Tag: Saquon Barkley

John Mara’s nightmare: Giants flounder as ex-players thrive

The New York Giants are in complete disarray while the team leaders they’ve let walk in recent years are dominating with their new clubs.

The New York Giants (2-9) are hard to watch these days. From top to bottom, they seem like a rudderless franchise with no known direction.

No one is happy right now and almost every decision the team makes seems to backfire on them in an almost comical fashion.

The Saquon Barkley situation is just one of the personnel decisions that have come back to haunt the team. After the Giants were flattened by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home on Sunday, Barkley had a record-setting game on national television on Sunday night, leading the Philadelphia Eagles to a convincing 37-20 road win over the Los Angeles Rams.

Barkley racked up 302 yards of offense on Sunday, 57 more than the entire Giants offense could muster against Tampa’s 30th-ranked defense.

It was the latest dagger to the heart of Giants co-owner John Mara, who lobbied general manager Joe Schoen to try to find a way to keep Barkley in the fold.

Instead, the Giants let Barkley test the free-agent waters. He signed with the Eagles on the first day of free agency.

Ever since then, Barkley has played at an All-Pro level, leading the NFL in rushing, and could be on his way to not only another 2,000-total-yard season but a possible Super Bowl appearance as well.

The reality is, Barkley isn’t really missed that much by the Giants. They have proven that they can run the ball without him and have a glut of young offensive talent on their roster.  They just don’t know how to use them.

Barkley was adroitly signed by the Eagles as the last piece to their puzzle. With the Giants, Barkley would have been the first piece of the puzzle. Big difference. Schoen is trying to build from the inside out, not the other way around.

Schoen was right to pass on McKinney, who was signed to a four-year, $67 million deal by the Green Bay Packers. Many believed that was way too rich for a player who almost blew up his career with a foolish off-field injury several years ago.

The fact that McKinney leads the NFL in interceptions (7) while the Giants have just one as a team this season is irrelevant. The Giants replaced McKinney in the second round of the draft this year with Tyler Nubin.

As for Leonard Williams and Julian Love, I would say I was disappointed they let Love walk. He was a versatile and productive player that they probably should have kept.

Williams was also a productive player but the Giants paid a king’s ransom to both get — and keep — him. They had to shed themselves of his contract.

So, Schoen, in an effort to undo all of the damage his predecessor Dave Gettleman did, is getting pounded for doing what the fans hoped he would do.

It’s just not working out for him right now, that’s all. And the optics are quite poor, especially if Barkley and McKinney end up wining the Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year Awars.

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Saquon Barkley classily thanks Eagles offensive line after monster night with just 6 words

Class act AND MVP candidate!

Saquon Barkley, WHEW.

If he wasn’t already an MVP candidate, he cemented it with his performance in the Philadelphia Eagles’ 37-20 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night with 255 yards on the ground, another 47 through the air and two touchdowns.

But what did Barkley tweet on X (formerly Twitter) after the game? It was a big shoutout to his offensive line with just six words: “HOW BOUT THEM BOYS UP FRONT!!!”

An MVP and a class act? Good work, Saquon. And he’s right — the Eagles’ offensive line deserves a lot of credit too to help the running back.

Here’s that tweet:

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Rams star pass rusher left in awe by Saquon Barkley’s 255 rushing yards in Eagles win

Rams star pass rusher left in awe by Saquon Barkley’s 255 rushing yards in Eagles win

Jared Verse entered Sunday night’s game against the Eagles looking to steal the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award away from Quinyon Mitchell.  Verse finished with seven tackles on the night and no sacks, but he’s been more impressed by the 255 rushing yard performance by Philadelphia’s star running back Saquon Barkley.

Barkley’s explosion included touchdown runs of 70 and 72 yards, and his 255 yards are the ninth-most in an NFL game in league history. Barkley shattered LeSean McCoy’s record of 217 yards in a game (2013 Snow Bowl vs. Lions) with his 72-yard run that acted as a knockout punch in the win.

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Saquon Barkley’s NFL MVP odds jump following Eagles 37-20 win over Rams in Week 12

Saquon Barkley now has the third best odds to win the AP NFL MVP Award following Eagles 37-20 win over Rams in Week 12

The Eagles fans took over SoFi Stadium, and Saquon Barkley ran into the thick of the NFL MVP race with an electric 255-yard rushing performance in Philadelphia’s 37-20 win over the Rams on Sunday night.

Barkley’s explosion included touchdown runs of 70 and 72 yards, and his 255 yards are the ninth-most in an NFL game in league history. Barkley shattered LeSean McCoy’s record of 217 yards in a game (2013 Snow Bowl vs. Lions) with his 72-yard run that acted as a knockout punch.

“He’s the best in the league. He’s the best at what he does,” Quarterback Jalen Hurts said in his postgame interview with Barkley standing across from him. “He’s a bad man.”

In the latest BETMGM odds, Barkley has the third-best odds behind Josh Allen (+150) and Lamar Jackson (+220).

Barkley’s 1,392 yards now lead the NFL, with Derrick Henry still to play Monday night against the Chargers, sitting at 1,185. Barkley has five games with 140+ rush yards and 1+ rush touchdown in 2024, which is the most in the NFL.

Even more important, Barkley is on pace to shatter LeSean McCoy’s Eagles’ all-time single-season rushing record (1,607 in 2013).

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Saquon Barkley isn’t the first RB with an all-time rushing performance vs. Rams

Saquon Barkley and DeMarco Murray now have something in common after Sunday’s historic performance against the Rams

Saquon Barkley ran all over the Rams on Sunday night. In a season where he’s been dominant week in and week out, this was by far his best performance – not only of the year, but of his career.

In the Eagles’ 37-20 win, Barkley rushed for 255 yards and two touchdowns on just 26 carries. He had rushing touchdowns of 70 yards and 72 yards, both in the second half alone.

He and DeMarco Murray now have something in common: They’ve both rushed for at least 250 yards against the Rams. Barkley did it on Sunday night, 13 years and one month after Murray went off for 253 yards and a touchdown against St. Louis.

Murray’s 253 yards were the ninth-most in a game in NFL history, but he’ll now drop to 10th after Barkley’s ridiculous performance against the Rams.

The Rams are now one of just three teams that have allowed a 250-yard rusher in its history. The Broncos allowed Jamaal Charles and Corey Dillon to rush for 259 yards and 278 yards, respectively, and the Raiders gave up 251 yards to Doug Martin and 266 to Shaun Alexander.

Now, the Rams are added to the list as the third team in this dubious category.

When you add in Barkley’s 47 yards receiving, his performance reaches new heights. He’s the first player in NFL history with at least 250 yards rushing and 45 yards receiving in a single game.

It’s a defensive performance the Rams would like to forget, but it’ll go down as one of the best showings ever by a running back.

Saquon Barkley runs the Rams out of SoFi Stadium, carrying the Eagles to their 7th straight win

A sea of Eagles fans took over SoFi Stadium, carrying Philadelphia to its 7th straight win on Sunday night as Saquon Barkley rushed for 255 yards on the night

The Eagles are 9-2 and have won seven straight games after Saquon Barkley exploded in the running game, and A.J. Brown was dominant in the passing game. Philadelphia put the league on notice with a 37-20 win at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.

If not for a late Matthew Stafford touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp, Philadelphia would have exited Los Angeles with a 37-14 road win just seven days before a monster matchup with the Baltimore Ravens in Week 13.

Barkley rushed for 255 yards on the night and had 302 total yards of offense in a game that saw A.J. Brown log 109 yards receiving and a touchdown on seven targets.

Saquon Barkley, Eagles trample Rams for seventh straight victory

Saquon Barkley had a monster game on ‘Sunday Night Football’

Sanquon Barkley’s giant steps left the Los Angeles Rams in shambles on Sunday night.

The Philadelphia Eagles running back rushed for 255 yards and two touchdowna in a 37-20 win at SoFi Stadium.

Barkley had a 70-yard run on the opening place of the second half to give Philadelphia a 20-7 lead.

He closed the Eagles’ scoring with 2:44 left in the fourth quarter on a 72-yard run.

Barkley effort was the ninth-most rushing yards in a game in NFL history.

WATCH: A.J. Brown breaks down why he’s picking Saquon Barkley over Derrick Henry

A.J. Brown calls Saquon Barkley the best player and running back in the world

A.J. Brown has spent six years in the NFL, and in between stints with the talented Miles Sanders and D’Andre Swift, the Eagles All-Pro wide receiver has gotten a close look at two future Hall of Famers, Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley.

While talking to NBC’s Devin McCourty ahead of the huge Sunday night matchup against the Rams, Brown admits that he was picking former Titans teammate Derrick Henry as the best running back in the NFL until Saquon Barkley leaped backward over a Jaguars defender several weeks ago.

Brown has now changed his tune and calls Barkley the “best in the world.”

Baltimore’s No. 2-ranked ground attack (177.3 ypg) is fueled by Derrick Henry, who leads the league in rushing yards (1,185) and total touchdowns (15 – 13 rushing & 2 receiving).

Henry (first 11 in 2024), the late O.J. Simpson (first 14 in 1975), Jerry Rice (first 12 in 1987), and John Riggins (first 12 in 1983) are the only four players in league history to score at least one touchdown in their first eleven games with a new team.

Barkley leads the NFL in scrimmage yards per game (134.7) and rushing yards per game (113.7). In Week 11 vs. Washington, he reached 1,000+ rushing yards for the fourth time in his career, having previously done so in 2018 (1,307), 2019 (1,003) and 2022 (1,312). Barkley is the second player in franchise history to produce 1,000+ rushing yards through 10 games, joining LeSean McCoy in 2011.

Only four players in NFL history have rushed for 1,125+ yards (1,137) and 8+ TDs while averaging 5.8+ yards per carry through the first ten games of the season — Barkley (2024), Chris Johnson (2009), Walter.

Payton (1977) and Jim Brown (1958 and 1963). Barkley became the first to reach those marks in their first season with a new team.

As Brown said, he’ll have a front-row seat for both players in the Week 13 Ravens vs. Eagles matchup in Baltimore.

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Saquon Barkley reacts to Giants releasing QB Daniel Jones

Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley reacted to QB Daniel Jones being released by the New York Giants by praising his close friend.

After hearing the news that his former New York Giants teammate, Daniel Jones, was released by the team on Friday, Philadelphia Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley commented publicly on the move.

“I’m not going to speak too much on that. I’ve been in contact with him. Our friendship has stayed close throughout the whole process of me being here,” Barkley said.

“It sucks to see how everything went down out there. But I have nothing but great things to say about him. I think you’re not gonna really find anybody that can really say any negative things about him, but it’s the NFL. Hopefully, wherever he ends up next, they’re going to get a guy who comes in and works.

“It didn’t work for me over there. I’m doing well over here. Hopefully, he can find the same kind of fresh start and success.”

Barkley was the Giants’ first-round pick in 2018 (No. 2 overall) and Jones was selected No. 6 overall by the Giants the next season. They were both drafted by former general manager Dave Gettleman.

The two had a close relationship that lasted six seasons and three head coaches (Pat Shurmur, Joe Judge, and Brian Daboll). They stood by one another through the highs and the lows (of which there were many) and supported one another during their multiple injuries.

Barkley left via free agency in March, signing a three-year deal with the Eagles. Jones was inked the previous offseason to a four-year, $160 million deal by the Giants.

The Giants once thought that Barkley and Jones would be part of a young core that would take them to great heights.

Today, Barkley has the Eagles at 8-2 and is a viable candidate for the NFL MVP award. Jones, on the other hand, is heading home to contemplate his next career move.

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Worst sports decision ever? Victor Cruz weighs in on Giants keeping Daniel Jones over Saquon Barkley

Giants great Victor Cruz weighed in on the Giants’ decision to bench Daniel Jones, as well as letting Saquon Barkley leave

The Daniel Jones era in New York is all but officially done.  

He has been benched as the Giants’ starting quarterback in favor of fan favorite Tommy DeVito.  

Ex-Giants receiver Victor Cruz recently spoke with Mackenzie Salmon of USA TODAY Sports’ “Sports Seriously” about several topics, including Jones.  

“They’ve seen enough from him,” said Cruz. “I think it was a rebuild move for the entire team moving forward.” 

Cruz also discussed the Giants’ decision to invest in Jones over Saquon Barkley, who is having an MVP-caliber season in Philadelphia.  

“You let Saquon walk out the door with nothing in return, and I think that’s where we dropped the ball,” said Cruz, who was a member of the team’s Super Bowl XLVI-winning squad.  

Check out the rest of Salmon’s insightful interview with Cruz in the video below.