Commanders on the challenge posed by Eagles’ Saquon Barkley: ‘He is at his best at the end of games’
Here’s what the Commanders are saying going into their second game against the Eagles this season.
The Eagles will head south on Sunday to face the Washington Commanders for the second time this season. After a 27-13 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Eagles (12-2) are riding a 10-game win streak. Meanwhile, the Commanders (9-5) got past the New Orleans Saints, 20-19, in dramatic fashion.
In the Commanders’ last meeting with the Eagles, on Nov. 14, Washington had a chance to beat the Birds, leading 10-6 heading into the fourth quarter. The momentum shifted as the Eagles erupted in the fourth, rattling off 20 points behind Saquon Barkley’s two touchdowns for a 26-18 win.
What’s in store for Sunday? Here’s what the Commanders are saying about the Eagles.
Slowing down Barkley
In their last matchup, the Birds got a dominant performance from Barkley, who had two touchdowns and 146 rushing yards on 26 carries. Barkley’s two touchdowns were spaced 20 seconds apart — a Jayden Daniels interception in between — with less than five minutes remaining. He iced the game with a 23-yard scamper.
Commanders coach Dan Quinn isn’t expecting another fourth-quarter offensive surge from Barkley in their second meeting.
» READ MORE: Eagles RB Saquon Barkley is feeling good after getting banged up Sunday vs. the Steelers
“Like a lot of great players, he is at his best — it has proven to be — at the end of games,” Quinn told reporters. “We have to make sure the tackling on the fifth run is the same on the 25th run. You have to be able to just continue to do right longer than them. And they’ve proven this year that they’re exceptional at staying at it. And that takes a lot of discipline. It takes a lot of work to do it over and over again. … The grit of staying in it for each down, that’s the key to me.”
Washington linebacker Frankie Luvu expressed the same sentiments about Barkley’s ability to improve as the game goes on.
“We just got to play all four quarters,” Luvu told reporters. “That’s the main thing. I think the big thing is, he’s good in the second half of the game. That’s when he kind of has a rhythm and knows when the defense is kind of wearing out. We’re on the field for a long time. He’s just a special player and we just got to stop him early.”
In Barkley’s first meeting with Washington this season, he became the second player in franchise history to reach 1,000 yards rushing through the first 10 games (LeSean McCoy, 2011). Washington defensive tackle Johnny Newton praised Barkley for his MVP-caliber season.
“Saquon is Saquon,” Newton told reporters. “Powerful, burst of speed and just a great running back. Got great vision and can cut it back at the drop of a dime. That’s what makes him a great running back, his speed and his power.”
The Commanders rank 25th in the league in rushing defense, allowing 132.1 yards per game. The Eagles have the top rushing offense at 186.2 yards per game. Washington defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. recognizes the challenge presented to him.
“Hottest team in the league,” Whitt told reporters. “That’s what they are. They’re a good football team. It starts with the runner, Saquon. He can do everything, OK, he can catch it out of the backfield, he can run, he can jump cut, he can run with power, he can run with speed. He’s a very talented man.”
Since their first meeting, Barkley has set the franchise single-season rushing record and is chasing the NFL single-season rushing record set by Eric Dickerson (2,105 yards).
“He’s a dynamic running back,” said Washington cornerback Mike Sainristil. “He can catch out of the backfield, he runs very well, he comes alive later in the games. He’s a really good running back. Best running back in the league right now.”
A new game plan
Quinn expects a different matchup than the one in November at Lincoln Financial Field.
“You go back and watch it for sure,” Quinn said. “You have to. And you want to point out the things that you liked. And when you think about a game like this — when you’re in any division game — what do you need to stop doing? What do you need to start doing? And what do you need to do the same?
“There’s some new things that neither team has shown. So, that will happen. It’s not like a rinse and repeat, here’s the game plan — you dust it off and put it up in front of everyone. All teams are changing and things are different and matchups are there. That’s part of the fun of playing the second time.”
Daniels is excited for another shot at the Eagles.
“They’re a very good team, rightfully so,” Daniels told reporters. “They play hard, they play physical, they play the right way …It don’t matter who we play, or who they play. Everything starts up front. They got good football players over there, we got good football players here.
“Who wants it more? The team with the most ‘want to’ will prevail in this game.”
The Eagles play in Week 16 against the Washington Commanders. Join Eagles beat reporters Olivia Reiner and EJ Smith as they dissect the hottest storylines surrounding the team on Gameday Central, live from Northwest Stadium.