PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley had little choice after a nasty spin move left him slightly sideways, forcing him to jump — make it, leapfrog backward.
The conclusion of the dazzling play during Philadelphia’s 28-23 victory over Jacksonville on Sunday had Barkley’s rear end sailing over Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones’ lowered head.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni stammered as he tried to find the words to describe the most acrobatic 14-yard reception of the NFL season.
“It was the best play I’ve ever seen,” Sirianni said.
Simple enough. Unlike the play.
The call seemed simple enough. Jalen Hurts looked to his left and tossed a short third-and-6 pass to Barkley in the flat.
Barkley faked out one defender and used a spin move that left another Jaguars defender flailing on the ground before he pulled off a split-leg, backward leap over Jones to complete the first-down catch.
“Crazy,” wide receiver DeVonta Smith said. “I ain’t never seen nothing like it.”
Smith nearly matched Barkley with a play straight out of a video game on a one-handed 25-yard TD grab — reminiscent of New York Jets receiver Garrett Wilson’s catch last week — late in the fourth that stretched the Eagles’ lead to 28-16.
In any other game, Smith would have snagged the top spot on the social media highlight video.
Barkley had one giant leap — possibly only the second-coolest move of the week by the running back after he played golf with former President Barack Obama — that showed why the Eagles signed him away from New York and made him the highest-paid back in franchise history with a three-year deal for $26 million guaranteed.
“I feel God gave me ability to play this position. He gave me some instincts,” Barkley said. “Sometimes you just gotta let go and let your God-given instincts take over.”
Sirianni laughed as he said he needed to double-check the supersized videoboard to make sure he really did see Barkley make the improbable possible.
“What I think is so cool, is there are going to be kids all over the country and all over Philadelphia — I really think about that — trying to make that play and talking about that play and simulating that play as they play backyard football or Pee Wee football,” Sirianni said.
“They aren’t going to be able to make it because I think he’s the only one in the world that can do that.”
From grassroots ball to the Linc, there’s only running back who can make that play.
And he wears No. 26 for the Eagles.
Barkley — who also lost a fumble that sparked a Jacksonville comeback — otherwise finished with a tremendous game. Barkley had 27 carries for 159 yards and a touchdown. He also had three receptions for 40 yards and a TD.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Dan Gelston, The Associated Press