PHILADELPHIA − Eagles coach Nick Sirianni made it a point to explain the intricacies that went into D'Andre Swift's 35-yard run against the Chiefs on Monday night.

Swift took the handoff from quarterback Jalen Hurts at full speed on a jet sweep, then cut back and sped past the Kansas City defense.

The run set up the Eagles second touchdown, cutting their deficit to three points and sent them on the way to a scintillating 21-17 win over the defending Super Bowl champions.

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Swift's run showed everything that the Eagles were hoping for in a lead running back, something Swift has delivered upon often this season.

"D'Andre is obviously a special talent, but without the exact detail on that play being right on, that play doesn't work," Sirianni said. "And then we lose all those yards rushing that we got on that play, and that obviously set up a touchdown.

"D'Andre is a special back in the sense he can line up different places and be an issue to the defense at different places where he lines up."

And yet, for as great a season as Swift is having, he's destined to follow in the footsteps of another running back who had a career season in Miles Sanders who turned that into a lucrative contract ... somewhere else.

Sanders is having a miserable season in Carolina, proving that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side even though the money is.

In 2022, Sanders was fourth in the NFL with 1,269 yards rushing, by far his best season. But Sanders was allowed to become a free agent after the season, and he signed a four-year contract worth as much as $26 million with the Carolina Panthers.

The Eagles were never going to pay that for a running back. That's just the reality at a position that's replaceable. Instead of spending an average of $6.5 million to retain Sanders, the Eagles traded for Swift, sending the Lions a fourth-round pick in 2025 while swapping spots in the seventh round last spring.

Swift is in the final year of his rookie contract for a much lower $1.8 million salary cap charge. In fact, the Eagles are spending less money for all four running backs on their roster − Swift, Kenny Gainwell, Boston Scott and Rashaad Penny − than the Panthers are spending on Sanders this season in average annual salary.

And it's paying off. Swift has already set a career high in rushing yards with 690, ranking third in the NFL. He averages 4.7 yards per carry. He also has 197 yards receiving on 33 catches.

Against the Chiefs, Swift was clearly the most significant person with that last name at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, as he had 76 yards rushing and another 31 yards receiving.

That's because Taylor Swift, who's dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, was not there.

Still, Swift and Eagles center Jason Kelce had fun with that before the game walking out onto the field together. When asked what it's like being the most significant "Swift" in Kansas City, Swift replied with a laugh:

"Oh yeah, I'll take that. I like that."

Just like he has liked everything else this season.

It hasn't been that way for Sanders in Carolina. He is having by far the worst season of his career. He has 274 yards on 82 carries, an average of 3.3 yards per carry, losing the lead back role to Chuba Hubbard. Sanders also has 21 catches for 120 yards.

The Panthers are an NFL-worst 1-9, while the Eagles are 9-1 heading into their game Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, and on a Super Bowl course for the second straight season.

Unless the Eagles do an about-face on their philosophy of not paying running backs, it appears that Swift will most likely have to find his next paycheck somewhere else.

And yet, Sanders' season is also a cautionary tale as to why teams are reluctant to splurge on a running back, even in a depressed market for them that one Eagles player described as "ridiculous. The NFL is doing running backs wrong."

But that's the reality that Swift finds himself in.

Meanwhile, the next Eagles running back is probably on a rookie contract with another team, perhaps about to be replaced like Swift was going to be in Detroit before Eagles GM Howie Roseman swooped in and traded for him.

That running back will be determined to prove that he deserves a second contract, like Swift is this season. And the Eagles will find a way to maximize that future back's talent, much like they did with Sanders, and much like they're doing with Swift.

It's the Eagles' running back circle of life.

For now, though, the Eagles are thriving with Swift. Like on the jet sweep. Of course, the Eagles are well suited to do it with a star-studded offensive line and a plus-one in the running game in quarterback Jalen Hurts.

"Just a great call by Brian," Swift said about offensive coordinator Brian Johnson. "I saw green grass, just tried to make a play happen."

Did he know it was going to work that well?

"I knew it was a possibility," Swift said. "It came at the right time. A good call at the right time."

Just like Swift's season with the Eagles, and Sanders' season in 2022.

The formula for beating Josh Allen, Bills

For the third straight game, the Eagles will face an elite quarterback-wide receiver combination.

On Nov. 5, it was Dallas' Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. Against Kansas City on Monday night, it was Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce. Now it's Buffalo's Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs as Diggs ranks third in receptions (77) and seventh in yards (895).

The Bills also have an elite running back in James Cook, who's fourth in rushing with 688 yards.

On defense, the Bills allow just 17.3 points per game, the fourth lowest in the NFL. The Eagles, meanwhile, rank 28th in pass defense, allowing an average of 248.1 yards per game.

The Bills also have a fierce pass rush, led by Leonard Floyd with 9.5 sacks.

So why are the Bills 6-5, clawing for a playoff spot in a crowded AFC field?

Here's why: The Bills have turned the ball over 19 times. Only four other teams have turned it over more. As great a season as Allen is having − he's fourth in yards passing with 2,875 and first in TD passes with 22 − he is tied for the NFL lead in interceptions with 12, and he has also lost three fumbles.

There have only been two games in which Allen hasn't thrown an interception this season. The Bills have won both by a cumulative score of 86-30.

Sure, Allen threw an interception last week against the Jets and the Bills still won 32-6. And he threw an INT against Washington in a game the Bills won 37-3.

But the Bills are 0-3 when Allen has thrown an interception against a team that's .500 or better. Make that 0-4.

Score: Eagles 24, Bills 20

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Why Eagles D'Andre Swift is following Miles Sanders path out of Philly