PHILADELPHIA — Bears general manager Ryan Pace decided running back Jordan Howard was expendable last offseason. In fact, Howard was so expendable that Pace traded the franchise's record-holder for the most rushing yards by a rookie and the only running back in team history to begin his career with back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons for a conditional sixth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles.
And while Howard said after Philadelphia's 22-14 win over the Bears that he doesn't need any validation from his former team, he did admit he was pretty fired up for the game.
"I just did a little more talking than I usually do," Howard said. "There was a little back-and-forth with the guys. Everything else was normal. It was definitely a little strange because I didn't really go against them that much in practice. They never really tackled me."
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It showed on Sunday afternoon. Howard finished the game with 19 carries for 82 yards and scored on a 13-yard touchdown run. He was decisive and ran with power. In other words, he ran exactly the way he did for three seasons with the Bears.
And while it's natural for an athlete to enjoy a win over his former team a little bit more than normal, Howard said his biggest concern was maintaining the momentum the Eagles are building in this mini-winning streak.
"I don't worry about what they do, because I'm here now," Howard said of the Bears. "I wanted to get this win because it was just the next game. I was definitely amped up for this one a little more."
Howard's replacement in Chicago, rookie David Montgomery, had some nice moments on Sunday and finished the game with 40 yards and two scores. His 2.9 yards per carry was more indicative of the offensive line's struggles, but there's no avoiding his crucial drop in the fourth quarter that, had he secured the catch, may have gone for a touchdown. And it may have changed the outcome of the game, too.
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Ironically, Howard's weakness as a receiver is one of the main reasons he was shipped out of town.
Howard's first season with the Eagles is going about as well as he could've hoped, especially with unrestricted free agency on the horizon. He has 525 yards and six touchdowns on 119 carries (4.4 yards per carry) through nine games. He's on pace for 933 yards and 11 scores.