With injuries decimating the Philadelphia skill positions, the Eagles leaned on rookie running back Miles Sanders to help save the season from slipping further down the pipes.
In Sunday's 37-27 win over the Washington Redskins, Sanders powered the Philly offense, generating a career-high 172 scrimmage yards.
"I'm going to go out there and do my job regardless, but when you have guys banged up like that and the type of season I'm having?" Sanders said, via NBC Sports Philly. "Lock in and put the game on my shoulders and let's go ball out."
Sanders earned 122 yards rushing on 19 attempts with a TD, his first career game with 100-plus rushing yards. It was also the first game in which the Eagles had a 100-yard running back since Week 4, 2017 (LeGarrette Blount). The 41 straight games without a 100-yard back were the most in the NFL.
"There's a lot of confidence," Sanders said. "We've got a lot of our old guys banged up, so a lot of young guys stepped up. I just love how Carson (Wentz), he just trusts us. He has so much confidence in us, and we just go out and make plays for him."
In addition to his big day on the ground, Sanders also generated 50 yards on six catches with another score.
For the season, Sanders' 1,120 scrimmage yards broke DeSean Jackson's Eagles rookie record (1,008). Sanders also broke LeSean McCoy's franchise rookie record of 637 rush yards. The first-year back has 687 yards rushing with two games left, and is on pace for 785 yards, which would mark the most rushing yards by an Eagles back since McCoy went for 1,319 in 2014, his final season with the team.
"It's a blessing, man," Sanders said. "This stuff don't feel real. But I don't want to make this about me. It's great to be mentioned in the same conversation as those guys, but I just wanted to get the W. We know what was at stake, we know what's in front of us, we just wanted to get the W today."
