To Play or Not to Play?! Will Saquon Barkley Go for the NFL Single Season Rushing Record in the NFL Regular Season Finale?

The Philadelphia Eagles clinched the NFC East title and the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs with their 41-7 dismantling of the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday afternoon. The Birds offense looked different –at least at the quarterback position– as backup quarterbacks Kenny Pickett and Tanner McKee saw extensive action. What wasn’t different was offensive coordinator Kellen Moore’s decision to lean heavily on All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley. Barkley didn’t reach the end zone on Sunday but did reach another milestone, he eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark adding 167-yards on 31 carries. With one game left in the season, and essentially nothing left to play for, Barkley is within 101-yards of tying Eric Dickerson’s NFL single season rushing record. 

To add fuel to the fire, Barkley can set the record against his former team, the New York Giants, next week in the NFL regular season finale. Now the question becomes: should Barkley – and the rest of the Eagles’ starters – play in the finale?

Barkley touched on his impending record-breaking game next weekend after Sunday’s win over Dallas. 

“I’m not overtly trying to get it. I’m not scared of it. But we’ve got bigger things we’re focused on. Whether we play next week or rest, I’m fine with that. I didn’t sign here just to break a record. I want to do something special with the team.”

• Saquon Barkley on potentially breaking Eric Dickerson’s NFL single season rushing record

Head coach Nick Sirianni was noncommittal on the plans for next weekend’s matchup against the hapless Giants. “We’ll see,” was Sirianni’s response when pressed multiple times by the media in his post-game press conference. The head coach added that there’s a lot more that goes into the decision of whether starters play or rest next week, and a decision will be made later in the week. 

As for his teammates, Eagles’ wide receiver A.J. Brown certainly wants Barkley to go for the record and would love to be a part of it.

AJ Brown wants to see Saquon Barkley get the all-time single season rushing record next week

Says it would be cool to be part of it and tell his kids he was Saquon’s teammate #Eagles pic.twitter.com/y6K5Znw6mS

— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) December 29, 2024

So, what say’s youse Birds fans?! Should Saquon Barkley go for the NFL single season rushing record or take the week off?