NFC Championship Game key matchup: Saquon Barkley vs. Commanders' porous run D

The Washington Commanders have exceeded everyone's expectations this season, by far. They've done more in the first year of a new regime, playing behind a rookie quarterback, than anyone thought was possible. In fact, there's really only one thing they haven't been able to accomplish:

They haven't figured out a way to consistently stop the run on defense.  

And that's a big problem since Saquon Barkley is standing in their way of a trip to Super Bowl LIX.

Barkley, of course, has been a problem for everyone this season, but he figures to be an enormous issue for the Commanders (14-5) and their 30th-ranked rushing defense when they face the Philadelphia Eagles (16-3) in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday in Philadelphia. It's not just that Barkley is coming off a 205-yard performance in a divisional playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams, or even that he's averaged more than 160 rushing yards over his past four games.

It's also that he's already run all over the Commanders twice this season, totaling 296 yards on 5.4 yards per carry in two games against them this season — hardly surprising considering only two teams gave up more this season than the 137.5 yards per game Washington gave up on the ground.

"This really is the worst possible matchup for them," said an NFC scout who has seen both teams recently. "They don't get a lot of push up front. It's not the best tackling team. And it hasn't gotten better, even with (defensive tackle) Jonathan Allen returning in December.

"A team with a strong offensive line and good running back — and the Eagles obviously have both — can really dictate the pace of the game. That defense can be pushed around."

That, of course, is what the Eagles do best. They were the No. 2 rushing