Why did Saquon Barkley slide down vs. Packers? Eagles RB explains why he passed on late-game TD

Michael OHara

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Why did Saquon Barkley slide down vs. Packers? Eagles RB explains why he passed on late-game TD image

Over the course of the year, it's become quite obvious that Saquon Barkley provides a different dynamic to the Philadelphia offense. Head coach Nick Sirianni and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore are more than happy to lean on Barkley, as the Eagles have the most run-heavy offense in the NFL.

When your running back is one of the most athletically gifted players in the NFL, why not hand them the rock 20 times per game? Now, there are plenty of highly talented players across the league, but Barkley is one of the few players who is a threat to score from anywhere on the field.

Across his seven-year career, Barkley has eight touchdowns of at least 65 yards in length. Four of those scores have come this year alone. Barkley behind this Philly offensive line is truly a sight to see.

Barkley nearly added a fifth 65-plus-yard touchdown in the Eagles' wild-card matchup against the Packers. With just over one minute remaining in the game, Barkley broke through the Green Bay defensive line and saw daylight.

However, Barkley gave himself up and slid down after picking up 17 yards. Why wouldn't Barkley want to add another lengthy touchdown to his highlight reel?

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Saquon Barkley slides down vs. Packers: 'Most important thing is winning'

As has often been the case this season, the Eagles turned to Saquon Barkley to salt away the game against the Packers. With 1:51 remaining in a 22-10 game, Barkley picked up four yards on first down. They went right back to him on second down and he burst through a hole for an explosive gain.

Barkley clearly had the space and certainly has the speed to take that ball to the end zone. Instead, he slid down and ended with a "modest" gain of 17 yards.

The explanation behind this one is quite simple: Barkley is the ultimate team player. As soon as he picked up the first down, the Eagles would be able to kneel the ball and end the game. Instead of chasing personal glory by stuffing the stat sheet, Barkley went down to officially secure the victory.

After Hurts kneeled to finish off the game, Barkley explained the slide in his postgame interview: "Most important thing is winning and advancing." Barkley added that "probably could've took a little more," but clearly, he didn't regret his decision as much as some fans and bettors might have.

Of course, that's not what sports bettors want to hear. No player that played on Sunday had more bets placed on them to score a touchdown than Barkley, according to ESPN. In addition, Barkley to score a touchdown was the third-most popular leg of all NFL parlays at ESPN BET. 

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Saquon Barkley highlights vs. Packers

Barkley's calling card throughout the year has been his explosive runs. Tonight, it was more about grinding it out and keeping the offense on schedule.

On top of the game-sealing run, Barkley did have a few nice plays to begin the game. On the Eagles' first offensive play of the game, he pulled out a nifty spin move to evade a tackler and pick up a first down.

Outside of this 16-yard run and the near touchdown in the fourth quarter, Barkley kept his head down and did his part to put the game away. After the win was secured, Barkley showed some emotion, breaking out some moves beside A.J. Brown.

Saquon Barkley stats vs. Packers

Carries25
Rushing Yards119
Yards per Carry4.8
Targets2
Receptions2
Receiving Yards4

In Barkley's third career playoff game, he put together his 12th 100-yard rushing game of the season. He led the league in carries this season and should continue to be fed the rock throughout the Eagles' playoff run. 

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Michael OHara

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Michael O'Hara is a Fantasy Sports Intern at The Sporting News, with a focus on fantasy football. Michael has been a fan of the NFL since childhood and began writing for fantasy football websites as a student at Ohio State University, including the Roto Street Journal and Fantasy Football Today.