Patriots vs. Eagles: 10 telling facts about the Eagles

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6. DeMarco Murray is averaging just 3.5 yards per carry

The Eagles plucked Murray from divisional rival Dallas over the offseason, but there results haven’t been great. 42 qualified running backs are averaging more yards per carry than Murray’s 3.5, which is a significant drop-off from his 4.7 average last season with the Cowboys. With five games left to go and just 545 yards to his name right now, there is a good chance that Murray won’t reach the 1,000-yard mark.

Ryan Mathews has actually been the more effective running back, averaging 5.7 yards per carry on 75 attempts. In addition, Mathews has more touchdowns (5) than Murray (4). Don’t be surprised if Mathews presents more of an inconvenience to the Patriots than the Oklahoma product.

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6. The Eagles are a poor run defending team

While we’re on the subject on the ground game, the Eagles have struggled defending it as well. They are surrendering 126.6 rushing yards per game, the sixth-most in the NFL.

This could mean big things for LeGarrette Blount in Week 13. Considering the decimated receiving corps and the poor Philly run defense, it should not come as a surprise if Blount sees a workload approaching 20 or even 25 carries. Blount is 404 yards away from reaching the 1,000-yard mark for the first time since his rookie season, and Sunday’s game against the Eagles should get him substantially closer to that milestone.

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