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A legendary performance that is among the best single-game performances in franchise history.
Most Eagles fans knew the addition of Saquon Barkley to an already talented offensive roster would be a good one. He’s always been one of the better running backs in the league, playing behind an always-leaky New York offensive line and with a quarterback and skill position group that leaned on him with no mercy.
I don’t think any of us realized what would happen when he played behind a Jeff Stoutland offensive line and with a real quarterback and wide receivers.
Barkley added another log onto his MVP fire with Sunday night’s franchise record-setting and career-high 255 yards rushing and 302 total yards from scrimmage in the Eagles’ 37-20 thumping of the Rams in Los Angeles.
Saquon Barkley has set an Eagles single-game rushing record AND career-high with 255 yards‼️
saquon | #FlyEaglesFly
— Philadelphia Eagles (@philadelphiaeagles.bsky.social) 2024-11-25T04:37:27.498Z
His 255 yards on the grounded passed LeSean McCoy’s 217 yards in the snow back in 2013…
❄️ 8 years ago today: LeSean McCoy Snow Bowl ❄️
• 29 carries
• 217 yards
• 2 TDs
• 7.5 yards/carry pic.twitter.com/DxcfAwhHYM— The Liberty Line (@LibertyLinePHL) December 8, 2021
…and his 302 yards from scrimmage blew away Duce Staley’s previous high of 262 against the Cowboys in the 2000 Pickle Juice game.
The Eagles have had 3 different players run for over 200 yards in a single game, the most being LeSean McCoys 217 vs the Lions in the 2013 “Snow Game.”
Another all time performance was during the “Pickle Juice Game” in the season opener of the 2000 season when Duce Staley… pic.twitter.com/uH4QOWqCmZ
— Fly Eagles Fly Bets (@Fly_EaglesBets) June 11, 2024
Two legendary performances, unique in that both backs had the best games of their careers while playing in extreme weather conditions. McCoy raced through a surprise snowstorm that made throwing the ball nearly impossible, with about 3-4 inches of snow on the ground throughout the game. Duce, meanwhile, started off the 2000 season playing on an Astroturf field that registered temperatures well over 100 degrees.
Barkley didn’t have to deal with any of that on Sunday night, but it was a Hollywood performance to be sure, and if Barkley ends up winning NFL MVP this season, Sunday night’s game will be the one that catapulted him to the top of the heap.
Some of his numbers are incomprehensible.
Saquon Barkley just became the ninth player ever to average over 9.0 yards per carry on at least 25 rushes.
Last to do it was Doug Martin in 2012. pic.twitter.com/dV09xRqjyb
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) November 25, 2024
In the last 10 years, there have been two instances of a running back having 5 or more runs of 50+ yards in a season:
* Saquon Barkley in 2018
* Saquon Barkley in 2024
Barkley already has more 50+ yard runs than any player had last season. This is his 11th game.
— Sheil Kapadia (@SheilKapadia) November 25, 2024
Even when the Rams knew it was coming, they couldn’t stop him, or the Birds’ ridiculously skilled offensive line.
The #Rams lined up 8+ men in the box 34.6% of the time against Saquon Barkley last night.
Barkley averaged 12.7 yards per carry. #Eagles
— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) November 25, 2024
Remember when we were worried about Cam Jugens taking over for future Hall of Famer Jason Kelce, or who was going to play right guard?
We were so innocent.
You just know Giants fans, and likely team president John Mara, noticed.
Saquon Barkley outgained and outscored his former team Sunday all by himself.
Barkley: 302 yds, 2 TD
Giants: 245 yds, 1 TD
So while Barkley set franchise records in rushing and yards from scrimmage, was it the greatest performance by an Eagles’ running back?
You decide!
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