A mistake from Saquon Barkley ended up costing the Philadelphia Eagles a guaranteed victory over the Atlanta Falcons , as his home debut ended in disaster.
The Eagles were leading by three with less than two minutes remaining, meaning that a first down would have iced the game. Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts threw to Barkley on third and short as the running back was wide open, but he ended up dropping his easiest catch of the game.
Jake Elliott kicked a field goal to put the Eagles six points ahead, knowing that the Falcons would need to score a touchdown and extra point with 1:20 on the clock and no timeouts. Kirk Cousins proved why he earned a four-year, $180 million contract with the Falcons in the offseason, and wide receiver Drake London completed a stunning game-winning drive.
It was a shame for Barkley , who until the dropped catch had 95 yards off 22 carries, and also went for 21 yards in the air off four completions. That was after he rushed for 109 yards and three touchdowns against the Green Bay Packers in Week 1, but his error ended up costing Philadelphia heavily.
DeVonta Smith scored the opening touchdown for the Eagles in the second quarter following a seven-yard pass by Hurts, but Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney replied with a 42-yard scoring completion. Hurts rushed for his first score of the game to put the Eagles ahead, but London became the hero and silenced the Eagles crowd.
The Eagles are now 1-1, and despite his error, Barkley has been a key addition to the offense. The 27-year-old never wanted to leave the New York Giants this past offseason, but after six seasons with the Big Blue, he was allowed to walk freely after the organization refused to pay one of its best players.
The running back loved the Giants, and the fans loved him. The organization felt as though Barkley wasn't worth enough to offer a legitimate new deal, so he controversially inked a three-year, $37.75 million deal with their NFC East rivals, the Eagles.
The loss of Barkley is Philadelphia's gain, as the Giants have started 0-2 and are only superior to the Carolina Panthers. Barkley sent a clear statement to the Giants when making his Eagles debut last week and continued to post impressive numbers against the Falcons.
Although Barkley was sad to leave New York, he has always dreamed of playing in the Super Bowl and is happy with the direction his career is heading. "I look at it as a blessing. I’m in a new chapter," Barkley said on " The Rich Eisen Show ". "I’m thankful for all of those guys in New York for the six years that I had there. I learned a lot. I wouldn’t be the player I am, or the man I am today, without my time there."
Eisen then asked Barkley if he was left with a chip on his shoulder following his departure from the Giants, and the running back replied: "It did. But I always have a chip on my shoulder... It hurt a bit.
"They say sometimes the grass ain’t always greener but here I’m happy, my family’s happy. I’m smiling more. Everything about me is trending upward. The chip is on my shoulder not just because of the Giants but because I’m on a mission and I want to accomplish it.
"Things didn’t play out there the way I wanted. Moving on, it’s not like my career is over. In my mindset, it’s just beginning."
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