Do you think it’s a foregone conclusion that Saquon Barkley wins the NFC Offensive Player of the Year? Or, how about NFL MVP?
Do you also think it would mean more for the Philadelphia Eagles than for Barkley to suffer the embarrassment of riches with multiple awards?
Heck, Barkley, who signed in the offseason after being cast away from the New York Giants, set a team record for most yards from scrimmage in a season with 1,623 yards (surpassing LeSean “Shady” McCoy. It took Barkley only 13 games to do it. Barkey should reach 2,000 yards before he is rested for the playoffs.
Playoffs? Did somebody say, “Playoffs?”
Yes, the Eagles clinched a playoff spot after defeating Carolina 22-16 on Sunday, Dec. 7.
The issue, and usually the Achilles Heel of a red-hot team down the stretch, is if Philadelphia wins the NFC East in the next week or two, they might “throw” the final two games, resting many of the starting 11 on each side of the ball.
Remember the 2010 Eagles? They won the division with a 10-4 record, lost the final two games of the regular season, and lost in the NFC Wild-Card Playoff to eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay.
There are way too many more examples of teams that coasted into the playoffs and ate humble pie. Hopefully, the Birds will keep that hunger and thirst for winning and dominating while doing it. That’s how the 2004 team did it and how the 2017 and 2022 teams did it. Not coincidentally, all those teams made it to the Super Bowl, with the 2017 squad winning.
Personally, I’d like to witness Barkley becoming the all-time rushing leader, surpassing Eric Dickerson (2,105 yards in 1984). Why not? It’s not often that someone is so close to history. It’s once in a couple of generations. It’s weird, but it’s been exactly 40 years.
Then we’ll talk playoffs. One thing is for sure: the 2024 team is every bit as good as or better than their 2022 compatriots. Jalen Hurts is having a turnaround season, still not great but he’s managing games and egos. Barkley is a Pennsylvania boy and superstar at Penn State University and now in the NFL.
A rookie in 2018 with the Giants, Barkley had not known such elite play with the Eagles. And, in spite of erratic coaching by head coach Nick Sirianni (how did he become an NFL head coach?), the Birds are reminiscent of the 1995 Dallas Cowboys, who basically set themselves on autopilot under “head” coach Barry Switzer. Philadelphia should embrace its coordinators (Vic Fangio and Kellan Moore) and distance themselves from Sirianni. No one wants to lose a game because of a coach’s decision.
For now, Eagles Nation should pause and reflect on what a ride it’s been. Sitting uncomfortably 2-2, the Eagles have since gone on a tear of historical proportions. Philadelphia has won nine games in a
row and is 11-2. A cross-state matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) on Sunday will reveal a lot about how good the Eagles are. The final three games after that are all winnable (Washington, Dallas, and New York Giants), meaning even a stubbed toe against Pittsburgh could leave Philadelphia at 14-3 and at least one playoff home game if Detroit (12-1) keeps winning.
A clear winnable path to the Super Bowl is in sight.
