Eagles running back Jay Ajayi was impressive in his debut against the Denver Broncos, but with two weeks to prepare including a Week 10 bye, he could have an even larger role in the offense Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys.
Four days after being acquired via a trade with the Miami Dolphins prior to the Oct. 31 trade deadline, Ajayi rushed for 77 yards and a touchdown on eight carries and played a factor in a run-pass option touchdown pass to Alshon Jeffery back in Week 9.
With two weeks to digest the playbook, Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich says that Ajayi's ready to handle whatever the coaching staff throws at him in Sunday's game.
"He's able to handle everything that we give him at this point," Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich told reporters Tuesday. "As the week went on, the package of plays we gave him grew. By the end of the week, he was adapting so well and learning so well, we were adding to his number of plays, because he could handle it.
"When I look at our game plan for this week, I look at it and there's probably not a play on there that I wouldn't feel comfortable putting his number on. As far as Jay learning and knowing what to do. That speaks a lot of him and what he's able to do as a player."
Adding Ajayi into the mix, and in all likelihood at the top of the depth chart this Sunday, boosts an Eagles offense that enters Week 11 ranked No. 5 in the NFL, averaging 136.8 yards per game.
Reich says that the fact that Ajayi wasted little time getting his head into the playbook and learning the scheme has accelerated his development into a contributor.
"I was impressed by Jay right off the bat," Reich said. "Just how quickly he grasped [the system] in the first week. Particularly, in the protections. You just know we've been around this game long enough as coaches when a guy 'gets' it, and Jay gets it.
"It didn't hurt that [running backs coach] Duce [Staley] tells me after the first day that Jay's here that he was in the meeting room with him for several hours getting a crash course ... For Duce to walk out of that meeting and say 'yeah, we're good,' this guy's going to be fine mentally. That's what we've seen."
Matt Lombardo may be reached at MLombardo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattLombardoPHL.