Tag: Barkley

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni wields the Vince Lombardi trophy during the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl celebration in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Friday, Feb. 14, 2025.

Philly revelry: Eagles celebrate Super Bowl LIX title

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Howie Roseman strolled to the podium, Lombardi Trophy in hand, and took a big puff of a celebratory cigar.

His forehead had been cut by a can of beer thrown in his direction, but the Philadelphia Eagles’ general manager didn’t seem to mind.

“I bleed for this city!” he bellowed.

Below, a sea of fans clad in Kelly green roared back in approval, not that they had ever stopped.

Cheers and beers were aplenty throughout downtown Philadelphia on Friday as scores of Eagles fans braved the cold to celebrate their team’s second Super Bowl championship.

Philadelphia secured its latest Lombardi in dominant fashion, blasting Kansas City 40-22 in Super Bowl LIX last Sunday in New Orleans.

The party started late Thursday night, with fans sleeping in tents along the parade route to ensure they’d get an up-close look at their heroes the following day.

After beginning on Broad Street, the parade route made its way to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where the Eagles took the podium atop the iconic “Rocky” steps to give speeches.

Players posed for pictures with fans along the way while catching beer cans thrown from the jubilant crowd. Tight end Dallas Goedert even made a one-handed snag on a hoagie tossed his way atop one of the parade’s double-decker buses.

Star running back Saquon Barkley made a young girl’s third birthday extra special by lifting her up and holding her as giddy family members recorded the interaction. Barkley also recognized one of the team’s ball boys in the crowd and helped him over the barricade to join the parade.

Roseman wasn’t the only one to fire up the sea of fans from the podium, as Super Bowl MVP quarterback Jalen Hurts, head coach Nick Sirianni and wide receiver A.J. Brown all sent the crowd into a frenzy when they approached the mic.

“You know, I told myself that when I got drafted, that I wouldn’t come to the Rocky steps until I won a championship,” said Hurts, who accounted for 293 yards and three touchdowns in the Super Bowl win. “And now we’re here.”

Sirianni, 43, secured his first title in his fourth season as the Eagles’ coach. He did it by avenging a three-point loss to Kansas City in Super Bowl LVII two years earlier.

“This team is special. We can’t be great without the greatness of others and that certainly applies to our fans,” Sirianni said.

Brown, who caught a 12-yard touchdown from Hurts and finished with three receptions for 43 yards against Kansas City, clapped back at the criticism he received throughout the regular season.

“They said I was a diva, they said all I care about was stats,” Brown said. “You gonna get all those things wrong about me, but one thing you get right: I’m a (expletive) champion!”

Brown, Hurts and company got off to a shaky start in 2024, losing two of their first four games ahead of their Week 5 bye.

The Eagles soon found their stride and rattled off 10 straight wins to seize control of the NFC East. They clinched the division in Week 17 and finished 14-3 to secure the No. 2 seed in the playoffs.

Never having to leave Philadelphia throughout the NFC playoffs, the Eagles took care of the Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams and Washington Commanders before exacting revenge on Kansas City and former Philadelphia coach Andy Reid, storming ahead 34-0 in the third quarter against the two-time defending champions.

“I’m so happy you didn’t have to go through a nail-biter game,” veteran defensive end Brandon Graham said. “It’s about us being gritty. We’re going to stay gritty.”

Friday’s parade was not entirely joyful, though.

Area police said two women were shot in the leg during an argument that occurred near the parade route, per ESPN. It is unclear whether the shooting was related to the celebration.

Last year, one person was killed and at least 22 others were wounded in a mass shooting at the Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade in Kansas City, Mo.

–Field Level Media

Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs the ball against Kansas City Chiefs safety Bryan Cook (6) in the first quarter in Super Bowl LIX at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Saquon Barkley breaks Terrell Davis’ yards from scrimmage record

Posted on | by Field Level Media

NEW ORLEANS — Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley set a new NFL record for yards from scrimmage accumulated over the regular season and the playoffs on the first play from scrimmage of Super Bowl LIX on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.

On a first-down handoff, the NFL Offensive Player of the Year darted left, rumbled for four yards and passed Terrell Davis for the most regular-season and postseason combined yards from scrimmage with 2,764.

Davis’ mark, 2,762 yards, set with the Denver Broncos in 1998, had stood for 26 seasons.

The former No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft (New York Giants), Barkley had 2,283 yards from scrimmage in the regular season and came into the Super Bowl with 477 in the postseason — 2,760 total, just three yards shy of owning the mark for himself.

Barkley, celebrating his 28th birthday Sunday, is nearing another Davis record, that of regular-season and postseason combined rushing yardage. Davis totaled 2,476 yards rushing that same season in 1998.

Barkley came into Super Bowl LIX with 2,447 yards accumulated over the regular season (2,005) and the playoffs (442), just 29 shy of Davis’ rushing record.

Coming into the game, Barkley was also 268 yards away from passing Darren Sproles (3,027) for most all-purpose yards in a single season (including playoffs), set in 2011 with the New Orleans Saints.

–David Gladow, Field Level Media

Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) is tackled by Dallas Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis (2) during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

NFL Honors: Saquon Barkley, Patrick Surtain II earn top awards

Posted on | by Field Level Media

NEW ORLEANS — Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley was selected the Offensive Player of the Year at the 2025 NFL Honors ceremony at the Saenger Theatre on Thursday in front of a packed house of NFL stars, alumni and celebrities.

Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II was chosen the Defensive Player of the Year.

Barkley was a phenomenon this season, rushing for a career-best (and league-leading) 2,005 regular-season yards. He is on the precipice of setting the record for total rushing yards (regular and postseason), sitting at 2,447 yards after a monstrous playoff run, just 30 yards shy of eclipsing the mark set by Terrell Davis in 1998.

Barkley joined the Eagles in the offseason after a six-year run with the New York Giants, where he totaled 5,211 yards and 35 touchdowns. He has logged nearly half of that production in one season in Philadelphia, spearheading the Eagles’ potent ground game during their push to a 14-3 record and a Super Bowl LIX appearance.

A three-time Pro Bowler, Barkley was named first-team All-Pro for the first time in 2024. He also earned several Rookie of the Year awards in 2018 before being tabbed the PFWA Offensive Player of the Year and winning the Bert Bell Award (top NFL player) in 2024.

Surtain, in his second season as a first-team All-Pro performer, is widely regarded as one of the premier cover cornerbacks in the league at the age of 24.

A four-year pro and three-time Pro Bowler, Surtain also was named the PFWA Defensive Player of the Year.

The only year Surtain wasn’t a Pro Bowler was his rookie year, when he was named to the All-Rookie team while recording four interceptions. He matched that total in 2024, returning one of his four picks for a 100-yard touchdown.

With career 11 interceptions, two forced fumbles and 232 combined tackles, Surtain continues to gain accolades for his outstanding play.

Other awards to be handed out Thursday night included:
AP Offensive Rookie of the Year: QB Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
AP Comeback Player of the Year: QB Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Salute to Service Award: TE George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
AP Defensive Rookie of the Year
Next Gen Stats Moment of the Year
Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year
NFL Inspire Change Tribute
FedEx Air & Ground Players of the Year

–David Gladow, Field Level Media

Jan 26, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) and running back Saquon Barkley (26) warm up before the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Different roster, different outcome? Eagles tout newcomers’ experience

Posted on | by Field Level Media

NEW ORLEANS — It was just two years ago that the Philadelphia Eagles were last in the Super Bowl.

That experience in a 38-35 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs was helpful to the many players who will face the Chiefs again in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday at the Caesars Superdome.

But the differences between that Eagles team and this Eagles team are greater than they might appear from the outside.

“Every team is different,” Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts said Thursday. “Every season requires a different version of each individual player. We’ve got a ton of different players on our team. We’ve got a lot of young players starting and playing pivotal roles. You just have to navigate that and find your way as a team for that year.”

The Eagles have navigated this season quite well, especially after a 2-2 start, winning 15 of their last 16 games.

“We’ve been able to play disciplined ball,” Hurts said. “We’ve been able to play ball and be on the same page and find ways to win.”

Philadelphia’s offensive identity has evolved since the team’s last Super Bowl with the addition of running back Saquon Barkley, who debuted with a 2,000-yard rushing season in 2024. The effectiveness of the running game helped Hurts finish fifth in the NFL with a career-best passer rating of 103.7.

“He’s a great passer and reads the defense great,” head coach Nick Sirianni said of Hurts. “And then he has this ability that, when something breaks down, to make big plays happen that way as well. He just knows how to win.”

Sirianni was asked about key Eagles that weren’t on the last Super Bowl team, such as first-year free-agent acquisitions in Barkley (Giants) and linebacker Zach Baun (Saints), as well as two rookie draft choices starting in the secondary — cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (first-round pick from Toledo) and nickelback Cooper DeJean (second-rounder from Iowa).

The coach explained that the term “big game” is relative.

“You tell Cooper DeJean that the Iowa-Iowa State game is not a big game,” Sirianni said. “Maybe to the outside world it’s not as big as the Super Bowl, but in that moment for Cooper it is. It’s what the player feels in his heart at that particular moment.”

Toledo’s biggest rival didn’t come to Sirianni as easily as Iowa’s did, but he finally came up with Kent State and Akron as examples.

“So these guys have big-game experience,” Sirianni said. “They’re not rookies anymore. They’ve played in so many games and have so many big-game experiences. I know how much these guys put in and how they empty the tank every time they go out and play.”

Hurts said this version of the Eagles has benefited from the closeness of a half dozen defensive players that were college teammates at Georgia. Defensive tackles Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, edge rusher Nolan Smith Jr. and linebacker Nakobe Dean are all starters, though Dean suffered a season-ending knee injury in the wild-card playoff victory against the Packers.

Reserve defensive backs Kelee Ringo and Lewis Cine are also former Bulldogs. Davis, Dean and Cine are in their third seasons and Carter, Smith and Ringo are in their second seasons, entering their first Super Bowl with Philadelphia.

Georgia won back-to-back CFP championships in 2021-22.

“I think a big part of (the team’s closeness) has to do with the Georgia background on defense,” Hurts said. “I think that starts with Nakobe Dean and all those guys that were able to play ball in college together and bring their ways to the league. I think that has a big impact on our culture. On defense, how they play, how together they are, and I think that kind of seeps through the team.”

–Les East, Field Level Media

Sep 29, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) speaks with Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) and quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) after the game during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Saquon Barkley lead MVP finalists

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen got the better of Baltimore Ravens counterpart Lamar Jackson last Sunday when their respective teams battled in the AFC divisional round in Orchard Park, N.Y.

Named finalists for the Associated Press 2024 NFL Most Valuable Player award, Allen will hope to get the better of Jackson, fellow signal-callers Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals) and Jared Goff (Detroit Lions) and running back Saquon Barkley (Philadelphia Eagles) when the award is presented at the NFL Honors show on Feb. 6.

A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL completed voting before the beginning of the playoffs.

Allen, 28, threw for 3,731 yards and 28 touchdowns this season and rushed for 531 yards and 12 scores.

Jackson, 28, is vying for his third MVP award (2019, 2023). He threw for 4,172 yards and 41 touchdowns this season and rushed for 915 yards and four scores.

Burrow, 28, threw for NFL-best totals in passing yards (4,918) and touchdowns (43).

Goff, 30, threw for 4,629 yards and 37 touchdowns this season.

Barkley, 27, rushed for a league-best 2,005 yards to go along with 13 touchdowns.

Barkley, Burrow and Jackson also joined Ravens running back Derrick Henry and Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase as finalists for the Offensive Player of the Year award.

Burrow also is a finalist for Comeback Player of the Year, joining Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold, New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez, Bills safety Damar Hamlin and Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins.

Finalists for all eight postseason awards are:

Most Valuable Player
–Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills quarterback
–Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles running back
–Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
–Jared Goff, Detroit Lions quarterback
–Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens quarterback

Offensive Player of the Year
–Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles running back
–Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback
–Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver
–Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens running back
–Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens quarterback

Offensive Rookie of the Year
–Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders tight end
–Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders quarterback
–Malik Nabers, New York Giants wide receiver
–Bo Nix, Denver Broncos quarterback
–Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver

Defensive Player of the Year
–Zack Baun, Philadelphia Eagles linebacker
–Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns defensive end
–Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati Bengals defensive end
–Pat Surtain II, Denver Broncos cornerback
–T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker

Defensive Rookie of the Year
–Cooper DeJean, Philadelphia Eagles cornerback
–Braden Fiske, Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman
–Quinyon Mitchell, Philadelphia Eagles cornerback
–Chop Robinson, Miami Dolphins linebacker
–Jared Verse, Los Angeles Rams linebacker

Comeback Player of the Year
–Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback
–Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings quarterback
–J.K. Dobbins, Los Angeles Chargers running back
–Christian Gonzalez, New England Patriots cornerback
–Damar Hamlin, Buffalo Bills safety

Coach of the Year
–Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions
–Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota Vikings
–Sean Payton, Denver Broncos
–Dan Quinn, Washington Commanders
–Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs.

Assistant Coach of the Year
–Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator
–Vic Fangio, Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator
–Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator
–Aaron Glenn, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator
–Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator

–Field Level Media

Jan 19, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) carries the ball to score a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams in the second half in a 2025 NFC divisional round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Saquon Barkley, Jalen Hurts guide Eagles past Rams, into NFC title game

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts smiled as he described his 44-yard touchdown run.

“Saquon needed a break,” Hurts said of teammate Saquon Barkley. “So I told him I’ll get one.”

Barkley happily did the rest.

The Eagles escaped with a 28-22 win over the visiting Los Angeles Rams in an NFC divisional-round playoff game on Sunday afternoon. Barkley finished with 205 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the snow and caught four passes for 27 yards.

Hurts completed 15 of 20 passes for 128 yards and rushed for a touchdown for Philadelphia. The Eagles advanced to the NFC Championship Game, where they will host the Washington Commanders next weekend.

Matthew Stafford completed 26 of 44 passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns for the Rams. Kyren Williams finished with 19 carries for 106 yards, and Tyler Higbee and Colby Parkinson each had a touchdown catch.

Barkley scored a 78-yard rushing touchdown to make it 28-15 Philadelphia with 4:36 remaining. He cut to his left and sprinted untouched past the Los Angeles secondary.

The Rams pulled within 28-22 on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Parkinson with 2:48 to go.

The Eagles punted on their next possession, and the Rams had a chance for a go-ahead touchdown. Philadelphia’s defense held firm, as Stafford threw an incomplete pass on fourth-and-11 from the Eagles 22-yard line to prompt a turnover on downs.

“This game in a lot of ways epitomized the resilience, the grit, the ability to overcome adversity,” said Rams coach Sean McVay, whose team started 1-4 before making a late run into the playoffs. “We just had a couple things that we couldn’t overcome. There will be some things that we can learn from.

“But this is the time for gratitude, for appreciation. I love this group, I love this coaching staff, I love these players.”

The score was even at 13-all after Rams kicker Joshua Karty made a 34-yard field goal with 7:37 to play in the third quarter.

Philadelphia inched ahead 16-13 with 2:19 left in the third quarter when Jake Elliott made a 44-yard field goal.

The Rams pulled within 16-15 after a safety with 26 seconds to go in the third quarter. Neville Gallimore came up with a sack in the end zone on the play.

The Eagles made it 19-15 on a 23-yard field goal by Elliott with 13:23 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Elliott connected again, this time from 37 yards out, to make it 22-15 with 6:18 to play.

The Eagles opened the scoring on their first drive of the game. Hurts faked a handoff to Barkley, tucked the ball and sprinted right for his 44-yard score. Elliott missed the ensuing extra-point attempt, though.

The Rams responded with a touchdown on the next possession to grab a 7-6 advantage. Stafford fired a strike to Higbee for a 4-yard TD.

The Eagles struck again with another big-play touchdown to pull ahead 13-7. Barkley found an opening at the line of scrimmage and burst to his right for a 62-yard score with 1:07 remaining in the first quarter.

Barkley’s performance was strikingly similar to his 255-yard, two-TD game against the Rams in the regular season.

Los Angeles cut its deficit to 13-10 on a 30-yard field goal by Karty with 12:47 to go in the first half.

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said his players deserved credit for holding the Rams in check.

“We played championship defense,” Sirianni said.

Hurts twisted his knee awkwardly when he was sacked in the third quarter. He returned to the field to help the Eagles hold on for the win and avoided specifics afterward when asked about the play and how he was feeling.

“I finished the game,” Hurts said.

–Field Level Media

Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs off the field after win against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Record chase over: Eagles to rest RB Saquon Barkley

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Pro Football Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson will remain the NFL’s single-season rushing leader for at least one more year.

With the Philadelphia Eagles’ postseason secured, head coach Nick Sirianni told reporters on Wednesday that the team is “gonna rest some guys” in what proves to be a meaningless season finale against the visiting New York Giants. Chiefly among that group is star running back Saquon Barkley, who needed 101 yards to break Dickerson’s hallowed mark of 2,105 yards set with the Los Angeles Rams during a 16-game season in 1984.

Health, however, remains the top priority for the Eagles (13-3), who are locked into the No. 2 seed in the NFC heading into their finale versus the Giants (3-13).

“It’s a very special record that’s been standing for a very long time by a great player,” Sirianni said. “But you try to do what’s best for the team. Our goals are to have success and play good the next game we play.”

Barkley has rushed for at least 101 yards in 11 games this season, including Sunday’s 41-7 rout of the Dallas Cowboys when his 167 yards made him the ninth player in NFL history to reach 2,000.

On Sunday, Barkley told reporters that he will abide by Sirianni’s decision with respect to the season finale against his former team.

“Whatever his decision is, I’m all for it,” Barkley said at the time. “If his mindset is, we’ll go out there and try it, I’ll go out there and try it. If his mindset is, let’s rest and get ready for this run, I’m all for that, too … I came here to do something special. Breaking a record is special, but I want a banner up there. I think we all do.”

In his first season with the Eagles, Barkley leads the NFL in rushing attempts (345), rushing yards (2,005) and yards from scrimmage (2,283).

Also on Wednesday, Sirianni said Jalen Hurts remains in concussion protocol and that a decision has yet to be made on which quarterback will start against the Giants in light of Kenny Pickett’s rib injury. Tanner McKee or Ian Book could get the nod for the Eagles.

Hurts and Pickett were both injured during Philadelphia’s 36-33 loss to the Washington Commanders on Dec. 22. Pickett threw for 143 yards in that contest as well as versus the Cowboys before McKee relieved him and completed 3 of 4 passes for 54 yards and two touchdowns.

The Eagles also opened the 21-day practice window for tight end Dallas Goedert on Wednesday.

Goedert was placed on injured reserve Dec. 7, six days after he sustained a knee injury during the Eagles’ 24-19 victory over the Baltimore Ravens.

Goedert, 29, started all nine games he has played this season and totaled 38 receptions on 46 targets for 441 yards and two touchdowns.

The Eagles selected Goedert in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He has 345 receptions for 4,030 yards and 24 TDs in 92 career games (75 starts).

–Field Level Media

Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) walks from the tunnel for a game against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Eagles undecided on Saquon Barkley’s record pursuit

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The status of Saquon Barkley’s pursuit of the NFL single-season rushing record remains up in the air.

Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said during his weekly radio show with 94WIP on Tuesday that he will meet with players and team brass before deciding whether Barkley will play in Sunday’s regular season finale against his old team, the New York Giants, at Lincoln Financial Field.

The NFC East champion Eagles (13-3) are locked into the No. 2 playoff seed in the NFC, turning the contest against the Giants (3-13) into an ideal opportunity to rest their starters for the postseason.

Barkley, 27, needs 101 yards to break Eric Dickerson’s hallowed mark of 2,105 yards set during a 16-game season in 1984. Barkley has rushed for at least 101 yards in 11 games this season, including Sunday’s 41-7 rout of the Dallas Cowboys when his 167 yards made him the ninth player in NFL history to reach 2,000.

“I’ll talk to our staff, I’ll talk to the players, I’ll talk to (general manager) Howie (Roseman), I’ll talk to (owner) Mr. (Jeffrey) Lurie. I’ll talk to everybody to try and make sure that I’m making the best decision for the football team,” Sirianni said Tuesday.

Sirianni’s next media availability is Wednesday, when he is expected to announce the playing status for Barkley as well as quarterback Jalen Hurts (concussion protocol) and other starters.

There is a precedent for playing Barkley. In the Eagles’ 2021 season finale against Dallas, Sirianni rested several key players but gave wideout DeVonta Smith a chance to break the franchise’s rookie receiving record held by DeSean Jackson. Smith had 41 yards to finish with 916, topping Jackson’s 2018 total of 912.

“If you think back a couple of years ago to 2021, Smitty was going for the rookie receiver record. Everybody else was resting, but we wanted for everyone else — whatever it was — we didn’t play some other guys in that game, but we went and got him that record,” Sirianni said. “Every situation is a little different. Not saying one way or the other or how that’s going to play out or even that I made a decision yet.”

Barkley told reporters on Sunday that he will respect Sirianni’s wishes.

“Whatever his decision is, I’m all for it,” Barkley said. “If his mindset is, we’ll go out there and try it, I’ll go out there and try it. If his mindset is, let’s rest and get ready for this run, I’m all for that, too … I came here to do something special. Breaking a record is special, but I want a banner up there. I think we all do.”

In his first season with the Eagles, Barkley leads the NFL in rushing attempts (345), rushing yards (2,005) and yards from scrimmage (2,283).

–Field Level Media

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) rushes for a touchdown Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, during a game against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Top 10 Player Props For NFL Week 17

Posted on | by Field Level Media

With NFL games on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday this week, Week 17’s Sunday slate only features nine games. With several games like Raiders vs. Saints where both teams are bad, putting money on the traditional betting line is challenging. But it is a great week for NFL player props.

The following are our top 10 player prop picks for Sunday’s NFL games. (Odds are from FanDuel unless otherwise indicated.)

Jets vs. Bills

–Breece Hall, O/U 49.5 Rushing Yards at -113/-113

Hall has gone over this number in six of his last seven games. With rain in the forecast for Buffalo on Sunday, there is a good chance the Jets will focus more on the run. Plus, the more they run, the longer they can keep Josh Allen on the sideline.

Hall ran for a season-high 113 yards on the Bills earlier this year. The Bills have been an average run defense this season, which makes me think Hall will easily surpass 49.5 yards.

Take the OVER.

–James Cook, O/U 77.5 Rushing + Receiving Yards at -114/-114

The Bills have leaned into the run the last couple of weeks, with Cook going for 100-plus in two straight games and three of four. With inclement conditions expected, it would be surprising if they didn’t hand off to Cook early and often this week as well.

He could go over the total just running the ball. But in case he doesn’t break off a long run like he did the last two weeks, he’ll make up the difference with a couple of screen passes.

Take the OVER.

Falcons vs. Commanders

–Bijan Robinson, O/U 83.5 Rushing Yards at -113/-113
–Robinson, O/U 18.5 Rushing Attempts at -132/+102

The best thing Atlanta can do to help Michael Penix Jr. is establish the run, which the Falcons should do anyway with a running back like Robinson. He’s gone for 86 or more yards in six of his last seven games (four in a row). He carried the ball 19-plus times in each of them; in the outlier, he only had 12 carries.

Atlanta will make sure Robinson eats against Washington’s lackluster run defense (29th in the NFL).

Take the OVER on both.

–Michael Penix Jr., O/U 207.5 Passing Yards at -114/-114
–Penix, O/U 29.5 Pass Attempts

The Falcons will try to protect their rookie this week, much like they did last week vs. the Giants. Establishing the run will be the focus of the offense, with enough passing to keep the Commanders’ defense (which happens to be one of the best pass defenses in the league) honest.

Penix had 27 pass attempts last week. Teams have been attempting 28.5 per game on the Commanders this season and 32.3 in the last three. If Cousins was still at QB, I’d expect Atlanta to be closer to 32 attempts than 28 — but not Penix.

They’ll play it safe with Penix again. Take the UNDER for both.

Dolphins vs. Browns

–Tyreek Hill, O/U 49.5 Receiving Yards at -114/-114

It hasn’t been the kind of year we’ve come to expect from Hill, but with all the injury issues Miami has dealt with, it’s not surprising. He’s averaging 55.6 yards per game this season and has exceeded 49.5 yards in three of his last six games.

But the Dolphins are still alive for the playoffs and are facing a Browns defense giving up 157.7 yards per game to wide receivers this season. Other pass-happy teams like the Broncos (Week 13) and Bengals (Week 16) saw their wide receivers combine for 200-plus.

Take the OVER.

Giants vs. Colts

–Jonathan Taylor, O/U 102.5 Rushing Yards at -115/-115 (via DraftKings)
–Taylor O/U 22.5 Rushing Attempts at -110/-110 (via DraftKings)

Taylor carried the ball 29 times for 218 yards last week vs. Tennessee, but 135 yards came on two carries. Expecting similar numbers would be unrealistic.

But as long as the Colts decide to abuse the Giants’ 31st-ranked run defense rather than (try to) establish the pass, good things will happen.

Taylor has had at least 21 attempts each time the Colts have won while he was healthy this season. As bad as the Giants’ run defense is, it makes sense to feed Taylor the ball 25 times.

Take the OVER for both.

Cowboys vs. Eagles

–Saquon Barkley, O/U 111.5 Rushing Yards at -113/-113

With Jalen Hurts out this week, the Eagles will likely focus on establishing the run with Barkley to take pressure off Kenny Pickett. It didn’t result in a win last week against the Commanders, but Washington is a better team than the Cowboys this year.

Dallas has held teams to an average of 89.3 yards over their last three games. But the Eagles are playing at home and have a chance to lock up the division with a win. With Barkley and the defense leading the way, they’ll get the job done.

Take the OVER.

–Field Level Media

Nov 24, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs the ball ahead of Los Angeles Rams linebacker Christian Rozeboom (56) during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Saquon Barkley’s MVP push has sportsbooks’ attention

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley has grabbed the attention of sportsbooks as he makes a run at becoming the first non-quarterback to win the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award since Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson a dozen years ago.

Barkley opened as a +30000 longshot at BetMGM to win MVP honors in his first season with Philadelphia. He had slashed those in half by Week 11 and to +5000 by last week.

Still a +5000 longshot Sunday morning, Barkley then exploded for 255 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns while adding four catches for another 47 yards in a 37-20 win over the Los Angeles Rams that night. By Sunday night he had trimmed those odds to +650, as he leads the NFL with 1,392 rushing yards to go along with 12 total touchdowns.

By Tuesday, Barkley had the third-shortest odds at +400, and is now BetMGM’s biggest liability in the MVP market. Only Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen (+150) and Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson (+250) have shorter MVP odds.

Barkley is also the -400 favorite to win Offensive Player of the Year honors, down from +2500 when the market opened. That’s well ahead of Ravens running back Derrick Henry, who is a distant second at +275 despite having only 67 fewer rushing yards.

“Nobody can stop Saquon right now and the bettors know it,” BetMGM trading manager Christian Cipollini said.

Barkley’s MVP odds have seen a similar trend at DraftKings, where he is now the third favorite at +475 after being +4000 before his performance against the Rams.

Allen is the +150 favorite at the book followed by Jackson, Barkley and Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (+700). No one else has shorter odds than Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes at +1300.

Meanwhile, the book reported that a pair of quarterbacks saw their MVP chances take enormous hits following upset losses in Week 12. Washington rookie Jayden Daniels went from +2500 to +6000 after the Commanders lost to Dallas, while Houston’s C.J. Stroud plummeted from +2800 to +9000 following the Texans’ shocking loss to Tennessee.

Going in the other direction was Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield, who is still a +3500 longshot but saw his odds improve from +5000 following the Buccaneers’ blowout victory over the New York Giants.

–Field Level Media