After turning in a few absolutely dominant performances after the bye, Saquon Barkley had one of his least flashy performances as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 10, rushing the ball just 16 times for 66 yards plus one more catch for 12 yards.
What gives? How was Barkley so inefficient against a poor Cowboys rushing defense when he's been dominant in almost every other game so far this season?
Fortunately, it was all by design, as, after it became clear the Cowboys weren't going to field some incredible comeback in the second half, Barkley hit the bench, allowing Kenneth Gainwell and Will Shipley to run out the clock in extended action down the stretch.
Discussing this decision to pull the starters at the end of the Birds' Week 10 game, Nick Sirianni told reporters that the call came down to allowing players like Barkley and Jalen Hurts to rest ahead of their big Thursday Night Football showdown against the Washington Commanders.
“Yeah, definitely, because people have to be alert of your playmakers. It's the same thing with Smitty [DeVonta Smith], with Jeff [McLane] ‘s question about Smitty. Even though he's not touching the ball, he's still making an impact, right? I think the same thing can be said for a good defensive player. He didn't get a sack, but he's still is impacting the game because all the resources that are going to prevent him from getting a sack. So, 1000%,” Sirianni told reporters.
“In this league, your good player is really based off the matchups you get and trying to prevent good players from beating you. That's not just our theory. It's probably everybody's theory across the NFL. When you devote resources to stopping one guy, something else opens up. That's our job as coaches to figure out, ‘Hey, this is what they're doing to stop this and get to that.' Saquon big time has an impact on the game when he's not touching the ball or even when he's just on the field. Really, even when he's not on the field because there is always a threat of him being able to make a play. They don't know when he's going to be on there and not be on there, so they've got to call the game accordingly.”
On paper, the idea of resting Barkley, Hurts, and the rest of the starters is a sound one, as why risk injury in a game that was already over? Fortunately, that decision should pay dividends in Week 11, as Barkley and company should be far fresher than if they needed to duke it out in a brutally physical back-and-forth against the Cowboys in a 4:25 start time game.
Kellen Moore believes the Eagles' Week 10 rest should pay dividends
Discussing the Eagles' decision to give their top stars a rest at the end of Week 10, Kellen Moore also celebrated the move, telling reporters that he was excited to give young players like Shipley, Anias Smith, and Johnny Wilson more looks, as it could pay dividends in the future.
“Huge opportunities for those guys because like any NFL season, we're going to need depth,” Moore told reporters. “We're going to need guys to come up and play in critical games, no different than any other team. So for us to get that experience for those guys, I think it's excellent.”
In 2024, Shipley, Smith, and Wilson have only combined for 25 offensive touches through Week 10. While it seems rather unlikely that one of those players will suddenly step up and become a huge part of the Eagles' offense, if someone gets hurt and a reserve player is thrust into a bigger role like Grant Calcaterra earlier this season, backup players having a better rapport with Hurts and on the field can only lead to better results moving forward.
Follow Us
Subscribe
