The Washington Commanders have exceeded everybody’s expectations this season, by far. They’ve accomplished extra within the first 12 months of a brand new regime, enjoying behind a rookie quarterback, than anybody thought was potential. Actually, there’s actually just one factor they have not been in a position to accomplish:
They have not found out a option to constantly cease the run on protection.
And that is an enormous drawback since Saquon Barkley is standing of their manner of a visit to Tremendous Bowl LIX.
Barkley, after all, has been an issue for everybody this season, however he figures to be an infinite subject for the Commanders (14-5) and their Thirtieth-ranked speeding protection after they face the Philadelphia Eagles (16-3) within the NFC Championship Sport on Sunday in Philadelphia. It is not simply that Barkley is coming off a 205-yard efficiency in a divisional playoff recreation towards the Los Angeles Rams, and even that he is averaged greater than 160 speeding yards over his previous 4 video games.
It is also that he is already run all around the Commanders twice this season, totaling 296 yards on 5.4 yards per carry in two video games towards them this season — hardly shocking contemplating solely two groups gave up extra this season than the 137.5 yards per recreation Washington gave up on the bottom.
“This actually is the worst potential matchup for them,” mentioned an NFC scout who has seen each groups lately. “They do not get plenty of push up entrance. It is not one of the best tackling group. And it hasn’t gotten higher, even with (defensive deal with) Jonathan Allen returning in December.
“A group with a robust offensive line and good operating again — and the Eagles clearly have each — can actually dictate the tempo of the sport. That protection could be pushed round.”
That, after all, is what the Eagles do finest. They have been the No. 2 speeding group within the NFL this season, averaging 179.3 yards per recreation, due to an unbelievable season by Barkley (2,005 yards in 16 video games) and plenty of assist from their dual-threat quarterback Jalen Hurts (630 speeding yards in 15 video games). That sort of 1-2 punch places defenses on their heels and causes would-be tacklers to hesitate on the snap.
And when that occurs, Barkley specifically can actually make defenses pay, identical to he did final weekend in a 28-22 win over the Rams when he averaged 7.9 yards per carry and ripped off landing runs of 62 and 78 yards. And that is not far off what he did in two video games towards the Commanders through the common season, when he had landing runs of 23, 39 and 68 yards.
Operating behind the NFL’s finest offensive line, enormous holes have been created for Barkley. And when that occurs, as a rule, he is simply gone.
“That Rams protection is best towards the run, higher up entrance than Washington,” the scout mentioned. “And look what Barkley did to them (205 and 255 yards in two video games this season). The numbers weren’t as huge towards the Commanders, however plenty of the holes he ran by way of have been.”
Stopping Barkley could be not possible if his line clears extra holes like that. He is averaged 129.4 speeding yards per recreation this season, together with the playoffs, on a ridiculous 5.9 yards per carry. He is topped 100 yards in 13 of 18 video games, together with the final 4, eight of the final 9 and 11 of the final 13. Prior to now 4 video games, he is averaged 160.3 yards.
The Commanders, in the meantime, gave up 4.8 yards per carry this 12 months — fourth worst within the NFL. A few of their points have been as a result of they misplaced Allen to a torn pectoral muscle in Week 6. However even within the 4 video games since his return, they’ve nonetheless given up 144.5 speeding yards per recreation. That included 201 in Detroit final Saturday in Washington’s 45-31 win, the place Lions operating again Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 105 yards and two touchdowns on simply 14 tries.
Clearly, the Lions would’ve been higher off leaning on Gibbs extra. The Eagles, although, will not make that mistake with Barkley, who has rushed the ball a career-high 396 instances this season — or 22 instances per recreation. And remember, they will all the time run Hurts, too. He ran for 80 yards and a landing on 13 carries vs. the Commanders this season. And regardless of being slowed by accidents (and the snow) he had 70 yards and one 44-yard landing on simply seven carries final Sunday towards the Rams.
All of that positive looks as if an enormous benefit for the Eagles — and an infinite drawback for the Commanders to have to beat.
“Clearly, Washington can overcome that. The Rams nearly did. And the Commanders simply beat a Lions group that they actually could not cease on the bottom both,” the scout mentioned. “Nevertheless it simply places monumental strain on different elements of their recreation — significantly on Jayden Daniels.
“Possibly Daniels has one other huge recreation. Possibly he can carry them to the Tremendous Bowl. Or possibly Jalen Hurts struggles once more the Eagles are one-dimensional, which has occurred to them at instances. However the backside line is that if the Commanders cannot cease Barkley, successful this recreation goes to be actually onerous.”
Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports activities. He spent the earlier six years overlaying the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and earlier than that, 16 years overlaying the Giants and the NFL for the New York Each day Information. Comply with him on Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.
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