The last time a running back won NFL MVP was 12 seasons ago. Adrian Peterson got it after rushing for more than 2,000 yards.
The last time a running back was MVP without 2,000 rushing yards in a season or breaking an NFL single-season touchdown record was Emmitt Smith in 1993.
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is going to make it hard on voters to pick just the best quarterback available for MVP this season.
Barkley added to his remarkable season with another huge game, and this one was in prime time. Barkley was unstoppable as he ran over, around and past the Los Angeles Rams. Barkley rushed for 255 yards, passed 1,500 yards from scrimmage on the season, and the Eagles cruised to a 37-20 win. Barkley’s rushing total was the ninth highest in a game in NFL history and the most in Eagles history.
The victory puts Philadelphia’s record at 9-2 for the season. With the Washington Commanders’ loss on Sunday, the Eagles lead the division by three games with six to play.
Barkley could end up with 2,000 yards this season. He’s on pace for it, with 1,392 yards through 11 games. That’s a career high for Barkley with six games to go. That might get him enough MVP votes to win the award. But as the Eagles surge toward an NFC East championship Barkley’s case keeps getting stronger, regardless of if he hits the magic 2,000 number.
Saquon Barkley’s career revival
The New York Giants blew it this offseason. Saquon Barkley is clearly a first-team All-Pro this season and so is Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney, who is tied for the NFL lead in interceptions. The Giants let both leave in free agency this offseason.
Even worse, the Giants made Barkley look like a mostly average running back for many seasons. The same Barkley who is electrifying the NFL and revitalizing Philadelphia’s offense didn’t even break 1,000 yards rushing on the Giants last season. Barkley must be thrilled to be with a legitimate NFL operation this season.
The Eagles don’t usually spend much on running backs, but made Barkley an exception. They must have seen how the Giants were wasting his talent and how their stellar offensive line could turn him back into a star.
Barkley has been dominant since the Eagles’ Week 1 win over the Packers. The Eagles got another brilliant performance on Sunday night.
The game was mostly in hand with less than three minutes left, but Barkley broke a 72-yard touchdown run to punctuate his massive night. It’s not easy to break long touchdowns like that in the NFL, but Barkley has made it look routine this season.
Eagles continue to roll
Since its bye week, Philadelphia is 7-0. If there’s an NFC team that could go to Detroit and knock off the Lions in the playoffs, the Eagles are the most obvious answer.
Barkley carried the day on Sunday, but the defense has quickly become one of the NFL’s best. The Rams have a potent offense when they’re healthy, and in a pivotal second quarter they had -6 yards on four possessions. As Philadelphia picks up new coordinator Vic Fangio’s scheme, there has been steady improvement on that side of the ball.
And the offense has plenty of options. Barkley just transformed the Eagles’ run game. Now they have a superstar who is capable of big plays and massive games, a player who can turn what should be a failed play into something positive more often than not.
If that sounds like a good MVP candidate, it’s because he is. Defenses can’t stop Barkley this season. The only thing that might stop him might be recent MVP voting history.
LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER40 updates
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 9:41 PM MST
Eagles win seventh-straight game behind dominant performance form dominant Saquon Barkley
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 9:33 PM MST
Saquon’s 255-yard night is the 9th-best single-game rushing performance in NFL history
Barkley has 10 career games of at least 145 rushing yards. Five of them came in his 84 career games over six seasons with the New York Giants. Five of them have come in his 11 games with the Philadelphia Eagles this season.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 9:24 PM MST
Saquon Barkley rips off THIS exclamation point to close the deal
26 carries for 255 yards and two touchdowns, including 70-yard and 72-yard touchdown runs. He’s got 302 yards of total offense.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 9:15 PM MST
Milton Williams AGAIN!
Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis are the big names on the interior, but Williams is the big beneficiary of the two stars getting double-teamed. He’s sacked Stafford twice now, and the Eagles look like they’re cruising to a seventh-straight win
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 9:07 PM MST
Puka Nacua goes over 100 yards through the air
He got to 110 yards with his 8th grab of the night, and he’s over the century mark for the third time in the six games he’s played this season.
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, top, cannot catch a pass over Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Isaiah Rodgers during the second half of an NFL football game in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 9:03 PM MST
Jake Elliott gives Philadelphia a 16-point lead
His third short field goal of the game increases the lead, but the Rams are still only down two possessions with 10:30 left in the game. All three of the field goals have come on deep red zone trips, and if not for the Rams defense tightening up a few times in the low red zone, this game could already be a blowout. Now Matthew Stafford and company will need to get a touchdown on this drive to stay in the game.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 8:56 PM MST
AJ Brown ends the 3rd quarter with a 28 -yard pickup
Brown is up to 109 yards receiving to go along with his touchdown reception, and the Eagles head into the 4th quarter with a two-score lead and all of the momentum.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 8:48 PM MST
Joshua Karty misses from 47 yards
The Rams come up empty after they had a 2nd and 1 at the 12-yard-line. A holding penalty and sack killed the drive and the Eagles mantaint their 13-point lead. The Eagles have gotten touchdowns on three of their last four drives and their offensive line — along with Saquon Barkley and Kenneth Gainwell — have been controlling the game.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 8:45 PM MST
Milton Williams comes up with a sack to force 4th and long
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 8:39 PM MST
Puka comes up big on 4th and 1
Stafford picks on Isaiah Rodgers again, this time on a 4th and 1 for a pickup of 29 to keep the Rams drive alive.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 8:37 PM MST
Rams injury update
Rams injury update: CB Cobie Durant (cramps) questionable to return.
Kenneth Gainwell finds the end zone after big gainer on Saquon Barkley screen pass
It was 3rd down when Saquon Barkley got closer to 200 total yards for the game with a 31-yard pickup to get Philly into scoring position, and when the star needed a break, Gainwell was able to close the deal with the 13-yard run.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 8:21 PM MST
Stafford finds Demarcus Robinson for the score
Isaiah Rodgers is in the game for an injured Darius Slay, and Matthew Stafford picked on the reserve DB, finding Robinson to answer the Saquon Barkley touchdown run. That last Drive looked like the opening couple of Rams’ series where they seemingly effortlessly marched down the field.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 8:13 PM MST
Matthew Stafford is 36-years-old…and still making throws like THIS
This would be an outrageous throw for anyone, but for a veteran that’s been in the NFL as long as Stafford this is a work of art.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 8:08 PM MST
How’s THAT for a start to the Second Half?
Philly scoring drive. One Play. 70 Yards. Saquon Barkley.
Philly went over on downs near midfield with two seconds left in the half, and Josh Sweat was able to sack Matthew Stafford on the Hail Mary attempt so send the game to the halftime with Philadelphia leading 13-7.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 7:47 PM MST
A pass interference penalty gets the ball to midfield with 21 seconds left
The Eagles can use the whole field with the timeouts still in their pocket
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 7:45 PM MST
Eagles force another punt, and get the ball back with two timeouts
Philly needs just 30-35 yards to get into field goal range with 26 seconds left in the half
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 7:40 PM MST
AJ Brown finds the end zone to give the Eagles a 13-7 lead
This one went to review, after it was originally called an incomplete pass, but officials determined Brown had control, and got three steps in in the end zone for the score. Four receptions for 69 yards in the first half for Brown who’s been doing the heavy lifting with DeVonta Smith out. He’s got four receptions in 11 completed passes by Philadelphia, and Jahan Dotson — who has one catch — is the only other reciever with a target.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 7:31 PM MST
Saquon Barkley is having a big first half
He’s up to 12 carries for 72 yards at the two-minute warning, and averaging 6.0 yards per carry. He hasn’t found the end zone yet. On this current drive, he’s got runs of eight, nine and 11 yards, and the Eagles are gashing the Rams’ front on first and second downs.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 24: Saquon Barkley #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs with the ball before a game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on November 24, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images)
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 7:24 PM MST
Brandon Graham STILL has it!
The 36-year-old pass rusher can still bring it, and the Eagles force another Rams punt.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 7:19 PM MST
Another Eagles’ drive stalls in the red zone and Jake Elliott makes it 7-6
Its still low scoring thus far, but it feels like the two offenses are in control. A Couple of red zone field goals for the Eagles and a turnover by the Rams have kept the scoreboard operators from being too busy, but both teams are running it and throwing it well, and both offensive lines have been up to the task as well.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 7:14 PM MST
A.J. Brown. Circle button.
This is one of those highlight where if you made this play in Madden you’d save it and share it with your network. Brown is now up to three catches and 63 yards in the second quarter.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 7:04 PM MST
Braden Fiske forces a punt with sack
The big 3rd down sack forced the Eagles to give it back to the Rams offense which has looked tremendous thus far, averaging 8.0 yards per pass attempt and 8.7 yards per rush attempt.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 6:51 PM MST
Rams 7, Eagles 3: Kyren Williams makes up for earlier fumble with TD rush
Williams has nine TDs this season on the ground and is among the league leaders, and the Rams are averaging nearly nine yards per play with just over a minute left in the first quarter.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 6:49 PM MST
The Rams’ offense has been excellent out of the gate
The Kyren Williams fumble has been the only rough play so far. As Matthew Stafford has hit Puka Nacua three times for 39 yards in the early going to get to a 1st and Goal.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 6:47 PM MST
Rams’ guard Kevin Dotson is a regular Corey Hart on SNF
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 6:41 PM MST
Eagles 3, Rams 0
Eagles march down the field after the Kyren Williams fumble and the drive stalls in the low red zone. Jake Elliott cleaned things up with a short field goal to open the scoring, as both offenses have come out looking good and moving the ball with rhythm.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 6:39 PM MST
Eagles injury update
Safety Reed Blankenship was shaken up on the opening drive.
Injury Update: S Reed Blankenship (shoulder) is questionable to return.
The Eagles are knocking on the door, and are averaging nearly 10 yards per play on this opening drive. AJ Brown has a couple of catches for 36 yards, and Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts are have been very effective running the ball.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 6:35 PM MST
Jalen Hurts connects with AJ Brown for early big gain
Brown picks up 18 on his first catch, and he’ll need to be a big factor in the passing game tonight with DeVonta Smith out with a hamstring injury.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 6:33 PM MST
Kyren Williams coughs it up, and the Eagles recover
Philly takes over after a promising, early Rams drive.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 6:28 PM MST
Matthew Stafford flashing the wheels?!?!?
He had minus-7 yards heading into this game for the SEASON on the ground.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 6:14 PM MST
Jalen Hurts is fired up!
Philly has won six-straight games, and Hurts has the team primed to get back to the Super Bowl heights they reached two seasons ago.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 6:13 PM MST
LeBron also in attendance at SoFi Stadium
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 5:50 PM MST
Dodgers and World Series trophy in the house
The Rams are three seasons removed from winning a Super Bowl championship. But they got a look at a more recent trophy with the Dodgers’ Anthony Banda and Landon Knack bringing the World Series trophy to SoFi Stadium before tonight’s game.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 5:46 PM MST
Eagles fans road show
As usual, SoFi Stadium fills up with fans of the road team. The Eagles contingent looks large tonight.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 5:21 PM MST
Who needs this game more?
With the Cardinals’ 16–6 loss to the Seahawks, the Rams need a win for a three-way first-place tie in the NFC West.
Meanwhile, the Eagles can put more distance between them and the Commanders atop the NFC East after Washington’s 34–26 defeat to Dallas.
Sun, November 24, 2024 at 5:07 PM MST
Eagles, Rams inactives for Sunday night, Week 12
Eagles inactives vs. Rams:
WR DeVonta Smith QB Tanner McKee (3rd QB) CB Eli Ricks OL Nick Gates OL Darian Kinnard G Trevor Keegan
