NFL round-up: Barkley eclipses 2,000 rushing yards as Eagles take NFC East

Philadelphia running back runs wild against abysmal Cowboys to break through landmark threshold while New York Giants stun Colts

SOARING EAGLE: Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley crashed through the 2000-yard mark. Pic: André Penner/AP

Saquon Barkley rushed for 167 yards to top 2,000 on the season, backup quarterback Kenny Pickett ran and threw for scores before departing with injured ribs, and the Philadelphia Eagles clinched the NFC East title by routing the Dallas Cowboys 41-7 on Sunday.

Barkley has 2,005 yards and needs 101 in next week’s mostly meaningless regular-season finale to top Eric Dickerson and his 2,105 yards for the Los Angeles Rams in 1984.

The Eagles (13-3) led 24-7 in the third quarter when Pickett was drilled by defensive end Micah Parsons, ending his first start in place of the concussed Jalen Hurts. Tanner McKee, a career third-stringer, entered the game and the Eagles finished the drive with a field goal.

McKee later threw two TD passes, a 20-yarder to AJ Brown and a 25-yarder to DeVonta Smith, in front of a roaring crowd delighted to watch the Eagles dominate their fiercest rival to wrap up the division title and at least the No 2 seed in the NFC.

Baker Mayfield threw for 359 yards and five touchdowns to help the Buccaneers keep their division and playoff hopes alive with a 48-14 rout of the Panthers on Sunday.

Tampa Bay’s fifth win in the past six weeks nudged the first-place Bucs (9-7) a half-game ahead of Atlanta for the best record in the NFC South, with the Falcons set to play on the road later Sunday night at Washington.

Atlanta holds the tiebreaker in the division race and can end Tampa Bay’s three-year reign as NFC South champions by beating the Commanders and winning again next week at home against the last-place Panthers (4-12).

Meanwhile Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score, and the Buffalo Bills clinched the AFC’s No 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the unraveling and undisciplined New York Jets on Sunday. The Bills put the game away by capitalizing on two Jets turnovers and scoring three touchdowns over a 5:01 span in the closing minutes of the third quarter. Buffalo’s defense forced three takeaways overall and sacked Aaron Rodgers four times, including a two-yard loss for a safety in the second quarter.

New York Giants stunned the Indianapolis Colts, ending the visitors' playoff hopes with an unlikely 45-33 victory at MetLife Stadium, rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers turning in a stunning two-touchdown performance.

Aidan O’Connell passed for two touchdowns, tight end Brock Bowers broke two rookie NFL records, and the Las Vegas Raiders won for just the fourth time this season, 25-10 over the struggling New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

Bowers’ seven catches for 77 yards gave him 108 receptions for 1,144 yards this season, eclipsing Mike Ditka’s 1961 rookie tight end mark of 1,067 yards receiving and Puka Nacua’s 2023 mark of 105 catches by a rookie at any position. Bowers also surpassed Darren Waller’s franchise mark of 107 receptions in a season, which had stood since 2020.

Mac Jones threw two touchdown passes, including one to standout rookie Brian Thomas Jr, and the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Tennessee Titans 20-13 in the rain Sunday to sweep the season series for the fourth time in 30 years.

PA/AP