Panthers DL taking Saquon Barkley challenge personally

DONALD WATKINS | THE CHARLOTTE POST

The Carolina Panthers have improved on defense in recent weeks, but the Philadelphia Eagles will pose a challenge with running back Saquon Barkley.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley took a screen pass Nov. 3 and brushed aside a meek tackle attempt by Giants cornerback Tyson Campbell.

A few steps later, Barkley planted his foot into the ground and executed a spin that left linebacker Devin Lloyd flailing. To top it off, while facing the opposite direction, Barkley backjumped over the shoulders of cornerback Jarrian Jones.

It was a play Panthers coach Dave Canales had not seen, “not once. That was an incredible play.”

That was also just one of a series of signature moves Barkley has “put on tape” as he creates one of the NFL’s all-time top seasons for a tailback.  

As the Carolina Panthers prepared to face Barkley and the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, members of the Panthers’ defensive line acknowledged feeling awed after reviewing game video.  

They watched Barkley spark a stagnant offense with a dash at a top speed of 21.66 mph, scoring on a 65-yard touchdown run against the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 22. They watched him compile a team-record 255 yards against the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 24.  

What did Barkley witness during his film prep for the Panthers?

Opportunity, no doubt.  

He surely watched with interest as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ running backs, paced by rookie Bucky Irving’s 152 yards, consistently darted up-field during last week’s overtime win. Irving registered 6.1 yards per attempt, the same total Barkley has averaged to lead the NFL this season. That’s also the identical per-carry average the Panthers surrendered to the Bucs, who compiled 236 rushing yards on 39 carries.
 
“It’s going to be a huge challenge,” defenseman tackle Shy Tuttle said Wednesday. “We signed up for it.”  

Panthers struggle without Derrick Brown

Entering the Week 14 matchup against the NFC East-leading Eagles (10-2), the 3-9 Panthers rank last in rushing yards allowed per game (166.8). It’s by a wide margin, too. The Dallas Cowboys rank 31st and surrendered 19.2 fewer yards per contest.

Since losing Derrick Brown in the season-opener, the Panthers have struggled to replace their cornerstone defender. A Pro Bowler, Brown was coming off a campaign in which he established a modern NFL record with 103 tackles by a defensive lineman.  

Without Brown, the defensive front has often been pushed around. In turn, the Eagles’ offensive front has contributed to the league’s top rushing offense, averaging 188.9 yards per game.  

Is this a David vs. Goliath situation?
 
Tuttle shrugged.

“Saquon is one of the best players in the league, [but] we put on pants the same way they put on pants,” he said. “It’s football. It’s the NFL.”  

It’s also Barkley’s world.  

The seven-year professional compiled a league-high 452 rushing yards over expected, according to Next Gen Stats. With a 13% explosive play rate and 3.7 yards after contact, the two-time Pro Bowler is posting career-best marks.
 
Canales said Barkley’s combined yardage can be attributed to Philadelphia’s commitment to their game plan.  

"I’ll always start with what happens up front,” Canales said. “This is a really good offensive line that (Barkley’s) playing behind and it’s also the commitment of the run game where they're going to run it early, they’re going to run it late.  

“It’s the attrition that takes place that they continue to stick with it and have success that way.”  

Eagles’ run game ‘great’

Panthers defensive LaBryan Ray was impressed after watching Barkley’ on video.

His review proved a bit monotonous:  

• “Great team.”

• “Great players.”  

• “Great offense.”

• “Great scheme.”

• “Great players, like I said.”

Are there any answers to Barkley?

“We just need to focus on ourselves,” Ray said. “We need to make sure we’re doing our job. Focus on our technique. That’s where it’s going to start. That’s where it’s going to finish.”  

Tarnished by an early-season defensive meltdown, the Panthers also rank last after surrendering 30.5 points per game. In the past four games, however, Canales said he could sense more cohesion from defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s unit. Initially boosted by back-to-back wins, the Panthers have dropped consecutive games to first-place clubs on walk-off field goals in Charlotte.  

The stats aren’t pretty, but the Panthers are starting to accumulate big plays. Emerging from their idle week, Carolina registered five sacks against Kansas City after entering Week 12 with only 12. Against the Bucs last week, the secondary snagged a pair of interceptions to help force overtime.  

“Each week is a week of its own,” Tuttle said.  

Against the Eagles’ running game, the defensive line likely will reply on fundamentals to limit Barkley’s big plays.

“These are the guys we are counting on and it’s about playing team defense,” Canales said. “Defensively, it’s a trust factor to know each person along the line is going to play their spot and fit their gap so the ball bounces back to somebody eventually that is available to make the tackle.

“We’re tackling with our near shoulder and running out at contact. It’s all those basic things we need to press into every week.”

Especially with Barkley lining up in the backfield.

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