In American sport, particularly in the NFL, which for many is the acronym of “Not For Long”, given the physical wear to which athletes are subjected, the need to monetize one’s body often goes beyond those who are sporting objectives. Translated into simple words: if you pay me well, I will also play for the worst team, knowing full well that salary caps and drafts allow personal ambitions to not necessarily be locked away in a drawer and subjected to the pure financial aspect intelligence every franchise is able to build a winning history in the space of a few seasons, but despite this the dark periods are often easy to erase only on paper in New York, where the Jets have had 10 seasons in the last 12 years losers (more defeats than victories), one winner and one at 8-8, while the Giants did slightly better with two positive seasons. Starting from similar bases, even the most crystalline talent struggles to emerge and it is legitimate that at the head of some season can begin dreaming of a lucrative move to a more ambitious franchise. It rarely happens with quarterbacks, more often with players of other positions, such as runner. Once considered the role par excellence, in a “passing league” such as the NFL has become, the value of those who run the ball on the ground has diminished: a runner can be squeezed out and then replaced in the space of a few years, the university tank offers great choice and equally good quality. Consequently, it is unlikely that a runningback will be offered a second (or third) contract with the same team. In short, mobility is very high and the last off-season proposed two very significant transfers, that of Derrick Henry from Tennessee to Baltimore and that of Saquon Barkley from the Giants to Philadelphia. And in both cases the changes of jersey have paid very high dividends. In 12 games, Henry rushed for 1,325 yards, the fourth-best total of his nine years in the league. Barkley is doing even better as he has totaled 1,392 yards in 11 games, with an average of 126.5 per game. Which, if we project it over the 17 games of the regular season, brings a total of 2,151 yards. The performance provided on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams (255 yards, 2 touchdowns plus 47 receiving yards) convinced many analysts about the Bronx native’s chances of running for the title of MVP (best player).
His election would represent an extremely sensational event. As mentioned, the appeal of the runningback position in modern football is no longer what it was in the 1960s or 1970s. It is no coincidence that the last 11 MVPs have all been awarded to quarterbacks. To find a runner you need to go back to 2012, when Adrian Peterson (Minnesota) won, capable of running 2,091 yards. If Barkley were to actually reach 2,151, not only would he break through a 2,000-yard barrier that only eight runners have managed to break, but he would even surpass the all-time record, the one set in 1984 by Eric Dickerson (Los Angeles Rams) with 2 ‘105 yards (but in only 16 games compared to 17 nowadays).
In the last 24 years, only three other runners have been named MVP: Marshall Faulk (St. Louis Rams) in 2000, Shaun Alexander (Seattle Seahawks) in 2005 and LaDainian Tomlinson (San Diego Chargers) in 2006, but none of the three had surpassed the 2,000 yard wall. Barkley, after six seasons in the Big Apple during which he had never reached the current 1,392 yards (only three seasons above 1,000), signed a three-year contract for a fee of 38 million with the Eagles and he immediately became a focal point of the offense led by Jalen Hurts. It is no coincidence that in the NFC Philly, with a record of 9-2, is currently the only real alternative to the dominance of Detroit (10-1), although Minnesota (9-2, but appears in slight drop in performance) and Green Bay (8-3). On the other hand, Washington’s ambitions seem to have been sheathed, defeated for the third consecutive time (7-5). It’s no coincidence that the Commanders lost momentum starting in Week 7, when Jayden Daniels injured his ribs. Between weeks one and nine the percentage of completes had reached 71.5%, then dropped to 59.1% in the next two games and settled at 65.8% on Sunday against Dallas. However, it is true that the defeat against the Cowboys cannot be attributed solely to the young quarterback, given that in the fourth quarter both teams did all sorts of things. Among other horrors, the Commanders missed the additional point of the tie and suffered two scores on kickoff returns, the second even on an “onside kick”, which was necessary after the error in the touchdown conversion.
We have reached three quarters of the season and we are entering the hottest phase of the championship, with a fight to the end… victory for access to the playoffs. However, the thirteenth day, characterized by the anticipation of Thanksgiving Day, offers a bit of respite as regards the clashes at the top. The most interesting one will pit Philadelphia against Baltimore on Sunday, with the Ravens potentially just one game behind Buffalo and two behind Kansas City (the reigning champions continue to win, but not to convince). The Bills will host San Francisco, in what could have been a top-ranking clash, but the 49ers have a 5-6 record, largely affected by absences. Let’s be clear, every team has its injured players, but when you lose (in alternating periods) Aiyuk, Samuel, Kittle, McCaffrey, Williams, Bosa and Purdy you have to move to the cash register.
The most interesting match on Thursday will be the one between Green Bay and Miami, with the Dolphins recovering after Tua Tagovailoa’s return from yet another concussion. But to continue to hope for the playoffs, the Fins will have to prevail in Wisconsin, where the temperature will fluctuate between minus 6 and zero degrees. Tua and his companions are eager to change their recent history and prove that dolphins can swim even in freezing waters…
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Week 12: Cleveland – Pittsburgh 24-19. Carolina – Kansas City 27-30. Chicago – Minnesota ot 27-30. Houston – Tennessee 27-32. Indianapolis – Detroit 6-24. Miami – New England 34-15. NY Giants – Tampa Bay 7-30. Washington – Dallas 26-34. Las Vegas – Denver 19-29. Green Bay – San Francisco 38-10. Seattle – Arizona 16-6. LA Rams – Philadelphia 20-37. LA Chargers – Baltimore 23-30
Week 13: Detroit (10-1) – Chicago (4-7). Dallas (4-7) – NY Giants (2-9). Green Bay (8-3) – Miami (5-6). Kansas City (10-1) – Las Vegas (2-9). Atlanta (6-5) – LA Chargers (7-4). Cincinnati (4-7) – Pittsburgh (8-3). Jacksonville (2-9) – Houston (7-5). Minnesota (9-2) – Arizona (6-5). New England (3-9) – Indianapolis (5-7). NY Jets (3-8) – Seattle (6-5). Washington (7-5) – Tennessee (3-8). Carolina (3-8) – Tampa Bay (5-6). New Orleans (4-7) – LA Rams (5-6). Baltimore (8-4) – Philadelphia (9-2). Buffalo (9-2) – San Francisco (5-6). Denver (7-5) – Cleveland (3-8)
