D’Andre Swift struggled to find his place in the Lions’ offensive lineup during his three-year tenure with the team. Despite being picked in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Swift was initially viewed as a potential cornerstone of the offense. However, this role never materialized, and Swift might have found a promising fresh start elsewhere.
When the Lions selected Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round of April’s draft, Swift was subsequently traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. Returning to his hometown, there was hope that he would fit well in their run-heavy offensive strategy. Although he only had one carry for three yards in week one, he made a strong comeback in week two.
Not only did he make a comeback with an outstanding performance, but he also achieved this against a former division rival, the Minnesota Vikings.
Swift’s previous career-high rushing occurred 368 days ago as a member of the Lions against none other than the Eagles. In last September’s game, Swift rushed for 144 yards on 15 carries and scored once. Despite the Lions losing that game, it potentially set the stage for his eventual trade to the Eagles.
D'Andre Swift ran for a career-high 175 yards and a TD on 28 carries in his first start for the Eagles (+41 rushing yards over expected).
Swift recorded the 8th-highest success rate (64.3%) by any player with 25+ carries in a game since 2016.
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— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 15, 2023
Skipping to last night, Swift made history by establishing a new career milestone. Against the Minnesota Vikings, he ran the ball 28 times, amassing 175 yards on the ground and finding the endzone once. Capitalizing on this performance, the Eagles managed to fend off a late surge from the Vikings and improved their record to 2-0.
On the other hand, the Vikings experienced a further decline in the NFC North rankings as they began the 2023 season with a 0-2 record. Both the Vikings and Bears are yet to secure a win at the start of this season, while the Lions and Packers have begun with victorious outings. The Lions won’t face the Vikings until week 16 this season, by which time the duo of David Montgomery and Gibbs should be a well-coordinated force.
The running back duo could be set for a remarkable performance against their division rival come December.
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