The Philadelphia Eagles, a week after a disappointing loss to the Washington Commanders, bounced back and dominated the Dallas Cowboys, 41-7. Eagles running back Saquon Barkley also bounced after being bottled up in the second half against the Commanders, rushing for 167 yards on 31 attempts. Barkley now has 2,005 yards on the season and stands just 101 yards short of breaking Eric Dickerson’s rushing record of 2,105 yards, which he set in 1984.
The only issue is that the Eagles have already secured the NFC East and the #2 seed in the NFC. Week 18 against the lowly Giants is likely to be meaningless unless the Eagles decide to let Barkley chase history. The question then becomes, is the risk worth the reward?
Should the Eagles Allow Running Back Saquon Barkley to Pursue History?
Pros
The obvious upside of Barkley going for the record is if he ends up breaking Dickerson’s 40-year-old mark. The feat would help cement Barkley’s legacy and immortalize him in the history books of the National Football League. Yes, Dickerson accomplished his record in a 16-game season, but the record he broke was O.J. Simpson’s, who rushed for 2,003 yards in 14 games in 1973.
Barkley has a chance to break what has become one of the most elusive records in the sport. Added importance at a time when, largely, running backs have been devalued. This season, along with Barkley, Derrick Henry, and Josh Jacobs, showcases the true value of having an elite running back. Barkley breaking the rushing record this year would be the perfect exclamation point on that idea.
Cons
The number one concern with playing Barkley is health-related. In a game that is meaningless for the Eagles, from a playoff-seeding perspective, there is the potential for injury with Barkley. Throughout the season, Barkley has luckily managed to remain relatively healthy. Before arriving in Philadelphia, however, he had an extensive injury history. Barkley played a full season just twice in his six seasons with the New York Giants.
The Eagles having a fully rested and healthy Barkley going into the playoffs would certainly be ideal, especially for a team as talented as this Eagles team that has Super Bowl aspirations.
Last season, in a Week 18 game against the Giants, the Eagles had a very slim chance of winning the division, so head coach Nick Sirianni decided to play his starters. What proceeded to happen was quarterback Jalen Hurts breaking the middle finger on his right hand and wide receiver A.J. Brown suffering a knee injury on the road to losing 27-10 in that game. Brown missed the wild card playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Eagles lost 32-9 to conclude a miserable end to the 2023 season.
The Verdict
The Eagles want all of their starters to be as close to 100% healthy as possible for the playoffs, but when history is staring them in the face, it’s hard not to give Barkley at least a shot. Therefore, the Eagles should compromise.
Barkley gets one half to have the opportunity to break the record. If he can’t accomplish breaking the record in one half, it is what it is. The team looks ahead to the playoffs, and Barkley rests in the second half. If Barkley does surpass 2,105 yards in the first half, though, he can always pull a Cam Ward and peacefully bow out of the game after breaking the record.
Main Image: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
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