The Week 13 showdown between the Baltimore Ravens and the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium in Maryland was highly anticipated for a number of reasons, one of which was the faceoff of two of the best running backs in the league in Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry.

Barkley surely felt the excitement for that matchup, though, he offered a reminder after the Ravens game about the true nature of his head-to-head with Henry.

“It ain't basketball,” Barkley said, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN).

“It ain't like I go out there and tackle Derrick Henry,” Barkley said. “To be honest, I don't know if I really want to tackle Derrick Henry.”

Saquon Barkley, Eagles had last laugh against the Ravens

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) rushes for a touchdown during the second half against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.
Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
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Stats show why Derrick Henry was more impressive than Saquon Barkley this season
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Barkley and Henry entered Week 13 as the top two rushers in the NFL so far in the 2024 NFL season. Even after Sunday, they are still the only players to date this season with at least 1,000 rushing yards. Barkley has 1,499 rushing yards through 12 games while Henry has 1,407 after 13 contests.

Barkley also outgained Henry on the ground on Sunday, with the former Penn State Nittany Lions star coming up with 107 rushing yards and a touchdown on 23 carries to help the Eagles score a 24-19 win at the expense of Baltimore while also extending their win streak to eight games and improving their overall record to 10-2. The ex-Alabama Crimson Tide tailback, on the other hand, produced just 82 rushing yards with zero touchdowns on 19 rushing attempts.

With the Eagles leading Baltimore by just two points with just under 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Barkley stepped up for his team and delivered a 25-yard rushing touchdown to emphatically punctuate a seven-play drive that gave Philly more breathing room.

Philadelphia's defense did just enough to limit Henry's impact on the game. Perhaps not one play perfectly defined the Eagles' containment of Henry more than rookie defensive back Cooper DeJean's hit on the Baltimore star in the fourth quarter. After Henry caught a pass from Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, he was immediately tackled by DeJean.

After taking care of business against the Ravens, the Eagle will next take on the Carolina Panthers in a home game in Week 14.