The Eagles needed better news on Saquon Barkley, and they got at least some of it Monday.
After Barkley left Philadelphia’s 24-20 home loss to the Los Angeles Rams with a hamstring injury, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the issue does not appear to be serious. Rapoport said, "Saquon Barkley left early in the game with a hamstring injury and was not able to return," and added, "The severity of this injury will be determined by tests today at the outset. It does not seem to be overly serious, but we will see for Saquon how long he's going to be out and when he is able to return."
Barkley’s exit came at a bad time for an Eagles team that had already watched a 10-point lead disappear late against the Rams. Once he was out, Philadelphia lost one of its best ways to keep the offense on schedule and open up easier looks for Jalen Hurts.
Tank Bigsby handled 14 carries for 55 yards after Barkley left, while Will Shipley added six carries for 23 yards. That’s not the same kind of threat Barkley brings when he’s rolling.
Through three games, Barkley has 182 rushing yards on 36 carries, good for 5.1 yards per attempt. He’s been a key piece of Philadelphia’s early-season offense, and his presence gives the Eagles the kind of balanced attack that can change the tone of a drive in a hurry.
For now, though, the bigger story is the injury itself. The initial read is encouraging, and if Rapoport’s report proves accurate, Barkley may not be sidelined for long.
In Other News...
Penn State Heads Into White Out With One Huge Offensive Problem
Penn State heads into the White Out still trying to sort out what this offense wants to be. After the loss to Northwestern, Matt Campbell pointed to the teams lack of identity as a central issue, and the message around the program has been less about one bad night than about a broader search for rhythm, consistency and confidence on that side of the ball.
Koby Howard remains a few weeks away from returning, which leaves the Nittany Lions waiting on another potential piece as they try to steady things. Campbell said the offense needs improvement across the board and stressed the importance of building a consistent team culture, a reminder that the fix here is about more than one matchup. As the White Out approaches, Penn State is still looking for answers before the noise gets any louder. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Is Still Paying For Its James Franklin Decision
Penn States decision to move on from James Franklin in October was supposed to reset the program toward a coach who could push it all the way to a national championship. Instead, the aftermath has lingered well past the initial shock, with the coaching search dragging on, recruiting momentum slipping and the school finding out how hard it can be to sell a sudden opening at the top of a high-profile job.
Matt Campbell is now in his first year on the sideline and has gotten the Nittany Lions to a 3-2 record, but the broader picture has been less stable. The team has struggled recently, and the complications of the search that brought Campbell in continue to shape how Penn State is viewed as it tries to recover from a decision made with a title-level standard in mind. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Transfer-Heavy Roster Faces A Bigger Big Ten Problem
Penn State entered the season with real optimism, climbing as high as No. 13 before Big Ten play started to expose some of the flaws that have followed the team all fall. After a 24-20 loss to Wisconsin and a 34-13 setback at Northwestern, the Nittany Lions are now trying to steady a roster built largely through transfers, a construction that has brought talent but also, by James Franklins own assessment, left some questions about consistency and physicality.
Those issues matter even more now with USC coming to town, because the league grind is only getting heavier from here. Franklin and linebacker Cael Brezina have both pointed to the need for a tougher edge, and the coaching staff is leaning into physical practice and fundamentals in an effort to clean up the details before the next Big Ten test arrives. [Read more 🡒]