Saquon Barkley faced a challenging outing against the Denver Broncos on October 5, contributing to ongoing concerns about the Philadelphia Eagles’ running game as the season winds down. Despite being a significant part of the Eagles’ offense last year, when he rushed for over 2,000 yards, Barkley has struggled to find his rhythm this season, averaging a mere 3.7 yards per carry—the lowest rate since his time with the New York Giants in 2021. His current statistics reveal an average of 62.2 rushing yards per game, which is among the lowest of his career, and his recent performance against Dallas, where he managed only 22 yards on 10 carries, has raised alarms about the team’s offensive inconsistency.
Last season, Barkley had 11 games with over 100 rushing yards, whereas this year he has only achieved that milestone once. The Eagles’ running offense is grappling with issues stemming from several factors, including a drop in effectiveness when running from the shotgun formation. In 2024, Barkley averaged 5.8 yards per carry in shotgun, a stark contrast to this year’s 3.6 yards per carry, with defensive formations becoming increasingly stacked against him.
Another significant hurdle is the decline in performance from the offensive line, particularly following injuries to key players like Mekhi Becton, Cam Jurgens, Landon Dickerson, and Lane Johnson. Barkley has seen a marked increase in running attempts against stacked boxes, where he’s producing only 2.4 yards per carry compared to 4.5 yards per carry last season when he faced similar defensive alignments.
This season, the Eagles’ running game has also struggled with the pistol formation that helped propel Barkley through the previous season. He rushed for 529 yards at 5.7 yards per carry out of pistol formations last year. However, this year, those numbers have declined sharply to just 84 yards on 32 carries, averaging 2.4 yards per carry. The combination of ineffective blocking and strategic defensive adjustments has diminished the impact of the plays that once maximized Barkley’s potential.
The Eagles are reshuffling their offensive strategies with a greater emphasis on under-center runs, which have yielded better results for Barkley—he’s averaging 4.3 yards per carry from this alignment, marking a brighter spot in an otherwise troubling season. The Eagles’ next game against the Bears on Friday could present an opportunity for the running back to regain form and help stabilize the team’s ground game.
As the Eagles look to correct their course before heading into the playoffs, the performance of the offensive line and the creative use of formations will be critical in reversing the trends of the current season. The looming challenge against the Bears may just provide the necessary catalyst for rejuvenating both Barkley’s production and the overall effectiveness of the Eagles’ rushing attack.