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In 2024, Saquon Barkley was an otherworldly machine in the Philadelphia Eagles' offense.
En route to Offensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-Pro honors, Barkley amassed the ninth 2,000-yard rushing season in NFL history. He averaged nearly six yards per carry (which is absurd). He scored 15 touchdowns (13 rushing, two receiving). He created over 140 yards from scrimmage per game. For all intents and purposes, Barkley enjoyed one of the best seasons a professional running back has ever had.
The 2025 season has been a different story for Barkley so far. The same goes for the Eagles' offense and a struggling Jalen Hurts, to boot. And Barkley's issues will be magnified during Thursday night's matchup with the New York Giants.
Through five games, Barkley has only 267 rushing yards. He's averaging just 3.2 yards per carry. He has yet to eclipse 100 rushing yards in a single game and has only hit paydirt four total times. After playing like an MVP last year, Barkley looks decidedly average. Worse yet for someone who's supposed to be one of the NFL's most explosive players, he's sometimes been forgettable. Woof.
Unless Barkley really gets it together, it's hard to see him rebounding and enjoying another Pro Bowl-caliber campaign. Fortunately, it's not too late.
The issue is that I'm not entirely sure Barkley's problems are solely his own.
The nature of the Eagles' woeful passing offense means that defenses are stacking the box more and more. They're (deservedly) selling out on stopping Barkley because they're not all that afraid of being hurt in the passing game. It's a measured calculation that has, more or less, worked for every team to play Philadelphia so far. Until the Eagles prove they're a more dangerous passing team, I'd venture to guess that Barkley will continue seeing eight, even nine defenders in the box. Open rushing lanes will continue to come few and far between. And that, in turn, means we will likely continue seeing meager rushing performances from him.
A superstar running back can only do so much by himself, you know?
On the flip side, I almost wonder if Barkley is playing through fatigue. He had 482 touches last year, including the Eagles' entire playoff run. That's a LOT of mileage on a running back who is already in his age-28 season. As special and fit as Barkley is, he's still human. It wouldn't be shocking to learn he's kind of just ... tired after being the Eagles' proud workhorse for six months in 2024.
Whatever is exactly wrong with Barkley, the Eagles better hope he starts looking like his old self soon. Their Super Bowl repeat hopes hinge on him being as dynamic as possible every single week.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Saquon Barkley: Why is Eagles RB having issues? How he can get better
Continue reading...
En route to Offensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-Pro honors, Barkley amassed the ninth 2,000-yard rushing season in NFL history. He averaged nearly six yards per carry (which is absurd). He scored 15 touchdowns (13 rushing, two receiving). He created over 140 yards from scrimmage per game. For all intents and purposes, Barkley enjoyed one of the best seasons a professional running back has ever had.
The 2025 season has been a different story for Barkley so far. The same goes for the Eagles' offense and a struggling Jalen Hurts, to boot. And Barkley's issues will be magnified during Thursday night's matchup with the New York Giants.
Through five games, Barkley has only 267 rushing yards. He's averaging just 3.2 yards per carry. He has yet to eclipse 100 rushing yards in a single game and has only hit paydirt four total times. After playing like an MVP last year, Barkley looks decidedly average. Worse yet for someone who's supposed to be one of the NFL's most explosive players, he's sometimes been forgettable. Woof.
Unless Barkley really gets it together, it's hard to see him rebounding and enjoying another Pro Bowl-caliber campaign. Fortunately, it's not too late.
How can Saquon Barkley become effective in Eagles' offense again?
The issue is that I'm not entirely sure Barkley's problems are solely his own.
The nature of the Eagles' woeful passing offense means that defenses are stacking the box more and more. They're (deservedly) selling out on stopping Barkley because they're not all that afraid of being hurt in the passing game. It's a measured calculation that has, more or less, worked for every team to play Philadelphia so far. Until the Eagles prove they're a more dangerous passing team, I'd venture to guess that Barkley will continue seeing eight, even nine defenders in the box. Open rushing lanes will continue to come few and far between. And that, in turn, means we will likely continue seeing meager rushing performances from him.
A superstar running back can only do so much by himself, you know?
On the flip side, I almost wonder if Barkley is playing through fatigue. He had 482 touches last year, including the Eagles' entire playoff run. That's a LOT of mileage on a running back who is already in his age-28 season. As special and fit as Barkley is, he's still human. It wouldn't be shocking to learn he's kind of just ... tired after being the Eagles' proud workhorse for six months in 2024.
Whatever is exactly wrong with Barkley, the Eagles better hope he starts looking like his old self soon. Their Super Bowl repeat hopes hinge on him being as dynamic as possible every single week.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Saquon Barkley: Why is Eagles RB having issues? How he can get better
Continue reading...
