Saquon Barkley has the perfect opportunity to suit up against the lowly Giants and break Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record next Sunday. Barkley has 2,005 rushing yards on the season, putting him just 101 yards shy of breaking the record. However, Rex Ryan doesn’t think the Eagles should risk an injury in the season’s final game, especially with the playoffs knocking at the door.
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If Saquon runs for just over a hundred yards in the season’s finale, which shouldn’t be difficult against a team that has struggled against the run, it would be the perfect revenge tour for him. Poetic, even. That’s because the Giants were the ones to trade him during the off-season. Ryan, however, argues that this could jeopardize the bigger picture.
“To me, absolutely I want Saquon Barkley fresh for the playoffs, and if he’s fresh for the playoffs, there’s no reason we can’t win the whole darn thing. What would happen if this guy gets banged up?” Ryan asked on Get Up.
It’s a good question to ask, one that not many have truly considered. With the record within grasp, it’s easy for fans to put blinders on and overlook the risk of injury. While the majority of the public wants to see Saquon break the record, it may not be the wisest course of action, as it could derail the Eagles’ Super Bowl run.
Ryan furthered his argument, saying, “I need our team to be popping out of their skin when we get in a playoff run. The record would be great, I’d love to have the record, but you know what? I’d rather have a Super Bowl.”
Rex Ryan says he would rest Saquon Barkley instead of prioritizing his pursuit of Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record pic.twitter.com/QNDJhyQ03B
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) December 30, 2024
The words echo the loudest from Ryan, a former head coach who never won it all. He should know how coveted that Lombardi Trophy is, and how hard it can be to attain. Ryan made two AFC Championship games in his first two seasons heading the New York Jets, only to lose both. He never made the playoffs in his six years of coaching after that.
While Ryan’s coaching perspective may be sensible and grounded in the goal of winning a championship, it’s not a popular take. The response got nothing but head shakes out of Dan Orlovsky, as he embodied most fans listening to Ryan’s answer.
Everybody wants to see Barkley go for the record. Well, except for the guy who holds it, Dickerson, who’s come out recently saying he doesn’t want Barkley to break it. Dickerson thinks it’s unfair that Saquon is getting an extra game compared to the old 16-game schedule that the record was originally set in.
“I don’t think he’ll break it. But if he breaks it, he breaks it… Do I want him to break it? Absolutely not. I don’t pull no punches on that. But I’m not whining about it. He had 17 games to do it? Hey, football is football,” Dickerson told The Los Angeles Times.
While it may be a bit unfair, it’s the new reality of today’s NFL. And something that the NFL Players Association was hesitant over when they agreed to the new 17-game season. Everyone knew old records would be shattered. The rookie receptions record, for example, has been broken three times since the introduction of the new schedule.
It’s time for Philadelphia to show its hand. With the #1 seed out of reach, they are locked into the #2 seed. There’s absolutely nothing to play for. It’ll be interesting to see what they do with Barkley.
