It's hard to ever be in a good mood when a team is on a losing streak, but Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is being outright blunt about what the team is doing during games on the sidelines.
While speaking with the media, Barkley was asked about the Eagles' energy on the sidelines during this rough stretch of games. The former 2024 Offensive Player of the Year was blunt about how the team has handled its energy.
"During games? Honestly, I think it's been awful. I think if you ask anybody, if they're being honest, we'd all agree on that. Most importantly, I think the energy in practice, in walkthrough, in meetings, has been great. Now we got to carry that to game day. So all the stuff has been great, and now we need to make sure on game day, the energy is high, and we execute, and we make plays. The rest will take care of itself."
Last two games are good indicators of backing up Barkley's claim
It's been clear that there are frustrations with the Eagles during this two-game losing streak. Fans got to see it first-hand in the Hard Knocks documentary about the NFC East, which showed how Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was frustrated with himself after the missed DeVonta Smith touchdown pass in the 24-15 loss to the Chicago Bears, and the offense's struggles throughout the game.
Nobody can blame the Eagles after the team blew a 21-point lead to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 12 and got bullied by the Bears in Week 13. The defense has been inconsistent, with nearly 900 yards allowed in the last two games, and the offense has averaged just 15.5 points per game in the previous four contests.
Even with the holiday season looming, there hasn't been much for the Eagles to be cheery about, as their team is struggling at 8-4. The positive, though, is that they are still in first place in the NFC East and the number one seed in the NFC is still there for the taking as long as they don't let the negativity consume them in the last five games.
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Philly is back in primetime to close out Week 14 against the Los Angeles Chargers. This game isn't necessarily crucial for staying in the division title hunt, but it is essential for getting back some momentum for the rest of the season.