December 29, 2024   5 MIN READ

Say, 2K!

Barkley Tops 2K Rush Yards Vs. Dallas; Will Birds Let Him Chase Record?

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PHILADELPHIA The Eagles were leading 34-7 Sunday over the Cowboys, and hunting for more behind third-string quarterback Tanner McKee.

With just more than 11 minutes remaining in regulation, McKee, in for an injured Kenny Pickett, took the snap from shotgun and handed off to running back Saquon Barkley, who’d already rolled up 144 rushing yards.

Securing the handoff, Barkley scooted off left tackle, picking up 23 yards to furnish the Eagles with a fresh set of downs.

On his 31st carry, Barkley saw his rushing total climb to 167 yards – giving him 2,005 on the season.

The sold-out crowd was then serenaded by a booming rendition of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run.”

In eclipsing the hallowed 2,000-yard rushing barrier, Barkley became just the ninth player in NFL history to accomplish such a feat, joining Eric Dickerson, Adrian Peterson, Jamal Lewis, Barry Sanders, Derrick Henry, Terrell Davis and Chris Johnson.

“I’m not going to lie,” he said, “but just being a fan of the game and the running back position, to reach a milestone and put myself up there with eight other backs that I respect, and some of them I grew up watching, definitely means a lot.

“But at the same time, I wouldn’t be able to do that without this team. Like I said, you can’t be great without the greatness of others, and I’m just happy I was able to be a part of the team and be able to reach a milestone like that.”

Saquon Barkley getty

GETTY IMAGES: Eagles RB Saquon Barkley topped the 2,000-yard rushing mark for the season in a slaughter of Dallas.

Barkley’s 2,005 rushing yards are good for eighth-most in NFL history. And if he plays next week against the New York Giants in the season finale, Barkley would only need 101 rushing yards to top Dickerson’s rushing record that’s remained intact for 40 years.

The Eagles are locked into the No. 2 seed. The outcome of their game against the Giants next Sunday can’t change that.

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni didn’t tip his hand much when asked if he’d consider the record when determining whether to play starters.

“A lot of things need to play out,” he said after the game, before the Vikings’ win over the Packers had guaranteed the Eagles will. “We’ll see where we are in a couple of days.”

For Barkley to persevere through the early game forcefield of sorts – the Cowboys held Barkley to just 40 yards rushing at the break – speaks to the unrelenting resolve of Barkley and of an offensive line that bullied the visiting Cowboys to eventual submission in the second half, when Barkley accumulated 127 rushing yards.

But what makes Barkley’s run towards history more special is just how much his offensive line tracks his totals and pushes for his success.

One point of reference was in Week 12, in Los Angeles, when Mekhi Becton revealed both he and Lane Johnson shared a likeminded viewpoint.

Becton looked up at the scoreboard and saw Barkley’s yards from scrimmage read 231. He and Johnson both said, “Let’s get to 300. F—k it.”

And on this Sunday afternoon against Dallas, in near-perfect conditions in South Philadelphia, Johnson admitted that he was aware of how Barkley’s numbers had measured up against the legends.

He and the rest of the offensive line wanted to see Barkley reach 2,000 as badly as Barkley wanted it for himself.

Depending on how the NFL landscape shakes out, there’s a good chance the Eagles won’t have much to play for next Sunday against the 3-13 New York Giants.

But the reality is the rushing record is sacred and among the most coveted in sports.

Being just 101 yards shy of breaking it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Preserving players and maximizing health should always be a top priority, too, but sometimes special circumstances sometimes call for a deviation from the norm.

One can expect the Eagles’ offensive linemen to lobby for Barkley’s shot at the title – they’d also go into the record books as those who paved the way to Barkley’s NFL glory – but don’t expect Barkley himself to do too much politicking behind the scenes.

Typically humble and grounded, Barkley is of the mindset that if it happens, it happens.

“The way I look at it, if it’s in God’s plan, then it is,” he said. “I’m not overly trying to go get it. I’m not scared of it. I would love to, but at the end of the day, also, we’ve got bigger things that we’re focusing on, and we’re able to clinch the division right here, whether we play next week or not.

“Rest, I’m fine with that too, because I didn’t come here and sign here just to rush for 2,000 or break a record. I want to do something special, meaning special with the team.”

– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.

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