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'SNF' takeaways: Barkley runs wild as Eagles overpower Rams 
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) celebrates with running back Kenneth Gainwell (14) after Gainwell scores a running touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Alex Gallardo-Imagn Images

'SNF' takeaways: Saquon Barkley runs wild as Eagles overpower Rams 

On a history-making night for Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, the Eagles proved to be too much for the Los Angeles Rams with a 37-20 win on "Sunday Night Football."

Here are five takeaways from Sunday's nightcap.

Barkley goes off, makes Eagles history 

The Rams had no answer for Barkley on Sunday night. The Eagles running back wasted no time coming out of the locker room with this 70-yard TD run to begin the second half.

According to Next Gen Stats, the 70-yard TD run was the fifth play of the season in which Barkley reached 21+ mph as a ball carrier, which is the most in the NFL.

As if his performance was not impressive enough, Barkley added a 72-yard TD run with under three minutes to play to cap off a sensational night.

With 26 carries for 255 yards, two TDs and 302 total yards from scrimmage, Barkley surpassed 1,500 scrimmage yards this season. Per the "Sunday Night Football" broadcast, Barkley is the first veteran player to accomplish the feat in a player's first 11 games with a new team.

Barkley's 255 rush yards also set an Eagles single-game record and were the ninth-most ever in a single game in NFL history.

Barkley came into the night with the second-most rush yards in the NFL behind Derrick Henry.

Rams run defense gets exposed

While Los Angeles only allowed 167 passing yards, the Rams had no answer for the Eagles run game. 

With their performance on Sunday, the Rams went from the middle of the pack to 28th in the NFL in run defense, allowing 144.3 rush yards per game according to TeamRankings. 

Unable to slow down Barkley, the Rams gave up 314 yards on the ground, including seven yards per rush.

If the Rams want to be contenders, their run defense has to drastically improve going forward.

Eagles defense has field day with five sacks

While Barkley may have been the star of the game on Sunday night, the Eagles defense also played a major role.

Philadelphia had five sacks, including two from veteran Brandon Graham. 

The Eagles are now eighth in the league in team sacks per game according to TeamRankings. If the Eagles defense keeps playing at this rate, they are going to continue to cause a lot of problems for opposing QBs.

The NFC West may not be decided until the final week

While the NFC North race was tight until the Bears' recent struggles, the NFC West may be the tightest division as the regular season enters the stretch run.

The Arizona Cardinals won four games in a row until the Seattle Seahawks knocked them off on Sunday to win their second straight. The Rams had won four out of five coming into Sunday night before getting blown out by the Eagles while the San Francisco 49ers have dropped two straight as they continue to have injury concerns.

Each team is either 6-5 or 5-6 after Week 12. Considering all four teams have multiple division games remaining, the division winner may not be determined until the final week of the season.

NFC's No. 1 seed not a lock yet

Even though the Detroit Lions have topped 50 points twice and look unstoppable right now, don't count Philadelphia out just yet. With its win on Sunday night, the Eagles are only one game back of Detroit for the best record in the NFC.

While the two teams are not scheduled to play in the regular season, the Lions have games against the Packers, Bills and Vikings. If the 49ers can get healthy, they could pose a challenge on Dec. 30. 

The Eagles have a tricky road test at the Baltimore Ravens in Week 13. Aside from that game, Philadelphia has a manageable schedule down the stretch.

It seems like a tall task given how the Lions have played. If the Eagles continue to run the ball effectively and defend at a high level, it is hard to count them out the rest of the way.

Colby Colwell

Colby Colwell is a freelance contributor with a bachelor’s in Computer & Information Technology and a minor in Psychology from Western Kentucky University. With a deep passion for sports, especially NASCAR, he offers his substantial knowledge along with his adept writing skills. When he’s not writing, Colby enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with his family

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