EAGLES notage: a more in -depth examination of the team spirit of Saquon Barkley originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
After the first practice of Saquon Barkley with the Eagles in OTA, something struck him. He looked around and saw Aj Brown, Devonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, Jalen Hurts and the best offensive line in football.
It was a collection of talents as he had never played with it.
But in an offense full of stars, none shone more than Barkley this year. He has had a season of 2000 yards and was a finalist to win the MVP Prize and the offensive player of the year. Of course, none of this matters to Barkley.
When asked to be the focal point of such a talented offense, Barkley’s thoughtful answer on Wednesday gave an overview of his team mentality.
“I’m not looking at it in this way,” said Barkley. “I think football is the best sport and I loved it since I was a little child. The main reason for which I love it is, obviously, I am passionate about that and it is something I wanted to do, but I think it is the biggest team sport. I think people get lost in there. We forget that.
“We are talking about the quarter game and we are going to go to the quarter-arre. This week, I’m almost sure that the media are talking about Josh Allen’s file and Pat Mahomes against each other, but that’s not it. This is not how the game is played. The game is a team sport. You can have nine guys on the same wavelength and two guys are not on the same wavelength and the game will not work.
“I don’t look at him as who are the stars?” He comes with it. You may have media offers, you may have advertisements, you may have subscribers on IG. But at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is the way you compete in a team. If you don’t have an excellent team, it doesn’t matter. You will not succeed. I think I’m an excellent example of that right now.
Despite one of the best precipitated seasons in the history of the NFL and all the distinctions that accompanied it, Barkley was singularly concentrated all the season. He wants to win.
On Sunday will be Barkley’s first trip to a NFC championship match and he will do so in his first year with the Eagles. In six years with the Giants, he went to the playoffs only once.
Barkley’s first mentality seems to really reflect that of Jalen Hurts.
“I always knew that about it,” said Hurts. “His eagerness to work during the offseason, feels a lot of loss, entering a situation where he is just focused on victory. And he has deployed the right type of effort and all the other things took place in his favor in terms of personal success. I know that is something we are all proud of, to be part of it. But I know he wants to be part of something bigger. »»
Back for the playoffs
After a year with the Eagles in 2023, the second Nicholas Morrow left for a free agency and ended up playing in 11 games for the Bills this season.
His link with Philly this year was Nakobe Dean.
“Yes, I stayed in touch with him and hit him throughout the season,” said Morrow. “It was quite pleasant to see. It was cool to go there and watch him play and take advantage of his opportunity. »»
Dean had an excellent season as an intermediary secondary of the Eagles, but it ended with a plaster tendon torn in the joker’s tour against packers. In a touch of fate, it was actually Dean’s injury that brought Morrow back to Philly.
The day the Eagles put Dean on Ir last week, they signed Morrow to the training team. And a few days later, the veteran secondary played 18 special shots in the victory of the Eagles 28-22 against the Rams during the Division Channel.
While the Eagles played Oren Burks in place of Dean and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. As the main backup, they needed someone to replace the special teams and Morrow played this role.
“It’s a bit weird,” said Morrow, standing next to his pop-up stand in the Eagles locker room on Friday. “Obviously, so much football has been played. People have good relationships, so it’s a little different. But everyone welcomed me with open arms. It was fun to learn defense and integrate myself into the fold. »»
Not only did Morrow play 18 snaps on special teams, but he also had 2 plated of special teams in the victory on the Rams. The 29 -year -old does not know what the future has in store for us, but he is just worried about doing what he can for Eagles in this playoff race.
He will have another chance in the NFC championship match on Sunday after the Eagles raised it on Saturday.
“I’m just going to do my job,” said Morrow. “Whatever the opportunity in front of me, I will enjoy it and continue.”
Defensive player of the year?
Zack Baun has already been appointed professional professional and an All-Pro and this week, he discovered that he was one of the five finalists to be appointed defensive player of the Associated Press of the year.
“It’s really cool, really special,” said Baun. “Honestly, not even on the spectrum of a goal of me. I really try to be the best possible player and try to maximize my potential and my capacity. For this to be, not a final result, but a work result I put, I am really proud of myself. This is a lot of credit for guys in advance and the guys from this team for helping my success. I really appreciate their efforts.
Baun, 28, should be proud of him. He is one of the best stories of the 2024 NFL season. The other nominated guys for the prize this season are Myles Garrett, Trey Hendrickson, Pat SURINE II and TJ WATT.
None of these other names would have been surprising before this season. Garrett and Watt have already won a Dpoy. Surpring was already a bowling player and All-Pro before this season. And Hendrickson was already a professional bowling player with three two -digit seasons before 2024.
But Baun? It came out of nowhere and was a reflection afterwards when the Eagles signed it in March.
The Eagles had only had one defensive player AP of the year since the creation of the prize in 1971. Reggie White fled in 1987 when he had 21 bags in 12 games.
Field advantage
The Eagles on Sunday will play their third consecutive game at home in the playoffs and their fifth consequence. This is the first time in the history of the franchise, the Eagles have played three home games in a single qualifying series.
And they really appreciate this advantage in the field.
“I think it’s obvious. It is the atmosphere. It’s the crowd. This is noise, ”said head coach Nick Sirianni. “When parity is so close – what the NFL is, and it is from week to week and even more in the playoffs – everything. You can communicate or not be able to communicate in attack is a huge matter.
“So I know how turbulent it will be. I know how rowdy fans will be. We like to play in front of them. Especially in this atmosphere. We like to play in front of them, whatever the game, but I know that the last time we were in this context when I was here in 22, it was an electric crowd. “”
If you want an example of how fans of the Eagles are crazy, we had a earlier this week. The Eagles began to sell snow pints out of the field from the division tour for $ 50 per pop. Quite silly, right?
The 100 pints sold in a few hours.
“People bought snow?!” Darius Slay said. “This is why it’s the best city, guy. Because they passionate here, guy. They buy snow. I love him. What do you know? Let me go and wrap snow now so that they can go buy mine.
Equipment staff cries
Speaking of snow, Sirianni gave a special cry to the vice-president of EAGLES GREG DELIMITROS equipment operations during its Monday press conference.
The Eagles were able to beat the Rams 28-22 on Sunday when Snow started to fall very hard in the second half of this match. This type of snowfall can put a lot of stress on equipment staff.
“I cannot say enough about Greg and our equipment staff, the amount of details and the amount of effort to make sure that these guys had the right base,” said Sirianni. “I asked Greg earlier this week to write everything he had ever done for a snow match in his career. The detail with which he returned to me was exceptional.
“Again, will simply show you that it takes everyone. Just so grateful to Mr. (Jeffrey) Lurie and this organization that we have the right guys in place in each department. Greg and his guys were fully exposed yesterday of their property. I mean, shooting, the pressure we obtained at the end ended up helping us win the football match. »»
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