Eagles-Rams: Saquon Barkley breaks out with 255 rushing yards as Philly beats LA 37-20 for 7th straight win

On By Littum

The last time a running back won the NFL MVP was 12 seasons ago. Adrian Peterson got it after rushing for more than 2,000 yards.

The last time a running back was MVP without 2,000 rushing yards in a season or breaking an NFL single-season touchdown record was Emmitt Smith in 1993.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley will make it difficult for voters to pick the best quarterback available for MVP this season.

Barkley added to his remarkable season with another huge game, and this one was in prime time. Barkley was unstoppable as he ran over, around and past the Los Angeles Rams. Barkley rushed for 255 yards, passing 1,500 yards from scrimmage on the season, and the Eagles cruised to a 37-20 victory. Barkley’s rushing total was the ninth highest in a game in NFL history and the most in Eagles history.

The win puts Philadelphia’s record at 9-2 for the season. With the Washington Commanders’ loss on Sunday, the Eagles lead the division by three games with six remaining.

Barkley could end up with 2,000 yards this season. He’s on pace for that with 1,392 yards through 11 games. That’s a career high for Barkley with six games left. That could get him enough MVP votes to win the award. But as the Eagles surge toward an NFC East championship, Barkley’s case grows stronger regardless of whether he hits the magical 2,000.

The New York Giants blew it in the offseason. Saquon Barkley is clearly a first-team All-Pro this season, as is Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney, who is tied for the NFL lead in interceptions. The Giants let both leave in the offseason.

Even worse, the Giants made Barkley look like a mostly average running back for many seasons. The same Barkley who is electrifying the NFL and revitalizing Philadelphia’s offense didn’t even break 1,000 yards rushing against the Giants last season. Barkley must be thrilled to be with a legitimate NFL operation this season.

The Eagles don’t usually spend much on running backs, but made Barkley an exception. They must have seen how the Giants wasted his talent and how their great offensive line could turn him back into a star.

Barkley has been dominant since the Eagles’ Week 1 win over the Packers. The Eagles turned in another brilliant performance on Sunday night.

The game was mostly in hand with less than three minutes remaining, but Barkley broke off a 72-yard touchdown run to cap his massive night. It’s not easy to break long touchdowns like that in the NFL, but Barkley has made it look routine this season.

Since its bye week, Philadelphia has gone 7-0. If there’s an NFC team that could go to Detroit and knock off the Lions in the playoffs, the Eagles are the most obvious answer.

Barkley carried the day on Sunday, but the defense has quickly become one of the NFL’s best. The Rams have a potent offense when healthy, and in a crucial second quarter they had -6 yards on four possessions. As Philadelphia picks up new coordinator Vic Fangio’s scheme, there has been steady improvement on that side of the ball.

And the offense has plenty of options. Barkley just transformed the Eagles’ running game. Now they have a superstar capable of big plays and massive plays, a player who more often than not can turn what should be a failed play into something positive.

If that sounds like a good MVP candidate, that’s because he is. Defenses can’t stop Barkley this season. The only thing that can stop him might be recent MVP voting history.

LIVE COVERAGE HAS ENDED40 updates

  • Eagles win seventh straight game behind dominant performance from dominant Saquon Barkley

  • Saquon’s 255-yard night is the 9th best single-game rushing performance in NFL history

    Barkley has 10 career games of at least 145 rushing yards. Five of those came in his 84 career games over six seasons with the New York Giants. Five of those have come in his 11 games with the Philadelphia Eagles this season.

  • Saquon Barkley rips off THIS exclamation point to seal the deal

    26 carries for 255 yards and two touchdowns, including 70-yard and 72-yard touchdown runs. He has 302 yards of total offense.

  • Milton Williams AGAIN!

    Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis are the big names on the interior, but Williams is the big advantage for the two stars to be double-teamed. He’s sacked Stafford twice now, and the Eagles look like they’re on their way to a seventh straight win

  • Puka Nacua goes over 100 yards through the air

    He reached 110 yards with his 8th catch of the night and is over the century mark for the third time in the six games he has played this season.

    Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, top, fails to catch a pass over Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Isaiah Rodgers during the second half of an NFL football game in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, top, fails to catch a pass over Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Isaiah Rodgers during the second half of an NFL football game in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

    Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, top, fails to catch a pass over Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Isaiah Rodgers during the second half of an NFL football game in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

  • Jake Elliott gives Philadelphia a 16-point lead

    His third short field goal of the game extends the lead, but the Rams are still only down by two possessions with 10:30 left in the game. All three field goals have come on deep red zone drives, and if the Rams defense didn’t tighten up a few times in the low red zone, this game could already be a blowout. Now Matthew Stafford and company need a touchdown on this drive to stay in the game.

  • AJ Brown ends the 3rd quarter with a 28-yard pickup

    Brown is up to 109 yards receiving to go along with his touchdown reception and the Eagles enter the 4th quarter with a two score lead and all the momentum.

  • Joshua Karty misses from 47 yards

    The Rams come up empty after having a 2nd and 1 at the 12-yard line. A holding penalty and sack killed the drive and the Eagles maintained their 13-point lead. The Eagles have scored touchdowns on three of their last four drives, and their offensive line — along with Saquon Barkley and Kenneth Gainwell — has controlled the game.

  • Milton Williams comes up with a sack to force 4th and long

  • Puka comes up big on 4th and 1

    Stafford picks off Isaiah Rodgers again, this time on a 4th and 1 for a pickup at the 29 to keep the Rams drive alive.

  • Rams injury update

  • Eagles injury update

  • Kenneth Gainwell finds the end zone after big winner on Saquon Barkley’s screen pass

    It was 3rd down when Saquon Barkley got closer to 200 total yards for the game with a 31-yard pickup to put Philly in scoring position, and when the star needed a break, Gainwell was able to seal the deal with 13- the yard run.

  • Stafford finds Demarcus Robinson for the score

    Isaiah Rodgers is in for an injured Darius Slay, and Matthew Stafford picked the backup DB and found Robinson to answer the Saquon Barkley touchdown run. The final drive was similar to the opening pair of the Rams’ series, marching down the field seemingly effortlessly.

  • Matthew Stafford is 36 years old…and still making throws like THIS

    This would be an outrageous throw for anyone, but for a veteran who has been in the NFL as long as Stafford, this is a work of art.

  • How’s THAT for a start to the second half?

    Philly scoring drive. A play. 70 meters. Saquon Barkley.

  • The Eagles lead 13-7 at the half

    Philly went on downs near midfield with two seconds left in the half, and Josh Sweat was able to sack Matthew Stafford on the Hail Mary attempt, sending the game into halftime with Philadelphia leading 13-7.

  • A pass interference penalty gets the ball to midfield with 21 seconds left

    The Eagles can use the entire field with timeouts still in the pocket

  • The Eagles force another punt, and get the ball back with two timeouts

    Philly needs only 30-35 yards to get within field goal range with 26 seconds left in the half

  • AJ Brown finds the end zone to give the Eagles a 13-7 lead

    This one went to review after it was initially called an incomplete pass, but the officials ruled that Brown was in control and got three steps into the end zone for the score. Four receptions for 69 yards in the first half for Brown, who has done the heavy lifting with DeVonta Smith out. He has four receptions in 11 completions by Philadelphia, and Jahan Dotson – who has one catch – is the only other receiver with a target.