Running Back Saquon Barkley
Q: How are you feeling going into another Philly matchup?
A: We know it's going to be a tough environment against a really good team. We're not getting caught up in the losing streak that they are in. They're still Philly. They're still last year's (NFC) champions, and still great players all around, so we know it's going to be a tough matchup and we've got to play our best ball if we want to come out of there with a win.
Q: What do you expect from that environment that you talk about? Tough environment, Philadelphia, Christmas.
A: Kind of every single time we go there. It's Philly. You know it's going to be a tough environment, it's going to be loud, they are going to say a lot of things, especially with the team, I guess they're not playing their best ball as they would like so you know they're going to be coming in fired up, the team going to come fired up, the coach going to be fired up, the fans will be fired up, it's Christmas day. One of only two or three games I think on TV that day, so it's going to be a fun environment. As a player, as a competitor, those environments you want to be a part of and those games you want to be a part of it. Like I said, they are a tough team and we have got to play our best ball to come out with a win.
Q: Without obviously giving any game plan stuff up or whatever, when you look at the tape, what do you see of them the last three weeks or so? Because they've seemed to lost their way a little bit as well as they've played.
A: We're not getting caught up in that they have the last three or however many games. That's still (Eagles defensive tackle) Fletcher Cox over, that's still (Eagles defensive tackle) Jalen Carter over there. They've got studs all around, especially on the defensive side. I'm fortunate enough, that I don't play both sides, so I don't have to go against the offense, but on that side, they have a lot of playmakers too. No matter what happened in the last three games, they are still a great team, they are one of the best teams in the NFL. You know the environment is going to be – it's going to be a tough game and I said if we want to come out with a win, we've got to play our best ball.
Q: I know you guys just want to win a game period, but the fact that you guys haven't beaten them much since you've been around here, how much would you relish altering their path?
A: Not since I've been around, it's been like 10 years. That's the truth. We haven't been beating Philly. I don't think that sits well in anybody's stomach. I don't think that sits well if you've been here for a long time, especially the guys that have been here the longest, (wide receiver) Shep(ard Sterling), myself. We hate saying that we hate answering the questions, 'How would it feel to win in Philly' or to not beat Philly. We're sick and tired of it. The only way we are going
to change that is by going out there and winning a game. For some reason, that's been a team, and Dallas, those have been the two teams that we struggle to beat over the last couple of years, the last decade to be honest and if we want to get to where we want to be, those are teams we got to start beating and that's just the facts.
Q: I remember years ago you marveled that you were running down the sideline and you looked next to you and it's Fletcher. Is he just amazing to still be doing everything?
A: Yeah, I mean he's impressive. I don't want to downplay any of those other guys because from left to right, I mean like, it's pretty impressive. The team that they were able to build, the front seven that they have, and even the backend. I know (Eagles cornerback Darius) Slay is out but yeah, Fletcher, I don't get it. I don't know how he's still this dominant. But like I said, as a competitor, it's fun. It's fun going out there and lining up and you see 91 and you see BG (Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham), you know he's going to be over there chapping from start to finish. These are fun games. Obviously, hasn't been that fun because we've been losing a lot, but as a competitor, those are the games that you want to be a part of, so like I said it's going to be a fun, tough game in a tough environment and we got to all come alive for this game.
Q: Have you seen anything different on film, obviously they changed their play calling, defensive play calling this past week, what have you watched or what you've noticed?
A: Yeah, I mean two different play callers. You see a little difference from Seattle to the weeks prior but I'm not too necessarily sure who is going to call the plays. For me, I just watch the tape. I study a lot of individuals, to be honest too. I know the scheme of it and the scheme they are going to play but study individuals. How they attack it, how they play, how they react to what a back does or a lineman to stuff like that. Whoever the play caller, whatever they do, we just got to go out there and line it up and know who we got to block, block it right, and make plays.
Q: Your snap percentage has been down especially the last game, were you 100 percent? Were you available? Or was something going on there?
A: I mean, yeah, clearly last week my snap percentage wasn't as high. I guess that could kind of play into – and the game kind of got out of hand. I don't play much in situations like that, you could look at Dallas, you could look at any game I've been a part of really but yeah, I didn't make too much of it. I just do what I'm asked to do. Whenever my number is ready to be called, I try to make the plays that I'm able to make when I have the opportunity.
Q. Your third-down usage has, in particular probably about the last six weeks, definitely decreased so what do you think about that?
A: Like I said, I think that's a question better for (Offensive Coordinator Mike) Kaf(ka) and all those guys. I'm not making too much of it. No matter what, I have full belief in any of the guys that go in after me. (Running back Matt) Breida is a vet, I think (running back Eric) Gray's a really good rookie. I think you guys will see a little bit more of him too. Like I said, I think he's talented. But if Breida going in there on third down, I feel confident that he's going to make the protection, if I'm in there, I'm confident that I'm going to make the protection. I don't think my usage of third down is a negative thing or them viewing it as me not being able to be in there
on third down. I think that I've shown that throughout the years and especially so far in my two years with them. But yeah, whatever it is, keep going with it and I've just got to find a way to make better plays. Especially in a big game coming up this week.
Q. Physically, how have you been feeling?
A: I feel like it's – what week is it? Week 14, Week 15, everybody in the NFL at this point, no one's really –
Q. 16.
A: 16? Yeah, no one's going to sit here and be like 'I feel fresh. I feel exactly how I felt in Week 1.' But yeah, that's part of being a pro. Take care of your body, make sure you stay up on stretching and massage and acupuncture all the little things, and get ready for the games.
Q. Driving into Philly is an experience on the bus. What do you expect on Christmas day from those fans?
A: I don't think it's going to be too much that different, it's Philly. Playing them in the divisional playoffs and playing them the last game of the season when our starters weren't even playing, it was still a hectic environment. That's just how it is. It's a great environment, as a competitor, to go into. It's an environment that you would love to show out and play well. Especially on the national stage against a divisional rival and a team the last decade that we've had some trouble with so hopefully we can turn things around.
Q. Just as a fan of the game and a player, what do you think of the tush push? Do you like that play? Do you think it should be in the game? Do you think they should change the rule?
A: I don't see why it shouldn't be. In my opinion, they just happen to be really good at it. Not every team is good at the tush push, that's the truth. They're really good at it so just because they're really good at it (and) one team is better than another team shouldn't be the reason that we get rid of it. Now, are there other things that go into it? I don't know like the percentages of people who get hurt on that play and whatnot, that's not really my job to look into that. But watching it, everyone knows it's coming, you've got to stop it. Hopefully, we stay out of short distances.
Q. Are there elements of it that you guys can incorporate that you see? How do you translate it to where you guys can run it?
A: I think that they have a really good offensive line and I think they have a quarterback that can squat over 600 pounds. I don't think a lot of teams have that. No diss to (quarterback) Tyrod (Taylor), DJ (quarterback Daniel Jones), or (quarterback) Tommy (DeVito). I know DJ gets in there and wants to squat heavy, but I don't think he can squat the number that (Eagles quarterback) Jalen (Hurts) can squat. So, when you have a really good o-line, a really good center, and a quarterback to squat 600 pounds, so unless I start learning how to do quarterback sneaks, I don't really know if we can put that into our game. I think we've been up and down this year on short downs, and we've got some plays that work, and we'll continue to improve on it and whatever is called, we've got to make it work.
