Saquon Barkley has been a shell of the tantalizing superstar running back Philadelphia Eagles fans quickly fell in love with last year. He's well aware of his shortcomings in the team's title defense season, if his palpable frustration after their Week 12 loss is any indication.
Barkley acknowledged his struggles head-on when addressing the media following Philadelphia's gut-wrenching 24-21 defeat to the Dallas Cowboys. He's done making excuses and is focused on turning things around as soon as possible, regardless of the circumstances.
Yet, as exasperated as Barkley is, he's at least equally dejected, if not more so. His comments in the wake of getting beaten by the Cowboys make it increasingly clear that confidence is waning, which rightfully has Eagles fans worried.
Saquon Barkley sends Eagles fans into panic with brutally honest self-assessment
"We've got to do a better job of putting teams away," Barkley told reporters regarding the Eagles letting a 21-0 lead slip away in Dallas. "We didn't do that, and I definitely didn't help. Usually, obviously, last year and in other games, I was a big part of that, and I've been kind of nonexistent this year. I've gotta figure it out for the team."
In fairness to Barkley, his record-shattering inaugural campaign in Philadelphia set the bar incredibly high. He earned Offensive Player of the Year honors and was the focal point of the Eagles' dominant Super Bowl LIX run. It literally cannot get any better than that, so regression was inevitable, especially after racking up nearly 500 touches (including the playoffs) in 2024.
However, Barkley's demonstrable lack of self-belief is taking a toll on him and the Eagles as a whole. His below-league-average yards per carry (3.8) and rushing success rate (42.7) marks through 11 games in 2025 are an unfathomable year-over-year decline. In turn, Philly currently ranks in the bottom half of the NFL in yards per play (5.2) and scoring (23.2 points per game).
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It's been a night-and-day difference -- in the worst way possible. The Eagles have taken multiple steps backwards under first-year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, which continued to rear its ugly head against Dallas. Nevertheless, Barkley ostensibly feels an onus and sense of urgency to get Philly back on track.