Saquon Barkley was hit by two words—“The ball.”
The only mistake the amazing tailback made Sunday night was not keeping the historic ball after his 72-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown that gave him a career-best, and Eagles’ single-game rushing record 255 yards rushing.
Buoyed by the exquisite Barkley, the Eagles mowed over the Los Angeles Rams, 37-20, for their seventh-straight victory before a national TV audience at SoFi Stadium.
Barkley ran for second-half touchdowns of 70 and 72 yards, and finished with a career-high 255 yards rushing on 26 carries, with an average of 9.8 yards per carry. He finished with 302 yards from scrimmage, including the 47 yards he had receiving.
Anything Barkley wanted to do, he did—against a defense stacked to stop him. Barkley has a career-best 1,392 yards rushing this season with six games left. He is averaging 126.5 yards game, and he has an outside chance of rushing for 2,000 yards this season.
Currently, Barkley’s 1,392 is No. 5 all-time for the Eagles’ single-season rushing yards, behind LeSean McCoy’s 1,607 (2013), Wilbert Montgomery’s 1,512 (1979), Ricky Watters’ 1,411 (1996) and Montgomery’s 1,402 (1981). At the rate Barkley is running, he will surely break McCoy’s all-time single-season record. If he can continue rushing for his 126-yard average over the last six games, Barkley can reach the mythical 2,000.
The Eagles are 9-2, with a 2.5-game lead over the Washington Commanders in the NFC East and are a game behind the 10-1 Detroit Lions. The Eagles have six games remaining, with four of the six games at home against teams with a combined record of 21-24.
Could next week’s visit to Baltimore be a Super Bowl preview?
The crushing news was losing Brandon Graham announcing that he will be done for the season with a torn triceps.
There was a pile of good, some bad, and one very big ugly announcement, in the Eagles’ thoroughly dominant 37-20 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
The Good
Saquon Barkley’s 70-yard touchdown run to open the second half—and 72-yard touchdown to end his night. It was the second-longest run in Barkley’s distinguished career and gave him 143 yards rushing on 14 carries to that point.After his performance on Sunday night, Barkley made a bold statement as 2024 NFL MVP. The 255 yards was an Eagles’ single-game rushing record and No. 9 overall in NFL history.
Defensive tackle Milton Williams coming up with a big 5-yard sack on third-and-13 at the Eagles’ 29. The next play, Rams’ kicker Joshua Karty missed a 47-yard field goal wide right with 1:32 left in the third quarter. Williams finished with two sacks for minus-14 yards, including his fourth-quarter sack on a third-and-nine at the Rams’ 45. That essentially wrapped up any hopes for Los Angeles climbing back into the game.
Gainwell’s 13-yard, third-quarter TD was his first score this season, made possible by center Cam Jurgens turning the Rams’ interior left, opening a huge hole.
Left guard Landon Dickerson smacking linebacker Michael Hoecht aside and then bowling over Omar Speights in freeing Barkley on the 70-yard touchdown run. Dickerson simply shoved Hoecht right, reached the second level and buried Speights. Barkley ran right behind Dickerson and then bolted free. The national broadcast team was raving about tackles Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata—deservedly so, but Dickerson is arguably one of the best guards in the NFL and sometimes goes underappreciated.
The Eagles’ second-quarter defense. After being shredded in the first quarter for 117 yards of total offense and nine first downs, the Eagles held the Rams to minus-6 yards of total offense in the second quarter, and did not permit a first down. They forced the Rams into three-straight three-and-outs, before Josh Sweat provided the capper with the Eagles’ third sack in the half, a nine-yard takedown, for a total of minus-26 yards. The Rams’ 7 points marked the fourth-straight game in which the Eagles’ defense had given up 7 points or less in the half.
Linebacker Nakobe Dean running over Kyren Williams on his way to an eight-yard sack on Matt Stafford on a second-and-five at the Rams’ 35.
A.J. Brown’s touchdown catch with 1:27 left in the half, giving the Eagles a 13-7 lead. For the second time in the game, the Eagles needed a crucial call overturned. Initially, the refs called it an incomplete pass, when it appeared that Brown clearly caught the ball on a second-and-goal from the Rams’ six. Rams’ cornerback Quentin Lake knocked the ball out of Brown’s hands, but not after Brown has secured the ball, made one left step in the end zone and dragged his right foot. It was an obvious TD catch. The officials needed a little budge to make sure to get it right. On the last play of the third quarter, Hurts found Brown on a third-and-five at the Eagles’ 42 for a 28-yard completion to the Los Angeles’ 30. Brown finished with six receptions for a game-high 109 yards and a touchdown.
The Ageless One, Brandon Graham’s nine-yard sack of Stafford on the Rams’ fourth drive on a third-and-nine at the Los Angeles’ 31 with 4:24 left in the half. Graham came from the backside and the way he has been playing this season, the Eagles would have had to think about retaining the old man for another year. He had 4.5 sack this season, second on the team behind Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith. Graham later had a six-yard sack early in the third quarter, and followed that by pressuring Stafford into an incomplete pass. He also had a five-yard tackle for loss—and he announced after the game he will be lost for the season with a torn triceps.
Brown going beast mode on the Eagles’ third drive in rambling for 27 yards through four Rams’ defenders. He came up with a big catch on a third-and-four at the Rams’ 40, placing the Eagles at the Los Angeles’ 13. Once there, however, the Eagles squandered the opportunity and had to settle for a field goal.
Cornerbacks Isaiah Rodgers and Cooper DeJean forcing Kyren Williams to fumble on the Rams’ first drive at the Eagles’ 17. Linebacker Nakobe Dean jumped on the loose ball. The Eagles’ coaching staff failed to inform Nick Sirianni to throw the red flag in time. Fortunately, the officials caught it and reversed the call, after originally saying Williams was down.
DeJean coming up to defend Cooper Kupp to force an incomplete pass on a third-and-four at the Rams’ 27 on Los Angeles’ third series. It has been typical of the rookie’s impactful play this season. Later, on first-and-10 at the Rams’ 43 with 9:50 left in the fourth quarter, DeJean was disruptive again, swatting away a pass deep right to Puka Nacua.
The Bad
Cornerback Darius “Big Play” Slay called for pass interference in the end zone on an incomplete pass up the middle to Demarcus Robinson. The flag came on a second-and-goal at the Eagles’ 7 on the Rams’ second drive. Slay tried protesting a play, though it was obvious his right arm hooked Robinson as he tried cutting to the middle of the field. On the following play, the Rams took a 7-3 lead with 1:02 left in the first quarter on a one-yard run. It was just the 20th point the Rams had scored in the first quarter this season. Slay later missed Puka Nacua on the Rams’ first play of their third drive for a six-yard gain.
The Eagles having to settle for a field goal on their first drive. The Eagles easily ran through the Rams’ defense to reach the Los Angeles’ three. Hurts was four-for-four on the drive for 43 yards, and Saquon Barkley carried five times for 26 yards—and then they stalled. The 80-yard drive chewed up 7:19, but the Eagles should have come away with more than a 21-yard Jake Elliott field goal.
The Ugly
Losing the great Brandon Graham for the season with a torn triceps, which he announced after the game. Graham is a leader off and on the field, and for someone doing spot duty, he made a great impact. He was all over the field Sunday night. His amazing disposition shines everywhere he goes, and will be a huge loss to this team everywhere. At 36, it may have been the last game the future Eagles’ Hall of Famer played. In a word—devastating.
Cornerback Isaiah Rodgers getting flagged for pass interference on a third-and-16 at the Eagles’ 34 on the Rams’ first drive of the second half. It was debatable whether Rodgers grabbed Puka Nacua with his right hand as Nuka ran by him. Nevertheless, the penalty gave the Rams a first down at the Eagles’ 3. Two plays later, Stafford went after Rodgers, connecting with Demarcus Robinson for a two-yard TD with 10:51 left in the third quarter. It was an answer to Barkley’s 70-yard TD run. Rodgers became Stafford’s personal pigeon. On fourth-and-one at midfield, Stafford found Rodgers again isolated on Nacua, who turned up field for a 29-yard gain to the Eagles’ 21. It was not a good night for Rodgers.
The Eagles falling apart in the red zone on their third drive. After Brown got them to the Rams’ 13, Dickerson was flagged for an ineligible man downfield penalty on a first-and-10, pushing the ball back to the 18. An offsides penalty against Jahan Dotson was declined because of a Hurts’ incomplete pass to Dallas Goedert, and an illegal motion penalty against Goedert was declined. The Eagles had to settle for a 31-yard Elliott field goal. The Eagles were 0-for-2 in the red zone on their first three drives.
The Eagles’ first quarter defense. The Rams plowing right through the Eagles as if they were not there. On Los Angeles’ opening two drives, it amassed 117 yards of total offense, averaging 8.4 yards a play. The Rams picked up nine first downs to the Eagles’ five, and were so efficient offensively, they did not have a third down among their first 14 plays. If Kyren Williams had not lost a fumble on the Rams’ first drive, the score could have easily been 14-0 in the favor of the Rams. Entering the game, the Rams had been outscored by an NFL-high 50 points in the first quarter this season (63-13). That gap was narrowed slightly, though the Eagles are right behind, being outscored 47-17 in the opening quarter this season. The Rams’ initial third down did not occur until there was 11:53 left in the half on Rams’ third series.
Kyren Williams’ 27-yard run right through the middle on a first-and-10 at the Eagles’ 44 on the Rams’ fourth play of the game. Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis looked like they were shoveled away like rare snow on a Los Angeles sidewalk, creating a gaping hole through the middle of the Eagles’ defense. Where were they? It seemed like on the complete opposite side of the field. Fortunately, one play later, Williams fumbled on the following play, recovered by Dean at the Eagles’ 17.
Old Man River Matt Stafford’s 15-yard run on the Rams’ third play of the game on a first-and-10 at the Rams’ 41.
