Commanders must not restrict run-stopping plan to Saquon Barkley
First of all, the thing about shutting down Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is not cut and dried.
True, he had monster statistics in his two meetings with the Washington Commanders. But they mostly came early.
The Commanders figured out ways to slow him down in the second half. And Dan Quinn’s team has been winning both the turnover battle and time of possession through the playoffs to further raise optimism.
It would make their lives a lot easier if they could continue that. But it may not be essential.
And there is another runner who could arguably be more important to counteract than Barkley, as strange as that may sound.
Barkley’s productivity is baked into any Eagles game. He is going to break runs. He may score a long touchdown. He may score on two. As Washington proved against the Detroit Lions, they can survive in a shootout. Jayden Daniels can put points on the board and capitalize on any defensive weaknesses with ease.
But he needs the ball, and that’s where the Eagles next best runner — quarterback Jalen Hurts — becomes the key.
The Commanders cannot let Hurts run for first downs. He may not be quite as elusive as Daniels, but he is very effective. The former Oklahoma standout has run for more than 60 first downs in each of the last three seasons. That’s three to four conversions per game that extend drives and keep the football away from their opponents.
Some of those plays are on his patented sneaks. Others are on scrambles. The Commanders must be ready to counteract both in pursuit of another monumental road upset to reach the Super Bowl.
Like first-year cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, Hurts will not be 100 percent for this weekend's divisional battle. But he will be on the field and he will run when necessary.
Washington won the last game against the Eagles in no small part due to the concussion that knocked Hurts out early. Backup signal-caller Kenny Pickett can throw the ball reasonably well, but he cannot run like the Eagles' No. 1 option at football's most critical position. And the drop-off between the two is substantial.
The Commanders know Barkley will do some damage. They need to make sure Hurts doesn’t also run wild. It's an all-hands-on-deck situation for Joe Whitt Jr.'s improving defense.
If they do, they might be heading to New Orleans as the NFC's representative on the biggest stage of all.