Eagles’ Saquon Barkley fulfilled a promise he made to teammates in win vs. Commanders

PHILADELPHIA — After the Eagles' 26-18 win over the Commanders on Thursday, wide receiver Britain Covey walked past reporters in the tunnel halls and conveyed a feeling that many players shared in the locker room.

"Good thing we got Saquon," Covey said.

In his first season with the Eagles, running back Saquon Barkley has ignited Philadelphia's offense when it needs a spark and has helped his teammates be positive during tough moments.

And that's what he did against Washington, too.

With about seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Eagles only led 12-10 against the Commanders and needed their struggling offense to score a touchdown.

During the first 53 minutes, the Eagles scored one touchdown, punted three times, missed two field goals and settled for two field goals in the red zone.

Throughout the night, Barkley inspired his teammates.

Barkley told them he would make a big play to win the game. He fulfilled his promise when he rushed for a 23-yard game-winning touchdown with four minutes and 58 seconds left. On third-and-3, he bounced it outside and ran past every Commanders defender to the end zone, giving the Eagles a 19-10 lead.

On the Eagles' next possession, Barkley ran behind guard Mekhi Becton and cut it back for a 39-yard touchdown to give Philadelphia a 16-point lead (26-10).

He amassed 146 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns on 26 attempts against the Commanders.

"I will tell you what I told (Saquon) at the start of the third quarter," Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata said. "I said, 'I'll be damned if we lose this game in my comeback game.' He said, 'I got you.' He showed out in the fourth quarter. He's like, 'I told you.' I was like, 'Oh, thank you so much. I appreciate you.'"

Barkley, who played the first six years of his career with the New York Giants , signed a three-year, $37.5 million contract with the Eagles in March. While playing in New York, he became one of the NFL's best running backs.

But Barkley didn't consistently dominate because he dealt with injuries and played on bad offenses. This season, he has flourished behind Philadelphia's elite offensive line and is on pace to break his single-season rushing record of 1,312 yards that he set in 2022.

Last night, Barkley became the sixth running back since 1970 to rush for 1,000 yards in 10 games with a new team. Currently, he leads the NFL with 1,137 rushing yards.

"He can make your O-line look a little better than what it is," Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson said. "I saw his ability in training camp pretty early and I was like, 'Oh, (expletive).' He's obviously having a great year. But he's really a gel in this locker room, a glue. People love him. He brings people together. That goes a long way."

Johnson and other Eagles players admire Barkley's selfless attitude.

Barkley, one of the NFL's biggest superstars, wants his teammates to get more credit than he does.

During his post-game interview, Barkley skipped over a question about his performance to mention that backup running back Kenneth Gainwell and the offensive line wore out Washington's defense early in the fourth quarter, which made it easier for him to score his two touchdowns.

"He's amazing, and he's humble at the same time," Becton said. "You don't see people that are really, really good and still humble at the same time. I can say that about him. He takes on the leadership role. He wants it on his back. He's a leader. He's so humble."

The Commanders held Barkley to 56 rushing yards in the first half. But after halftime, the Eagles made adjustments in the run game to be more explosive.

Barkley's 43-yard catch-and-run during the third quarter set up a field goal, and his two touchdowns in the fourth quarter put away the Commanders.

"When you have those guys upfront, it's easy to get stronger because they are leaning on these guys," Barkley said.

Barkley helps his offensive linemen, too.

"Just how hard he runs and how much he wants things to work," center Cam Jurgens said. "He's always talking to us and making sure he's doing the right things. And just the constant communication with what we can do and what he can do. And how we get this thing going together. It helps in a game like this when things aren't working and then you finally clique and things work."

The 8-2 Eagles are a Super Bowl contender this season. Only the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions have a better record.

Over the next seven weeks, the Eagles have to work on some issues, including their slow offensive starts.

But Philadelphia doesn't have to be perfect to beat good NFL teams. Barkley helps them win by making absurd plays that most players can't make.

"You keep feeding a guy with that type of ability and determination, sometimes willpower takes over," Johnson said.

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