Offensive Players of Week: Saquon Barkley, Garrett Wilson win with incredible plays

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In his fragrant locker at the NovaCare Center, Saquon Barkley still has the unwashed Eagles jersey he wore in Brazil. He might want to add his Kelly green uniform from last week’s win because it earned him NFC Player of the Week for a third time this season. In just nine games, Barkley already has three weekly awards. He won three over his six-year career entering 2024.

Barkley’s play smelled great against Jacksonville on Sunday. Barkley powered for 159 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries. He also added a touchdown and 40 yards on three receptions, including one of the most athletic plays in football history, a spinning reverse hurdle complete with a pirouette landing. With 925 rushing yards, Barkley ranks second in the league behind Derrick Henry (1,052). Barkley’s on pace for 1,966 this season, which would break LeSean McCoy’s 2013 single-season franchise record, 1,607.

The Eagles’ back also leads the NFL this season with 133.9 scrimmage yards per game (1,071 scrimmage yards in eight games), on pace for 2,276 in 2024. Per the league, over prior 15 seasons (2009-23), only six players have reached 2,200 scrimmage yards: Tennessee’s Chris Johnson in 2009 (2,509), Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey in 2019 (2,392), Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson in 2012 (2,314), Dallas’ DeMarco Murray in 2014 (2,261), Houston’s Arian Foster in 2010 (2,220) and Pittsburgh’s Le’Veon Bell in 2014 (2,215).

Barkley’s also the backbone of a Philadelphia offense that ranks second in the league with 174.8 rushing yards per game, behind Baltimore (191.9). That’s significant because NFL games this year are averaging 245.1 combined rushing yards per game, the most through Week 9 in any season since at least 1990.

Three days earlier, Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson made two one-handed touchdown catches in a Thursday night win over Houston to earn AFC Offensive Player of the Week. Wilson, who leads the league with 60 receptions this season, posted nine receptions, including a season-best two touchdowns, for 90 yards in the Jets’ 21-13 victory. It marked his seventh straight game with five-or-more catches, the NFL’s second-longest active streak in NFL.

Barkley and the Eagles (6-2) are at Dallas (3-5) on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS). Wilson and the Jets (3-6) are in action at the same time against Arizona (5-4) at State Farm Stadium (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS).

For more information on the Eagles and Jets, visit the Philadelphia and New York Jets team pages on ProFootballPost.com.