Smallwood, Ostman ready for any role
Both players are making important contributions to the team’s success.
PHILADELPHIA — Wendell Smallwood never knows exactly what the Philadelphia Eagles’ plan is for him from week to week.
What the third-year running back does know is that it trumps his first two seasons, in which the Eagles never knew what they would get from him and consequently never formed much of a plan for him at all.
That he’s been able to flip that dynamic by getting his body better prepared for the rigors of a pro season is one of the reasons his number is now being called with the season on the line. Smallwood certainly can live with being a part-time starter and full-time producer in coach Doug Pederson’s and running back coach Duce Staley’s committee approach at that position.
Smallwood has started their last two games, including last Sunday’s playoff victory at Chicago. And though his numbers vary from week to week, the effort is always there.
Heck, he wasn’t even activated for any of their three playoff games last season.
Now at least he’s playing. Against the Bears, he carried eight times for 20 yards and caught two passes for 20 more.
“Wendell played really well,” offensive coordinator Mike Groh said. “Ran strong, was able to make people miss, break some tackles. I thought he showed really good vision in the game. He did a really nice job.”
The week before, Smallwood had 16 touches (12 carries, four receptions) for a total of 77 yards in a shutout victory at Washington.
Smallwood’s progress in the passing game has been most noteworthy. His 28 receptions and 230 receiving yards are more than he had in his first two seasons combined.
With the Eagles forced to play without Corey Clement and Darren Sproles for huge chunks of the season, Smallwood feels validated that they played him more instead of deciding to look outside the organization.
Credit Pederson for keeping his promise to Smallwood
“Right after the [season], he let me know, ‘I still believe in you, work hard, get right this offseason and you’ll be right back where you left off,’ ” Smallwood said. “He stuck with me and it’s been three years now. So he’s got my back.”
Smallwood is unconcerned about not necessarily having the same role in the rotation each week. He’s content just to have made Staley’s list.
“I think in this league you sort of never know,” Smallwood said. “It could be planned to go one way and one thing can change. … I think the most important thing is how we practice and how hard we practice. Every [RB] does it as if they’re going to be playing a lot, and I think when the situation presents itself, everyone is taking advantage.”
Method actor
Want to know why the offensive line has been so good keeping many of the league’s top pass rushers off Nick Foles’ back down the stretch?
Pederson brought up the name Joe Ostman on Monday.
That’s right, rookie Joe Ostman, an undersized defensive end who’s been on the practice squad all season, playing the part of some great pass rusher on the scout team almost every week.
“He was [Bears LB] Khalil Mack last week,” Pederson said. “He’s been [Rams DT] Aaron Donald and he gives us great looks, and really that’s where it starts.”
“He has busted his tail all season long,” Groh added. “He’s a better player because of the way he approaches practice each and every day. Embraces the number or jersey we put on him and … we’ve played some excellent pass rushers over the stretch of games here. He’s usually been that guy, whether it be Aaron Donald or Khalil Mack or Jadeveon Clowney or J.J. Watt — all these really great pass rushers that we’ve played against.
“Joe has helped prepare the offensive line for that challenge, and our offensive line has risen to the challenge. I mean, you look at the way we protected the other night, outstanding.”
What it means is that in addition to learning the opponent’s defense every week, he has to get inside the minds of its players.
Just like Robert DeNiro, Daniel Day-Lewis, Christian Bale et al.
“I just usually watch film and focus on whoever we got that week, I would say,” Ostman said. “Just enough to get a general feel of what their go-to move is, what their counter-move is, how they play. Once I kind of feel that, that’s when I go.”
Like all players in his position, Ostman hopes he gets to play himself one day as a member of the active roster. To that end, he’s added nearly 20 pounds to his frame since his college days at Central Michigan. At around 258 now, he has maybe 10 pounds more to go, at the team’s request.
“What I’m thinking is next year I’ll be around 265,” he said. “I should be able to move the same way.”
That should take him out of that ’tweener range between linebacker and defensive end and give him a better chance to stick his hand on the ground and rush the passer as Joe Ostman.
Injury report nfierro@mcall.com Twitter @nickfierro 610-778-2243
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DE Michael Bennett (foot) and QB Carson Wentz (back) did not practice.
LB D.J. Alexander (hamstring), WR Alshon Jeffery (ribs), CB Sidney Jones (hamstring), T Jason Peters (quadriceps), WR Golden Tate (knee) and WR Mike Wallace (ankle) were limited.