Saquon Barkley is closing in on NFL historical past.
And if he will get it, it’ll most assuredly occur in opposition to the Giants.
Barkley ran for 150 yards in Sunday’s 36-33 loss to the Washington Commanders, giving the Philadelphia Eagles’ star working again 1,838 speeding yards this season.
The 27-year-old Barkley is now 268 yards away from breaking the single-season speeding file, which Eric Dickerson set with 2,105 yards in 1984 with the Los Angeles Rams.
To interrupt the file, Barkley would want to common 133.5 speeding yards over the ultimate two weeks of the common season. He has averaged 122.5 speeding yards per recreation by 15 video games, that means he must barely improve his output down the stretch.
His matchups are favorable.
This Sunday, Barkley is ready to face a Dallas Cowboys protection that surrenders 135.9 speeding yards per recreation, which is the fifth-worst mark within the NFL.
And in Week 18? Barkley is scheduled to face the Giants — his former staff — who permit 142.6 speeding yards per recreation, which is the second most amongst NFL groups.
Each video games are in Philadelphia.
Barkley has rushed for not less than 146 yards in six video games this season, together with a 176-yard explosion in opposition to the Giants at MetLife Stadium on Oct. 20.
Breaking the speeding file in opposition to the Giants could be poetic, contemplating they failed to succeed in a contract extension with Barkley, let him hit free company final offseason and in the end watched him signal with their hated division rival.
Barkley has already received NFC Offensive Participant of the Week 4 occasions with the Eagles, who lead the NFC East at 12-3. The Giants, in the meantime, suffered their franchise-record tenth consecutive loss on Sunday to fall to 2-13.
The earlier Giants regime drafted Barkley with the No. 2 total decide in 2018, and he earned two Professional Bowl picks throughout his six seasons with the staff.
The 2023 offseason proved pivotal within the saga, as Giants normal supervisor Joe Schoen opted to provide quarterback Daniel Jones a four-year, $160 million extension whereas utilizing the franchise tag on Barkley.
An extension for Barkley by no means got here, and he performed the 2023 season on an adjusted tag, speeding for 962 yards and totaling 10 touchdowns on an offense that didn’t present a lot help round him.
Quite than tag him once more, Schoen allowed Barkley to hit the open market in March, then declined to make him a ultimate provide, as documented on HBO’s offseason version of “Hard Knocks.”
The Eagles gave Barkley a three-year, $37.8 million contract. The Giants launched Jones in November after a 2-8 begin to the season.
However the Giants are a part of the story as soon as once more as Barkley pursues Dickerson’s file. It’s value noting Dickerson set the file when the NFL season was 16 video games, versus 17 like it’s now.
There are a number of elements that might complicate Barkley’s pursuit. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts suffered a concussion throughout Sunday’s recreation, placing his availability for Week 17 in opposition to the Cowboys in jeopardy.
Not having Hurts would probably restrict the upside of the Eagles’ offense, although Philadelphia might lean extra on Barkley if backup quarterback Kenny Pickett will get the beginning. Pickett, too, suffered a ribs harm Sunday after coming into in reduction of Hurts, however he stayed within the recreation.
Sunday’s loss to Washington, in the meantime, considerably broken the Eagles’ probabilities at getting the NFC’s No. 1 seed. The Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings each received on Sunday to enhance to 13-2.
Because of tiebreakers, the Eagles could be eradicated from rivalry for the No. 1 seed with a loss to the Cowboys or if the Lions defeat the San Francisco 49ers in Week 17.
Both state of affairs would probably lock Philadelphia into the NFC’s No. 2 seed, which might make Week 18’s recreation in opposition to the Giants meaningless by way of seeding.
The Eagles might subsequently relaxation their starters, together with Barkley, who, regardless of a wholesome 2024 season, suffered a number of important accidents throughout his Giants tenure.
Going through the Eagles with out their starters might even have ramifications for the Giants by way of draft order, as they presently personal the NFL’s worst file and are subsequently in line for the No. 1 total decide.
In fact, the Giants are already taking part in lots of their backups, together with with a revolving door at quarterback and with high gamers equivalent to left sort out Andrew Thomas and defensive sort out Dexter Lawrence out for the season.
Barkley, who’s on tempo for two,083 speeding yards, would turn out to be the ninth participant in NFL historical past to eclipse 2,000 in a season.
