A 122‑yard performance by Saquon Barkley on Monday night, including a 52‑yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter, underscored the Philadelphia Eagles’ improving ground attack in a 22‑19 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Rising Production in the First Half
Barkley’s rushing average climbed from 3.3 yards per carry six weeks ago to 4.0 today, a trend that has carried over into the last seven weeks of the season. Over that span, his 4.7 yards per carry tied him with Bijan Robinson for the fifth‑highest average in the NFL, while his 493 yards rank sixth in the league.
In the season’s first seven games, Barkley averaged 53 yards per game and 3.3 yards per carry, placing him 37th among 38 backs with at least 50 carries. In contrast, the last seven games saw him average 82 yards per game and 4.7 yards per carry, ranking 13th among 41 backs with 50 or more carries.
Quotes From Barkley
After the Chargers game, Barkley said, “I know the type of ability that I have and the energy that I could bring,” adding, “And I’ve just got to keep my foot on the gas and keep going and hopefully I’ll make some more plays like that.
“I know it’s going to start breaking for us because I trust my work ethic and my preparation. I trust in the coaches and most importantly, I trust in the guys up front. We’re going to keep grinding, keep working.”
He also reflected on the team’s recent performance: “We made some strides, but it doesn’t matter,” Barkley said. “We didn’t win the football game. So we watch it, move on and get better.
“And I’m always going to start with myself, look in the mirror, and go back and watch film to see what I could have done better. Because there’s always things you could have done better.”
Second‑Half Usage Concerns
Despite the uptick in production, the Eagles have been pulling back on Barkley later in games. He had only three second‑half carries in Dallas, 13 total attempts against the Bears, and just five second‑half carries Monday in L.A., even though he averaged 5.3 yards per carry before halftime. Across the three‑game losing streak, he was carried only 17 times after the half‑mark.
The coaching staff appears to still be calling plays as if the running game is sputtering, a mindset that persists even as the offensive line begins to run block more effectively and the quarterback struggles.
Career Context and League Standing
Barkley sits 12th in the NFL with 862 rushing yards and is on pace for more than 1,100 yards. His 60‑yard touchdown against the Giants and the 52‑yard run against the Chargers place him among only four backs this season with multiple 60‑yard touchdown runs, alongside Jahmyr Gibbs, TreVeyon Henderson, and Jonathan Taylor.
The Eagles have found something in the running game, but it remains under‑utilized. The team scored just 81 points in their last five games, the fewest in a five‑game stretch in 13 years, and had seven trips inside the Chargers’ 40‑yard line Monday without scoring a touchdown.
Barkley on Consistency and Mindset
Barkley noted the lack of consistency: “We just weren’t consistent and that’s been the theme for offense and for the team this whole season,” he said. “Especially the later half of the season we haven’t been consistent.
“We know we’ve got to be better. (We) keep continuing to beat ourselves. Last year was last year, like we keep saying, and now we’ve just got to move on. We know this one’s going to sting. We got a short week.
“One of my favorite coaches used to always tell me, ‘So what, now what?’ And I think that’s the mentality we got to take because we lost this game, we know we can do better, but we move on and get ready for the Raiders.
“Everything we want is still in front of us, so we’ve got time to figure it out. And we’ve just got to figure out sooner rather than later.”
Key Takeaways
- Barkley’s 122‑yard outing and 52‑yard touchdown highlight a growing rushing attack.
- The Eagles have pulled back on him in the second half, with only 17 carries after the half during a three‑game skid.
- Consistency remains an issue; the team has scored only 81 points in the last five games, the lowest in 13 years.
The Eagles’ coaching staff and Barkley himself recognize the need to adjust play‑calling and maintain momentum. As the season continues, the focus will be on ensuring the running game is leveraged throughout the entire game to support a more balanced offensive attack.
