Eagles RB Saquon Barkley outgains Giants in first game against former team

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley rushed Sunday for 176 yards on 17 carries against the New York Giants, his former team, outgaining their offense by himself.

Barkley came close to matching his career high of 189 rushing yards, which he set with the Giants on Dec. 22, 2019, but he was benched in the fourth quarter with his team leading 28-3. He still outgained his former team’s offense 187-119 when you include his receiving total.

Barkley, the second overall pick in the 2018 draft by New York, signed a three-year, $37.75 million contract with the Eagles in March. The deal includes $26 million guaranteed.

New York was unable to find a deal with Barkley, 27, this offseason, one year after he played under the non-exclusive franchise tag.

The Giants’ reasoning for letting Barkley go was revealed in an episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” and it in part had to do with how much the team is paying quarterback Daniel Jones.

“We’ve got to upgrade the offensive line and you’re paying [Jones] $40 million. It’s not to hand the ball off to a $12 million back,” general manager Joe Schoen was shown saying on the show.

Through five games entering Sunday, Barkley had run for 482 yards on 91 carries, with four touchdowns. His 5.3 yards-per-carry average through Week 6 is the best of his career.

The Giants are 29th in the NFL in yards per carry at 3.9.

The Jones-led passing offense hasn’t been much better after the team drafted wide receiver Malik Nabers with the sixth overall pick. New York has thrown for only six touchdowns, tied for the fourth fewest entering Week 7.

Jones threw for only 99 yards Sunday before he was taken out in the fourth quarter.

Philadelphia won 28-3.