Rams' McVay Has Some Thoughts For One of League's Top Rushers

The Los Angeles Rams will have their hands full this Sunday night as the Philadelphia Eagles will enter with the best rushing unit in the NFL and the arguably the second best running back in the league this year in Saquon Barkley.

Nov 11, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel meets with Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay following the game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Rams (5-5) will stack up against one of the best running backs in the league for the past seven years and is on pace for a career-high rushing total in his first season with the Philadelphia Eagles (8-2). Two-time Pro Bowler Saquon Barkley is having his best year to date.

Barkey is second in the NFL in total rushing yards this season with 1,137, right behind Baltimore's Derrick Henry, who is having an MVP type season. Barkley's career high is 1,312, which he posted with the New York Giants in 2022. He is on pace to shatter that number this season.

In his last five games, Barkley has eclipsed 100 yards four times with four rushing touchdowns and one receiving. He is truly dominant, coming off a week with 146 yards and two touchdowns against a very solid Washington Commanders defense.

Nobody can stop the seventh-year rusher right now and the Rams must scheme up a solid gameplan to limit Barkley to under 100 yards. Rams head coach Sean McVay spoke on Barkley and the impact he has had on the Eagles in his first season since singing as a free agent this past offseason.

"He's [Barkley] been outstanding and I think they've embraced him," McVay said. "He's a huge energy spark plug for them. He's explosive, he's getting tough, hard-earned yards. If you give him a vertical seam... I mean, he's so explosive that before you know it, it's a downhill inside zone run and he's 60 yards out the gate. He's been really productive in the passing game, and I think that he fits really well with what they're trying to do. He fits in any scheme, but he's playing great, looks great. They're doing a great job of giving him a variety of opportunities and he is surrounded by a bunch of really good players. Similar to what was asked about their defense, they've hit their stride and it's no mistake why they've won six games in a row. They're finding their identity and certainly Saquon is in the middle of a lot of really good stuff that they're doing."

McVay identified it perfectly. Barkley has not only been great in the backfield running the ball, but also in the pas game. He has 210 receiving yards and two touchdowns, which is more than some elite receivers on opposing teams. He will likely multiple passes on Sunday night.

It will be extremely important for the Rams to find a way to hold off Barkley as much as possible. It will be virtually impossible to silence him completely, but limiting his production just a bit will give the Rams a little extra breathing room on crucial defensive downs.

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