ClutchPoints
It seems the Philadelphia Eagles are one of the forgotten teams as this year’s playoffs get underway. While they won the NFC East once again and they are the defending Super Bowl champions, they do not seem to be getting much respect at this point in the year.
The Eagles did have several lulls during the season — a loss to the New York Giants and a season-ending defeat to the Washington Commanders — but they were easy winners of the division. They finished the season with an 11-6-0 record, far better than the second-place Dallas Cowboys at 7-9-1.
They may not have had the dominating season that their fans had expected, but that doesn’t mean this team should be discounted. They have the best running back in the game in Saquon Barkley. He is capable of carrying the team on his shoulders and allowing them to advance deep into the postseason. The fact that he didn’t come close to the remarkable numbers and achievements he had during the 2024 season could make him even more of a threat in the postseason.
Barkley can clearly do it all from the running back slot. He has the strength and power to make his own holes if his offensive line has any struggles. He can also get to the second level in an instant because he can get through the cracks in the line like few other running backs. Once he gets to the outside, he is capable of running away from the fastest defensive backs.
Barkley was a key part of the Eagles offense once again in 2025. He carried the ball 280 times for 1,140 yards with 7 rushing touchdowns.
He is also a solid receiver for quarterback Jalen Hurts, as he caught 37 passes for 273 yards and 2 touchdowns. He has demonstrated he can make the difficult, off-balance catch that is often the result of a late pass that comes with the accompaniment of pressure on the QB.
Barkley was the dominant offensive player in the NFL in the 2024 season. He carried the ball 345 times for 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns. He had a remarkable 5.8 yards per carry average, and head coach Nick Sirianni was not afraid of getting accused of overusing his running back. He also caught 33-278-2.
The fact that Barkley rushed for nearly 900 yards less than he did in 2024 could turn out to be an advantage for him against the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card game and the postseason games that follow.
Defenses were likely to double- and triple-team him after last year’s explosive numbers. That’s not the case in 2025 as he did not create the same fear in opposing defensive coordinators and players. Opponents are just as likely to pay attention to Hurts and wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith as well as tight end Dallas Goedert.
Goedert’s ability and availability in...
