Bowles’ theory is perfectly acceptable, especially in the small sample size that is a three-game stretch. But if this trend continues over six games or so, he’ll have a tougher time defending his stance.
Those who’d like to turn to advanced metrics to dive deeper into this won’t find undeniable proof of Irving’s superiority, because he’s essentially doing his job as expected, gaining just four yards over his expected rushing yardage total through three games. They will, however, find some unsavory evidence for the case made against White, who has fallen 46 yards short of his expected rushing total.
Even worse, their influence on the game is already pretty significantly different: Irving owns a rushing expected points added of 3.7 — good for eighth-best in the NFL among running backs with at least 20 carries in 2024 — while White stands at -11.
Simply, Irving has been the more productive and efficient back. It’s fair to wonder when he might take over the lead role in what is clearly a tandem backfield. But because it is a tandem, it might not ultimately matter all that much — at least, not until Irving ends up receiving the lion’s share of carries.
One thing to monitor leading up to Sunday’s game against the Eagles, however, is that Irving currently is dealing with a hamstring injury that limited him on Wednesday and forced him to sit out of Thursday’s practice.
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