Philadelphia Eagles star Saquon Barkley had a huge following among bettors to score a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers in their wild-card playoff game, with many thinking he would capitalize on his opportunity. However, Barkley proved not only his dominance on the field, but also his strategic thinking.
With 1:09 left in the game, Barkley took a handoff and ran for 17 yards, having a wide open field in front of him. Despite having the chance to score and become the hero, Barkley opted to slide and kill the clock, securing the Eagles’ victory.
An anytime touchdown bet on Barkley was the most popular prop of the day at BetMGM, and he was also the third most popular leg of parlays at ESPNBet. Despite the backing, Barkley stressed that stats didn’t matter, and what mattered most was the win.
“It’s not about throwing for 400 yards, rushing for 400 yards or winning 3-0, I don’t give a f—, to be honest. I just want to win,” Barkley said.
Instead of being tempted to score, Barkley described it as getting the first down and staying down, ultimately finishing with 119 yards on 25 carries. The Eagles went on to win the game 22-10.