In last weekend’s 40-17 win against the New York Giants, one of the reasons the Philadelphia Eagles were able to find success was because of an effective running game.

The Eagles recorded their highest rushing total of the season against the Giants with 180 yards on the ground. The main reason they were able to find such success was because of the contributions they got from everyone considering running back Brian Westbrook was out due to a concussion he received a week earlier against the Washington Redskins.

Eagles rookie running back LeSean McCoy ran for 82 yards on 11 carries, including a 66-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. However, it was the performance by fullback Leonard Weaver that made head coach Andy Reid realize another option to use in the running game.

On the third play of the game for the Eagles, Weaver broke through the Giants defense and ran 41 yards for the first touchdown of the game. Overall, he finished with 75 yards on just eight carries–both career highs.

When the Eagles signed Weaver to a one-year deal in the offseason, they knew the type of talent he was capable of bringing to a squad that had gone a few years without a solid fullback.

He can block. He can run. He can even catch the ball. What more could the team ask for at running back?

Before last week’s game, Weaver had only been handed the ball four times all season for a total of 16 yards. Many wondered why Reid wasn’t using him as much with the running game considering he could be used as another weapon for the Eagles rushing attack.

After last week’s performance, Reid needs to continue to get Weaver more involved with the Eagles running game. Between him, Westbrook, McCoy, and a handful of speedy wide receivers in DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, the  running game has the potential to make as much of an impact on a weekly basis as they did against the Giants defense last weekend.