An Eagles running back came up huge in the 4th quarter … and it wasn't Saquon

It’s the fourth quarter, the offense is dragging, the Eagles have just two field goals to show for their first seven drives, they haven’t led all night and a running back takes over the game.

And it wasn’t Saquon Barkley.

With the Eagles at a critical point in their Thursday night battle with the Commanders for first place in the NFC East, it was rarely-used Kenny Gainwell who sparked the offense, jump-started the running game and led the Eagles on the go-ahead touchdown drive.

“He means a lot,” Dallas Goedert said. “He’s been an incredible player for us ever since he got here, and he doesn’t get as many touches, obviously Saquon gets the bulk of them, but when he does he makes the most of his opportunities. 

“You love when he gets going because it just brings a little bit of juice to everybody on the team.”

Through three quarters Thursday, the Commanders led 12-10 and had bottled Barkley up most of the night.

The Eagles’ superstar running back had 20 carries for 70 yards, a modest 3.5 average, and half of his 20 carries had gone for two yards or less.

The running game just didn't have it.

So with the Eagles on the Washington 38-yard-line early in the fourth quarter, Kellen Moore gave Barkley a rest and inserted Gainwell, who had just one carry in the first three quarters and only 39 carries all year.

Fourteen yards, first down.

Thirteen yards, first down.

Seven yards, not quite a first down but got the offense down to the 4-yard-line, where two players later Jalen Hurts gave the Eagles the lead for good with his 11^thtouchdown run of the year.

Gainwell never got another carry and played just 13 snaps the entire game. But when the Eagles needed him, he came up huge.

“How about Kenny Gainwell?” Nick Sirianni raced post-game. “How about how well he played? He came in for Saquon when Saquon needed a break. We were going to run the ball because we were having some good tempo. We kind of had them on their heels and we just kept going. Kenny played his butt off.”

Gainwell finished with 43 yards on just four carries and also caught a six-yard pass for 49 scrimmage yards on just five touches. 

Kellen Moore handled the running backs perfectly Thursday night. When he sensed that Barkley needed a break, he inserted Gainwell.

But when it was crunch time, Barkley was back and closed out the Commanders with touchdown runs of 23 and 39 yards just 20 seconds apart.

Barkley finished with 146 yards – 76 in the final five minutes – and the Eagles netted 228 rushing yards, their fifth straight game over 160 yards.

“It really started with Kenny,” Barkley said. “Kenny got in there and got things going and things opened up for me a little bit.”

This has been the story of Gainwell’s career.

He’s backed up three Pro Bowl running backs in four years, but he’s got a pretty good body of work to show for four seasons as a 5^th-round pick.

In 64 games, he’s rushed for 1,282 yards and a 4.5 average and caught 107 passes for 768 more yards.

Among running backs in NFL history who’ve started three or fewer games, his 2,050 scrimmage yards are 7^th-most.

Nick Sirianni always talks about the importance of every player understanding their role. Gainwell knows as long as Barkley is healthy, he’s the guy. But he’s perfected the role of Barkley’s backup and the whole country saw it Thursday night.

“I think he's definitely one of the most selfless guys on the team when it comes to embracing his role and giving up himself in any way he can to help the team win,” Jalen Hurts said recently.

“And he comes in like a wrecking ball with a lot of energy, a lot of passion, a lot of hunger. So we all know that everybody’s moments come. And his moment, he'll continue to get opportunities, but I'm just happy that he's just pushing for it every day.”

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