The Eagles’ New RB Hero: Coaches Celebrate Unexpected Star’s Recent Striking Performance in
In Week 15, when the Philadelphia Eagles were stranded deep in their own territory on a drive in the fourth quarter, they called on a fan-favorite running back to march the team down the field and ultimately ice out the game on a near-quarter-spanning drive: Saquon Barkley Kenneth Gainwell.
That’s right, with a win nearly in hand but Barkley shaken up from an earlier game hit, Gainwell took it upon himself to march the Eagles down the field, securing two key third downs along the way, to cap off a 27-13 win in the Battle of Pennsylvania.
Discussing what he saw from Gainwell in the game and how cool it was to see him shine in such a marquee game, Kellen Moore complemented number 14 for always being ready, as he’s an important part of the team both now and into the future.
“Kenny is the best. Just to have a guy behind [RB] Saquon [Barkley] like Kenny, who’s played very valuable roles in this league for a number of years now. A guy who, in a lot of other circumstances, is probably getting a lot more touches, a lot more opportunities. The way he handles himself and the way he prepares is second to none,”
“And the way he and Saquon team up on this thing and rally together, and [RB] Will [Shipley] is in that equation as well, I think it’s a really special group. There are no egos. They’re all in it for each other. I think Kenny has done an excellent job when he is called upon and given that opportunity, he takes advantage of it. His ability to play in space, he made some big-time plays.”
Is Moore on the money? Would Gainwell be playing a bigger role on another team or even this one if he wasn’t RB2 to the reigning rushing champ? It’s hard to say, but when the Eagles needed him to step up, the pride of Memphis did just that, and fans in Philadelphia couldn’t have been prouder
