Why 17-Game Season Shouldn’t Matter For NFL Rushing Record
The NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles congratulated Saquon Barkley after his 31st carry of their Week 17 victory brought him over 2000 yards for the season.
Philadelphia’s prized free agent became just the ninth player in NFL history to reach the milestone. However, Philadelphia fans have turned their attention to another statistical achievement with one regular-season game remaining.
Can Saquon Barkley break the NFL single-season rushing record set by Eric Dickerson in 1984?
Is the NFL Rushing Record Tainted?
Some skeptics will point out that Barkley has already played 16 games. Dickerson rushed for 2105 yards in 16 games before the NFL schedule expanded to 17.
Would Barkley’s record need an asterisk? If so, then Dickerson’s record needs an asterisk.
The Los Angeles Rams legend set the record previously held by O.J. Simpson. How many games did Simpson play for the Buffalo Bills in 1973? NFL teams still played a 14-game schedule.
Any questions about the legitimacy of Barkley’s season also apply to Eric Dickerson’s 1984 effort, so NFL fans should ask themselves a few questions.
- Would you like to retrace and reconsider Dickerson’s status as the single-season NFL rushing record holder that’s been widely accepted for decades of NFL conversations?
- Would you like to second guess every single-season record set in the era of the 17-game schedule?
- How will you weigh these records when a money-hungry league inevitably expands their schedule again?
The debate also needs to include less tangible factors.
If Saquon Barkley breaks the NFL rushing record, he’ll do it just one year after star running backs looked in danger of extinction. The bell cow back isn’t nearly as prevalent in 2024 as it was during the prime years of Simpson or Dickerson.
Maintaining success during a longer schedule also requires more physical durability.
How Does Eric Dickerson Feel?
The current record-holder interviewed with the Los Angeles Times about Saquon Barkley, the debated NFL rushing record, and the Rams entering the NFL playoffs.
How do you feel about the possibility of Barkley breaking your single-season rushing record?
“I don’t think he’ll break it. But if he breaks it, he breaks it. Do I want him to break it? Absolutely not. I don’t pull no punches on that. But I’m not whining about it. He had 17 games to do it? Hey, football is football. That’s the way I look at it. If he’s fortunate to get over 2,000 yards and get the record, it’s a great record to have.” -Eric Dickerson
Some NFL conversations interpreted Dickerson’s comments as bitterness. However, the full context of his statements fairly acknowledges the conversation of Barkley’s legitimacy as the potential record-holder.
So the 17 games part doesn’t bother you, even though you set it with 16 games?
“O.J. Simpson was my favorite player. He went over 2,000 yards in 14 games. It took me 15 games to get to 2,000. I had one extra game to play. Getting to 2,000 is an accomplishment in itself. I got close to that three other times.” -Eric Dickerson
Make sure to gather context in your scrutiny of the Hall of Famer’s attitude. He also played along with ESPN’s featured coverage of Jamal Lewis’ final regular-season game in pursuit of the same record that fell just short in 2003.
Dickerson insightfully about Barkley’s resurgence with the Eagles this season. The former Penn State Nittany Lion fell short of 1000 yards in his final season with the New York Giants. The team surrounding him has clearly impacted his success.
He pointed out how Philadelphia’s strong offensive line is an indispensable part of the rushing yardage. Was he taking individual credit away from Barkley?
No, Dickerson admitted himself that he wouldn’t have put together the same successful career without great teammates like Hall of Fame tackle Jackie Slater out in front of him.
The Rams have clinched the NFC West, and it’d be an additionally interesting storyline if they travel to Philadelphia for a playoff game with their franchise legend and current employee Eric Dickerson to face Saquon Barkley and the Eagles.
A Whole Other Debate
Just because Saquon Barkley has a chance to break the single-season NFL rushing record doesn’t mean all Eagles fans want him to.
The Eagles have clinched the two-seed in the NFC. They’d rest their starters under normal circumstances. Will the illustrious record change push Nick Sirianni to waive the chance to rest up for a playoff run?
The head coach spoke noncommittally after the victory against the Dallas Cowboys.
“I’ve always got to do what’s right for the football team to reach our goals.” -Nick Sirianni
Where can you hear more about that debate? You better believe it’s raging hot on the 97.5 The Fanatic airwaves.
