Saquon Barkley solidifies MVP candidacy, plus Cowboys and Vikings survive late comeback attempts

On By Littum

Before this NFL season began, a big concern surrounding the Philadelphia Eagles was how their new running back would play behind a new-look offensive line.

That question has finally been answered.

Saquon Barkley added to his candidacy for NFL Most Valuable Player, and the Eagles won their seventh straight game on NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” by dominating the run game, once again, and sprinting past the Los Angeles Rams 37-20.

Just one season after being fired from the New York Giants, Barkley rushed behind an overwhelming offensive line for a career-high 255 yards – the first time in his career he has rushed for more than 200 yards – including touchdown runs of 70 and 72 yards, where the defenders could barely lay a hand on his back, let alone stop him.

It was the most individual rushing yards in a single game since 2009 and pushed Barkley to 1,392 yards on the season, a new career high in just 11 games.

Already the NFL’s leader in yards from scrimmage, Barkley pushed his lead in that category by also catching four passes for 47 yards. With the win, the Eagles improve to 9-2, including 5-1 on the road, to extend their NFC East division lead over the Washington Commanders.

“We just have to keep building,” Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts said after the game on NBC. “Momentum is the fakest thing out there because it can end or start at any time. We just want to keep building, learn from our mistakes and play good ball.”

Rams fall to 5-6. They had won four of their last five games, but the loss won’t derail their playoff hopes, not in an NFC West division that remains tightly knit heading into the season opener.

But the story was Barkley and the legitimate Super Bowl potential he’s created for a team that just a year ago endured a late-season collapse. This season, the Eagles have gotten stronger as the weeks have gone by.

Even with the hole left by the offseason retirement of center Jason Kelce, a likely future Hall of Famer, the Eagles entered Sunday with the NFL’s best rushing offense, averaging 181.3 yards per carry. match.

Against the Rams, Philadelphia rushed for 314. The run-pass combination kept the Rams’ defense off balance as Philadelphia converted nine of its 15 third-down opportunities compared to 0-of-8 for Los Angeles.

“He’s a heck of a player,” Hurts said of Barkley. “He’s the best at what he does.”

SNF blog: Look back at how the game evolved

The consistency of their running game has allowed Philadelphia to shut down teams in the second half, and that trend continued as Philadelphia scored 24 points after halftime to the Rams’ 13.

The Eagles are now just the second team in NFL history, and the first since 1949, to rush for at least 150 yards and multiple rushing touchdowns in six consecutive games.

“I got a fresh start,” Barkley said after the game. “I’m around a great group of guys. The whole organization for me, top to bottom, has welcomed me with open arms. I’m having fun. I’m ready to go out there and perform at a high level and get ready for the next week.”

The Cowboys beat the Commanders in bizarre fashion, plus the Packers dominate the 49ers

  • The Dallas Cowboys beat their rival Commanders 34-26 on the road in one of the most bizarre games in years. Trailing 27-20 with 21 seconds left, Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels found Terry McLaurin for an 86-yard score that would seemingly allow Washington to tie the game. The only problem? Kicker Austin Seibert’s extra point went wide left and Dallas (4-7) held on for the game. The game featured two kickoff return touchdowns, two missed extra points, a blocked punt and a blocked field goal attempt, the only time that has happened in NFL history. Washington, once a lock for the postseason, has now lost three in a row.
  • The Green Bay Packers (8-3) established themselves as a legitimate playoff contender with a dominating 38-10 victory against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love threw two touchdowns, while running back Josh Jacobs exploded for 106 yards and three scores on the ground. The 28-point loss is the worst for San Francisco (5-6) since October 2018.
  • The Minnesota Vikings withstood a late comeback attempt by the Chicago Bears to improve to 9-2. Minnesota led 27-16 with 1:56 left in regulation, but Caleb Williams led a successful touchdown drive and two-point conversion to make it 27-24 with 22 seconds left. Chicago then recovered the onside kick and Cairo Santos hit a 48-yard field goal as time expired to force overtime. After a defensive stop, the Vikings’ John Parker drilled Romo for a 29-yarder to win the game. The entire state of Minnesota breathed a collective sigh of relief after the game. It was the Bears’ fifth straight loss.