PHILADELPHIA — Saquon Barkley’s eight-year career in the NFC East has acquainted him with the revolving door of division champions. Since Barkley entered the NFL in 2018 with the New York Giants, the Eagles and Cowboys have won the division three times and the Commanders once. There has not been a back-to-back champ, while the seven other divisions have all had franchises achieve that feat within the past two years. 

Barkley waited until 2024 to get his first NFC East title after leaving the Giants for the Eagles. Philly would end a two-decade run without a back-to-back division champion if they beat the Commanders on Saturday. It last happened with the Eagles in 2004.

“I’m not surprised by it. It’s a hard division,” Barkley said Thursday. “Throughout the history of the game, I think we’re the only one where everyone has a Super Bowl. Being in the division for the last eight years, you know how tough it is. So to do something that hasn’t been done in 20 years is pretty cool.”

Barkley was quick to add that they must achieve the feat first. That was the same qualifier Jalen Hurts offered, who admitted that breaking the streak has been on his mind. But when you win a Lombardi Trophy within the same calendar year, the city does not shut down at the thought of winning the NFC East. There will be hats and T-shirts if the Eagles beat the Commanders to clinch the division crown for the third time in four years, but it would be considered a benchmark more than a destination.

“You win the division, you guarantee yourself a playoff position,” Barkley said. “You get to the playoffs, you give yourself a chance to compete for the Super Bowl.”

For the Eagles to repeat, Barkley and the offense must build upon its recent signs of encouragement. Barkley topped 20 carries in each of the past two games, and a productive running attack helps the Eagles’ play-action game — especially while they incorporate more under-center formations. Barkley has been more productive running from under center, with 4.7 yards per carry this season compared to 3.4 yards per carry out of the shotgun. Both will be a part of the offense, but what’s critical is that the Eagles can keep feeding Barkley.

 At this time last season, Barkley was within two standout games of 2,000 rushing yards. Barkley’s encore will not include 2,000 yards, although he’s within two big runs of 1,000 yards. At 940 yards, Barkley is 60 yards away from his first back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns since his first two seasons in the NFL (2018 and 2019).

“Anytime you rush for 1,000 yards, it’s a big deal,” Barkley said. “The year hasn’t went, consistency-wise, the way I had last year or kind of how predicted because of how I train, how I work. But sometimes that’s how the game goes. But my mindset is I can still have the impact on the season I want to, and that’s finishing up the season strong and going to the playoffs. That’s what matters the most. All of that is still in front of me.”

A 2,000-yard pace is a tough grade upon which to be graded. Barkley endured questions throughout the offseason about whether there would be a drop-off, especially after 482 offensive touches last season. Barkley has 277 touches through 14 games, but he has not missed time and has quieted durability concerns that can follow such a laborious workload. “I put a lot of time in my body, a lot of work in my body, spend a lot of money (on) my body,” Barkley said.

Barkley’s historic 2024 campaign was paced by explosive runs that have often eluded him this year. At this point, Barkley is less concerned about hitting home runs and more concerned about avoiding strikeouts. If you viewed Hard Knocks this week, you know about the NFC East’s two-decade run without back-to-back champions and also Barkley’s objective in the run game. The cameras caught him in conversation with coach Nick Sirianni about “dirty runs” — turning two-yard gains into four-yard gains, or negative gains into positive yards. Barkley leads the NFL in negative rushes this season with 38. He had 33 in the regular season last year.

“That was a knock on me coming out of college — people think I’m back there every single time trying to score a touchdown, which I am because I have the ability whenever I touch the ball to take it 90, to take it however long I need to go. But there’s a flow to the game,” Barkley said. “It’s helpful when you’re able to get positive runs, get those threes, get those fours. That sets up stuff down the road.

“I felt like that conversation was had because … I have to be top in the league right now, or somewhere in the top five, in negative runs. And that’s just not going to help the run game, not going to help the offense. Always keep that in mind: Sometimes you can’t control it, but the ones that might be a -1 or -2, if I can make that into two or three, that’s helpful because it keeps us above the stick and it makes play-calling a lot easier. It makes it a lot easier to be consistent in the run game when it’s second-and-6 rather than second-and-9. So, that’s the mindset. Trusting that, getting the dirty runs, and when the opportunity does come, which I’m able to do, make them pay for it.”

If Barkley follows that formula on Saturday, he can achieve back-to-back division crowns and 1,000-yard campaigns.

Lane Johnson, Jalen Carter sidelined

The Eagles will play another week without All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson. He’s been sidelined since a Week 11 foot injury. The timeline for his return has been unclear in the past month, but the Eagles did not place him on injured reserve and there were reports that he was nearing a return to practice. That did not occur this week, and with a clinching scenario ahead of the Eagles, there’s no firm indication about when he will return.

“Every case you think through differently, individually, and you never put anything past Lane,” Sirianni said. “At the end of the day, we’ll do what’s best for Lane and what the doctors feel like is best for Lane of when he plays.”

Fred Johnson, Lane’s replacement, missed practice on Wednesday with an ankle injury. He was back on the field Thursday and will play Saturday.

The Eagles also remain without top defensive tackle Jalen Carter. He underwent a procedure on his shoulders on Dec. 4 with the hope of being ready for the postseason. He also remains on the 53-man roster.

Fullback Cameron Latu is questionable against Washington.

Eagles face another Jalen Hurts backup

The Eagles will face their second former Hurts backup quarterback — Marcus Mariota, with Jayden Daniels shelved for the season in Washington. Mariota was previously the Eagles’ No. 2 in 2023. The Eagles’ defense did not make a reunion enjoyable for Raiders quarterback Kenny Pickett, who was Hurts’ backup last season and was limited to 64 passing yards against the unit he faced in practice on the way to the Super Bowl.

Mariota played less in Philadelphia than Pickett because Hurts remained healthy in 2023. He attempted only 23 passes in three games that season. Mariota valued his time in Philadelphia, explaining in an interview on Bussin’ with the Boys this summer that he considered retiring after struggling during training camp with the Eagles. He credited Eagles general manager Howie Roseman with helping him through that period, and Mariota has since become a valuable reserve in Washington.

“I  have so much respect for Marcus,” Sirianni said. “The person, first and foremost, the player, the teammate. Marcus was just a great pro, and I’ve just got nothing but the highest amount of respect for him and the things that he’s done in his career. Like I said, top-notch teammate. A lot of respect for Marcus.”

Eagles-Commanders prediction

When the schedule was revealed in the spring, the rematch of the NFC Championship Game was quickly circled and seemed likely to offer postseason implications. With the Commanders mired in a 4-10 season and playing without their franchise quarterback, decorated left tackle and multiple key contributors, the implications are one-sided.

The game could be one-sided, too. The Eagles are seven-point road favorites visiting Landover, Md., where they were upset by the Commanders last season when Hurts was knocked out of the game with a concussion. But he’s healthy now and coming off his most efficient game of the season against the listless Raiders. He should maintain momentum against a Commanders defense ranked No. 31 in total defense and No. 30 in EPA/drive and that is especially vulnerable through the air (No. 32 in the NFL in EPA/dropback).

Since returning from the bye week, the Eagles have held opponents to 14.3 points per game — the third fewest in the NFL. They’re fourth in sacks, tied for fifth in takeaways and first in opponent completion percentage. Quinyon Mitchell faces a tough matchup with Terry McLaurin. Mitchell has been one of the steadiest cornerbacks in the NFL, and the Commanders don’t pose as much of a threat on the ground.

One area to watch: The quarterback run game, against which the Eagles have been vulnerable this season. That won’t be enough to flummox Vic Fangio’s defense. This won’t be like the Raiders rout, but it won’t be far from it. Perhaps there will be NFC East Champs hats under the Christmas tree this week.

Eagles 24, Commanders 10