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On Sunday, Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley was in the middle of a huge game against his former team, the New York Giants. Instead of further playing up the revenge game narrative by seeking to set a career-high in rushing yards in a game, he told head coach Nick Sirianni that he wanted to let the backups come in and get their share, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
“It's all good. You can let them eat. Yeah, I'm good. I'd rather see the young boys eat.”
Saquon Barkley was 13 yards away from his career-high, but instead chose to sit and “let the young guys eat.”
This is why 26 has always been such a beloved teammate, first in New York and now in Philly! 🫡
🎥: @Eagles pic.twitter.com/jnfxw7H7Od
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) October 21, 2024
Barkley finished the game with 17 carries for 176 rushing yards and a touchdown. The Eagles won handily 28-3, improving their record to 4-2.
Eagles finding their way on a two-game win streak
The Eagles' Week 8 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals has an interesting subtext. The Bengals, also recent Super Bowl losers, have had their fair share of struggles this season. They are 0-3 at home and must host another recent Super Bowl loser. While the Bengals' offense has sometimes been potent, their defense has disappointed them.
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While the Eagles' defense has improved, it has battled inconsistencies, like in Week 4, when Baker Mayfield passed for 347 yards. Philadelphia is also third-worst in the NFL with a -6 turnover differential. They've only forced two turnovers this year, the fewest in the league.
Something has to give because the Eagles are getting pressure on the quarterback. They're tied for fourth with 3.2 sacks per game, including 12 in their last two games.
Meanwhile, they're not even using Bryce Huff to his maximum potential, per Dave Zangaro of NBC Philadelphia.
“We talked about it this week,” Huff revealed via NBC Sports Philadelphia. “My coaches wanted me to play faster and that’s what I’ve done the last three years. That’s what I’ve been good at, exploding out of my four-point stance. He was able to coach me on that and help me do what I’m good at, which is burn out of a four-point stance and affect the QB.”
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is considered the Godfather of the two-high safety looks that have swept across the league. He seems to be feeling his way through what this roster and Huff can provide.
Huff has a 60.0 grade on PFF to start the season. Brandon Graham, the 36-year-old veteran, has an 81.9 grade, 13th-best among 111 EDGE per PFF.
