Philadelphia Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley silenced all of his doubters on Friday night as he powered the Eagles to victory over the Green Bay Packers in Week 1.
While New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen was afraid to commit to Barkley long-term, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman wasn’t. Roseman understood Barkley’s value and rewarded him accordingly.
Barkley proved he is still a workhorse running back on Friday night en route to a historic debut for the Eagles.
Saquon Barkley Shines in Historic Debut for the Eagles
Despite Roseman’s reluctance to pay running backs in recent years, he broke his trend to ink Barkley to a big deal in 2024. His change in philosophy was quickly rewarded as Barkley joined elite company in his team debut.
Barkley finished the night with 24 carries for 109 yards and two rushing touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 23 yards and another score.
Barkley’s three scrimmage touchdowns are tied for the most by any player in a team debut in the Super Bowl era.
Barkley became the second player to score three touchdowns in their Eagles debut, joining Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens (2004).
There is a bit of irony in Barkley’s connection to Owens’ debut as well.
Owens scored three times in his Eagles debut in 2004. That season, Philadelphia had a bye in Week 5 and traveled to Dallas in Week 10 before hosting Washington in Week 11.
Barkley scored three times in his Eagles debut. This season, Philadelphia has a bye in Week 5 and will travel to Dallas in Week 10 before hosting Washington in Week 11.
While the connection could mean nothing, Philadelphia’s fans are surely hoping Barkley’s debut results in a trip to the Super Bowl like Owens’ Eagles debut season back in 2004.
Prior to his arrival in Philadelphia, many questioned how much Barkley had left in the tank. Barkley struggled at times with the Giants, primarily due to the team’s poor offensive line.
That won’t be an issue in Philadelphia, though, as Barkley thrived behind the team’s stout offensive line in Week 1.
Barkley is on pace to record a career-high in yards per carry before first contact following his debut with the Eagles, which is up a whopping 72.4% over his mark last season, according to TruMedia.
Can Saquon Barkley Maintain His Historic Pace?
Following Barkley’s historic debut for the Eagles, it’s fair to question if this pace is sustainable for the 27-year-old running back.
Barkley was forced to leave the game late in the first half after running into a wall on a 2-yard gain. While Barkley returned to start the second half, his injury history is a legitimate concern.
last play we saw from Saquon of the half pic.twitter.com/8tdsMyrpgN
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 7, 2024
While the Eagles will likely prefer to monitor Barkley’s workload moving forward, they needed to rely on him against the Packers. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts struggled mightily, and Barkley was called upon to carry Philadelphia to victory.
Despite Barkley’s impressive debut, Philadelphia’s star running back will face a tough test in each of the next three weeks.
Three of the top six run defenses by EPA from last season await the Eagles over the next three weeks. Therefore, Hurts is going to need to step up if Barkley begins to struggle.
Regardless of who the Eagles play next, Barkley made a statement on Friday night in Brazil.
Despite all of the questions about his potential decline, Barkley proved he is still a top workhorse running back in 2024.