November 14, 2024
Bill Streicher/USA Today Sports
Saquon Barkley has been one of the best free agent signings for the Eagles in recent history.
For the second straight week, the Eagles started slow, and then finished with gusto, closing out the Commanders 26-18 Thursday night to expand their lead in the NFC East.
In addition to running the ball all over the place in the win, the Eagles once again did it with defense, the win highlighted by an epic fourth down sideline tackle by Zack Baun on Jayden Daniels to get the Eagles the ball back up by just two points. And then another turnover from the ball-hawk defense thanks to a late Reed Blankenship interception.
Saquon Barkley slammed the door shut, even amid some special teams issues that will surely get some chatter during the long week ahead.
With some extra time off before a trip to Southern California next Sunday, here's a look at a player whose stock continues a meteoric rise, and one who is becoming a bit of an issue.
The Eagles offense took the field fully healthy for the first time since mid-September, so really it could have been any of the Eagles' valuable weapons that took centerstage under the lights on Thursday Night Football.
But in a game that highlighted some offensive struggles that have nagged Philadelphia at times this season, it was once again Saquon Barkley who was a life raft in a very choppy body of water in the victory.
The star running back exceeded 1,000 rushing yards — in 11 weeks — but earned every inch of it. Barkley had 26 carries for 146 yards (and 198 yards from scrimmage), grinding up and down the field and helping to lift a slugging Jalen Hurts at times. He was somewhat well-rested after only 15 carries against Dallas last week and the Eagles coaching staff utilized him to the max against Washington.
A dual threat, always, Barkley made one of his biggest contributions on a third down in the second half, turning garbage into gold on a 43 yard catch and run that was fully improvisation:
Saquon gets loose for 43 yards!#WASvsPHI on Prime Video
— NFL (@NFL) November 15, 2024
Also streaming on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/gqwJicK0Vm
He found the end zone twice to turn the Linc into a party in the fourth quarter. Here's his first:
Like this if you love Saquon Barkley.
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 15, 2024
RT this if you love Saquon Barkley.
Reply that you love Saquon Barkley.@saquon | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/e4TKKo3rSN
We all know the NFL MVP goes to a quarterback every year. But Barkley has to be the front-runner for Offensive Player of the Year, with no disrespect to Baltimore running back Derrick Henry who is also having a season for the ages.
A bonus shoutout to the Eagles' backup running back Kenny Gainwell, who came in to spell Barkley at the start of the fourth quarter and fired off runs of 14, 13 and 7 yards in succession to set up an eventual Hurts QB sneak touchdown.
MORE: Eagles' defense rises to the occasion in prime-time win over Commanders
Kicking field goals, more than anything else in football, is mental.
Which means Jake Elliott clearly has a lot in his head right now.
The former All-Pro and Pro Bowler kicked his way to a Super Bowl ring as a rookie and has hit some remarkable game-winners in his career, including a 61-yarder. But he is having an extremely down year, and missed two first half field goals Thursday to put the Eagles well behind the 8-ball early. He also missed an extra point in the fourth quarter, missing out on a full seven points — a rarity for the otherwise stone-cold, reliable special teamer.
First he missed a 44-yarder on the Eagles opening drive, and then in the second he missed his fourth 50-plus yard kick, making him 0-for-4 on the year from deep. He made 26 kicks from 50 or more yards in his first seven seasons in the NFL.
The kicker got some redemption to close the second quarter, thankfully making a chip shot from 21 yards to send Philly to the locker room down 7-3. He also made a try in the third on another stalled Eagles drive from 31 yards. But the Eagles would have taken the lead each time if Elliott had converted all his FG tries.
It's interesting to see Elliott continue to struggle, in the face of Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni's aggressive mentality that has oftentimes taken points off the board, or refused field goal tries for fourth down attempts.
Elliott is now 14-for-19 on field goals this year after he missed only two kicks last season (30-for-32). He recently signed the third richest contract for any kicker in the league, a four-year, $24 million deal that keeps him in Philly until 2028.
MORE: The pivotal plays from the Eagles' division-grabbing win over the Commanders
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