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Ex-Eagles Star Knows What Ails Eagles' Run Game

Originally posted on Philadelphia Eagles on SI
By Ed Kracz | Last updated Sep 30, 2025 9:21 PM ET

Many want to know what’s wrong with Saquon Barkley. At the quarter pole of the season, the Eagles’ running back has 237 yards rushing on 77 carries for a 3.1 yards per carry average. After four games last year, Barkley was on his way to becoming the ninth 2,000-yard rusher in NFL history with 435 yards on 73 carries for 5.9 yards per carry.

“I think we're still trying to feel our way out as far as who we are each game,” said offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo on Tuesday. “Especially this first four, we had so much history with these teams, so they know our personnel, they know a lot of things that we've done in the past.

“So, you're trying to feel like, ‘OK, this has been good against them in the past, is it still?’ Do we need to do things new? I think there's still a feeling out process, and we've been really close.”

What many should want to know is what’s wrong with the offensive line? It hasn’t been as good as it has in the past, and former Eagles Super Bowl winner Chris Long put his finger on why during his Green Light With Chris Long podcast.

Long, who won Super Bowl 52 with the Eagles in 2017, said it is a beat-up unit. He’s not wrong. Landon Dickerson was hurt when the season began and doesn’t look like the same three-time Pro Bowl player at left guard. His Pro Football Focus grades reflect that.

His overall grade the first two weeks was 51.6 and 58.7. Last year, he had a career-best 78.6 to rank eighth among all qualifying players at his position.

Chris speaks on the current state of the Eagles with their O-line battling injuries pic.twitter.com/pz7vLqthvH
— Green Light with Chris Long (@greenlight) September 30, 2025

“When you watch him, I know he’s hurting and I think he’s an absolute warrior,” said Long. “…I think they got a great guard who’s really (bleeping) banged up right now.”

Long had more to say about the line, including touching on Lane Johnson leaving the last two games with injury and saying that Tyler Steen isn’t Mekhi Becton.

“You have to stay healthy, you have to have good luck, and, like, there’s a lot of attrition," he said. “The physical style of football they played last year, not just for the running back but for the guys clearing the holes for the running back.”

Long didn’t want to call out the offensive line, but pointed out that it isn’t playing like it did last year.

“If they win with this group, it would be the most unique run that they’ve had because this isn’t the ’23 O-line, this isn’t the ’24 O-line, and I know it’s not the ’17 O-line,” he said. “We went to the Super Bowl, so this would be, if they can make this run, pretty impressive because the run game is just not there. It’s just not there.

“They have to play complete games if they want to go where they’re trying to go. And last year, I felt like they avoided those lulls in the passing game because they had a run game. That’s kind of their life preserver. If they don’t have that, everything else becomes a lot harder.”

This article first appeared on Philadelphia Eagles on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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