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Philadelphia Eagles running back D’Andre Swift, a Philadelphia native, left no crumbs in his first home game, a 34-28 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday Night Football.
Swift, a fourth-year player who spent the first three seasons of his career with the Detroit Lions, said he was grateful for the opportunity.
“It’s a blessing,” Swift told reporters in a postgame locker room interview. “Especially home opener, first game, playing in the stadium. There’s a lot to work on, a lot that needs to get better. I’m looking forward to watching the film and taking it to the next level.”
Swift’s prime-time stat line against the Vikings included 28 carries for 175 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown along with 3 receptions for 6 yards. Swift finished the night with 31 touches, a night-and-day difference from his two-touch total on September 10 in the Eagles’ 25-20 win against the New England Patriots.
According to NFL Research, Swift is the first Eagles player to rush for 175 or more yards and a touchdown since LeSean McCoy did it in the “Snow Game” versus the Detroit Lions back in 2013.
Swift was the team’s backup running back, but he got the start shortly Kenneth Gainwell was ruled out with a rib injury before the game. He wound up having a career night, topping the 150 rushing yards for the first time in his career and exceeding 100 yards for the first time since Week 1 of the 2022 season against the Eagles.
D’Andre Swift Should Be the Eagles’ Starter Moving Forward
Even though head coach Nick Sirianni said he was OK with a committee of running backs, Swift proved he can handle a heavy workload.
His 28 carries was his highest since November 2021, when he had 33, and the second most of his career. Behind a top-ranked Eagles offensive line unit and a run-heavy approach, Swift was able to easily churn out yardage play after play.
“He just showed vision, explosiveness. … That was a lot of touches, too,” Sirianni told reporters after the game.
Swift’s longest run of the night was a 43-yarder with 4:35 left in the fourth quarter that almost got taken to the house. He scored two plays later on a 2-yard run to put the Eagles up 34-21.
The rest of the Eagles’ backfield managed a serviceable night. Boston Scott averaged 8.0 yards per carry, but this was mostly against a winded Vikings defense late in the game. Rashaad Penny got three rushing attempts totaling nine yards. Jalen Hurts had the second most rushes (12) on the night, mainly from scrambling, but he did score two touchdowns on the ground.
After the Eagles win over the Patriots, offensive coordinator Brian Johnson said he had to be “mindful” about getting Swift more rushing opportunities.
D’Andre Swift Emotional After Philly Homecoming
Swift was born in Philadelphia and attended St. Joseph’s Preparatory School, just north of downtown, and has said in the past that he grew up an Eagles fan.
“A lot of emotions coming out tonight,” Swift told ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt after the game.
Swift played against the Eagles twice as a former member of the Lions, once each of the past two seasons (2021, Week 8; 2022, Week 1).
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