PHILADELPHIA -- Aaron Rodgers acknowledges that the surge in the Green Bay Packers' passing attack has largely been out of necessity. The spike is easy to see. Over the past five games, Rodgers is averaging 318 yards per game, compared to 234 yards per game over the first five.

It’s no coincidence that the tipping point was the game against the Dallas Cowboys in mid-October in which running back Eddie Lacy was lost for the season with an ankle injury. He remains the team’s top rusher by more than 100 yards. Number two on that list? Rodgers, whom the Packers are leaning on more than ever in his 12th NFL season.

“We’ve had to be creative with a lot of things without a real running back for a number of weeks,” Rodgers said, “so we really had to be creative with some of our concepts and putting guys in spots and obviously throwing a little bit more than we have in the past.”

The Packers rank dead last this season in percentage of designed runs (28.2 percent). While the recent addition of running back Christine Michael off of waivers from Seattle could help provide a little more balance, the offensive approach to date has skewed Rodgers’ numbers. His 6.73 yards per attempt are more than a yard below his career average.

Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz pointed to the fact that Rodgers has been using quick screens to his wide receivers as a way to compensate for the absence of a quality ground game.

“Those passes are really an extension of the run game, and I know from being around offensive coaches, their goal was to average 5 yards with those plays, because that's what they want to average in their run game,” said Schwartz, who went up against Rodgers plenty while he was the coach of the Lions.

“So I think that when you put that on the quarterback and you say, ‘Hey, these are run looks, we are going to bail out of it,’ it's all about getting first downs and it's all about scoring. Of course, his yards would be down [because of that]. He's doing a lot more of that this year. I don't know if that's the sole reason. I haven't crunched those numbers, but there's enough plays of him on tape attacking down the field.”

Rodgers’ deep-ball numbers are off as well. Per ESPN Stats & Information, he is averaging career lows in both completion percentage (27 percent) and yards per attempt (8.4) on passes of 20-plus yards.

Even so, the 32-year-old quarterback is on pace to toss 40 touchdowns and has thrown for more than 350 yards in each of the last two weeks.

“He looks the same to me,” said Eagles defensive end Connor Barwin. “He can throw the ball all over the field, make some ridiculous throws, and he can run the ball. ... He can avoid the rush and wait for the coverage to break down and then make a play downfield.”

Eagles coach Doug Pederson, a former Green Bay quarterback who actually occupied the locker stall Rodgers has now the year before Rodgers got to town, was also complimentary of the signal-caller.

“He's, in my humble opinion, going to be a Hall of Fame quarterback, and he's playing extremely well right now,” Pederson said. “Their record may not show that, but he's playing at a high level.”

On Monday night, Rodgers will face an Eagles defense that is allowing just 9.5 points per game at Lincoln Financial Field.

Both teams are in a bit of a desperate state. The Eagles (5-5) are at the bottom of the NFC East and must remain perfect at home to stay in the hunt. The Packers (4-6) likely need to run the table after dropping their past four games.

Rodgers feels Green Bay can do just that. Eagles receiver Jordan Matthews said his team is planning to do the same, but he recognizes who will be standing on the opposite sideline Monday night.

“I know people are saying, ‘Oh, well, Green Bay is kind of down.’ Green Bay is fighting for their lives,” he said. “Aaron Rodgers isn’t going to just let his team bow out.”