Fresh From His Snowy TD Run, Eagles Saquon Barkley Set For Commanders "Sell Out" D

Philadelphia Eagles Saquon Barkley talked about his electric 78-yard TD run and the Washington Commanders' defense that held him in check in the second half of their previous meeting.

Eagles running back Saquon Barkley talks to the media following Wednesday's practice as Philly prepares to host the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday. / Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

PHILADELPHIA – Washington just might know how to slow Saquon Barkley. The Commanders did in the last time they played the Eagles, if only for a half.

Barkley tore through the Commanders’ defense for 123 yards in the first half, but after Jalen Hurts left in the first quarter with a concussion, Washington had no fear of Kenny Pickett beating them with his legs. So, they focused on Barkley and held him to just 23 yards on 16 runs.

The Eagles running still had 150 yards and two touchdowns, but his lack of success allowed Washington to come back and win 36-33 on Dec. 22 in the final seconds.

On Wednesday, as the Eagles prepare to play the Commanders for a third time with much more at stake – only a trip to Super Bowl LIV hangs in the balance – Barkley seemed to bristle when asked how Washington erased him.

“I think they sold out on the run,” said Barkley. “It worked for them in the second half. In the grand scheme of things, we still put up 30-something points and had the opportunity to win the football game. It ended up with in our hands, but we didn’t do that, so we’ll prepare for whatever they’re going to bring.”

Barkley is coming off one of the best playoff games in his career and Eagles history during a second-half snowstorm at Lincoln Financial Field in Sunday’s 28-22 win over the Los Angeles Rams.

He ran for 205 yards, including a 62-yard touchdown burst when the field was still visible, and a 78-yard scamper when the field was covered in snow with 4:36 to play that gave the Eagles a 28-15 lead that should have been 29-15 if not for a Jake Elliott missed PAT.

Barkley allowed himself one day to think about his playoff performance before turning the page to the Commanders.

Dashing through the snow ❄️@Saquon | @Eagles pic.twitter.com/fnRYYMC4Jr

— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) January 20, 2025

He called that 78-yard TD run, an Eagles postseason record, the best of his life even going back to when he was just a little boy learning how to play the game. He has seen it several times, but said his favorite clip is the one NFL Films put together, with the old-school music and the slow motion. And he added he has no reason why he was hitting himself in the helmet, not once, but twice, as he got closer to the goal line.

“I go back and look at it and I don’t know why I was doing that,” he said. “I was crashing out as the kids would say.”

The play also taught him a lesson.

“It teaches you a lesson even in that moment, there’s still four minutes or however much time was left and before you know it, we were at the mercy of Matthew Stafford driving down the field,” he said. “But one of my favorite moments. It’s playoff football so you make the play and move on.”

And now Barkley is ready to do that, no matter what Washington has in store for him.

“I think we’re the best or one of the best rush teams, so we know it’s going to be a focus for a lot of teams, especially with Washington coming up,” he said, “but whatever they wanna do, we’re ready for it. At the end of the day our mindset is just winning a football game, so however it looks, whatever it takes.”

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