Saquon Barkley torches the Giants after seeing his jersey in flames; is it time the Eagles ignite the run game?

For Barkley, after seeing his old jersey ablaze, revenge was best served with an unrelenting ground attack.

Eagles running back Saquon Barkley gestures to the crowd as he runs off the field after the Philadelphia Eagles win 28-3 over the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024.Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer

Published Oct. 21, 2024, 5:00 a.m. ET

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Saquon Barkley sat on the Eagles’ bus as it entered the parking lot for his first trip as an opposing player to MetLife Stadium. He had his headphones on and was doing his best to drown out the noise — literal and figurative — before facing the New York Giants.

But the running back couldn’t block out what he saw as the shuttle drove past lot D-10 amid a sea of gray red and dark blue: replicas of his No. 26 Giants jersey hanging from a fence engulfed in flames.

“That was crazy,” Barkley said. “I’ve seen my jersey get burned before on social media, but the timing of it. I’m locked in, I’m listening to my music, and all I see is fans just pointing, and I look and I’m like, ‘What are they pointing at?’ I see smoke and I’m just like, ‘Where’s my jersey at?’

“That was definitely different. I don’t know if I’ve ever experienced anything like that in my life and hopefully, I don’t experience that again but, in that moment, I was ready for third-and-1.”

Barkley didn’t need Giants fans to light his match, but he was ready to ignite more than just opposing defenders on short-distance runs after seeing his old uniform on fire. He set the tone by pummeling safety Dane Belton on the first drive, but it wasn’t until he broke off a 55-yard run that the Eagles offense finally got moving.

And Barkley would be unmerciful the rest of the way as he rushed for 176 yards on 17 carries and scored the first touchdown three plays after his long burst in the Eagles’ 28-3 drubbing of the Giants on Sunday. He added runs of 41 and 38 yards as the offense relied on its ground attack to offset early passing woes.

It helped that the defense harassed Giants quarterback Daniel Jones in the first half, and that the Eagles played from ahead. But Barkley’s outing — and a complementary one from backup running back Kenneth Gainwell — suggested that leaning into the run game a little earlier could jump-start an offense that has yet to score a first-quarter point.

“It’s what we needed to do this week to win,” coach Nick Sirianni said.

Having it come upon Barkley’s return to the Meadowlands was more than just the wick on top. He did his best to downplay its meaning last week as he answered question after question about facing the team that drafted him No. 2 overall out of Penn State in 2018 and let him walk in free agency in March.

But his actions said otherwise and his performance was the exclamation point.

“To be honest, I’m so happy this game’s over,” Barkley said. “I don’t think I should get, besides today, any more questions about the Giants.”

Barkley might not have seen the No. 26 jerseys that weren’t set aflame that had his name blacked out or were replaced with “Singletary,” for Devin, who was signed to help offset his loss. (Singletary and fellow tailback Tyrone Tracy, by the way, rushed for a combined 41 yards on 11 carries — 135 yards fewer than their predecessor did for the Eagles.)

But Barkley did hear the boos every time he touched the ball — at least until they stopped when the game got out of hand.

“It’s kind of hard not to hear that,” Barkley said. “I think I kind of didn’t help myself when I said earlier in the week that I didn’t think I was gonna get booed. But they’re booing for a reason. It’s a compliment at the end of the day. That’s how I took it.”

Barkley said he talked more trash than he normally does. He got into it with a few former teammates and a few new Giants, as well, including rookie safety Tyler Nubin. When Giants tight end Theo Johnson was called for pass interference before the half, negating a touchdown, Barkley was among the most animated on the Eagles sideline.

“He held it in all week,” said Eagles receiver A.J. Brown, who had said Barkley would “unleash the beast within” on Thursday. “He tried his best. If he said otherwise, he lying.”

Barkley said he had conversations with Brown and others about how to mentally approach the game. Two years ago, Brown scored two touchdowns against his former team, the Titans, after he said heading into the matchup that it was no different than any game.

Even quarterback Jalen Hurts, not typically one to make more of a moment, said Barkley’s revenge game had extra meaning for the Eagles.

“I definitely felt that,” he said.

But Sirianni and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore didn’t force the issue. Gainwell was sprinkled in throughout and gave Barkley a few breathers, especially after his long rushes. He hit 21.93 mph on the 55-yarder — the fastest recorded speed of his career and the second-fastest in the NFL this season.

Gainwell finished with 56 yards on 13 carries as the Eagles totaled 269 yards on the ground. Hurts wasn’t much of a factor in the run game, but he still remains a threat. The Eagles, meanwhile, had him drop to throw only 21 times, while they ran it 35 times before the starters were pulled.

Barkley needed just 14 yards to eclipse his career best of 189 yards rushing. Sirianni said he knew the mark was within striking distance and went to his running back to see if he wanted a chance to break it.

“And he looked at me and he said, ‘Let the other guys eat,’” Sirianni said.

The Eagles can’t get fixated on force-feeding Barkley, even in light of Hurts’ early-game struggles. The quarterback has needed a quarter to get into a rhythm and to see the field better. He has also been steadier with the ball and hasn’t had a turnover the last two games.

But a formula that takes some of the load off Hurts’ shoulders — even with Brown and DeVonta Smith as top-tier receiving threats — could make sense as the Eagles move closer to playing like many expected. The offensive line will always vote for more run blocking.

“It’s very simple. If you’re in a fight, do you want to punch a man in the face or do you want to get punched in the face?” Eagles guard Landon Dickerson said. “And it’s not, not necessarily that simple, but again, it’s being able, especially in the run game, getting in a groove with things. Sometimes it takes a little bit to figure out what a defensive line’s doing.”

Barkley also has the ability to produce explosive plays, even as a receiver. It’s why Eagles general manager Howie Roseman was willing to break from his philosophy of not giving running backs big contracts. But he saw an opportunity with Barkley a three-down back.

The Giants could have extended Barkley years ago or re-signed him before he hit free agency. It’s a wonder some of their fans directed their ire toward the player. He chose not to fan the flames, though. There will be a rematch with the division foe — this year and in the future.

“That’s why there’s no hate in my heart with the Giants organization,” Barkley said. “They drafted me, brought me in, helped a kid live his dream. And same thing with the Eagles, I hit free agency, not knowing how things are gonna shake up. I was able to find a home in the place I love, and I’m excited to be here.

“So it’s not about proving anybody right or proving anybody wrong. It’s going out there and being myself. And when I tend to go out there being myself, a lot of things fall in line.”