It took just two weeks for Saquon Barkley and the Eagles to face some adversity in the 2024 season.
The two-time Pro Bowl running back failed to pull in what would have been a game-clinching first-down reception late in the 4th quarter of the Eagles’ Monday Night matchup with the Atlanta Falcons. This stopped the clock. The Eagles then kicked a field goal and afterwards, Kirk Cousins promptly led the Falcons on a lengthy game-winning drive to drop the Eagles to 1-1.
While Barkley has taken responsibility and said all the right things publicly, he will need to bounce back on the field.
Philadelphia will have its first non-primetime game in Week 3. They will be facing off with the red-hot Saints down in New Orleans. The Eagles enter as +124 underdogs on the moneyline while the Saints are three-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. The game total sits at 49.5 for the game.
Why Saquon Barkley Will Score a Week 3 Touchdown
Despite the disappointing drop leaving a sour taste in fans’ mouths, Saquon Barkley has impressed early on in his Eagles tenure. The former Giants star has tallied 248 total yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns in the opening two games.
Expect this matchup to be a high-scoring affair. New Orleans has had the most effective offense in the league thus far, scoring 91 points combined through the opening two games – the most in the NFL. They tallied scores on 15 consecutive drives to start the season and also rank 3rd in the NFL in third-down percentage, 2nd in red zone efficiency, and 3rd in rushing offense.
The Eagles’ defense has done little to show that they can slow down the Saints. Through the first two weeks of the season, the Eagles rank 30th in yards allowed per game, 25th in rushing yards allowed, 28th in passing yards allowed, and 27th in defensive points per game. New Orleans will be a more difficult test than either the Packers or Falcons, so there will need to be some internal changes.
If the Eagles are to have a chance in this game, it will take a high-scoring effort. While the defense has been worse than expected, the expectation was always for the offense to be the team’s identity.
Saquon Barkley is right at the heart of this. It is clear the Eagles are giving him plenty of opportunity. Barkley had 24 carries and two receptions in the opening game and then 22 carries and four receptions last week. He has generated 32% of the Eagles’ offensive yards thus far and will power the Eagles’ offense for the forseeable future.
Entering this game, Saquon Barkley has -165 odds of an anytime touchdown. He also is +550 to score the first touchdown and holds +340 odds for two or more touchdowns on DraftKings Sportsbook. He trails only Alvin Kamara (-210) for the player most likely to get into the end zone.
While the odds are a little steep, you should feel confident about Barkley scoring another touchdown in Week 3. After tallying three touchdowns in the opening week, Barkley did not score against the Falcons. DeVonta Smith added the lone touchdown through the air while Jalen Hurts produced the rushing touchdown in this matchup.
From a football perspective, Barkley will be one of the Eagles’ top-scoring options on a team that will need to produce plenty of offense. He is involved in both the rushing and passing game and will receive a guaranteed 20+ touches. While Hurts did score a rushing touchdown last week, the team is not as reliant on the “tush-push” as they were last year. Barkley takes the pressure off him and will be used as the goal-line back in most situations.
From an emotional perspective, Barkley will be hungry for a better performance. He let his team down at the biggest moment on a play that he simply needs to make. The Penn State product will continue to be an essential part of the offense and will look to get back on the right track.
With plenty of offense expected and Barkley to be one of the biggest offensive weapons, don’t overthink it. Look for the Eagles star to find his way into the end zone in Week 3.
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