Tag: eclipses

PHILADELPHIA — Eagles running back Saquon Barkley on Sunday became just the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.

The accomplishment came in the fourth quarter of a 41-7 victory over the Dallas Cowboys that clinched the NFC East Division title for the Eagles.

“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 I grew up watching, definitely means a lot,” Barkley said, donning an NFC East champion hat for the first time in his career. “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.”

The coaching staff kept Barkley in the game in the fourth quarter despite Philadelphia holding a big lead. He was handed the ball on five straight plays, the last of which was a 23-yard scamper down the left side that put him over 2,000 yards.

Barkley trotted to the sideline and received a pat on the head from lineman Mekhi Becton and a hug from offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Coach Nick Sirianni then called a timeout, allowing the rest of his teammates to swarm Barkley and offer their congratulations while the fans broke into “MVP” chants.

“It’s a testament to him, coming to another team, first year, a lot of expectations. He’s truly a super-talented football player, a great teammate,” right tackle Lane Johnson said. “I was happy for him.”

Barkley was replaced in the lineup by Kenneth Gainwell after surpassing the 2,000-yard mark. Barkley finished with 167 yards on 31 carries. He is now just 101 yards from breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record (2,105 yards).

Now the question becomes: With the division wrapped up and the chances slim of capturing the No. 1 seed in the NFC, will he have a chance to chase Dickerson in the regular-season finale against the New York Giants?

Sirianni will have to weigh allowing Barkley the chance to capture the rarest of records versus ensuring his health heading into the postseason.

“I always have to do what’s right for the football team to reach our goals of what we need to do,” Sirianni said. “I’ve got a lot to think about.”

Johnson’s stance was that the group had accomplished its goal of surpassing 2,000 yards and suggested the starters should rest Week 18 under the philosophy that it’s “better to be safe than sorry.”

Left tackle Jordan Mailata, meanwhile, said he will “push for” the starters to play against New York even if the game has no meaning in terms of playoff seeding, though he sounded unsure whether Sirianni would go for it.

“It’s an opportunity to make history,” Mailata said. “We never really spoke about the Giants next week, but we just had the feeling that if we don’t go for it today, we might sit out. We don’t know. Coach hasn’t really said anything yet. We’ll see.”

Barkley said he’ll be fine with whatever Sirianni decides.

“Whatever his decision is, I’m all for it,” Barkley said. “If his mindset is, we’ll go out there and try it, I’ll go out there and try it. If his mindset is, let’s rest and get ready for this run, I’m all for that, too … I came here to do something special. Breaking a record is special but I want a banner up there. I think we all do.”

With the win, the Eagles completed their first season sweep of the Cowboys since 2011. This is the 20th straight season the NFC East does not have a repeat champion, which is the longest streak in NFL history.

Philadelphia accomplished the feat while operating with its No. 2 and No. 3 quarterbacks at the controls.

Kenny Pickett got the start for Jalen Hurts, who suffered a concussion against the Washington Commanders last week. Pickett, a New Jersey native who grew up cheering for the Eagles, had a strong performance (10 of 15, 143 yards, 2 total touchdowns) but was playing through injured ribs and had to exit the game after a couple of hard hits during the opening series of the second half.

“I’m good. I’ll be all right,” Pickett said. “Came in with a little bit of an injury. We’ll do some more tests to see how it looks, but I’ll be OK.”

Tanner McKee, the 2023 sixth-round pick out of Stanford, received the bulk of the first-team reps Friday so Pickett could rest, Johnson said. McKee made the most of his opportunity, going 3-of-4 for 54 yards with 2 touchdown tosses.

The Eagles (13-3) reached 13 wins for just the fourth time in franchise history. The other three times (2004, 2017, 2022) they went to the Super Bowl.

There is one game left before the playoffs. Should Barkley sit out that game against his former team, it would be just fine with Dickerson, who made it clear to the Los Angeles Times he does not want Barkley to break his long-standing record.

“If you had a record, would you want me to break your record?” Barkley said when asked to respond to Dickerson’s comments. “It’s an honor to … have your name attached to that record and having guys chase it. Guys have been chasing that record for 40 years. I don’t see it as a shot, I don’t see it as throwing shade. You shouldn’t want me to break that record. That’s how I look at it.”