Saquon Barkley relishes the challenge the Steelers defense presents as he chases Eric Dickerson’s rushing record

At some point on his quest for greatness, Saquon Barkley decided he must study the greats.

When he signed with the Eagles in the offseason, he looked up the history of the running back position and learned the lore of Wilbert Montgomery, Brian Westbrook, and LeSean McCoy. The 27-year-old’s goal upon joining the team was to create a legacy worthy of a mention among those names. He took a step toward cementing that legacy last Sunday, setting the franchise single-season rushing record with 1,623 yards in just 13 games.

But Barkley also understands that his legacy has the potential to transcend Philadelphia.

The star running back said he also knows “a lot” about Eric Dickerson, whose NFL single-season rushing record (2,105 yards) has been insurmountable for the last 40 years. Just 483 yards away from besting Dickerson’s 1984 total, Barkley isn’t shying away from the opportunity to chase greatness.

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“Obviously I’ve heard the talks,” Barkley said Thursday. “I know the number. I know what it is to get. Kind of mess around with it, with the emotions of how I feel for it. But the mindset is don’t be scared of it. Embrace it. It’s there. Challenge yourself to try to go get it.”

If Barkley continues to produce at the same clip he has established this season over the remaining four games, the record is his. The Coplay, Pa., native must average 120.5 yards to tie Dickerson’s total. He is currently putting up 124.8 yards per game.

Still, with the postseason looming, Barkley emphasized that breaking the record isn’t his ultimate goal.

“At the end of the day, the most important thing is to win football games,” Barkley said. “If that’s in the way of why we’re winning football games, then that’s in the way. And if it’s not, then it’s not.”

This week, the 10-3 Pittsburgh Steelers will try to stand in the way of both an Eagles win and a dominant day on the ground for Barkley. They’ve managed to do both this season against other opponents. The Steelers have allowed just 91.5 rushing yards per game, the fourth-lowest average in the league.

Their success up front starts with 6-foot-5, 295-pound defensive tackle Cam Heyward, who Barkley said is so “huge” that he can take up two gaps at once. The numbers back up his strength. According to Next Gen Stats, the Steelers defense has allowed on average more than 2 more yards per carry with Heyward off the field (6.1) than when he’s on the field (3.4) this year.

Beyond Heyward, Barkley commended all three levels of Pittsburgh’s defense and its ability to attack the football. The Steelers have recorded 15 forced fumbles this season, tied for the second-best total in the NFL.

Fueling the Steelers’ success in forcing fumbles is their ability to tackle. The group has converted 89.5% of its total tackling opportunities this year, which is the highest rate in the NFL according to Next Gen Stats. The Steelers have allowed the fourth-fewest additional yards due to missed tackles (532) in the league.

“They’re as advertised,” Barkley said. “I think they do a really good job of flying to the ball. Obviously they do a really good job of creating turnovers. Attacking the ball while they’re tackling. So definitely got to be super focused on details and ball security and like I said, it’s a great defense, but at the same time as a competitor, you look forward to a challenge like that.”

Barkley isn’t backing down from the challenge despite his brief, fruitless history against the Steelers. He has played against the team just once, in the 2020 season opener as a member of the New York Giants. That game marked his first face-to-face encounter with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, who told Barkley before the game that he was in for a long night. Sure enough, Barkley finished with 15 carries for 6 yards, marking the second-lowest yards per attempt (0.40) of his seven-year career.

But Barkley is currently putting up some of the best numbers of his career, even against stingy defenses. The last time the Eagles faced the top-ranked rushing defense in terms of yards in the Baltimore Ravens, Barkley rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries, making him the only ballcarrier to eclipse 100 rushing yards against them this season. Barkley said he looks forward to facing the league’s top defenses.

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“I love it,” Barkley said. “It’s a challenge, not only for me, but for the guys up front. We feel like we’re one of, if not the best, run groups in the NFL. We know that when we play against teams, that’s the goal is to stop that. You’ve got to make them stop it.”

Barkley is preparing to hurdle his latest challenge on his quest for greatness. If the Steelers can slow him down, though, he emphasized his confidence in the Eagles passing game and its ability to lead them to a win after a shaky performance against the Carolina Panthers.

“I mean, we have A.J. Brown, we have DeVonta Smith, we have Jalen Hurts,” Barkley said. “The goal is to win football games. If we were throwing for 350 yards and we weren’t rushing that great, would people still have the same conversations? It’s not real.

“What matters is winning football games.”