Saquon Barkley made a huge impact in his first season with the Philadelphia Eagles, not just with his performance but by setting a new franchise record for rushing yards in a season. He is now one of only nine players in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards. He has also had seven runs of 60 yards or more (including postseason), and he’s one of only two players in NFL history to rush for over 400 yards and score five touchdowns in a single postseason.
Barkley is now just 30 yards away from breaking the NFL’s all-time season rushing record, which was set by Terrell Davis in 1998. Barkley has 2,447 yards, with 442 of those coming in the playoffs, while Davis had 2,476 yards during the Broncos’ Super Bowl-winning season.
On Sunday, which is his 28th birthday, Barkley is set to break the rushing record and win the Lombardi Trophy.
Barkley has been a game-changer for the Eagles, the kind of player they didn’t have two years ago when they lost to Kansas City in the Super Bowl by just two points. His impressive performances in the postseason have helped the Eagles secure 17 wins, a division title, and the NFC championship. His addition has made this version of the Eagles even better than the 2022 team, and perhaps even better than the 2017 Super Bowl-winning squad.
Consider this: in the last Super Bowl against Kansas City, Jalen Hurts led the Eagles in rushing with 70 yards, and the team only totaled 115 yards rushing. Barkley could reach that number by halftime.
As for Hurts, while he isn’t yet at the same level as Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, he still made a big impact in their first Super Bowl meeting. Hurts had a standout performance, throwing for 304 yards and a touchdown, rushing for 70 yards and three scores, and even adding a game-tying 2-point conversion. He now aims to be the fourth quarterback in NFL history to win the Super Bowl after losing their first Super Bowl start.
The Eagles also set a new record for most rushing yards in a season with 3,731 yards during the regular season and playoffs. They are now on track to break their own record for most touchdown runs in a season, having already scored 39 heading into the Super Bowl, just three shy of their 2022 record.
Philadelphia Eagles fans in the 2nd halfEagles defense
Barkley isn’t the only new player making a big impact on the field since the last Super Bowl matchup.
Jalen Carter, the ninth-overall pick in the 2023 draft, had an outstanding season with five sacks, 53 quarterback pressures, 12 QB hits, five batted passes, and two forced fumbles.
Led by Carter, the Eagles have three of the top eight and four of the top 22 interior pass rushers in the NFL this season.
Here are a few more numbers that show how well the Eagles’ defense has played this year and might make Mahomes take another look at the film. The Eagles led the NFL in total defense with 278.4 yards allowed per game for the seventh time in franchise history. They ranked No. 1 in passing yards allowed per game (174.2), marking the second time in the last three years. The Eagles are also plus-27 in turnover differential from Week 8 through the postseason.
Another new face who helped make a big difference is defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. At 66, Fangio has helped rebuild a defense that was near the bottom of the NFL in 2023 into one of the best in the league, as the Eagles led the NFL in advanced efficiency metrics.
Fangio has played a key role in the defensive turnaround in Philadelphia. He saw potential in free agent Zack Baun, who was mostly a special teams player with limited time on defense as an outside rusher in New Orleans, and turned him into an All-Pro inside linebacker and a finalist for AP Defensive Player of the Year.
Fangio also helped two rookie starters, Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, find their place in the secondary, which contributed to the defense’s improvement. However, Fangio has one major weakness on his record: His 0-8 record against Mahomes when he was a head coach in Denver and a coordinator in Miami.
Philadelphia Eagles fans in the 2nd halfSpecial teams
The Eagles could face some challenges in the Super Bowl if it comes down to the last play, especially since the Chiefs have a history of dramatic comebacks.
Jake Elliott, once known for his reliability as “Jake the Make,” had the worst season of his career. He missed eight field goals during the regular season and made only 1 out of 7 attempts from over 50 yards. In the playoffs, he missed three extra points and another field goal from over 50 yards.
“I don’t think Jake really dwells on it. That’s the great thing,” special teams coach Michael Clay said. “He’s the kind of guy that, almost like a golfer’s mindset, you will hit a bad shot here as a golfer, but how do you bounce back from it? His mental is so strong. I’m never too worried about him. He’ll flush it after the first one.”
Elliott made all three extra points and successfully kicked both field goals (35 and 33 yards) against Kansas City in the Super Bowl.
Harrison Butker, Kansas City’s kicker, has remained consistent at the top of his game. One of the most accurate kickers in the NFL, Butker helped keep Kansas City in the Super Bowl last year against San Francisco with three field goals, including a 57-yarder in the third quarter. He also kicked a 29-yarder at the end of regulation to force overtime, and then kicked the game-winning field goal with 8 seconds left to beat the Eagles in the Super Bowl.
