Eagles-Rams: Saquon Barkley erupts with 255 rushing yards as ...

The last time a running back won NFL MVP was 12 seasons ago. Adrian Peterson got it after rushing for more than 2,000 yards.

The last time a running back was MVP without 2,000 rushing yards in a season or breaking an NFL single-season touchdown record was Emmitt Smith in 1993.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is going to make it hard on voters to pick just the best quarterback available for MVP this season.

Barkley added to his remarkable season with another huge game, and this one was in prime time. Barkley was unstoppable as he ran over, around and past the Los Angeles Rams. Barkley rushed for 255 yards, passed 1,500 yards from scrimmage on the season, and the Eagles cruised to a 37-20 win. Barkley's rushing total was the ninth highest in a game in NFL history and the most in Eagles history.

The victory puts Philadelphia's record at 9-2 for the season. With the Washington Commanders’ loss on Sunday, the Eagles lead the division by three games with six to play.

Barkley could end up with 2,000 yards this season. He’s on pace for it, with 1,392 yards through 11 games. That's a career high for Barkley with six games to go. That might get him enough MVP votes to win the award. But as the Eagles surge toward an NFC East championship Barkley’s case keeps getting stronger, regardless of if he hits the magic 2,000 number.

The New York Giants blew it this offseason. Saquon Barkley is clearly a first-team All-Pro this season and so is Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney, who is tied for the NFL lead in interceptions. The Giants let both leave in free agency this offseason.

Even worse, the Giants made Barkley look like a mostly average running back for many seasons. The same Barkley who is electrifying the NFL and revitalizing Philadelphia’s offense didn’t even break 1,000 yards rushing on the Giants last season. Barkley must be thrilled to be with a legitimate NFL operation this season.

The Eagles don’t usually spend much on running backs, but made Barkley an exception. They must have seen how the Giants were wasting his talent and how their stellar offensive line could turn him back into a star.

Barkley has been dominant since the Eagles’ Week 1 win over the Packers. The Eagles got another brilliant performance on Sunday night.

The game was mostly in hand with less than three minutes left, but Barkley broke a 72-yard touchdown run to punctuate his massive night. It’s not easy to break long touchdowns like that in the NFL, but Barkley has made it look routine this season.

Since its bye week, Philadelphia is 7-0. If there’s an NFC team that could go to Detroit and knock off the Lions in the playoffs, the Eagles are the most obvious answer.

Barkley carried the day on Sunday, but the defense has quickly become one of the NFL’s best. The Rams have a potent offense when they’re healthy, and in a pivotal second quarter they had -6 yards on four possessions. As Philadelphia picks up new coordinator Vic Fangio’s scheme, there has been steady improvement on that side of the ball.

And the offense has plenty of options. Barkley just transformed the Eagles’ run game. Now they have a superstar who is capable of big plays and massive games, a player who can turn what should be a failed play into something positive more often than not.

If that sounds like a good MVP candidate, it’s because he is. Defenses can’t stop Barkley this season. The only thing that might stop him might be recent MVP voting history.