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Let's start with the positive: You got 84 total yards and a TD if you started Eagles RB Saquon Barkley in Thursday night's win over the Cowboys. Barkley rushed 18 times, vs. six combined carries for the team's other two RBs. His five targets and 4 receptions each ranked second on the team. But Barkley struggled on the yardage front. He managed just 3.3 yards per rush and 6.0 yards per reception.
No one's about to start panicking over a meh opener for Barkley. But the details are worth noting.
His 58.4 Pro Football Focus rushing grade fell way short of Barkley's 2024 number (84.7). But that season included four games in which he posted lower rushing grades -- including the opener against Green Bay (where Barkley racked up a 24-109-2 rushing line).
His mere 2.0 yards after contact per attempt against Dallas fell short of all but three games last season, and well short of any Barkley season average.
The Eagles' O-line replaced only the RG vs. last year (Tyler Steen in, Mekhi Becton out), so there's no reason to worry about the blocking. And Barkley's 3.3 yards before contact per attempt on Thursday night align with last year's rates (3.8 for the season), according to Pro Football Reference.
We'll certainly keep monitoring Barkley's performance, but he'll be an easy weekly starter until/unless he gets hurt.
Will Shipley opened the game as Barkley's clear No. 2 and handled three carries (for 26 yards) to Barkley's 10 in the first half. Shipley then missed the rest of the game for a rib injury, though.
We'll watch for updates on that. The fact that he was announced as "questionable" to return suggests it's not serious. Barring bad news there, Shipley's the handcuff.
AJ Dillon also got three carries (for 10 yards). We'll see if he maintains any role when Shipley doesn't leave early.
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