Eagles RB Explains Avoiding TD vs. Packers

On January 14, 2025By Littum

Saquon Barkley didn’t interrupt many long runs in Philadelphia Eagles‘ wild card playoff matchup vs Green Bay Packers but looked poised for a massive one to close out the game.

The Eagles led 22-10 when Barkley took a second-and-6 carry behind the left side of Philadelphia’s offensive line. He found a big crease in the defense and burst through it, where he easily picked up the first down and had a clear path to the end zone.

But with just over a minute left in the game and the Packers out of timeouts, Barkley opted not to take the carry to the house. Instead, he slid down for a 17-yard gain — his longest run of the day — setting up the Eagles to end the game by taking a knee.

Barkley’s slide attracted the attention of NFL players. The Eagles running back was one of the top-bet touchdown scorers at several sportsbooks as of ESPN’s David Purdumso many had a vested interest in seeing Barkley find the end zone.

Naturally, Barkley had a very different thought process regarding the play. He explained after the game that he was happy to slide down to guarantee Philadelphia’s 12-point victory.

“(It’s) situational football,” Barkley explained to reporters. “A first attempt ends the game.”

Barkley also explained that he wanted to make sure he and his teammates stayed healthy ahead of their divisional round, rather than score a touchdown that would simply run up the score.

“You never know. I break the long one, I keep running (and) I pull a hammy,” Barkley hypothetically posed. “Or somebody chases me (and) they pull a hammy, we lose a guy to next week. Go down, put a smile on your face and move on. That’s what matters most.”

Barkley has been focused on winning throughout the 2024 NFL season, repeatedly forgoing chances to chase personal milestones as he approaches the season from a long-term lens.

Most notably, Barkley sat out the Eagles’ final game of the regular season despite needing just 101 rushing yards to break Eric Dickerson’s single-season NFL rushing record. Earlier this year, he also decided to let his younger teammates play the final stages of Philadelphia’s 28-3 Week 7 victory over New York Giants instead of trying to get the 13 yards he needed to break his personal best rushing record.

So it’s no surprise that Barkley remained consistent with his messaging following Philadelphia’s 22-10 win over Green Bay.

“Whether we throw for 400 yards, we rush for 400 yards — if we win the game, 3-0. I don’t give a (expletive), to be honest,” Barkley said. “I just want to win.”