More than merely comparing red apples to, not exactly oranges - but maybe green apples - the frenzied following of Saquon Barkley's pursuit of a hallowed NFL record is downright disingenuous.
While previewing Sunday's Philadelphia Eagles-Washington Commanders NFC East showdown, ESPN's Mike Greenberg capsulized the erroneous hype surrounding Barkley closing in on Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing yards total.
"This is one of the most revered records in all of sports," he said. "The reason it's stood the test of time for 40 yards is because it's so difficult to break. To that end, I think the Eagles need to do everything in their power to get Saquon over the line."
Not to claim that Barkley isn't having a superlative, MVP-type season. But let's be real: He needs 268 yards to surpass Dickerson's mark, but not to break his record.
Lost in translation - inexplicably - is the pesky little fact and the dirty little secret that in 1984 Dickerson rushed for 2,105 yards in 16 games. Barkley has gained 1,838 in 15 games ... but in an era of the 17-game schedule will get to play an extra 60 minutes of football.
Are ESPN and NFL fans so thirsty for a dramatic record chase that we're willing to set aside common sense and logic? We're prepared to anoint Barkley's season "better" than Dickerson's even though he is being afforded an extra game to achieve his accomplishment?
Barkley may well ramble for the 238 yards Sunday against a woeful Dallas Cowboys' run defense that ranks 28th in the league. If so - and he passes Dickerson in his 16th game - we'll be mandated to revisit this discussion.
But let's be realistic. We're trending toward crowning a Slam Dunk champion on a 9-foot rim, and reserving a place in history to a new 100-meter dash record holder asked to run only 95 meters.
In 1984 with the Los Angeles Rams, Dickerson had 12 100-yard games, scored 14 touchdowns and averaged 5.6 yards-per-carry and 131 yards-per-game on his way to 2,105. (For what it's worth, despite his dominant season he finished a distant second - 52-18 - in MVP voting to Miami Dolphins' quarterback Dan Marino and his 48 touchdown passes.)
In 2024 with the Eagles, Barkley has 10 100-yard games, 13 touchdowns and is averaging 5.9 yards-per-carry and 122 yards per game.
Both impressive, almost parallel seasons. Neither, however, are the best in NFL history.
We're not exactly math majors, but because of the disparity of contests played shouldn't the "record" be based on average yards per game? It's a more accurate measurement of production over a season, instead of just a cumulative total amassed over a bigger, unfair sample size.
Through that lens, O.J. Simpson should have the record for the best season by an NFL running back. Playing only 14 games in 1973, the Buffalo Bills' Hall of Famer averaged 143 yards-per-game in route to a total of 2,003. Using the yards-per-game criteria, Jim Brown is No. 2 (133 ypg in 1963) and Walter Payton No. 3 (132 ypg in 1977).
Where does Barkley's season rank on a level playing field? 14th.
In a decidedly pass-happy era of the NFL, Barkley's season is inarguably sensational. He has eight touchdown runs of 10+ yards in which he wasn't touched. No other back has more than two. He ran for 108 yards in the first quarter alone of Sunday's loss to the Commanders. He is a huge reason the Eagles are 12-3 and closing on an NFC East championship.
But even if he rushes for 238 yards over the final two games, he should not be credited with the greatest single-season rushing season in league history.
