There isn’t any possible way to put a spin on how much Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley has backslid in his follow up to winning NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2024, when he became just the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in the regular season.
Every game is further evidence things ain’t what they used. The latest example came in a 28-22 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 7 in which Barkley, the highest paid running back in NFL history, had 18 carries for 44 yards.
“It’s a shocking regression,” Fox Sports color commentator and former NFL tight end Greg Olsen said during the broadcast. “It’s just continued today.”
Not only is Barkley not on track to become the first player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in consecutive seasons, he’s not even on track to rush for 1,000 yards this season for the defending Super Bowl champions.
Through 7 games, Barkley has 113 carries for 369 yards and 3 touchdowns. This puts him on track to rush for approximately 896 yards if he plays in all 17 games.
In 2024, Barkley had 766 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns through the first 7 games, including 4 100-yard games. In 2024, he was able to rush for over 2,000 yards while sitting out a meaningless regular season finale against the New York Giants.
Barkley Only Cares About Eagles Winning
Whatever the talking heads might say about Barkley’s stats, the message from the player himself throughout the season has been focused solely on one thing: Winning.
“People get caught up in how winning looks … it’s winning,” Barkley said after the win over the Vikings. “It’s our team beating their team. Whatever it looks like, that’s all that matters. To win the football game. That’s what matters.”
The Eagles can count themselves lucky they have such an incredible team player as the face of their offense. Others on that side of the ball haven’t been that understanding when things don’t go their way even when the Eagles are winning.
In 2024, star wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith made a federal case about not getting the ball enough — and did so during a 10-game winning streak.
Brown did the same thing this year as the Eagles reeled off 4 consecutive wins to open the season.
Barkley Adjusting to Life With New OC
Part of Barkley’s struggles can be chalked up to an offensive line that has struggled with injuries. Part of the struggles can also be tied to first year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, who has struggled mightily since last year’s OC, Kellen Moore, left to become the head coach of the New Orleans Saints.
Whatever the problem is, it’s obvious the play calling and blocking isn’t what it was last season. And those factions need to be held accountable. Getting Barkley the ball in his hands at the right times and with the right calls and the right blocking scheme is critical to his success.
That hasn’t happened so far. Until then, the Eagles should count themselves lucky he hasn’t gone Full Diva like his teammates.
“Saquon Barkley still hasn’t reached 100 total yards in a game this season,” Fantasy Football podcast host JJ Zachariason wrote on his official X account on October 20. “He did it in all but three games last regular season. He averaged 143 total yards per game last year. He’s at 72 this year.”
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