The Philadelphia Eagles offense has been one of the best in the NFL over the past two years. When they added former New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley in the offseason, analysts started drooling over the possibilities. Miles Sanders and D’Andre Swift both put up 1,000-yard seasons behind an elite offensive line. With respect to those two players, Barkley is on another level. He has not disappointed in his first season as an Eagle. He is in the top five in rushing yards and has produced jaw-dropping highlights. On Thursday night, he eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the fourth time in his career.
Philadelphia Eagles Saquon Barkley Hits Milestone
About midway through the first quarter, Barkley took the handoff from Jalen Hurts and scampered for eight yards. It didn’t seem like much, but the broadcast pointed out that he had just passed the 1,000-yard milestone for the season. It took him less than ten games. This isn’t the first time the former Penn State star has hit this milestone. He hit this mark three other times: 2018 (1,307), 2019 (1,003), and 2022 (1,312).
Saquon Barkley is on pace to shatter his career-high in rushing yards. He already has less than 300 yards to go and has gone over the century mark five times this season already. It seems likely he will be able to set a new career best with many games to spare. He is second in the league in rushing behind Derrick Henry, who is also having a huge season on a new team. Hitting this milestone on Thursday night also puts him in special company in the Eagles organization.
Eagles History
There is only one other member of the Philadelphia Eagles who has been able to do what Barkley is doing this season. LeSean McCoy hit the 1,000-yard mark in ten games in the 2011 season. He struggled down the stretch and ended the season with 1,309 total rushing yards. Saquon Barkley hopes to unseat McCoy from another record. In 2013, McCoy set the franchise record for most rushing yards in a season with 1,607. Barkley is on pace to shatter that record. He is averaging 110.1 yards per game, so he will beat that mark with a handful of games to go.
There is ample reason to believe he will be able to keep this pace up. Barkley gets plenty of work, averaging 19 rushing attempts per game. He is able to pick up huge chunks of yards at times because of his speed and agility. It is wild to think that a running back from an arch-rival could come in and cement his place in team history in just one season. Could he make more history?
Chasing A Hall Of Famer
Saquon Barkley is a dangerous back because of what he can do in the passing game, as well. This season, he has caught 21 passes for 158 yards. Breaking the record for all-purpose yards in franchise history will be a tall task. McCoy’s record-setting 2013 season was only good for fourth in terms of all-purpose yards. Barkley is chasing Hall of Fame running back Timmy Brown, who in the 1963 season had 2,428 all-purpose yards for the Philadelphia Eagles. That season, he broke his own record of 2,306 yards, which he had set the year prior. Eagles great Brian Westbrook is third on the list for his 2007 season of 2,183 all-purpose yards.
It seems less likely that Saquon Barkley will break this record. While he is used in the passing game, the presence of AJ Brown, Devonta Smith, and other running backs means he doesn’t see as much action in the passing game. He would have to go on an absolute tear to pass Timmy Brown.
Final Thoughts
Saquon Barkley has a chance to cement his legacy with the Philadelphia Eagles this season. It isn’t just the team that is getting the benefit. The New York Giants were never able to make a serious playoff run with Barkley on the team. Philadelphia is sitting in a great position just past the midway point of the season. They have a stifling defense and offensive weapons that can burn you at any point. Can Barkley catch Henry for the rushing title this season and lead the Eagles in another deep playoff run?
