While the Dallas Cowboys get a week off to pick up the pieces after a 38-point loss to the Detroit Lions, the rest of the NL East hopes to avoid a similar fate in Week 7. These three players could help them do it.
Saquon Barkley (RB) Philadelphia Eagles
Does anyone really think Barkley won’t come up big against his old team? The NFL’s fourth-leading rusher started his career with the Giants after New York drafted him second overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. He missed 25 of a possible 83 regular season games as a Giant but still managed 7,311 yards and 47 touchdowns in six years with New York.
Barkley grudgingly played on the team’s franchise tag in 2023 before signing a three-year, $37M contract with Philadelphia in the offseason. Sunday will be his first game played at MetLife Stadium since leaving the team.
It’s worth noting that Barkley wasn’t pleased when an offseason phone conversation between he and Giants general manager Joe Schoen made its way into an episode of HBO’s reality series “Hard Knocks.” He would presumably love to prove a point to his old team and the Eagles should be keen on getting the ball out of quarterback Jalen Hurts’ hands.
New York’s 26 sacks were most in the NFL until the Denver Broncos dropped six sacks on the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night, giving them 28 on the year. All the more reason for Philadelphia to hand Barkley the ball and keep their $255M quarterback out of harm’s way.
Brian Robinson Jr. (RB) Washington Commanders
Jayden Daniels is immensely talented but head coach Dan Quinn doesn’t want his rookie quarterback to lead the team in passing and rushing on a weekly basis. That’s exactly what’s happened in four of the team’s first six games.
Robinson leads the team with 325 yards overall but missed last week’s game against the Baltimore Ravens with a knee injury. He remained limited in Wednesday’s practice but should be fine for game day. “I feel great,” Robinson told reporters. “I feel more like myself again.”
Robinson should feel good about his next opponent as well. Carolina has allowed 153.5 yards per game on the ground this season, third-most in the NFL. Falcons running backs Tyler Allgeier and Bijan Robinson rushed for a combined 200 yards and three scores against the Panthers last weekend.
No team has given up more rushing touchdowns (12) than the Panthers this year, which bodes well for a well-rested running back with five scores already.
Deonte Banks (CB) New York Giants
Even in a loss, the Giants secondary played better than expected against the Cincinnati Bengals last week. Wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins combined for 149 yards on 12 catches while quarterback Joe Burrow failed to throw a touchdown after tossing five against the Ravens the week before.
As New York’s No. 1 cornerback, Banks should draw Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown for most of Sunday’s game. Banks leads the secondary with five passes defended this season and at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, has the size and speed needed to cover Philadelphia’s No. 1 receiver.
Brown led Philadelphia with 116 yards and a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday after missing the previous three games with a hamstring injury, but logged just seven catches for 89 yards in two games against the Giants last season.
With cornerback Adoree Jackson (neck) already ruled out for Sunday’s game and safety Dane Belton (illness) listed as questionable, last year’s first-round pick needs to play well if the Giants hope to earn their third win of the season.
