Tom Brady's LFG Participant of the Recreation for Wild Card Weekend: Eagles RB Saquon Barkley – FOX Sports activities

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For every recreation he broadcasts in the course of the 2024 NFL season throughout Tremendous Bowl LIX, FOX Sports activities lead NFL analyst Tom Brady is awarding his LFG Player of the Game to that one participant he sees on the sphere who makes him say …
“LET’S F***ING GO!!!”
Within the wild-card spherical, Philadelphia Eagles operating again Saquon Barkley took house the award after main his crew to a 22-10 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. With the win, the Eagles superior to the NFC divisional spherical for the second time in three seasons. They’re going to host both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams or Minnesota Vikings.
Barkley continued his sturdy play from the common season in Sunday’s victory over the Packers. The star operating again rushed for 119 yards on 25 carries (4.8 yards per carry). Whereas Barkley did not attain the top zone, his 100-plus yard efficiency on the bottom was very important as Philadelphia solely had 121 complete passing yards within the recreation.
When Brady met with Barkley after the win, although, he did not need to speak about his newest 100-yard outing. Slightly, he wished to ask Barkley about Eagles coach Nick Sirianni’s resolution to not play him in Week 18. Barkley, who amassed 2,005 dashing yards by means of the primary 17 weeks, was only 101 yards away from breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season record.
Nonetheless, Barkley stated he was relieved the choice was taken out of his fingers.
“No, I imply, it type of made it straightforward on me. Coach made the choice for me,” Barkley stated when Brady requested if it was a troublesome resolution. “Clearly, I wished to go for it. The crew wished me to go for it. However on the finish of the day, crucial factor is advancing and successful playoff soccer video games.”
Even so, Barkley admitted that skipping out of final week’s recreation may need impacted their offense’s efficiency early on.
“I felt like we had been contemporary, we got here out a bit sluggish, clearly, sitting out that recreation,” Barkley stated. “However we received issues going, our protection balled out for us and we received the win.”
The Eagles solely scored 10 factors within the first half, with seven of these factors coming off a brief subject after they recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff. However the subject began to open a bit extra for the offense within the second half, when the Eagles added just a few extra scores for a decisive win.
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A big motive for Philadelphia’s offense success once more on Sunday was its offensive line. Along with creating operating lanes for Barkley, it allowed simply two sacks in opposition to a crew that was tied for eighth in sacks in the course of the common season.
Brady talked about to Barkley that he is been averaging 2 yards earlier than contact per rush, a credit score to the Eagles’ offensive entrance. Whereas a lot was made in regards to the monetary component of Barkley’s take care of the Eagles, he shared that the offensive line performed a consider his resolution to affix a division rival. 
“Yeah, I imply, it is all the things,” Barkley stated of his offensive line. “Within the offseason, earlier than I signed right here, an enormous motive why I wished to come back right here is to play for Coach Stout (Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland) and people guys up entrance. They have been doing large jobs. The most important factor about them is how versatile they’re. We will beat you in inside zone, we are able to beat you in hole scheme, outdoors zone. Something they’ll run, they will name it. I simply comply with these guys and so they make me look lots higher.”
The pairing of Barkley and Philadelphia’s offensive line has labored out properly, but it surely’s clear that the Eagles’ focus is now successful a Tremendous Bowl somewhat than particular person efficiency. There was no play extra indicative of that than Barkley’s last contact of the sport. As he rushed for a primary down within the last two minutes, Barkley might’ve taken it the gap.
As a substitute, Barkley slid so the Eagles might run the clock out and put together for subsequent week. 
“I imply, I can not break the report now, proper?” Barkley stated of his last carry. “Crucial factor is successful video games. … AJ [Brown], Smitty (DeVonta Smith) type of gave me crap. Undoubtedly left some on the bone. However on the finish of the day, the stat line do not matter. The one stat line that issues is getting wins and advancing.”
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