Summary:
- The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Los Angeles Rams 37-20 on a record-breaking night for Saquon Barkley.
- The 27-year-old rushed for 70 and 72-yard TDs, becoming the first player in the last decade to score two 70-yard TDs in a game.
- He also reached 302 total yards, turning into the 13th player in NHL history to achieve the feat.
On Sunday night, Saquon Barkley was tearing up the field at SoFi Stadium, delivering another powerful performance for the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL.
As the 27-year-old from The Bronx broke away on yet another huge run, he caught a glimpse of the scoreboard showing that he had already amassed 173 rushing yards. He realized he was just 16 yards shy of his personal best.
Barkley shared with a laugh
I said, ‘Aw, I wish I never saw that, That’s just the devil talking, that’s how I look at it. … I’m a big believer that if it happens, it happens. Just let it come to you.
Barkley stayed focused on the team effort, rather than chasing records. However, it wasn’t long before he shattered his career high and set multiple new benchmarks, thanks to a pair of electrifying touchdown runs in the second half.
The Eagles’ #26 rushed for 70 and 72-yard touchdowns, ending the game with a franchise-record 255 rushing yards.
The Eagles cruised to their seventh straight win, 37-20, over the Los Angeles Rams.
His explosive runs capped a historic night, placing Saquon Barkley in the record books with the ninth-highest rushing total in a single NFL game.
He opened the second half with a 70-yard touchdown burst on the first play of the third quarter, followed by another long run late in the game that sealed the win.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni commented
Saquon has that ability to hit home runs, You get some short gain, short gain, short gain— boom, home run. Saquon is that type of player.
Barkley finished with a stunning 302 total yards, joining an elite group of just 12 players in NFL history to surpass 300 yards in a game, and becoming the first Philadelphia Eagle to do so.
He also became the first player in over a decade to record two 70-yard touchdown runs in a single game, a feat last accomplished by Maurice Jones-Drew in 2009.
In his debut season with the Eagles, Barkley has already climbed to the top of the NFL rushing leaderboard with 1,392 yards and leads the league with seven 100-yard rushing games.
Commenting on his glorious night, the two-time Pro Bowler said:
To be honest, I’m not surprised, I didn’t know I would have this much success, (but) I’m thankful to be here. I’m thankful for the fresh start.
With an average of 9.8 yards per carry, Barkley’s performance shattered several records, surpassing LeSean McCoy’s 217-yard mark from 2013 and Duce Staley’s 296 total yards from 2000.
His efforts also set a new standard for rushing yards against the Rams, besting DeMarco Murray’s 253-yard record from 2011.
Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts threw for 179 yards, connecting with A.J. Brown six times for 109 yards and a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford managed 243 passing yards, but the Eagles’ relentless defense, which registered five sacks, overwhelmed Los Angeles in the second half.
As the Rams fell to 5-6, Kyren Williams and Demarcus Robinson provided brief highlights with a rushing touchdown and a TD reception, respectively.
However, the Eagles dominated the latter stages of the game, emphasizing their status as NFC East leaders with a 9-2 record.
For the Eagles, CB Darius Slay exited with a concussion, while WR DeVonta Smith missed the game due to a hamstring issue.
Veteran DE Brandon Graham confirmed after the match that he will be sidelined for the season with a torn triceps.
The Rams were without RT Rob Havenstein for a third consecutive game, with backup Warren McClendon struggling in his place.
Up next, the Eagles will travel to Baltimore for their next matchup, while the Rams will be headed to New Orleans, looking to bounce back from their recent losses.