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Jon Ritchie: Eagles Run Game As 'Deemphasized As I've Ever Seen'

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Doug Pederson called 56 passes and just 13 runs in Sunday's loss.

Needless to say, seven-year fullback, former Eagle, and rushing attack enthusiast Jon Ritchie was not happy on Monday morning.

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"At halftime I was amazed at the way the defense was playing considering their losses, personnel wise," Ritchie began on Monday's 94WIP Midday Show with Joe DeCamara. "I felt like everything was exactly the way I was expecting. We were playing them tight, we were playing them close. I was a little bit miffed by the fact that we weren't running the ball much, but I figured that would come in the second half and it never did.

"The thing that drives me insane is after the game, Doug Pederson comes out in his presser and says, 'You hope your run game is on track and on point and it wasn't.' You hope your run game is on track? Doug, that is your job as the head coach, as the playcaller, as the de facto offensive coordinator. You rep the run all week in practice, then you call runs, and then you refuse to abandon the run."

Darren Sproles led the Eagles with 10 carries, but LeGarrette Blount had just one -- which was negated due to a penalty. Blount finished with just one touch.

"LeGarrette Blount had one carry," Ritchie said. "He had six snaps the whole game. And that was a close game! We gave it to them on a short field twice and we were still in that game. We should have won that game in Arrowhead. Our leading rusher, in terms of carries, was Darren Sproles. He had 10. That's not enough."

And then, Ritchie got technical, explaining that the Eagles need to attempt more power runs.

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"And the way were scheming this, I feel like Doug Pederson is trying to cover up for our own inadequacies upfront," he said. "It seems like every time I look, Jason Kelce is snapping it and pulling to the edge. Are they that afraid that he can't anchor in against a nose tackle? Because you're creating problems for everyone else. Whatever happened to Isaac Seumalo being the designated puller, like he was last year, when we actually ran power. Instead of running zones all the time. Let these lineman tee off on defenders, run some gap and power schemes, where you're just getting down hill on people instead of just covering people up. I guarantee the offensive line wants to run power, I guarantee those backs -- LeGarrette Blount, a lot of credit to you for not losing your mind yesterday.

"We will not win games if we don't emphasize the run. It was as deemphasized as I have ever seen in NFL football."

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