The Philadelphia Eagles struggled offensively against one of the worst teams in the NFL on Sunday. They were outscored 302-292 overall against the Carolina Panthers and once again had to rely on the running game to pull out a 22-16 victory.
Despite some tough sledding at the Linc, Saquon Barkley still managed to get his yards, finishing with 124 rushing on 20 carries. He managed to break the franchise’s single-season rushing record in the fourth quarter, 1,607 yards, previously held by Eagles great LeSean McCoy. Barkley now has 1,623 yards, 11 rushing touchdowns and nine 100-plus yard performances in 13 games this season.
The next record on Barkley’s radar is the biggest: Eric Dickeron’s NFL single-season record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984.
MORE: Have the Eagles clinched a playoff spot? Updated NFC playoff photo for Philly after outlasting Panthers
Barkley averaged 124.8 yards per game this season, which puts him on track to break Dickerson’s record entering Week 15. He entered the Panthers game averaging 120.8 rushing yards over his last five games. His 124 yards on Sunday reduced that number slightly, as he will now have to average 120.5 yards per game against the Steelers, Commanders, Cowboys and Giants.
Pittsburgh has the fourth-ranked rushing defense in the NFL in terms of yards allowed. The Commanders (27th), Cowboys (31st) and Giants (29th) are all near the bottom of the league in this category, so the opportunity is there.
It should be noted that Dickerson set his record during a 16-game regular season. Barkley will try to use a 17-game season to catch up, but there’s a reason Dickerson’s record has stood for three decades. Accomplishing this feat in 2024 is arguably more impressive, considering the devaluation of the running back position in the modern game.
Philadelphia is old school in this regard. The Eagles now sit at the bottom of the league in almost every passing category, including passing yards and attempts. However, they lead the league by a wide margin, with Barkley and quarterback Jalen Hurts leading the charge behind the league’s most dominant offensive line, a group that Barkley continue to praise throughout its historic 2024 season.
As for the quest for Barkley’s story, only eight players have ever rushed for 2,000 yards in a season. The last was Derrick Henry, who rushed for 2,027 yards as a member of the Tennessee Titans in 2020.
MORE: Eagles expected to steal impressive variation of ‘tush-push’ used by Texas in SEC Championship
