PHILADELPHIA — In the history of the NFL, only three running backs have rushed for at least 1,300 yards, 10 touchdowns and an average of six yards per carry through 12 games. Two of them will be playing against one another on Sunday: the Eagles’ Saquon Barkley and the Ravens’ Derrick Henry.
The other one is Jim Brown.
Barkley (NFL-best 1,392 yards rushing, 10 touchdowns, 6.2 ypc.,) and Henry (1,325, 13, 6.0) have been neck-and-neck in rushing stats and MVP attention all season. And the Eagles and Ravens are closely aligned at or near the top of the league in all major rushing categories. The Eagles may want to pick on Baltimore’s secondary, especially if quarterback Jalen Hurts gets time to throw off of play-action, but their receivers actually seem to enjoy run-blocking.
“I think that’s been the culture that we’ve had,” head coach Nick Sirianni said on Friday. “I think it’s awesome that they are having so much fun with it now. Some of those long runs get sprung the way they do because they got the blocking downfield.
“(WR Britain) Covey and (WR) A.J. (Brown), on the first play of the second half (against the Rams), had huge blocks,” he said. “We did a great job on the back side, but those guys had great blocks to finish the thing off. And our guys know that selflessness. Being a good teammate, connecting, part of that is selflessness. And that’s what it takes.
“Those guys have been that, and we show it and point it out every time they’re downfield blocking. I’d like to sit here and say, ‘Yeah the long runs make it so.’ But I think it’s the other way around because these guys have always been like this. That’s another reason why the long runs are happening, that the 10-yard runs turn into 50-yard runs. Now, Saquon has a lot to do with that as well, but all that helps.”
By the way, regarding Jim Brown, in 1963 he had 1,677 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns through 12 games with Cleveland, averaging 6.7 yards per carry.
• • •
Eagles receiver DeVonta Smith, still bothered by a hamstring injury, saw limited action in Friday’s practice and is listed as questionable for Sunday in Baltimore. He wanted to play against the Rams last week, but the team opted for caution.
“Sometime’ves you got to stop yourself,” Smith said. “If it was (up to) me, I probably would have just kept going. But the team, you know, is kind of doing what’s best for me instead of just letting me make a decision by myself. They were kind of looking out for me and saying it’s best that I sit. There’s a difference in playing through pain and playing through something that you’re just going to make worse every week. You can play through pain and still get better. But playing through something you’re just going to constantly make worse, that’s not good.”
As for what he thought of his status for Sunday, Smith added, “It’s kind of up in the air; kind of wait and see.”
• • •
Receiver Johnny Wilson (hamstring) and safety Sydney Brown (knee) are also questionable. Cornerback Darius Slay (concussion) has been ruled out, as expected. It would be unusual for a player to clear concussion protocol in less than a week.
Linebacker Ben VanSumeran, who has played on offense and special teams with the Eagles, suffered a knee injury in Friday’s practice and has been ruled out against Baltimore. VanSumeran has occasionally served as a fullback – a position he played early in college – in front of Barkley this season.
For the Ravens, edge rusher Kyle Van Noy (neck/hamstring), who shares the team lead in sacks, is listed as doubtful. Middle linebacker Roquan Smith, whom Baltimore feared could be out, should be available to play. Nose tackle Michael Pierce (calf) and cornerback T.J. Tampa (ankle) have returned to practice from injured reserve and likely will be activated Sunday.
Run-blocking tight end Charlie Kolar (forearm) and rotational cornerback Arthur Maulet (calf/knee) are both out.
• • •
NOTES >> Over the last two weeks, Barkley has totaled 500 yards from scrimmage. The only other player to do that in a two-game span was Walter Payton (525) in 1977 with the Bears. … The Eagles’ defense ranks in the top 10 in total yards, passing yards, rushing yards, third-downs and points. … Defensive end Josh Sweat has seven sacks over the last seven games.
