Saquon Barkley and the Eagles visit the Giants looking to get back on track

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Abdul Carter could not believe Saquon Barkley had only six carries in the Philadelphia Eagles' most recent game, which was also the reigning Super Bowl champions' first defeat this season.

“I was shocked when I heard that stat,” Carter said. “I’m sure they’re going to come out and try to give him the ball.”

No better time than the present, with the Eagles visiting Carter and the New York Giants on Thursday night.

Barkley is off to a slow start, averaging just over 50 yards through five games after approaching the single-season NFL rushing record last year, and he's back at the Meadowlands to face his old team for just the second time.

Barkley torched the Giants for 176 yards and a touchdown in his anticipated return last October, with the backdrop of leaving in free agency and going to a division rival. Acknowledging he didn't know what to expect then, the emotions of the moment have dissipated.

“It is what it is,” Barkley said. “I’m just focusing on trying to get back on track and getting a big win in the NFC East.”

Barkley, the AP's 2024 Offensive Player of the Year by rushing for 2,005 yards on the way to helping the Eagles win it all, popped up on the practice participation report this week with a knee injury. He downplayed it and said it had nothing to do with his performance or the loss to Denver on Sunday, which dropped Philadelphia to 4-1.

“Nothing I’m too worried about,” Barkley said. “Some general soreness, and I’m excited to go play.”

The Giants know all about what Barkley can do from him doing it for them in his first six seasons in the league. Their pass rush has the potential to take over, but their rushing defense is among the worst in the NFL and will be tested in a major way.

"He’s Saquon Barkley, great running back," nose tackle Dexter Lawrence said. “We’ve got to stop the run. We understand that.”

New York fell to 1-4 after committing five turnovers in a loss at New Orleans. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart had three of them: two interceptions and a fumble.

Dart is making his third professional start. He won his first on Sept. 28 against the Los Angeles Chargers, and the Saints game was a jolt back down to earth and a pause in the Giants' Dart-y party.

“This was my first loss in the NFL and, just being realistic, it’s not going to be my last,” Dart said. “Trying to come back, identify the things I need to work on (while) at the same time being able to say things I did well and then try to carry those over to the next week.”

Barkley and QB Jalen Hurts downplayed the significance of a meeting they held with receiver A.J. Brown after a tough offensive performance against Denver and declined to get into the specifics of what was discussed.

Barkley described it more as a meeting among friends, but said: "The focus was all about the team.”

“When you hear ‘players’ meeting,’ that’s like all hell’s breaking loose. It wasn’t that at all,” Barkley said. “But also that we’re teammates. We’re all friends. We’re just having a conversation.”

Hurts also said it wasn’t finger-pointing time inside the locker room. Under first-year coordinator Kevin Patullo, every key Eagles offensive player has seen a significant dip in production from last season.

Brown stirred the pot when he went silent after a win at Tampa Bay and wrote only a cryptic social media post that seemed to indicate he was unhappy with his role. Brown later clarified all was good, though his production wasn’t much better against the Broncos, when he had only five catches.

Even with the star power of Hurts, Barkley, Brown and fellow wideout DeVonta Smith, the Eagles rank 30th out of 32 teams offensively and 31st in passing.

“It’s just us talking about the collective, talking about taking ownership for what we can and talking about how we move forward as a team so we continue to find ways to win games,” Hurts said.

Left guard Landon Dickerson is out after injuring his left ankle against Denver. The three-time Pro Bowl lineman appeared to get hurt when a teammate rolled over his leg on a block.

Dickerson needed meniscus surgery on his right knee during training camp, but was still in the lineup for the opener 22 days afterward. He later suffered a back injury.

Brett Toth filled in for Dickerson against the Broncos and figures to get the start against the Giants.

“He’s just a reliable guy that can do multiple things and is good at multiple things,” coach Nick Sirianni said.

Toth first signed with the Eagles in 2019 and has been waived by them twice. He signed for a third stint in 2023 and has been a veteran backup presence when needed on the offensive line.

“We trust him. He’s done a good job when he’s gone it at time when we’ve needed him,” Sirianni said. “He’s extremely tough, mentally, physically. There’s a reason he’s been with the Philadelphia Eagles as long as he’s been with the Philadelphia Eagles.”

Tyrone Tracy, Barkley's successor in the lead role in New York is expected to return after missing the past two games with a right shoulder injury.

Tracy and rookie Cam Skattebo, who also fumbled at New Orleans, are expected to share the bulk of the rushing load, with Devin Singletary mixed in.

“If y’all see me out there, that means my confidence is through the roof,” Tracy said Tuesday. “I will always go out there and try my best to put my team in a great situation. If I can’t do that, then I don’t want to play.”

AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston in Philadelphia contributed.

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New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler (2) runs against New York Giants linebacker Abdul Carter (51) in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) works in the pocket against the New Orleans Saints in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts looks to pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

FILE - Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) yells at New York Giants linebacker Tomon Fox (45) during an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger, File)

FILE - Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) carries the ball against the New York Giants during the third quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

BEIJING (AP) — Breaking with the United States, Canada has agreed to cut its 100% tariff on Chinese electric cars in return for lower tariffs on Canadian farm products, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday.

Carney made the announcement after two days of meetings with Chinese leaders. He said there would be an initial cap of 49,000 vehicles on Chinese EV exports to Canada, growing to 70,000 over five years. China will reduce its tariff on canola seeds, a major Canadian export, from about 84% to about 15%, he told reporters.

“It has been a historic and productive two days,” Carney said, speaking outside against the backdrop of a traditional pavilion and a frozen pond at a Beijing park. “We have to understand the differences between Canada and other countries, and focus our efforts to work together where we’re aligned.”

Earlier Friday, he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping pledged to improve relations between their two nations after years of acrimony.

Xi told Carney in a meeting at the Great Hall of the People that he is willing to continue working to improve ties, noting that talks have been underway on restoring and restarting cooperation since the two held an initial meeting in October on the sidelines of a regional economic conference in South Korea.

“It can be said that our meeting last year opened a new chapter in turning China–Canada relations toward improvement,” China's top leader said.

Carney, the first Canadian prime minister to visit China in eight years, said better relations would help improve a global governance system that he described as “under great strain.”

He called for a new relationship “adapted to new global realities” and cooperation in agriculture, energy and finance.

Those new realities reflect in large part the so-called America-first approach of U.S. President Donald Trump. The tariffs he has imposed have hit both the Canadian and Chinese economies. Carney, who has met with several leading Chinese companies in Beijing, said ahead of his trip that his government is focused on building an economy less reliant on the U.S. at what he called “a time of global trade disruption.”

A Canadian business owner in China called Carney's visit game-changing, saying it re-establishes dialogue, respect and a framework between the two nations.

“These three things we didn’t have,” said Jacob Cooke, the CEO of WPIC Marketing + Technologies, which helps exporters navigate the Chinese market. “The parties were not talking for years.”

Canada had followed the U.S. in putting tariffs of 100% on EVs from China and 25% on steel and aluminum under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Carney’s predecessor.

China responded by imposing duties of 100% on Canadian canola oil and meal and 25% on pork and seafood. It added a 75.8% tariff on canola seeds last August. Collectively, the import taxes effectively closed the Chinese market to Canadian canola, an industry group has said. Overall, China's imports from Canada fell 10.4% last year to $41.7 billion, according to Chinese trade data.

China is hoping Trump’s pressure tactics on allies such as Canada will drive them to pursue a foreign policy that is less aligned with the United States. The U.S. president has suggested Canada could become America's 51st state.

Carney departs China on Saturday and visits Qatar on Sunday before attending the annual gathering of the World Economic Forum in Switzerland next week. He will meet business leaders and investors in Qatar to promote trade and investment, his office said.

Associated Press business writer Chan Ho-him in Hong Kong contributed to this report.

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, speaks to the media at Ritan Park in Beijing, China, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, leaves after speaking to the media at Ritan Park in Beijing, China, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Chinese President Xi Jinping, centre, reacts during a meeting with Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney (not in the picture), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian, Pool)

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, speaks to the media at Ritan Park in Beijing, China, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, center, arrives to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian, Pool)

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, shakes hands with China's President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)