The Pittsburgh Steelers rank fourth in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (91.5). Their Week 15 opponent — the Philadelphia Eagles — sport the best rushing attack in the league with a whopping 190.5 yards per game. Quarterback Jalen Hurts is a great runner, but their MVP-candidate running back Saquon Barkley is stealing the show this season.
Barkley signed a three-year deal with the Eagles this offseason after the New York Giants failed to negotiate a contract extension with the 27-year-old back. Giants fans are probably not having the jolliest holiday season as they have been eliminated from the playoffs while Saquon Barkley is having one of the best all-time seasons by a running back.
“The acquisition of Saquon Barkley has got to be the most significant acquisition in the NFL in 2024,” Steelers coach [Mike Tomlin said Tuesday](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDYMxAjo40U) during his weekly press conference. “That’s what the tape looks like. He’s been dominant, eye-opening at times. Highlight reel-caliber plays, long runs, touchdowns, etc. It starts there for us. If you don’t minimize him in some way, you’re not even going to position yourself to have a chance to be successful. So obviously he’s got a lot of our attention at the early stages of the week.”
Later Tomlin was asked a follow-up question about Barkley, and he elaborated on what makes the Penn State product special.
“He’s dynamic,” Tomlin said. “He checks all the boxes in terms of physical talent. He’s got top-end speed. He can hit the home run; there’s evidence in the Rams game. He’s good in tight space areas, he can get downhill. He can lower his pads and run behind his pads, he’s got good lateral abilities, he can make people miss. He’s just a really complete player.”
Saquon Barkley can indeed do it all as a running back. He’s got no weaknesses. He’ll bounce off tackles, break away for 70-yard touchdowns, and uh, hurdle defenders while facing backward?
Najee Harris is a hurdling connoisseur himself, but he said himself earlier this season that he could not pull that one off.
That just goes to show how unstoppable Barkley has been this season. He’s rushed for 1,623 yards in 14 games, which is over 200 yards more than Derrick Henry, who’s second in the league (third is Josh Jacobs, who is 600 yards behind Barkley). He’s also got 13 total touchdowns, and would have even more if not for being tackled at the 1-yard line a league-high 11 times. From there the Eagles have usually run their patented “Tush Push” with QB Jalen Hurts to punch it in. Barkley is second in MVP odds right now behind only Josh Allen. The last time a running back won MVP was 2012 when Adrian Peterson accomplished the feat to put Barkley’s historic season into perspective.
All that said, the Steelers will do everything in their power to slow Barkley down. It starts with the big boys up front led by veteran defensive tackle [Cam Heyward, who’s having a historic year himself](https://steelersdepot.com/2024/12/cam-heywards-2024-season-isnt-just-a-comeback-its-historic/). Heyward and Keanu Benton will need to win their matchups against a strong Eagles interior offensive line.
Outside linebackers T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig will need to set the edge and contain Barkley from breaking outside runs. And middle linebackers Elandon Roberts, Patrick Queen, and Payton Wilson will have to fly around the field taking good angles at Barkley and anticipating his cuts.
It will take a team effort to contain Barkley, but if anyone can do it, it’s this Steelers team.