The Giants‘ decision to let Saquon Barkley leave in free agency has led to the greatest indignity:
Barkley became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a single season in Sunday’s blowout Philadelphia win over the Dallas Cowboys. And now the Giants’ archrival Eagles don’t even must play Barkley in opposition to the Giants of their upcoming Week 18 common season finale in the event that they don’t wish to.
They’ve clinched the NFC East division title and locked themselves into the NFC’s No. 2 total seed.
Barkley would love nothing greater than to set the all-time NFL speeding file in opposition to the franchise that solid him off. However he has the posh to go on extra candy revenge as a result of he’s on to larger and higher issues — like making an attempt to win a Tremendous Bowl.
“The way I look at it, if it’s in God’s plan, then it is,” Barkley stated after going off for 167 yards on Sunday. “I’m not overly trying to go get it. I’m not scared of it. I would love to, but at the end of the day, also, we’ve got bigger things that we’re focusing on, and we’re able to clinch the division right here, whether we play next week or not.
“Rest, I’m fine with that too, because I didn’t come here and sign here just to rush for 2,000 or break a record,” he added. “I want to do something special, meaning special with the team.”
He did each Sunday.
That is, in spite of everything, the primary time Barkley’s staff has received a division.
“I’m happy. It’s my first hat and T-shirt game. I didn’t even know that was a thing, to be honest,” he stated. “So I’m happy to be a part of that, and we did it as a team. But we all know what the goal is.”
The Eagles’ objective is to win a championship.
Barkley now has 2,005 speeding yards this season. So he wants solely 101 yards in opposition to the Giants in Week 18 to interrupt Eric Dickerson’s file of two,105 from his 1984 season with the Los Angeles Rams.
Barkley has eclipsed 101 speeding yards in 11 of 16 video games this season already, and the Giants have one of many worst run defenses within the league. So if Barkley performed, he’d get it.
He’s already the ninth participant in NFL historical past to succeed in 2,000, becoming a member of Dickerson, the Vikings’ Adrian Peterson, the Ravens’ Jamal Lewis, the Lions’ Barry Sanders, the Titans’ Derrick Henry, the Broncos’ Terrell Davis and the Titans’ Chris Johnson.
“I’m not going to lie, but just being a fan of the game and the running back position, to reach a milestone and put myself up there with eight other backs that I respect, and some of them I grew up watching, definitely means a lot,” Barkley stated. “But at the same time, I wouldn’t be able to do that without this team. You can’t be great without the greatness of others, and I’m just happy I was able to be a part of the team and be able to reach a milestone like that.”
Dickerson advised the L.A. Occasions that he hopes Barkley doesn’t break his file, and he threw shade at Barkley presumably utilizing 17 video games to succeed in the mark, whereas Dickerson rushed for his quantity in solely 16 video games.
“I don’t think he’ll break it. But if he breaks it, he breaks it,” Dickerson advised The Occasions. “Do I want him to break it? Absolutely not. I don’t pull no punches on that. But I’m not whining about it. He had 17 games to do it? Hey, football is football. That’s the way I look at it. If he’s fortunate to get over 2,000 yards and get the record, it’s a great record to have.”
Regardless, Barkley’s success with the Eagles now places the Giants (3-13) in a lose-lose predicament for Sunday:
Both Barkley will play and set the NFL speeding file in opposition to the Giants and GM Joe Schoen, who hard-balled him out of New York and underestimated his potential and worth to their staff.
Or Barkley will relaxation together with a number of different high Eagles starters, and the Giants could have a possibility to win a second straight recreation and additional harm their NFL Draft place.
Co-owner John Mara famously advised Schoen in March that he would have “a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philly.”
Schoen, who obtained incorrect data that the Eagles had been out of the bidding, stated in HBO’s Exhausting Knocks to director of participant personnel Tim McDonnell: “We’re gonna upgrade the offensive line, and you’re paying the guy [Daniel Jones] $40 million. It’s not to hand the ball off to a $12 million back.”
Yikes.
So will Barkley play on Sunday or not?
Head coach Nick Sirianni wouldn’t reveal his plans postgame Sunday. A few of Barkley’s teammates lobbied for the operating again to swimsuit up and shatter the mark.
“Absolutely,” left deal with Jordan Mailata stated, in line with allphly.com. “Why not? It’s an opportunity to make history.”
Mailata additionally stated he would pushed Sirianni to let Barkley play.
“Of course, why not? I want to be a part of that,” A.J. Brown stated. “Looking back over the years and say that’s my teammate.”
Proper deal with Lane Johnson, nevertheless, cautioned that the Eagles want Barkley for the playoffs.
“Eric Dickerson is who he is, Saquon is who he is,” Johnson stated, per allphly.com. “We just wanted to get to 2,000. We were fine with that. Better be safe than sorry.”
Sirianni marveled at Barkley’s unique file and what it means for his staff.
“Saquon is pretty special. This offensive line is pretty special. This offense is pretty special,” Sirianni stated. “I know the guys were excited when that happened. It’s just a cool thing to be a part of.”
Barkley already embarrassed the Giants, 28-3, head-to-head on Oct. 20 at MetLife Stadium, going off for 187 complete yards and a landing. He already has moved on from settling that rating.
“I came here to do something special, and obviously breaking the record is special,” Barkley stated. “But I want a banner up there. I think we all do.”
It might be one thing if Barkley raced to historical past with Giants jerseys chasing him in Eagles inexperienced. However it would additionally converse loudly to the Giants’ dysfunction if he doesn’t play in any respect.
