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Saquon vs. King Henry: An electrifying game within the game originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
They’re not just the two best running backs in the NFL this year. They’re two of the best ever.
And they’ll be on the same field on Sunday. And it’s going to be amazing.
In NFL history, only three running backs have had 1,300 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns and a 6.0 rushing average after 12 games.
Two of them will be at M&T Bank Stadium Sunday. The other is Jim Brown.
Through 12 games in 1963 Brown had 1,677 rushing yards – that’s a preposterous 140 per game – with a 6.7 average and 12 touchdowns. Derrick Henry has 1,392 rushing yards, a 6.0 average and 13 touchdowns after 12 games, and Saquon Barkley, who hasn’t even played his 12th game yet but still has 1,392 rushing yards, a 6.2 average and 10 TDs.
It’s been more than half a century since any running back got off to a start like this, and this year two have, both in their first year with a new team, both later in their career, both with teams that have legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.
And both facing each other Sunday in Baltimore.
Henry and Barkley won’t be on the field at the same time, but the Eagles-Ravens game will be a showcase of two running backs chasing several NFL records, running their way into the MVP conversation and carrying their teams.
Eric Dickerson of the Rams set the NFL single-season rushing record with 2,105 yards in a 16-game season in 1984.
Barkley is on pace for 2,150 yards in 17 games and Henry is on pace for 1,877, which would be 13th-most all-time.
A.J. Brown has played with both Barkley and Henry. He and Henry were teammates with the Titans 2019 through 2021, and Henry led the NFL in rushing in both 2019 and 2020, totaling 3,567 yards and 33 touchdowns with a 5.2 average.
Brown was interviewed by long-time Patriots cornerback Devin McCourty of NBC’s Football Night in America prior to the Eagles-Rams game and was asked which teammate is the best running back…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/saquon-vs-king-henry-electrifying-162241048.html
Author : NBC Sports Philadelphia
Publish date : 2024-11-29 16:22:00
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