There wasn’t any player that was looking forward to Sunday more than Saquon Barkley.
Barkley already had to answer questions over his critical drop the previous week that started the Philadelphia Eagles’ late-game collapse against the Atlanta Falcons, owning up to it at every turn. The best way for Barkley to flush it out was to play another game.
“We just kept trusting the process. Kept working,” Barkley said, via a transcript provided by the Saints. “We understand that when things like last weekend happens, everyone thinks the world is ending.”
Needless to say, Barkley just needed to get back on the football field to show the world how good he was. He was flat out dominant.
When the Eagles needed a play, there was Barkley to make one. Barkley scored both Eagles touchdowns in the fourth quarter in Sunday’s 15-12 victory over the New Orleans Saints, accumulating all 15 points for Philadelphia.
At the end of the day, Barkley finished with 17 carries for 147 yards and two touchdowns (8.6 yards per carry). He finished with 156 yards from scrimmage and averaged 7.4 yards per touch. In the fourth quarter, Barkley had three carries for 69 yards and two touchdowns — including a 65-yard score that got the Eagles on the board.
“Saquon, specifically, responded to that drop,” The NFL Today on CBS Sports analyst Matt Ryan said Monday. “Going out there the way that he did with the two touchdowns was impressive. It’s not an easy place to go in and get the job done. It was just what they needed.”
This is the difference maker the Eagles paid for. Barkley took responsibility for the loss, but certainly didn’t dwell on it.
“It really doesn’t matter what the outside world thinks,” Barkley said. “It matters what happens in our locker room. Today, we just kept trusting each other. Kept having each other’s back. That’s what team football is about.”
What Barkley is doing through three…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/how-saquon-barkley-overcame-crucial-drop-vs-falcons-to-lead-eagles-to-win-over-saints/
Author : Jeff Kerr
Publish date : 2024-09-23 17:35:06
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