Is Saquon Barkley Nonetheless a Recreation Changer?

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles have dropped two straight, their offense seems misplaced, the protection is strained from carrying a lot weight, and town is in a light panic questioning if this group is on the verge of its second collapse in three years.

Some coaches and gamers are starting to put on the stress on their faces. The defending champs are banged up, pissed off and grinding via the type of troublesome season that usually follows a championship run.

It is instances like these when the worth of a participant and teammate like operating again Saquon Barkley shines via.

“He is acquired one of the best vitality, man,” left deal with Jordan Mailata stated. “Finest vitality, greatest juice, greatest vibes. He is so optimistic, even when it is raining… he is acquired the umbrella out for everyone. Such a particular teammate, he’s. I really like him, man. Love that man.”

On the checklist of gamers who can save the season for Philadelphia, Barkley could be on the very prime.

We have seen it earlier than. It was Barkley who helped foster the paradigm shift because the wounded Eagles tried to regroup from their late-season tailspin in 2023. He was introduced in on a three-year, $37.75 million free agent deal that March, and a few of his new teammates acted like followers as they acquired a have a look at his jump-cuts and jukes firsthand.

His skills have been so pronounced that members of the offensive line knocked on coach Nick Sirianni’s workplace throughout their Week 5 bye to induce him to lean into the bottom recreation. Philadelphia closed the common season successful 12 of 13 video games on the again of the eventual Offensive Participant of the 12 months, organising its Tremendous Bowl run. Barkley was so distinctive that stars akin to A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith accepted lesser roles, understanding that driving the heater Barkley was on was the precise factor to do.

He injected pleasure into the locker room and helped stabilize it, and he proved to be a salve for what was ailing them on the sphere.

It has been a lot more durable going this season. Barkley is on tempo for 1,048 yards, nearly half of the two,005 he gained in 2024. His yards per rush have dropped from 5.8 (2nd within the NFL) to three.7 (thirty sixth), and he has been held to 60 yards or much less on the bottom in 10 of 12 video games.

A drastic turnaround would possibly really feel far-fetched, however notable enchancment within the run recreation is attainable — and stays the most definitely catalyst ought to the Eagles go on one other run, beginning Monday evening in opposition to the Los Angeles Chargers (8:15 ET, ESPN/ABC).

What’s behind the dip in manufacturing?

“I say this in a humble means. I am not attempting to be ignorant,” Barkley prefaced earlier than their Week 12 recreation on the Dallas Cowboys. “In case you come and play the Philadelphia Eagles and your mindset is to not cease us from operating the soccer, you then most likely must be fired.”

In different phrases, if you find yourself considered one of 9 gamers ever to hurry for two,000-plus yards in a season, you are going to get additional consideration.

Barkley is operating into stacked bins (8 or extra defenders) 33.1% of the time this season, through NextGen Stats, in comparison with 20.6% final yr. He’s averaging simply 2.3 yards per stick with it these runs in comparison with 4.5 yards per carry in opposition to lighter bins.

Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo defined that defenses are centered on taking away house, whether or not that is by placing extra gamers on the line of scrimmage, blitzing off the sting or bringing linebackers up the center. Barkley was a big-play machine in 2024 with 17 runs of 20-plus yards and 7 that went 40 or extra. Via 12 video games this season, he has simply two runs of 20-plus and one which went 40-plus.

The offensive line has performed a job in that. Accidents to proper deal with Lane Johnson, left guard Landon Dickerson and middle Cam Jurgens over the course of the season have lowered the efficiency of a usually dominant entrance.

Add these components with a stage of predictability that has set in, in accordance with some gamers and shut observers, and you’ve got the recipe for regression.

How can or not it’s fastened?

Extra designed runs for quarterback Jalen Hurts is an effective place to begin.

Think about: The Eagles common 182.3 rush yards per recreation (4.5 yards/rush) when Hurts has 10-plus rush makes an attempt in a recreation in comparison with 135.1 when he has lower than that, per ESPN Analysis.

Hurts had eight video games final yr with double-digit dashing makes an attempt. That quantity has dipped to solely two such video games this season. The Eagles are 9-1 since final season when Hurts has 10-plus rush makes an attempt in a recreation. They’re 11-6 over that very same span when he doesn’t.

“I wish to see them do extra [QB] runs, I am not going to lie,” former middle Jason Kelce stated on native Philly radio 94 WIP final week. “I believe it can hold defenses trustworthy much more in order that if you’re doing only a common tailback run, these shall be simpler. You get such higher angles. The numbers are higher. It makes life simple. It is nearly like dishonest. And it has been an enormous purpose why the Eagles have been profitable within the floor recreation all through Hurts’ tenure.”

There have been a number of latest stories stating that Hurts doesn’t love having plenty of designed runs within the recreation plan and did not wish to run as a lot this yr. Hurts responded to these stories by saying he is “at all times been centered on doing no matter it takes to win, and I’ve at all times put my vitality on attempting to carry a recreation plan and a method that week to life, so I will proceed to do this.”

There isn’t a denying his numbers are down. Hurts is on tempo for 119 rushes and 466 yards, which might be profession lows since taking up because the full-time starter in 2021.

The Eagles had the good thing about a mini-bye following Friday’s loss to the Chicago Bears to evaluate. It could be no shock in the event that they launched extra QB runs for the house stretch. The gravitational pull Hurts has as a runner tends to open issues up for Barkley.

Count on different wrinkles to emerge. Mailata allowed that the Eagles have “some new stuff on this week” for the Chargers recreation. The main focus within the offensive line room has been about ending blocks, execution and bettering communication.

“I do assume we all know who we’re up entrance and the identification within the run recreation,” Mailata stated. “However we have got to sprinkle some stuff in to get it going slightly extra.”

The eventual return of Johnson, who has been sidelined with a Lisfranc sprain since mid-November, ought to assist in getting the entrance again to its high-end type.

Dickerson stated Barkley talks with the offensive line persistently each day, from in-unit conferences to in the course of a drive throughout apply, to walk-throughs.

“He’s a really detailed man. He simply desires what’s greatest for the group and needs to ensure we’re all setting ourselves as much as strive in get in one of the best play and run one of the best play doable,” he stated. “He does an amazing job of simply speaking what he sees and the place he thinks the ball goes to hit, after which clarifying with us and ensuring… we’re all on the identical web page.”

Is he the identical man?

There was loads of hypothesis about whether or not Barkley is feeling the consequences after shattering his earlier excessive of 436 dashing makes an attempt final season. The explosive performs are means down and so are the reverse-hurdling-like highlights that captured nationwide consideration.

However there have been flashes in these uncommon moments when Barkley has discovered daylight the place he reveals that mixture of quickness and energy that reminds you of how harmful he could be. On a number of events this season, Barkley has insisted he is similar participant.

Barkley’s rush yards over anticipated went from second within the NFL final yr (546) to twenty ninth going into Monday’s recreation (17). That being stated, the RB’s prime velocity is just about unchanged — 21.87 this yr, 21.93 final yr, and final yr’s quantity was on an extended run in accordance with NFL Subsequent Gen Stats. It seems Barkley’s velocity remains to be there, however he isn’t getting the blocking he as soon as did, whereas additionally not breaking and avoiding tackles on the fee he did in 2024.

Nothing has modified off the sphere, his teammates and coaches agree, even when “2K Sa” is not operating as wild this yr — providing hope that the work will finally web the type of outcomes that appeared to return really easy a season in the past.

“Yeah, he is one of the best,” Sirianni stated. “I really like consistency, and he is the identical particular person each single day, week in, week out, yr to yr. I believe that is why his teammates, his coaches, all people that is available in contact with him has the type of respect that they’ve for him, as a result of his consistency would not waiver primarily based off of something that occurs on the sphere. It is about his course of and about how he goes about his work. You’re keen on that out of your gamers.”