Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley says he is finally living out his dream after helping his side past the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL play-offs.
Barkley delivered a dominant performance, rushing for a franchise-record 205 yards and two touchdowns for a 28-22 victory in the NFC Divisional Round.
The 27-year-old’s explosive runs, including two touchdowns of 60+ yards, proved to be the difference in the snow-filled contest at Lincoln Financial Field.
“The atmosphere was crazy. It was insane,” Barkley said after the game.
“I’ve got a smile on my face thinking about it. This is what you dream about. This is why I came to Philly. I wanted to be part of games like this, and I’m just happy to be a part of it.”
Barkley’s impressive performance moved him to third on the NFL’s all-time single-season rushing yards list, including play-offs, trailing only Terrell Davis in 1997 and 1998.
snoW much fun!@BetMGM | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/4Czt64CDH3
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 19, 2025
Injury concerns
The victory came at a cost though, as Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts appeared to injure his left knee during the game.
“It was a tough game, a challenging game. I was able to finish the game,” said Hurts, whose mobility was impacted after the injury. “We’ll see how the week goes.”
The Eagles will now host the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship Game.
Before the game, Barkley sought advice from legendary running backs LeSean McCoy and Marshall Faulk.
“He told me, ‘Don’t predetermine plays. Trust your reads and allow your eyes and your feet to be connected. Be patient,'” Barkley said.
“I felt like I had a good game last week [against the Green Bay Packers],” he said, “but you want to create a legacy, and I wanted to have one of those types of games. Just visualising stuff and wondering what the number is. It’s funny how that happened.”
