EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Saquon Barkley made an impressive comeback at MetLife Stadium, rushing for 176 yards and scoring a touchdown, transforming jeers into applause as he propelled the Philadelphia Eagles to a dominating 28-3 win over the struggling New York Giants on Sunday.
Jalen Hurts contributed significantly, scoring twice on quarterback sneaks and completing a 41-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Brown. With this victory, the Eagles improved their record to 4-2, while the Giants fell to 2-5. This win marked the Eagles’ sixth victory in their last seven encounters against the Giants and their fourteenth win in the last seventeen. Philadelphia’s defense was exceptional, tallying eight sacks and holding New York to just 119 total yards.
This game was particularly notable due to Barkley’s new allegiance; previously drafted second overall by the Giants in 2018, he departed as a free agent last season and signed a three-year contract worth $37.5 million with the Eagles in March. Initially met with boos upon his return, Barkley quickly silenced the critics with his performance.
He ignited the Eagles’ offense with a stunning 55-yard run around left end, leading to a 3-yard touchdown that gave Philadelphia a 7-0 lead in the second quarter. Hurts then found Brown on a fourth down, extending the lead to 14-0 with a successful deep pass.
Barkley’s burst of speed continued in the third quarter with a 38-yard run that set up Hurts’ first quarterback sneak for a touchdown, and in the fourth quarter, Barkley’s 41-yard dash paved the way for the second touchdown run. His 176 rushing yards on just 17 carries, averaging an impressive 10.4 yards per carry, marked the second-highest rushing total of his career; his personal best remains 189 yards against Washington back in December 2019.
After the final whistle, Giants coach Brian Daboll lingered to share a moment with Barkley.
Hurts finished the day with 10 completions out of 14 attempts for 114 yards before calling it a day after his second touchdown run. He was sacked four times, with two sacks credited to Dexter Lawrence, who has now tallied nine sacks this season.
The Giants managed to score a 38-yard field goal from Greg Joseph just before halftime. Early in the fourth quarter, Daboll received some sarcastic cheers when he substituted quarterback Daniel Jones in favor of Drew Lock. Jones, battered throughout the game, completed 14 of 21 passes for only 99 yards, and rookie receiver Malik Nabers caught four passes for 41 yards.
Currently, the Giants are witnessing a grim streak at home, remaining winless in four games and managing just one touchdown during this stretch.
In the injury department, Eagles right guard Mekhi Becton suffered a concussion in the first half and was replaced by Tyler Steen. On the Giants side, cornerback Cor’Dale Flott left the game late in the first half due to a groin injury, while backup linebacker Ty Summers injured his ankle during punt coverage and did not return for the second half.
Looking ahead, the Eagles will face the Cincinnati Bengals next Sunday, while the Giants will head to Pittsburgh on Monday, October 28.