Philly Leader

In a memorable snow game at Lincoln Financial Field, Saquon Barkley led the Philadelphia Eagles to a 28-22 victory over the Rams, securing their place in the NFC Championship Game. Barkley set a new Eagles' single-game playoff rushing record with 205 yards, surpassing Steve Van Buren's previous record of 196 yards from the 1949 NFL Championship.

Reflecting on the win, Barkley emphasized the importance of teamwork and winning games. "It was the same message as last week – the most important thing is winning football games, especially around this time of year," he stated after the game.

Barkley's performance included a notable 68-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and another impressive 78-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. He averaged 7.9 yards per carry during the game. "I just want to make good plays for the team," Barkley commented, praising his offensive line's efforts.

The Eagles' offense excelled despite challenging weather conditions, accumulating 285 total rushing yards. Quarterback Jalen Hurts contributed significantly with a 44-yard rushing touchdown and a total of 70 rushing yards on ten carries.

Hurts highlighted Barkley's impact on their offensive strategy: "I think Saquon has been tremendous at that rain, sleet, or snow." He also expressed his enjoyment of contributing to explosive plays alongside Barkley.

Barkley acknowledged his teammates' support and stressed collective effort as key to advancing in playoffs. "That's what it takes. It takes every single one of us if we want to accomplish what we want to accomplish," he said.

Looking ahead to his first conference championship game with Philadelphia, Barkley shared his excitement about joining such high-stakes contests: "This is what you dream about... I wanted to be a part of games like this."