THE BLOUNT TRUTH
RB picked ‘on the rise’ Eagles over Giants
PHILADELPHIA — LeGarrette Blount was courted by the Giants. He opted for their NFC East rivals to the south instead. The former Patriots running back liked their chances of winning better.
“I just felt like this team was going to be on the rise, and they got a great young quarterback,” the bruising Blount told The Post on Wednesday, referring to Eagles second-year signal-caller Carson Wentz. “I was excited about the opportunities here.”
Perhaps Blount, who signed a one-year deal worth as much as a reported $2.8 million, knew what others didn’t. The Giants, predicted by many to win the NFC East, are off to a poor start at 0-2 and have scored just 13 points through two games. The Eagles, meanwhile, are 1-1, and performed well in a 27-20 Week 2 loss at the Chiefs.
Though neither team has run the ball well, Big Blue really have struggled on the ground, managing just 97 yards on 30 carries in two games. Blount, however, said he hasn’t been paying attention to their problems.
“I don’t really care about their team, personally,” said the 30-yearold running back, who won two Super Bowls the past four years with the Patriots and ran for 1,161 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. “It’s just they’re our next opponent. I can’t go back in
time and tell you if it would’ve been different if I was there now, if I would’ve signed there or not. They got a lot of good players, and ... their front seven is great. That’s what I’m really focused on.”
He is hoping for a bigger opportunity than the one he received in the loss to the Chiefs — when he got just one carry, which was called back because of a penalty, one reception for zero yards and six snaps. It was in stark contrast to the opener in which Blount had 14 carries for 46 yards in a 30-17 win over the Redskins.
The previous time Blount didn’t have an official carry in a game was Nov. 17, 2014, as a member of the Steelers. Frustrated with his inactivity, he left the field before the game ended and was cut by Pittsburgh the next day. Blount didn’t lash out after Sunday’s game. Eagles coach Doug Pederson has made sure to communicate the team’s plans for him.
“We’re on the same page — we’ve been on the same page,” Blount said. “Obviously as a running back, you want the football. It’s tough going through a full game, and not getting any carries.
“You just got to make sure you know there’s a bigger task, and you have a bigger goal than just individual goals. We’re fighting to win this division and move further along than that. Whatever it takes to get that done, I’m all for it.” It is why he chose the Eagles over the Giants to begin
with.