Cam Newton is the latest sports personality to slam Eric Dickerson’s comments about Saquon Barkley. Dickerson had landed in hot water earlier for saying that he wasn’t really rooting for the Eagles RB to break his single-season rushing yards record.
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A cynical and competitive Dickerson had noted that if Barkley did manage to break the record, it would be in 17 games instead of 16, as he had done. This notion had Newton saying, “We got to stop being haters.” Taking to his ‘4th&1 show,’ the former quarterback said,
“Eric Dickerson, come on bro. That’s almost like gatekeeping a little bit. Come on bro, we know you did it in lesser games. “
Dickerson can rest easy, as it seems unlikely that Barkley will break his single-season record of 2,105 rushing yards. Despite needing just 101 yards against a struggling Giants run defense, Barkley is expected to be rested for the game.
While it would’ve been a great sight for Eagles fans to watch one of their own script history, there’s an even greater sight Eagles fans would rather witness: their team lifting a second Super Bowl trophy. That dream could be jeopardized if Barkley were to get injured chasing the record.
Philly needs him healthy and well-rested for the playoffs as they pursue the ultimate prize with what many consider their best team in years.
Both offensively and defensively, the Eagles look formidable. Still, if the organization had envisioned this scenario, they might have regretted resting Barkley in the fourth quarters of several games. Those missed opportunities could have allowed him to accumulate more yards earlier in the season.
While Barkley deserves the chance to break the record, it seems unlikely that head coach Nick Sirianni will risk playing him for extended minutes, especially with the playoffs on the horizon.
That said, anything less than a Super Bowl appearance would be a massive disappointment for both the Eagles and Barkley. If Barkley gets the opportunity to break the record and succeeds, he will etch his name into the history books forever—achieving a feat that ensures his own kind of immortality.
