Saquon Barkley scores on Eagles’ opening drive against Cowboys after injury absence
The running back scored in his return from a hamstring injury, putting Philadelphia ahead 7–3 early in its Monday night game against Dallas.
Saquon Barkley scored a touchdown on the Philadelphia Eagles’ opening drive against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday, October 26, in Philadelphia, giving the Eagles a 7–3 lead in his return from a hamstring injury, Touchdown Wire reported. The score marked his first touchdown of the season after he had missed the previous two weeks.
Barkley broke a 29-yard run earlier in the drive before scoring, according to Touchdown Wire. The report established Philadelphia’s lead at that point in the game; the final result was not yet established.
How Barkley returned to the Eagles’ lineup
CBS Sports reported before kickoff that Barkley was officially active after being listed as questionable with the hamstring injury. He took part in practice on a limited basis Thursday and Friday, then practiced fully Saturday. His touchdown was a further development after earlier NewsJaws coverage of his pregame availability.
In four appearances before facing Dallas, Barkley had rushed for 182 yards without a touchdown, CBS Sports reported. His season had also been disrupted by a stinger early in Philadelphia’s Week 2 game against Tennessee and the hamstring injury in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 4. He played fewer than 16% of the Eagles’ offensive snaps in two of those four appearances.
Why Barkley’s return matters for Philadelphia’s rushing game
Philadelphia had averaged 109 rushing yards per game in four games with Barkley, compared with 28.5 in two games without him, according to CBS Sports. Its figures also put the Eagles at 4.2 yards per rush with Barkley available and 1.8 without him. Those team averages describe games played under different conditions; they do not isolate his individual effect.
CBS Sports calculated that Barkley averaged 5.1 yards on 36 carries before Monday, while the Eagles’ other running backs averaged 2.8 yards on 71 carries. Against Carolina the previous week, Philadelphia gave Dameon Pierce 12 carries for 35 yards and a touchdown. That contrast helps explain the attention on Barkley’s return as the Eagles faced a division rival.
The Eagles entered the game without quarterback Jalen Hurts, whom CBS Sports said was expected to miss the rest of the season after blood clots were discovered in his lungs. Receiver DeVonta Smith had also been ruled out with a hamstring injury. Barkley’s early score gave an offense dealing with those absences a touchdown on its first possession.
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Sources and context
- WATCH: Saquon Barkley scores TD on Eagles’ opening drive on MNFTouchdown Wire, republished by Yahoo Sports
- Will Saquon Barkley play vs. Cowboys? A look at the Eagles RB's status against CowboysCBS Sports
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.