Saquon Barkley is the primary and loudest man to champion the Eagles offensive line for serving to him accomplish so many nice issues this season in Philly, however with only one sport left, and nothing on the road, the group blocking for Barkley isn’t on the identical web page as to what occurs subsequent.
Barkley was capable of cross the two,000 dashing yards threshold on Sunday, and already bypassed the Eagles former information for single season dashing yards and single season yards from scrimmage — each information beforehand held by LeSean McCoy. However, there’s nonetheless one report left, and in attain, for the Eagles’ RB to high: NFL all-time single-season dashing yards.
He’s solely 101 yards away from topping Eric Dickerson’s single-season dashing yards (2,105) report set again in 1984. That’s completely cheap with how Barkley has been used and the way he’s been capable of benefit from sure alternatives this season.
The issue lies in whether or not it’s sensible to let Barkley go for the report. Head coach Nick Sirianni mentioned he has rather a lot to consider within the coming days, and made certain to notice that they’ve larger objectives for this season than particular person information and an NFC East title. Sirianni will now weigh whether or not or to not relaxation starters in Week 18 heading into the playoff — giving the blokes a little bit of a break and time to heal up.
For as a lot because the Eagles offensive line championed their record-setting rusher all season, they’re now on completely different pages as as to if they need Sirianni to let Barkley try the final word feat subsequent Sunday — towards the group that didn’t worth him.
Lane Johnson spoke after the sport and admitted that at 34 years previous, per week off has a number of advantages. The Eagles have been pressured to play in postseason video games with out Johnson after a late-season damage, and everyone knows that the group is healthier when the veteran proper deal with is on the sector. Enjoying him towards the Giants is an enormous threat.
“Eric Dickerson is who he’s, Saquon [Barkley] is who he’s. We simply wished to get to 2,000. We had been effective with that. Higher be secure than sorry.”
That mentality isn’t shared by all of his teammates, nonetheless, with Jordan Mailata talking post-game and saying that he’d even go so far as to advocate to Sirianni that they push for Barkley to interrupt the report. Mailata mentioned he “completely” needs to play subsequent week for that probability, and referred to as it “a chance to make historical past.”
In the end, it’s not Lane Johnson or Jordan Mailata’s resolution. It’s not even Saquon Barkley’s resolution. Frankly, it may not even be solely Nick Sirianni’s resolution.
Risking Barkley’s well being, and the well being of the offensive line, in a meaningless sport when this group is on the verge of a very particular postseason run, is most definitely a call that can embody Jeffrey Lurie and Howie Roseman. Sirianni mentioned that his precedence is making the very best resolution for the group, however he admitted he’s delicate to all these information. In any case, the report hasn’t been damaged in 40 years, and getting this shut and never going for it is likely to be one thing they second-guess for a very long time.
Solely time will inform, however Barkley has already executed phenomenal issues in Philly, and that is just the start. (However, I’m glad it’s not my resolution to make.)
