5 takeaways from Patriots’ 17-10 win over Eagles

Here are five takeaways from the Patriots’ hard-fought win over the Eagles.

The rushing attack is not improving

The inability to rush the football is consistently becoming a problem for the Patriots. New England had 22 rushing attempts for 74 yards, with 3.4 yards per carry.

In recent years, the Patriots have added a strong rushing attack as part of their identity. Sony Michel had an incredible rookie season after rushing for 931 yards and six touchdowns in the regular season — along with 336 rushing yards and six touchdowns in the postseason. It’s difficult to make a comparison because the Patriots are without David Andrews, Isaiah Wynn and Develin this season.

With Brady’s struggles through the air, it’s a necessity for a team built like this one to have a strong rushing attack. The defense has been incredible, but they can only make so many plays before they begin to get fatigued. New England is currently ranked No. 23 with 91 rushing yards a game, and that will be an issue when the postseason arrives.