Saquon Barkley maneuvers his way for a 25-yard touchdown to extend the Eagles’ lead in the fourth quarter. (0:22)
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Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley totaled 107 rushing yards in the team’s Week 13 win against the Ravens, putting him at 1,499 yards through 12 games. That means he is on pace to break the single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards set by Eric Dickerson in 1984.
Dickerson’s record has stood for four decades, and only eight players have even hit 2,000 yards in rushing. Could Barkley surpass the 2,105-yard mark? After averaging 124.9 yards per game over the first 12 contests, he needs to average 121.4 the rest of the way to do it. And remember, Barkley has the benefit of an extra game; Dickerson set his record in a 16-game season.
The Eagles have relied heavily on his rushing ability this season after signing him in free agency. Offensive linemen Lane Johnson, Landon Dickerson and Jordan Mailata helped spark a more run-oriented offense with a visit to coach Nick Sirianni’s office during the Week 5 bye. Philadelphia leads the NFL with 442 rush attempts, which has helped Barkley put up huge numbers.
Will the rushing record finally fall? With Barkley currently on pace for 2,123 yards, we’re tracking his momentous season as he runs and hurdles his way toward Dickerson’s long-standing mark. Eagles reporter Tim McManus is sizing up where things stand and NFL analyst Ben Solak looks at what lies ahead over the final five games.
Barkley’s performance: Barkley ran for 107 yards on 23 carries, and his 11th rushing score of the season put the Eagles up 20-12 in the fourth quarter.
The Dickerson comparison: Dickerson rushed 25 times for 132 yards in his 12th game of the 1984 season, putting him at 1,452 on the season. Barkley is at 1,499 after 12 games, 47 yards ahead of Dickerson. That means Barkley is still on pace to break Dickerson’s record, factoring in the extra game from the 17-game season.
Barkley’s performance: Barkley set both personal and franchise highs with 255 rushing yards and 302 yards from scrimmage. Both of his rushing touchdowns went for 70-plus yards.