In Sunday's 28-23 win over Jacksonville, Saquon Barkley authored the most ridiculous 14-yard gain you'll ever see. And you have to see it to believe it.
The Philadelphia Eagles running back took a swing pass from Jalen Hurts, ran by one defender and spun around another. Then came the fun stuff.
Halfway between another spin, Barkley saw Jaguars defensive back Jarrian Jones coming in for the hit. The RB leapfrogged backward over the defender before being tackled by multiple Jags.
"It was the best play I've ever seen," head coach Nick Sirianni said, per the team transcript. "What I think is so cool, is there are going to be kids all over the country and all over Philadelphia -- I really think about that -- trying to make that play and talking about that play and simulating that play as they play backyard football or Pee Wee football. ... I'm speechless. It was unbelievable, and the way the crowd -- when I looked up, like I thought I saw what I saw. As a coach you're looking at the line sometimes, looking at the secondary, looking at the defense. And so, I thought I saw it, but when I looked up at the big screen and the crowd reacted to it, it was unbelievable."
Barkley downplayed the move after the game.
"I've got to give credit to God, man," he said. "I'm not going to lie ... I feel like God gave me the ability to play this position and gave me some instincts. Sometimes you've got to let go and let God and your instincts take over."
The crazy reverse hurdle was the highlight, but Barkley's entire performance was noteworthy. Without the running back, where would Philly be this season?
Barkley generated 199 scrimmage yards on Sunday with two touchdowns. He's the only player in 2024 with multiple games with one-plus rushing TD and one-plus receiving TD. His 1,071 scrimmage yards sit second in the NFL this season (Derrick Henry, 1,145).
Sunday's 159 rushing yards marked the fifth time this season he's passed the 100-yard mark -- Philly had five such games from 2022-23.
Sunday's reverse hurdle wasn't the first time Barkley pulled off the move. He jumped backward over an Iowa defender during his sophomore season at Penn State, but said that one "wasn't as cool."
"Crazy," receiver DeVonta Smith said of Sunday's leapfrog. "I ain't never seen nothing like it."
