{"id":5710,"date":"2024-11-29T03:10:50","date_gmt":"2024-11-29T03:10:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=5710"},"modified":"2024-11-29T03:10:50","modified_gmt":"2024-11-29T03:10:50","slug":"derrick-henry-vs-saquon-barkley-is-a-generational-throwback-battle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=5710","title":{"rendered":"Derrick Henry vs. Saquon Barkley Is a ‘Generational’ Throwback Battle"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Eagles<\/picture>\n
Terrance Williams (left) & Shawn Hubbard (right)\/AP Photo (left) & Baltimore Ravens Photos (right)<\/div>\n
Eagles RB Saquon Barkley (left) & Ravens RB Derrick Henry (right)<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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In a bearish NFL running back market, tailbacks have formed a fraternity trying to change perceptions and payouts. Running like bulls in a china shop, Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley have more than done their part.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Both free agents this offseason, they sit at No. 1 and No. 2 in the league in rushing yards and have been obvious difference-makers for their new teams. Barkley has 1,392 yards and Henry is 67 behind with 1,325.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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But on Sunday, Henry and Barkley won’t be on the same team. When the Ravens and Eagles kick off against each other Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium, it will be a throwback battle where star running backs take center stage, each looking to outrace the other.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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“You have the best two running backs in the NFL facing each other. It’s cool, especially for today’s NFL,” Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard said. “Running backs are getting the premier look of being franchise players.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Sunday’s game will mark the first meeting between the top two leaders in scrimmage yards in Week 13 or later of a season since 2009 (Tennessee’s Chris Johnson vs. St. Louis Rams’ Steven Jackson). It will mark the first meeting between players each with at least 1,300 rushing yards in a season since 2012 (Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson vs. Houston’s Arian Foster).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Henry has been paying attention to what Barkley has done this season. It’s nearly impossible to miss his highlights,\u00a0from the backwards hurdle\u00a0to his 255-yard game Sunday night against the Los Angeles Rams. Henry gave Barkley a social media shoutout after that record-setting performance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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