The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs have been deemed ‘inevitable’ time and time once more of their bid to win a 3rd straight Tremendous Bowl this season. The Philadelphia Eagles carry their very own beacon of inevitability, by the title of Saquon Barkley.
Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders trawled by way of 18 performs and 7 minutes earlier than settling for a 34-yard discipline objective from Zane Gonzalez on the opening drive of Sunday’s NFC Championship Sport.
Barkley wanted only one in reply as he turned Philadelphia’s first offensive snap of the day right into a tackle-breaking defender-evading 60-yard landing with which to bolster his already-handsome showreel from the previous season.
By the tip of the night he had posted one other 118 dashing yards and three scores to assist information the Eagles to a 55-23 win and a spot on the Tremendous Bowl, the place they’ll face the back-to-back defending champion Chiefs.
“I’ve never seen that done before, I was happy we could pull that off,” Eagles left sort out Jordan Mailata mentioned of Barkley’s opening rating.
“That guy is a special player. I’ve got to buy something for the man to show my appreciation.”
It prolonged a history-chasing maiden season with the Eagles for Barkley following his offseason departure from the New York Giants, who should now abdomen the sight of his dominance within the colors of a fierce NFC East rival for some years to come back.
Barkley turned the ninth participant ever to eclipse 2,000 yards within the common season as he completed with 2,005 and 101 wanting Eric Dickerson’s single-season file of two,105. He now wants simply 30 extra dashing yards to interrupt Terrell Davis’ all-time single-season file of two,476, together with playoffs.
However the former No 2 total choose, who will have fun his twenty eighth birthday on the day of the Tremendous Bowl, has crew success on the forefront of his thoughts.
“I tried to downplay it in my head but it’s amazing,” he mentioned in his post-game interview on the sector. “The goal wasn’t just getting here, it was to win. We’ll celebrate getting there and then it’s back to work.
“We knew it will take a crew effort. The crew got here out and made massive performs and that is the way you get to a Tremendous Bowl.
“I’ve always dreamed about it. But the dream wasn’t getting there, it was winning it all.”
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Highlights of the AFC Championship Sport between Buffalo Payments and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
Barkley had been accompanied by the likes of Derrick Henry and Josh Jacobs in main an emphatic resurgence from veteran operating backs who modified groups through the offseason in 2024.
He spoke this week concerning the purpose of proving {that a} crew can win a Championship by operating the ball down the throat of an opponent, opposite to the narratives of a pass-first league. Washington, because the Los Angeles Rams did and because the Inexperienced Bay Packers did, discovered the exhausting means as their fairy-tale marketing campaign got here to an finish.
“If Saquon gets into the second level, third level, now it’s: ‘Hey, can you tackle this guy?’ He’s hard to tackle,” mentioned Eagles coach Nick Sirianni.
“They don’t give me a vote for MVP, but I know who my vote would be – that’s probably why they don’t give me a vote, because I would vote for Saquon.”
His remaining problem is Steve Spagnuolo’s Chiefs protection, who simply held off Josh Allen and the Buffalo Payments as soon as once more as Kansas Metropolis booked their return to a 3rd successive Tremendous Bowl in a 32-29 victory within the AFC Championship Sport.
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Travis Kelce led the Chiefs’ celebrations as Taylor Swift watched on!
“The Eagles are primed to win the Super Bowl for that man there, Saquon Barkley is a difference maker and he’s proven that this season and throughout the playoffs,” mentioned Sky Sports activities NFL’s Ndamukong Suh.
“I remember being at Super Bowl 57 with the Eagles, he is a missing piece, they can control the clock.
“He’s a house run hitter, he does every thing for them.
“If that defense plays at the level they are, can take advantage and get takeaways, that offense is very dangerous.”
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Jordan Mailata provides his ideas after the Eagles reached the Tremendous Bowl after beating the Commanders
Talking after the sport, Eagles offensive sort out Lane Johnson likened Barkley’s influence to that of Barry Sanders as one thing of a cheat-code whereas enjoying the Madden online game. Give him the ball, and one thing tends to occur.
Barkley has flourished behind what stays one of many league’s most dominant offensive traces, his three-year $37.75m offseason deal shaping as much as be extra neat enterprise from Howie Roseman.
“He’s gotten better throughout the season – so explosive, so elusive, challenging to get down. Every time he gets the ball he can score,” mentioned Sky Sports activities NFL’s Jason Bell.
“Saquon deserves all the accolades he can get for the way he’s playing.”
What’s subsequent?
The 2024 NFL season reaches its conclusion on Sunday February 9 when the Chiefs face the Eagles in Tremendous Bowl LIX on the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, stay on Sky Sports activities NFL.
