LANDOVER, MD.--On one play, Jerome Harrison outgained the entire 2010 output of Mike Bell – the player for whom Harrison was traded.
In the first quarter, with the Eagles already leading 21-0, Harrison took a handoff from Michael Vick at the 50-yard-line, burst through the left side of the line of scrimmage untouched, then juked two Redskins down the field on the way to a 50-yard touchdown scamper.
It was a big moment for Harrison, who ran for 109 yards on 11 carries in only his second game for the Eagles since coming to Philadelphia on October 13. But excuse him if Bell didn't have an opportunity to catch his breath.
"I haven't seen the film yet, but all I know is the last five yards were pretty tough," Harrison joked after the game. On a night with so many standout performances - led by Michael Vick's virtuoso six-touchdown game - Harrison's emergence could get overlooked. But it shouldn't be a total shock - Harrison has surpassed 100 yards rushing in each of the last four games in which he's carried the ball at least 10 times.
In 2009, Harrison ran for an astounding 286 yards in a game, the third-most rushing yards in a game in NFL history. In the final three games of that season, Harrison ran for 561 yards for the Browns, so he's certainly got a track record. But he fell out of favor in Cleveland this season, opening up the possibility for his import into Philadelphia for Bell, who has rushed for a combined 35 yards on 29 carries (1.2 yards per carry) this season.
It took Harrison a few weeks to get acclimated to the new playbook, especially the blocking schemes, but now that he has a comfort level, he's ready to make an impact.
"It just took some time," Harrison said. "I'm going to just keep wprking at it and whenever I have the opportunity I'll try to make the most of it."
LeSean McCoy has emerged as one of the premier up-and-coming running backs in the league this season, but having two trustworthy running backs is increasingly essential in today's NFL. In Harrison, the Eagles hope they have McCoy's longterm complement – an explosive player who can do all that's asked of a running back in the Eagles' scheme.
"It's a good feeling to get out and help," Harrison said. "This team has a ton of offensive weapons. It's just good to be a part of it."
-- Posted by Bo Wulf, 1:15 a.m., November 16
