Running backs have won two of the past four NFL Offensive Player of the Year awards. San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey took the trophy home last season. In his first year with the Eagles, Saquon Barkley is staking his claim as a top candidate for the award.
In a renaissance year for the running back, Barkley leads the NFL in yards from scrimmage (1,347) and is second in the league in rushing yards (1,137) entering Week 12. The Barkley-led Eagles rushing attack averages an NFL-best 181.3 yards per game.
Through 10 games, Barkley is on pace to set a career high in rushing yards per game and is threatening to set a new career high season touchdown total (15) which he set his rookie season.
“We’ve been putting up a lot of rushing yards and gaining a lot of respect,” Barkley said to reporters after Week 11’s win. “When we get the running game going, it’s kind of hard to beat our team.”
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The Eagles are flying on a six-game winning streak, the second longest active streak in the NFL. They have rushed for at least 150 yards and two touchdowns in five consecutive games.
“Our guys have done an awesome job. Obviously, we’ve ran the ball a number of times the last few weeks and certainly that’ve become a big confidence thing for us,” Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore told reporters this week. “It’s certainly something that we believe in and going to continue to emphasize.”
The Eagles’ running game often wears on opponents throughout a matchup. Barkley’s registered a league-leading 738 rushing yards in the second half. The running back credits the Eagles’ offseason approach and O-line for getting stronger as the game goes on.
“This offseason kind of gave me like a college mindset. We were really grinding with each other. When you have those guys up front, it’s easy to get stronger because they are doing a lot of the load,” Barkley said. “Just keep trusting them, trusting the scheme and try to make the right reads because they are doing a hell of a job for me.”
Barkley and Philadelphia’s running game will be a key to the game Sunday night versus the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams defense has given up 127 rushing yards per game and allow slightly over four yards a carry.
If Barkley has a big-time performance Sunday night, he’ll bolster his NFL Offensive Player of the Year candidacy. He’s currently one of the frontrunners for the award, per Bet MGM. The running back’s been everything the team’s hoped for in his first season in Philadelphia.
“I knew the guy was a special player,” Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata told reporters. “The possibilities of what he could do behind our offensive line. You don’t really know what to expect until you see it or until he does something.
‘He’s a special player, man. I’m glad he’s on our side.”