The Philadelphia Eagles’ run game has been straight-up struggling through the first two games of the 2026 season, and that’s exactly what Head Coach Nick Sirianni was focused on when he spoke to reporters on Monday after their win in Tennessee. Sirianni zeroed in on the effort, especially highlighting Cam Jurgens’ willingness to move to left guard, acknowledging that Jurgens spent most of his offseason and training camp time at center.
Jurgens’ Gambit and the Collaborative Effort
Sirianni pointed out that Jurgens did play right guard in the past and got a ton of reps at left guard this past week. The coach thought Jurgens “came out against a really good defensive front and played a solid game,” which is a huge silver lining given the position switch. But don’t think this run game issue is all on one guy, or even one unit. Sirianni stressed that the slow start is a full team effort, a truly collaborative thing from coaches to players. It’s not just the running backs or offensive linemen, he explained, saying it takes every single player on the field to make the run game successful. They know they’re capable of more, and Sirianni believes they are “close” to breaking through. But, like he said, when you’re close, it’s “never just one thing” , it’s the whole group working as one. They have to stay committed and keep grinding.
Negative Plays Are Killing Momentum
Beyond just the run game itself, Sirianni also called out the number of negative plays through two games. He largely blamed the run game, sure, but also penalties and sacks. He put it plainly: “Negative plays, you always want to stay on track. It’s hard to move the ball forward.” It’s common sense, right? If you start at the 30-yard line and need to go 70 yards, you can’t be moving backward with sacks, negative runs, penalties, or even dropped passes and missed throws. Sirianni made it clear that avoiding those backward steps is always going to be a huge point of emphasis for the Eagles. They cannot afford to shoot themselves in the foot like that.
Tank Bigsby’s Untapped Potential
Amidst the struggles, one guy earned some serious praise: Tank Bigsby. Sirianni took the chance to applaud Bigsby for his relentless effort and some genuinely “dirty runs.” He specifically remembered one near the goal line where Bigsby just kept his feet churning, getting them all the way down to the three-yard line before capping it off with a touchdown. That’s a huge sequence, showing what Bigsby can do. Plus, Sirianni saw Bigsby make a tackle on special teams during a punt yesterday, calling it “pretty awesome to see.” Bigsby is clearly a fantastic teammate, constantly doing the little things to help the Eagles win. It was great to see him get rewarded with that touchdown and some nice runs. Sirianni knew he’d be ready to go and thought he “played solidly.” With the team acknowledging they have room to improve in the run game, look for guys like Bigsby to keep pushing and trying to make those tough yards. They have to commit and grind, and you know they’ll be looking to figure this out fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleeding Green Nation.
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