Saquon Barkley lowered his shoulder, bounced off a few tackles and ended up in the end zone, his celebration said it all.
Eagles Clinch NFC East
The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Washington Commanders 29-18 on Saturday, securing the NFC East crown. 207 rushing yards marked the second 200-yard outing of the season, with Barkley’s 12-yard fourth-quarter touchdown and Tank Bigsby’s 22-yard score driving the win.
Barkley’s Angry Run
“Angry runs are the best,” left tackle Jordan Mailata said. “Angry runs are the best. You feed off of it. You can’t help but feel like that’s a true act of a great player, really. You gotta enjoy that.”
“Guys get fired up when he has those runs,” head coach Nick Sirianni said. “He brings a lot of energy and a lot of excitement to everybody every time. He’s dangerous to get in the open field and make big plays at all time. Awesome that he’s on our football team.”
Barkley’s 48-yard burst in the fourth quarter began as a potential loss; he spun and scampered to the end zone. He forced six missed tackles and rushed for a season-high 63 yards after missed tackles, according to NFL NextGen Stats. In total, he carried 21 times for 132 yards (6.3 average) and a touchdown.
Mindset and Coaching
“I guess we can call it an angry run,” Barkley said. “I don’t know if I was necessarily angry in that moment. To be honest, I tried to make a move, I didn’t win on the move. I just kept my feet driving. The focus this week was my pad level and finishing runs. Haven’t been doing a great job of that this year, I feel like. I tried to do that this week.”
Barkley added, “That’s my job.” “The O-line does a hell of a job for me. Sometimes we’re going to be off a little bit. Mindset really was try to not take any negative runs.” His running-backs coach Jemal Singleton had discussed playing like a 230-pound back, a strategy Barkley embraced.
Bigsby’s Spark
While Barkley couldn’t get in the end zone, Bigsby was able to take care of it. Two plays after Barkley’s 48-yard run, Bigsby exploded for a 22-yard touchdown – his first of the season. “Shout out to Tank, Howie for getting him. He just brings a great energy to this team. Excited to build off that.” Barkley also added, “Shout out to Tank for sure.”
Team Energy
DeVonta Smith had a block to help spring him and then gave Barkley some crap for not getting in the end zone. “Hit a pretty good spin move,” Barkley said. “Apparently, Smitty said I gotta F’in score. So I gotta go back and watch it. I’m known for breaking long runs so anytime I get out there, it’s expected of me to score.”
The game showcased the Eagles’ offensive power and the teammates’ enthusiasm for Barkley’s “angry” style, cementing the team’s dominance in the NFC East.
Key Takeaways
- The Eagles clinched the NFC East with a 29-18 win over Washington.
- Barkley’s 48-yard spin run and 12-yard touchdown highlighted his aggressive play.
- Bigsby’s 22-yard touchdown was his first of the season, energizing the offense.
The victory and individual performances underscore Philadelphia’s strong season and the impact of Barkley’s relentless running style.
