Saquon Barkley spoke to the media after the Eagles’ 28-3 victory over the Giants in Week 7. The star running back discussed what it was like to face his former team for the first time.
When the Eagles team bus rolled into the parking lot outside MetLife Stadium Sunday morning, Saquon Barkley glanced out the window and couldn’t believe what he saw.
“That was crazy,” he said. “That was crazy.”
What he saw was a group of Giants fans burning a jersey. His jersey. Giants No. 26.
“I’ve seen my jersey get burned before on social media,” Barkley said. “But the timing of it? I’m locked in, I’m listening to my music, and all I see is fans just pointing, and I look and I’m like, ‘What are they pointing at?’
Get top local stories in Philly delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
“I see smoke and I’m just like, ‘Where’s my jersey at?’ That was definitely different. I don’t know if I’ve ever experienced anything like that in my life and, hopefully, I don’t experience that again.”
Giants fans set fire to his jersey and then Barkley set fire to the MetLife Stadium turf.
In his ballyhooed return to East Rutherford, Barkley ran for 176 yards and a touchdown, piled up 187 scrimmage yards, averaged over 10 yards per rush and carried the Eagles on his shoulders to a 28-3 win over his former team in his former stadium.
Philadelphia Eagles
Complete coverage of the Philadelphia Eagles and their NFL rivals from NBC Sports Philadelphia.
And after one of the greatest games ever by an Eagles running back, all Saquon Barkley could do was talk about the plays he didn’t make.
He had runs of 38, 41 and 55 yards but didn’t score on any of them.
“I was able to set up some big plays,” Barkley said. “I hit a lot of doubles and triples today. I didn't hit the one out the park so definitely go back to the drawing board.”
Back to the drawing board after this historic performance?
Barkley’s 176 yards are 2nd-most in NFL history by a player against his former team. Cedric Benson, the Bears’ 1st-round pick in 2005, ran for 189 for the Bengals against the Bears in Cincinnati in 2009. So Barkley’s 176 are the most ever by a player in his former stadium.
It’s also the most rushing yards by an Eagle since LeSean McCoy’s 217 in the snow at the Linc against the Lions in 2013 and the most ever by an Eagle against the Giants. Tom Sullivan had 156 in 1973 at the Vet.
And Barkley’s 10.4 yards-per-carry is highest by an Eagle with at least 15 carries in 59 years – since Timmy Brown averaged 11.6 on 16-for-186 in a loss to the Browns at Municipal Stadium in 1965.
Wow.
“To be honest, I’m so happy this game is over,” Barkley said. “I don’t think I should get (after) today any more questions about the Giants. But like I’ve always said, I’m thankful for the organization. They’re the team that drafted me. I’ve still got nothing but love and respect for the guys over there.
“I’m happy to be an Eagle and most importantly we got a win today in the division. It’s a division rival and now it’s onto the next one.”
Through six games, Barkley has 658 rushing yards, a 6.1 average and five touchdowns. He’s only the seventh running back in NFL history with 600 rushing yards, 6.0 yards per carry and five TDs through six games.
You may have heard of the six others: Jim Brown, Jim Taylor, O.J. Simpson, Terrell Davis, Jamal Lewis and Adrian Peterson.
Elite company.
But that’s where he belongs.
With the win secured, Barkley left the game early in the fourth quarter 13 yards short of his career-high 189 yards from 2019 in Washington.
Nick Sirianni said he left it up to Barkley to determine whether he’d stay in the game and shoot for some records, but Barkley told him, “Let the other guys eat.’”
And Kenny Gainwell went out and finished the game, rushing for 56 yards of his own.
“Numbers don’t do it for me,” Barkley said. “Of course, I want to be great and I’m all about my legacy, but at the end of the day, I’m all about the team and I’m happy to see Kenny get out there and to see him go and get some reps.”
Barkley seemed to get a kick out of playing against his friends and former teammates but said all the hoopla surrounding his return to East Rutherford never became a distraction.
"I guess I probably talked a little more bleep today than I usually do, but I think I did a really good job of being locked in through the week,” he said.
“Right now, where I’m at mentally, just focusing on my preparation, focusing on the little things, staying consistent. There’s a reason why when I go out there and I’m getting booed or whatever, I didn’t remove myself from the moment. I stayed locked into the moment the whole time and I’ve got to continue to do that the rest of the season.”
Barkley got booed throughout the game by the fans who used to cheer him, but he seemed to get a kick out of that, too.
“It’s kind of hard not to hear that,” he said with a laugh. “I think I kind of didn’t help myself when I said earlier in the week I didn’t think I was going to get booed. But they’re booing for a reason. It’s a compliment at the end of the day. That’s how I took it.”
Subscribe to Eagle Eye anywhere you get your podcasts:
Apple Podcasts | YouTube Music | Spotify | Stitcher | Art19 | RSS | Watch on YouTube
