A big game from Saquon Barkley could quiet a lot of the Eagles’ doubters. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
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Here’s a two-word remedy for the reeling Philadelphia Eagles: Saquon Barkley.
So much bad juju is whipping around the team, specifically its broken offensive unit, after losing two in a row and averaging 15.5 points over the last four games. But a dominant performance from Barkley against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football (8:15 ET, ESPN/ABC) can squash the negative vibes and prove that the defending Super Bowl champions are still the team to beat in the NFC.
But that’s a big ask, considering how nullified Barkley has been in 2025. He’s on pace for 1,048 rushing yards, about half of the 2,005 he ran for last season. His yards per carry have plummeted from 5.8 (2nd in the NFL) to 3.7 (36th), and he’s been kept to 60 yards or less per carry in 10 of 12 games. Last season, he had 17 runs of 20-plus yards and seven that went 40 or more. Over 12 games this season, he has only two runs of 20-plus and one that went 40-plus.
All this has led to the prevailing question in Philly: What’s up with Barkley? Well, he’s slamming into crowded boxes (8 or more defenders) 33.1% of the time this season, via NFL NextGen Stats, compared to 20.6% last year. He’s averaging just 2.3 yards per carry on those runs compared to 4.5 yards per carry against lighter boxes. It’s up to offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo to design plays to reclaim the box. So much has gone sideways for Barkley under Patullo, who got elevated from pass game coordinator and associate head coach to offensive coordinator last offseason to replace Kellen Moore, now the New Orleans Saints’ head coach.
Here’s the most damning proof Barkley isn’t getting the blocking he did in 2024: His top speed this year (21.87) is nearly identical to last (21.87), and last year’s number was on a longer run, according to NFL NextGen Stats. That metric, which ranks as the seventh fastest ball carry in the NFL this season, also disproves he’s hiding an injury. And, when he gets the blocks, Barkley can still rip off bursts like this:
Another huge factor, and maybe the biggest one, in Barkley’s regression is the banged-up offensive line. With key injuries to right tackle Lane Johnson, left guard Landon Dickerson and center Cam Jurgens, the holes just aren’t there for Barkley.
Nevertheless, with a monster game against the Chargers on Monday night, Barkley can switch the juju from bad to good, and his coach knows he has the power to do that.
“Yeah, he’s the best,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “I love consistency, and he’s the same person every single day, week in, week out, year to year. I think that’s why his teammates, his coaches, everybody that comes in contact with him has the kind of respect that they have for him, because his consistency doesn’t waiver based off of anything that happens on the field. It’s about his process and about how he goes about his work. You love that out of your players.”
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonystitt/2025/12/08/speed-metrics-say-eagles-rb-saquon-barkley-can-still-dominate/
