The Philadelphia Eagles finally won their wild-card game. They defeated the Green Bay Packers 22-10. This was their first wild-card round win after 2018. But let’s not forget that the major credit to the team’s win goes to newcomer Saquon Barkley. His contribution, especially in terms of yards this year, has helped Philly a lot. And now that the team advanced into the playoffs, the running back has something to say.
We all know, the RB was going to make history as he was just 101 yards away from breaking Eric Dickerson’s all-time rushing record of 2,105. In the final regular game, the coach told Saquon Barkley to sit out to avoid any potential injury that could have hampered the Eagles’ playoff run.
Now that he failed to achieve that historical record, everyone was curious about what was going through his mind, especially after the wildcard win. Reporters in the locker room bombarded Saquon Barkley with questions after Sunday’s game. When asked about the historical stat thing, he replied in his 7-word message–“The only stat that matters is winning.”
Do you agree with Saquon Barkley’s focus on winning over personal records?
Yes, team success is paramount
No, personal achievements matter too
Should the Dallas Cowboys restructure Dak Prescott’s contract to free up cap space?
Yes, it’s necessary for team success
No, Prescott deserves his contract
Only if it benefits both parties
Did Saquon Barkley make the right call prioritizing team success over breaking a historic rushing record?
Have an interesting take?
Is George Pickens’ behavior hurting the Steelers more than his talent is helping?
No, his talent outweighs the drama
It’s up to Tomlin to manage
Is it time for the Steelers to move on from Russell Wilson as their starting quarterback?
Yes, it’s time for a change
No, he deserves another chance
Let the competition decide
Should the Cincinnati Bengals part ways with head coach Zac Taylor after missing the playoffs?
Yes, it’s time for a change
No, he deserves another chance
Only if a better option is available
Here are the articles that inspired recent polls.
In his words, Saquon Barkley said, “Don’t matter the stat line, only one step matters. That’s a column and wins or losses. If you get to win, keep going in advance. If it’s played next week, so that’s the thing that matters and that is important for us we’re gonna keep doing that.”
This 7-word message and his overall statements tell that for Saquon Barkley, it’s only the winning that counts. Although he and his family were a bit upset about not seeing him make a once-in-a-lifetime record, they must be happy that Barkley has reached the divisional round in the 2024 season. And this is something which he earlier wished for.
Saquon Barkley’s wish came true!
Right after the game, FOX’s sideline reporter, Erin Andrews, interviewed Saquon Barkley. The Eagles’ RB was fired up after the big win against the Packers, as he replied to his teammates who joked about the missed opportunity to pad his stats – “I probably should have taken a little more, but at the end of the day, the most important part of the playoffs is winning and advancing. There’s some things we can work on and improve, but we came out and got a win.” Although Barkley’s dream of achieving historical stats wasn’t fulfilled, his other wish definitely came true this year with the Eagles.
During the interview, Saquon Barkley remarked, “A year ago I put out a tweet when I was on my couch watching playoff football that I gotta find a way to get back in it.” And that time came for the RB. This tweet from Barkley referenced his post, where he stated, “Nothing like playoff football! I gotta get back!!” Barkley created the post sometime between last season’s Bills–Steelers Wild Card Weekend matchup.
However, now Saquon Barkley’s wish has come true as he and the Eagles are in the divisional round. And Monday’s game will determine their next opponent. But for now, it could be either the Buccaneers, the Rams, or the Vikings, speculations are on.
