PHILADELPHIA — Head coach Chip Kelly wasn’t pleased with the Philadelphia Eagles’ running game in their 45-21 win over Carolina Monday night.

While quarterback Mark Sanchez threw for 332 yards and two touchdowns in his first start, the Eagles managed just 37 rushing yards on 23 carries. It was their second lowest rushing total of the season.

“We didn’t execute the way we needed to execute in the run game,” the Eagles coach said. “They did a better job of defeating our blocks than we did of sustaining our blocks.”

The Eagles had their All-Pro left guard, Evan Mathis, back for the first time since Week 1. But with the exception of touchdown runs by Darren Sproles (eight yards) and LeSean McCoy (one yard), the Eagles struggled to move the ball on the ground. They had just three rushing first downs and converted only five of 15 third-down situations.

“I just don’t think we were very consistent (offensively) overall,” Kelly said. “We could’ve sustained some drives. We missed some key conversions on some short-yardage situations. I believe we didn’t play up to our potential on the offensive side of the ball.”

REPORT CARD VS. PANTHERS

PASSING OFFENSE: B-plus — Mark Sanchez’s first start as the Eagles’ quarterback was a successful one. His decision-making was excellent, he moved well in the pocket, and threw for 332 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Rookie slot receiver Jordan Matthews and tight end Brent Celek both had 100-yard receiving performances as the Eagles took advantage of some coverage mismatches inside.

RUSHING OFFENSE: C — The Panthers made a concerted effort to stop the run and force the Eagles to beat them through the air, bringing a safety down in the box much of the game. The strategy worked. The Eagles rushed for just 37 yards on 23 carries. LeSean McCoy had his string of 80-yard rushing games snapped at four. He managed just 19 yards on 12 carries.

PASS DEFENSE: A — The Eagles sacked Cam Newton nine times and had three interceptions. Linebacker Connor Barwin had 3.5 sacks to run his season total to 10.5. Four of the nine sacks and one of the interceptions came on third down, but Newton also completed 10 of 12 passes on third down.

RUSH DEFENSE: A-minus — Even without one of their best run defenders, inside linebacker DeMeco Ryans (ruptured Achilles tendon), the Eagles did a solid job of shutting down the Panthers’ rushing attack. They held running backs Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams to 67 yards on 24 carries.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A — The Eagles’ special teams had another big game. Darren Sproles had a 65-yard punt return for a touchdown. Cody Parkey converted his 13th straight field-goal attempt and had touchbacks on five of his eight kickoffs.

COACHING: A-plus — With the Panthers determined to shut down the Eagles’ ground game, head coach Chip Kelly had Mark Sanchez utilize his slot receiver and tight end to take advantage of inside matchups. Defensive coordinator Bill Davis’ unit had a season-high nine sacks.