The quality Eagles will miss most with Jay Ajayi done

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They have other good running backs. They have depth. They have experience.
 
They just don't have another Jay Ajayi.
 
The Eagles returned to practice Tuesday on a short week without the centerpiece of their running game.
 
Ajayi, whose 5.8 rushing average was second-highest in the NFL among running backs the second half of last season, is out for the season with a torn left ACL.
 
That injury leaves the Eagles picking up the pieces at running back, which at one point was one of their deepest positions.
 
"We're going to miss Jay's physicality, for sure," offensive coordinator Mike Groh said. "To sit here and say we won't miss Jay isn't fair."
 
Ajayi, who played Sunday with a small fracture in his back, finishes the 2018 season with 45 carries for 184 yards, five catches for 20 yards and a team-high three touchdowns.
 
"It's tough," Carson Wentz. "I feel for him. He's been battling little things and then this happens. I feel terrible for him. I know what it's like.
 
"Going forward, I know those are big shoes to fill but I feel we've got the guys to step up and that are ready for it."
 
• Wendell Smallwood has a 6.0 rushing average on 25 carries and 10 catches for 96 more yards. His 246 yards from scrimmage are the most by any NFL running back this year on 35 or fewer touches.
 
• Corey Clement is averaging 4.1 yards on 27 carries and has 74 yards on eight catches. His 186 yards are sixth-most in the NFL by a running back with 35 or fewer touches.
 
• Josh Adams, an undrafted rookie, ran six times for 30 yards against the Colts in his only extended playing time so far this year.   
 
Darren Sproles is still out with a hamstring injury suffered on opening day, but Clement practiced Tuesday and should be back Thursday night for the Giants. 
 
"Jay was a violent, downhill runner that sought contact and loved to feed off that until he got us going," Wentz said.
 
"But we feel confident in these guys stepping up. We've seen Wendell the last couple weeks step up and make plays, and getting Corey back out there will be big for us and Josh will have to increase his role and Sproles as well coming back hopefully soon.
 
"We still have a stable of workhorses there, but it's tough losing him."
 
Nobody's quite sure how much of a workload Clement can handle after missing the Titans and Vikings games, but without Ajayi, expect Clement and Smallwood to share the workload with Adams getting some work as well.
 
"That's always the approach," Wentz said. "Even when Jay was the starter, but we've always done it by committee."
 
The Eagles, 2-2, face the 1-4 Giants at the Meadowlands at 8:20 p.m. Thursday. The Eagles are trying to avoid a three-game losing streak.
 
The Eagles haven't been running the ball enough lately, but the Giants are 27th in the NFL in rush defense, giving up 124 yards per game and 25th, allowing 4.6 yards per carry.
 
This is the perfect week for the Eagles to commit to the run. Even without Ajayi.
 
When Ajayi missed the Colts game, the Eagles ran for 151 yards, including 56 each from Smallwood and Clement and 30 from Adams.
 
"Jay is an excellent running back, but we've gotten these guys a lot of experience, they've played in enough games to be able to go out there and play and run our system, so we're confident in what they can do," Groh said.
 
The key is Clement, who had 100 receiving yards in the Super Bowl.
 
He's the Eagles' most complete back. A tough, hard-nosed, inside runner, a terrific receiver and a willing blocker.
 
"We're just hoping to get Corey back to being Corey," Groh said. "He's been battling and I know he's been working really hard these last couple weeks to get healthy. Made enough progress to be active last week, so a few more days, I think he'll be feeling a little bit better.
 
"He's a versatile player. He runs really well between the tackles. He can be that physical style of running back that we're talking about that Jay is, plus he's an outstanding receiver out of the backfield. He gives us a lot of versatility back there."

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