Eagles' Saquon Barkley deserves MVP, but odds are against him

"It's such a luxury to have [Barkley]," Eagles HC Nick Sirianni said during a postgame news conference. "I can't say enough good things about him and the leadership he brings to this team. He's special."

Barkley's second of two scores, his 78-yard rushing touchdown with 4:36 left, put the Eagles up two possessions.

"I think Saquon has been tremendous at that... rain, sleet, or snow. So, he's been able to pound, pound, pound, and then take it off. That was fun," Eagles QB  Jalen Hurts told reporters said after the game.

As Hurts said, Barkley has been a constant for the Eagles. No matter the opponent, or weather conditions, Barkley has been virtually unstoppable.

With the 2024 rushing title already secured and his team positioned just one win away from a Super Bowl berth, Barkley should not be overlooked for MVP. 

It's no secret that quarterbacks typically have a leg up in the MVP race -- Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson is widely considered to be the favorite to win this season's award. But Barkley has been the best player in the NFL and perfectly embodies everything the award represents.

His explosive play-making ability as both a rusher and receiver is an integral part of the offense and a huge reason why Philly is knocking on the door of its second Super Bowl appearance in three years.

Notably, his numbers are comparable to Adrian Peterson's MVP season with the Minnesota Vikings in 2012. He was the last RB to win MVP.

Here's how their regular seasons stack up: 

Based on the numbers, one could argue that Barkley should be the MVP favorite this season.

It's too bad the running back's playoff performances won't factor into MVP voting. Per Dan Treacy of The Sporting News, media members and others filed their votes before the start of the playoffs. The MVP won't be announced until Feb. 6, the week of the Super Bowl.

Despite receiving high praise, Barkley isn't concerned about winning individual accolades and remains focused on his ultimate goal of bringing the Lombardi Trophy to Philly.

“We’ll start thinking about that when the season’s over,” Barkley said of individual awards.