As Giants fans crowded MetLife Stadium with "TRAITOR #26" jerseys, Saquon Barkley dominated in the Meadowlands with 176 rushing yards and a touchdown in the Eagles' breezy 28-3 win over New York.
It was everything Eagles fans dreamed of when the team brought the superstar running back to Philadelphia and away from a bitter divisional rival. "Hard Knocks" offseason drama only added fuel to the fire ahead of Barkley's first game against his former team. The Eagles finally put together a complete effort in that 25-point win, their first truly convincing victory of the season, and Barkley was the key cog that had the Birds' well-oiled machine running.
• Saquon Barkley's 176 rushing yards were the most by an Eagle since LeSean McCoy's iconic 217-yard day during the Snow Bowl against Detroit in 2013 (via Stathead). Those 176 yards were the 11th-most by an Eagle in a single game ever.
• On his 17 carries against his old squad, Barkley averaged a mind-blowing 10.4 yards per carry. Maybe that's normal if you're Ashton Jeanty at Boise State, but that's simply not normal at the pro level. Barkley's 10.4 yards per carry was the second-highest figure in team history (minimum 17 carries, via Stathead). Who does he trail? You certainly won't guess it. Barkley comes behind Swede Hanson, who averaged 10.6 yards per carry on a 190-yard performance in a 1934 win over the Cincinnati Reds (yes, Reds). The Birds won by a whopping score of 64-0 that day. Barkley previously had some massive yards per carry numbers during his Giants days, albeit on fewer carries. He had a 14-170-1 (12.1 yards per pop) performance as a rookie and then in 2019 had an 11-120 (10.9 YPC) game.
• Barkley's 176 rushing yards were the second-most in a game in his career. Barkley previously went for 189 in 2019 with New York. If Barkley doesn't sit late in the Eagles' win over the Giants, he probably tops that. Maybe he will at some point this season!
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• Barkley's 658 rushing yards through six games are currently the third most in the NFL, trailing Baltimore's Derrick Henry (704) and San Francisco's Jordan Mason (667). McCoy is the Eagles' all-time single-season rushing leader, putting up 1,607 yards in 2013. For comparison's sake, McCoy had "only" 630 rushing yards through the Birds' first six games that year. McCoy would later pull off four 130-plus yard games that season, including that legendary Snow Bowl outing. Unsurprisingly, given that he beats out McCoy, Barkley's yards total are the most by an Eagle through the first six games of the season (via Stathead). Could Barkley actually dethrone McCoy in his first year in midnight green? Eagles fans would assuredly love to see that play out.
• The ultimate revenge… Barkley's 176 rushing yards were the second-most in NFL history by a player against their former team:
Saquon Barkley on Sunday:
– 176 rushing yards: 2nd most by any player in NFL history in a game against his former team
– 187 total yards: 68 more than the entire Giants team
– Reached 21.93 MPH (@NextGenStats) on this run, the fastest of his career pic.twitter.com/ydIxMbKB9d— Field Yates (@FieldYates) October 21, 2024
That performance is a dish best serve cold…
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