In the fast-paced world of the NFL, few individuals are having a season quite like Saquon Barkley of the New York Giants. Known for his explosive running style, Barkley is making a legitimate case for being the first running back to capture the NFL MVP award in over a decade. His performance on the field this season has been nothing short of spectacular, highlighted by his remarkable achievements in the second half of games.
A Season of Second-Half Surges
This season, Barkley has amassed an impressive 1,392 rushing yards. Most notably, a striking portion of this yardage—920 yards—has come during the second halves of games. This makes Barkley the NFL's fourth-leading rusher based on his second-half performance alone. His ability to maintain, and indeed intensify, his impact as games progress is a testament to both his physical endurance and strategic acumen.
Barkley's second-half average of 7.9 yards per carry is a record-setting pace unseen in the NFL for the past 30 years. To put this feat into perspective, even the legendary Barry Sanders averaged 6.9 yards per carry during his stunning 1997 campaign. Barkley’s achievement isn’t just a statistical anomaly; it’s a historical milestone.
A Physical and Tactical Challenge
The reasons behind Barkley’s second-half dominance involve both tactical and physical elements of the game. As Lane Johnson, another NFL veteran, explains, adaptability is key: "There's a lot of stuff you can game plan through throughout the week, and then, you know, you get to the game and they may show up in a different defense. You have to make those adjustments after each series and like halftime, you know, some plays that maybe don't run the first half, run the second half."
Johnson’s insights are echoed by Mekhi Becton who points out that persistence in the run game is crucial: "Like the run game isn't always gonna hit off the first run. It's one of those things where we gotta keep going and going and wait for it to just hit. I feel like we've done that every game this year." This emphasizes the patience and persistence required not only from the players but also from the coaching staff who design these plays.
Endurance and Strategy
Physical conditioning cannot be understated as a crucial component of Barkley's success. NFL Coordinator Kellen Moore affirms this belief, asserting, "I do think there is an element of -- we pride ourselves on being a really physical run game, and those things wear on you as the game goes on when you get the opportunities we get. And the way the games have played out, you can keep grinding it out as the second half progresses, and those big plays eventually pop."
Indeed, Barkley's combination of physical prowess and strategic nous has allowed him to claim more second-half rushing yards than entire backfields of other teams, including names like Chuba Hubbard and Najee Harris. His 116 second-half carries reflect his durability and capacity for enduring the demands of a full game, while his seven second-half touchdowns illuminate his knack for delivering when it counts most.
Chasing the Eagles
Even with Barkley's personal heroics, it’s a team effort to focus on the run game effectively. Interestingly, the Philadelphia Eagles this season lead the league with an average of 118.8 second-half and overtime rushing yards per game. They average 5.9 yards per carry in these situations, underscoring the effectiveness of maintaining a robust running strategy late in games.
Barkley's ability to outperform team averages on his own is nothing short of remarkable. It poses the question: Can his second-half brilliance continue at this heightened level, potentially leading him to MVP glory? Regardless of the outcome, Barkley’s season is already firmly etched into the annals of NFL history, marking him as a player capable of redefining what's possible from the running back position. As the season unfolds, all eyes will undoubtedly remain on Barkley, watching to see what other records he might shatter in what is shaping up to be an unforgettable year.