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Saquon Barkley inches closer to reaching incredible NFL milestone
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Saquon Barkley seems to do something impressive every week in the NFL. That’s only fitting for the former Penn State star, as he did it every week for two years in Happy Valley.
Barkley has dazzled his way to 1,198 rushing yards and 688 receiving yards this season for the New York Giants, giving him a total of 1,886 yards from scrimmage through 15 games. That means he needs just 114 yards to hit 2,000 yards from scrimmage in his rookie season.
That, alone, is pretty special.
What makes it even more special, though, is that only two players in NFL history have ever reached the 2,000-yard plateau in their rookie seasons. The two stars that have hit that milestone? Edgerrin James and Eric Dickerson.
Pretty good company, wouldn’t you say?
Barkley entered Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts needing 191 yards to hit the milestone. The Colts defense did a pretty good job of keeping the rookie running back in check, allowing him to amass just 43 yards on the ground and 34 yards as a receiver.
That means Barkley will have to have a special performance against the Dallas Cowboys in the season finale next Sunday. It would be a remarkable end to an incredible year for the former Nittany Lion.
The Giants have already played the Cowboys once this season, going head-to-head in Dallas in mid-September. Barkley finished the game with 28 yards on 11 carries and 80 yards on 14 receptions. Hitting 114 yards might be difficult, but the rookie is certainly capable of reaching that total.
New York’s season has been forgettable, posting a lowly 5-10 record heading into the final week of the year. Barkley has been a diamond in the rough, and gives people a reason to tune into the Giants-Cowboys game next Sunday, even if there isn’t much at stake.
In addition to the incredible yardage total, Barkley has also accounted for 14 touchdowns this season. Earlier this year, he became the first rookie in Giants history to rush for over 1,000 yards.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB