Wendell is a true pro and he is ready when his number is called, and he's really been that way throughout the entire season. He's been really effective when he's had the opportunity.
Smallwood had two third-quarter TDs Sunday, the first time an Eagle has had two rushing touchdowns in the same quarter since LeSean McCoy had 40- and 57-yard TDs in the snow vs. the Lions in 2013.
Smallwood is a solid if unspectacular back. He's averaging a career-high 4.2 yards per carry despite no runs over 15 yards.
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One interesting difference between Smallwood and Josh Adams: While Adams has six runs longer than 15 yards and Smallwood has none, Adams also has 25 carries of zero or fewer yards where Smallwood has just 10.
I thought he showed really good vision and patience in the running game. He was able to break some tackles. He has some speed, now, he just hasn't gotten all the way out there on the edge to break a long one, but you can see the speed through the hole. He's patient to it and you can see the burst through the hole. He's running behind his pads and pushing the pile. It was a really good night for him.
Quietly making a difference
Nelson Agholor only has eight catches in the last five games after catching 46 passes in the first nine games. Among those are a 39-yarder in the win over the Redskins and a 42-yarder against the Cowboys.
But despite a lack of catches, Agholor is as valuable as ever. He's really become a terrific blocker and has a lot to do with the Eagles' success running the ball lately.
Nelson is kind of an unsung hero in the offense right now," Groh said. "Sometimes the ball finds you, sometimes it doesn't. But he's unselfish. He plays with a tremendous amount of toughness. He understands everything and what everybody else in the offense is supposed to be doing. So from that standpoint, he's comforting to guys out there in getting guys lined up or he's assignment sound and he's certainly willing to block. So he does a lot of things without the ball that might go unnoticed but not by people in this building.
I'd still like to see him get the ball more.
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