The Philadelphia Eagles' offense is the subject of a lot of pessimism from the media, but running back Saquon Barkley has a chance to erase that completely.
Entering 2026, the Eagles have a new-look offense that will have many wondering how they will do. Led by first-time offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, Philly will be rolling out new faces like Hollywood Brown, Makai Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks, Elijah Moore, and Eli Stowers on the field.
While quarterback Jalen Hurts and the passing game will get most of the attention in Week 1 against the Washington Commanders, another aspect of the offense needs to be watched as a key to the game. Barkley has a chance to silence the critics with a signature dominant performance against one of Philly's biggest division rivals.
Saquon Barkley is ready to strike fear in the Commanders for the Eagles' Week 1 game
If there has been one guarantee when it comes to Barkley against the Commanders, he's going to run for over 100 yards against them. Since he joined the Eagles, Barkley has faced Washington four times. Here are the results of those games.
Date of Game | Carries | Yards | Average Per Carry | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
11/14/2024 | 26 | 146 | 5.6 | 2 |
12/22/2024 | 29 | 150 | 5.2 | 2 |
1/26/2025 | 15 | 118 | 7.9 | 3 |
12/20/2025 | 21 | 132 | 6.3 | 1 |
It's safe to say that Barkley is a really big fan of playing the Commanders. He's dominated them in every game, with Philly going 3-1 in those matchups.
Washington's defense did not get that much better against the run during the offseason, leaving open the possibility for Barkley to have another monster day. He hasn't had a game against them since joining the Eagles in which he didn't hit under 100 yards or fail to score a touchdown.
A lot of that success has to do with the play of the Eagles' offensive line. Despite some questions and concerns about them entering the 2026 season, they have been great at running the football throughout the years, and Washington hasn't had an answer for it.
The expectation is that Barkley explodes for another big game, taking advantage of the new scheme, which is more friendly to the running game and offensive line play. There's a strong chance that the passing game goes through its bumps and bruises in Week 1, but Barkley would at least be the reliable one in the game.
There has been a lot of criticism of Hurts' interceptions in training camp and overall uncertainty about the offense. Barkley is the one constant in this offense, and he can be the unit's featured piece.
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Eagles fans are ready for Barkley to start his comeback tour after only going for 1,140 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He's more ready than ever to prove that he's still a top-five back in the league.
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