The Philadelphia Eagles have effectively turned their season around. They are 8-2 and have taken a commanding lead in the NFC East over the Washington Commanders. Despite this, the team still has questions surrounding them with a flawed and uneven offense. They are certainly talented, but like last season they tend to play uneven games and are plagued with slow starts. The ultimate difference maker between last season and this season has been Eagles running back Saquon Barkley. Barkley has been the centerpiece of the offense since his first snap, carrying the weight of the offense. It might be time to start considering him in Offensive Player of the Year conversations.
The Eagles Running Backs Latest Showing Of Greatness
Barkley added to an already stellar season resume in last night’s victory against Washington. He also showed why it’s possible he could very well be the league Offensive Player of the Year. The Eagles offense was stagnant and lifeless for much of the game. It was 10-6 Commanders after three quarters until the Eagles erupted for 20 points in the fourth. 14 of those points came from Barkley.
The Eagles’ running back had 26 carries on the night for 146 yards and two rushing touchdowns late in the fourth to seal the win for Philly. He also caught two passes for 52 yards. On the season, Barkley is now up to a league-leading 197 carries. He is also now the official leading rusher in the NFL with 1,137 rushing yards and third in rushing touchdowns with eight. What’s crazy about the last point is that if the Eagles weren’t so reliant on the tush push in goal-line situations, Barkley could arguably be leading the league in all three categories. He is also still averaging a career-high 5.8 yards per carry.
Barkley has also had a plethora of standout performances this season. Whether it was his 176-yard performance against the Giants in his revenge game. What about his 159-yard two-touchdown performance against the Jaguars? Still not satisfied, what about when Barkley put a halt on the Saints’ hot start with a 147-yard two-touchdown performance? That’s not even including his other impressive performances against the Packers and Bengals.
He has stacked up quite a resume to cement his claim in the conversation.
What Is The OPOY Ladder Looking Like At The Moment
According to Vegas Insider, Barkley currently has the second most likely odds to win the award, only trailing Ravens running back Derrick Henry. Barkley also is ninth on the MVP ladder according to Draft Kings. It is very possible though that Barkley could end up overtaking Henry now that he is leading the league in both carries and rushing yards.
The Eagles running back is currently on pace for a career season in Philly. Only time will tell what the league decides in terms of potentially awarding Barkley for his efforts. It’s hard to argue he isn’t deserving. The Eagles offense plays very similarly to how they did last year with uneven games and slow starts in the first quarter, where would the team even be without Barkley?
Main Photo: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
