It only took about two seconds for running back Miles Sanders to announce whether he’ll play this Sunday, less than three weeks after having surgery to repair a broken hand.
“Yes sir, absolutely,” Sanders said Friday about playing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wildcard round of the NFL playoffs on Sunday.
There are still risks, and Sanders knows it. Typically, it takes 4-6 weeks to recover from hand surgery.
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But Sanders was determined to make it back, so he went up to Eagles coach Nick Sirianni the day he suffered the injury, on Dec. 26 against the Giants, and told him simply:
“Promise me playoffs, and I’ll get the surgery tomorrow,” Sanders said. “He said, ‘I got you.’”
Sanders had the surgery on Dec. 27, less than three weeks ago.
Still, it wasn’t until this week in practice before Sanders knew he’d be able to play. Sanders said he wasn’t going to be tentative, so he insisted on doing every drill the running backs typically do this week.
That included taking handoffs, squeezing the ball, running with it, going through a drill where coaches are punching at the ball with boxing gloves, catching passes, and so on.
“(Coaches and training staff) were kind of asking me what I wanted to do this week, and I told them I wanted to do everything,” Sanders said. “With an injury like this, I gotta feel confident in myself before anybody looks at me.
“I might look like I’m doing good, but it’s still bothering me. Just trying to do as much as I can, what they allow me each and every day. Every day was just doing more and more.”
Sanders insisted that he wouldn’t play if he didn’t feel confident in his ball security. After all, the Buccaneers will be punching at the ball every time he touches it, testing Sanders’ hand, trying to force fumbles.
Sanders said he’ll be ready.
And the Eagles need him. Sanders has run for 754 yards in 12 games this season. He’s second on the team in rushing to quarterback Jalen Hurts, who has 784 yards.
Sanders’ return enables the Eagles to have all four of their top running backs – Jordan Howard, Boston Scott and Kenny Gainwell are the others – available for only the second time this season.
The first time was in the game against the Giants, and that only lasted for a half, when Sanders suffered his injury. Howard left with a stinger in the fourth quarter. Gainwell wasn’t on the game-day roster that day.
All four backs have contributed to the Eagles leading the NFL in rushing this season, averaging 159.7 yards per game. Over the final 10 games of the season, the Eagles averaged 189 yards rushing per game.
That will be a factor against the Bucs, who are third in the NFL in rushing defense, allowing just 92.5 yards per game.
In addition, the weather forecasts in Tampa on Sunday are calling for rain and winds gusting up to 40 mph, another sign that the running game will be essential.
“All hands on deck,” Sirianni said with a smile when asked what it’ll be like having all four running backs available. “I was just saying to the team after practice, what great contributions we’ve gotten from so many different people this year. I talked about the running back group. What other teams can say they got contributions from four different running backs?
“We’re just excited Miles will be ready to go and play in this football game because we know how important he is to this offense.”
Sanders is excited, too.
Part of it was because he knew the only way he’d be able to play again this season was if the Eagles made the playoffs. And part of it was also because he would love another chance at the Bucs.
Back on Oct. 14, in Week 6, Sanders had just 1 carry for 1 yard in the first half. The Eagles fell behind 28-7 in the third quarter before scoring two touchdowns late to make the score a more respectable 28-22.
Sanders finished with just 9 carries for 56 yards that night, and was clearly frustrated with his lack of usage.
At that point in the season, Howard (on the practice squad) and Scott (exclusively on special teams) had yet to have a single carry. And Hurts was throwing about 65% of the time through the first six games.
The Eagles were 2-4, and they would lose the next game to fall to 2-5. Sanders went on injured reserve after that loss to the Raiders on Oct. 24 with an ankle injury, and missed three games.
Sirianni has often pointed to that Bucs’ game as a turning point in committing more to a run-based attack.
“We learned from it, and our whole season reflected off of that,” Sanders said.
Then Sanders made another promise, sort of: “All I care about is I just want to show we’re not just a seventh seed. I think everybody should be careful about what they say about us.
“I think we’re a very dangerous team, and we’re tough to beat no matter who we’re playing. It’s a new season. Everybody is 0-0 … We’re trying to go far.”
2 Eagles named to All Pro
Center Jason Kelce was named to the Associated Press’ All-Pro first team, while right tackle Lane Johnson was named to the second team. They were the only Eagles selected.
For Kelce, it’s the fourth time selected. It’s the second time for Johnson. Bucs right tackle Tristan Wirfs was named to the first team.
Delaware native Brian O’Neill, a right tackle with the Minnesota Vikings, received votes.
Johnson was not selected to the Pro Bowl, despite not allowing a sack in any of the 14 games he played in.
“Those two guys right there, those are Hall of Famers in the making,” Sanders said. “I respect the heck out of both of those guys. They come to work each and every day, ready to get better.”
Eagles injuries
DE Josh Sweat (illness) and RG Nate Herbig (ankle) were listed as questionable for the game Sunday. Sweat returned to the team Friday after missing the previous two days because of abdominal pain. The illness is not COVID-19 related.
Everyone else, including Sanders, is eligible to play. Sanders was a full participant in practice.
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.
