Mathews' ankle stiffened during Sunday's game against the Steelers, explaining his light workload of just two carries, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Mathews reportedly had the same ankle that limited him before the preseason rolled on during his 22-carry Week 1 performance against the Browns. That discomfort contributed toward his combined 11 carries over the past two weeks, clarifying his situation to owners. Fortunately, the Eagles now have a Week 4 bye, giving Mathews extra time for his ankle's condition to improve. While coach Doug Pederson maintains Mathews is the Eagles' starting running back when healthy, he also revealed the veteran will continue to be subject to a rotation that includes Darren Sproles, Wendell Smallwood and Kenjon Barner, thus adding a frustrating layer to Mathews' current injury situation.