PHILADELPHIA, PA. (BLACK & BLUE KICKOFF LIVE) — Two of the top running backs this season will battle it out in the city of brotherly love as the Panthers take on the Eagles.
Chuba Hubbard (6th) and Saquon Barkley (1st) are each having career years. Hubbard is on pace to be Carolina’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Christian McCaffery in 2019, and Barkley is 607 yards away from passing Eric Dickerson for the most rushing yards in NFL season- a record that was set 40 years ago.
The Eagles (10-2) have won its last eight games largely in part due to Barkley’s impressive season and making a case for the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award (which hasn’t been won by an RB since Adrian Peterson in 2012, also the last time a non-QB has won it).
The Panthers’ defense has been weak all season and allows the 2nd-most yards per game (392.1) to opposing offenses. Meanwhile, the Eagles’ offense has the third-most yards per game (377.7).
The Panthers’ offense has been surging since the bye in Week 11, averaging 25 points over the last two games. If Bryce Young and the Panthers can keep pace with Jalen Hurts and the Eagles, we could be in for a shootout at Lincoln Financial Field.
Even though the Panthers are 13.5-point underdogs to the Eagles on Sunday, the last three times these teams met have all been decided by five points or less. The last meeting was in 2021 where the Eagles won 21-18. Carolina is 5-8 against Philly all time.
Sunday’s game between the Panthers and Eagles starts at 1 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field on FOX Charlotte.
