SAQUON REMAINS SENSATIONAL, IN SNOW OR ANY ELEMENT, AS EAGLES QUIET RAMS
Barkley plowed through a winter storm warning and continues to rescue running backs undervalued in the NFL, with 205 more yards overcoming a Los Angeles challenge that included critical turnovers
The snow rambled in such a twisting, daredevilish swirl, NBC superimposed yardage numbers for see-the-field context. This was our country in January, in the chilled village of Philadelphia, where the Los Angeles Rams were attempting to steal a frozen game for themselves. If wildfire victims had time to watch amid tragedy — and only a few folks were in a tavern near Pacific Palisades — win for them, too, as they brace for another dangerous wind event.
It was a mesmerizing scene, yet there was no chance the visitors would hold onto the cowhide leather when the Eagles were swarming. With flags whipping and debris blowing through the air, Matthew Stafford had ice on his mask and fumbled in the fourth quarter. Earlier, so did Kyren Williams. Sean McVay wore an LAFD cap and a sweatshirt to honor first responders, and the coach was praying in the final seconds, when Stafford tried to pull out a stunning victory in the NFL playoffs.
But he was sacked by Jalen Carter, who turned one way when the center looked the other way. Sunday was an afternoon intended for the home team and, of course, Saquon Barkley. It’s hard to believe he won’t be named the NFL’s MVP, despite exhortations from the polarized fans at Lincoln Financial Field, but Barkley has dominated the sport in ways that spit in the faces of those who somehow undervalue running backs. He dazzled us with his reverse hurdle. He rushed for 255 yards against the Rams in Week 12. He would have broken Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record if he’d played in the final week. Now, he thrusts himself into a postseason he also is ruling.
How about 205 rushing yards, with two touchdowns, in a 28-22 victory? He scored from 62 yards late in the first quarter. In the final minutes, he jerked his body and flew down the sideline on a 78-yard score, slapping his helmet. Jalen Hurts has a knee injury, with a brace, and might struggle next Sunday at home against Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders. He managed to raise his arms at Barkley, who said his “eyes would light up” if told as a kid he’d win a big game in the snow.
What’s next? “The elements were great, but our fans were even better,” he said, having departed the dismal New York Giants for this thrill. “Our fans are amazing. It was a close one, but that’s playoff football, and at the end of the day, we got the job done. It was insane. I've got a smile on my face thinking about it. This is what you dream about. This is why I came to Philly. I wanted to be part of games like this.”
“I finished the game,’’ said Hurts, who scored on a 44-yard run before his injury. “I don’t know if it will snow next week, but rain, sleet or snow, the Eagles are ready to go. This comes through Philly. It means everything for this city and this team.”
The Eagles are a nutty team down to their fight song. Nick Sirianni has the third-best winning percentage of any NFL coach in the Super Bowl era, at 49-20, yet he almost lost his job last offseason because he’s off-balance. Why does he scream at Philly fans in the stands? Why taunt opposing players, shout at referees and mug for TV cameras? He didn’t get along with Hurts last season, but owner Jeffrey Lurie brought him back. The Eagles finished 14-3 after a 2-2 start. They get along now, sort of.
“I’m happy and fortunate that we were able to come together in harmony and have the same goal in mind, trying to get this thing right,” Hurts said in the regular season. “I got a ton of confidence in him, a ton of confidence in what he brings and everything he's been able to accomplish.”
The home boys won, naturally, during a winter storm warning. Stafford was brilliant on a 70-yard drive that trimmed the lead to six points and took over with more than two minutes left. He led the Rams downfield and was positioned for a touchdown that could have brought an insane victory. He also played with a rib injury. “Dinged up. But I’m sure damn proud of Matthew Stafford,’’ McVay said. “I’m happy to be a part of this team. And I’m really bummed out that this journey is over. Love this team. It’s hard because you didn’t want it to end.”
I was among those who wondered why the Rams played a home game last Monday night in Arizona. Training in Woodland Hills, not far from the fires, they were grown men who wanted to perform their jobs and almost win two road games. As I write today, the Palisades fire has burned more than 23,700 acres and is 52 percent contained. The Eaton fire has burned more than 14,000 acres and is 81 percent contained.
“We will rebuild LA. Hand in hand, together,” the team wrote online. “For as long as it takes and whatever it takes. We will build it together. Los Angeles, we love you and we are with you.”
Stafford’s words will be remembered with his Super Bowl win at SoFi Stadium. “Man, it was for the people of Los Angeles struggling right now. It’s been unbelievable to watch the whole community, the state, the country kind of get behind them,” he said. “It’s a tough time to be back there.”
Sunday, he said: “I was really proud with this group and the way that we battled. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but this group really stuck together. Felt like as an offense we had them on the ropes, and I bet they probably felt it too. We were moving the rock really well the last two drives, and just a couple of unforced errors here and there.”
If the Eagles have a Super Bowl rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs, it sounds good. Some prefer to see Daniels play Patrick Mahomes. But something about Saquon Barkley makes us want to watch any time, on grass or snow, wondering what else he might accomplish for his — ugh — $37.75 million contract. On his last touchdown, he took a slide through the snow.
Can we pay him much more?
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Jay Mariotti, called “without question the most impacting Chicago sportswriter of the past quarter-century,’’ writes general sports columns for Substack while appearing on some of the 1,678,498 podcasts and shows in production today. He is an accomplished columnist, TV panelist and talk/podcast host. Living in Los Angeles, he gravitated by osmosis to film projects.