Saquon Barkley

New York Giants: Saquon Barkley v Landon Collins – who wins in the hole?

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New York Giants, Saquon Barkley, Landon Collins

A solid group of current and past New York Giants attended Landon Collins’ charity softball event over the weekend, raising money for a good cause, but that didn’t stop the trash talk from commencing.

Collins left the Giants this past offseason in favor of the Washington Redskins and a $14 million-per-season contract. His record-breaking deal was well-deserved, but the Giants might come out better on the other side as they will save plenty of money to address positions of need in 2020.

The former Giant, however, was keen on sharing his opinion of Daniel Jones and why Dwayne Haskins was the better pick. An interesting place to make his voice heard, especially since Jones participated.

“I appreciate Daniel Jones coming out here, but I still think we got the best quarterback in the draft,’’ Collins said via the NY Post.

The New York Giants made an interesting decision at quarterback:

General manager Dave Gettleman elected to take Jones over Haskins due to his running ability and familiarity with Eli Manning and coach David Cutcliffe. So far, the 6th overall pick has progressed well and is picking things up quickly. After a year spent behind Manning, he will be ready to take over at the helm.

The most interesting thing Landon said at the softball game was in regard to Saquon Barkley or trying to tackle him. Last season, he expressed his thankfulness for not having to face off against Barkley on the opposing defense, but now things are different as he features on one of the Giants’ rival teams.

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“I was only saying that for the media,’’ Collins said. “I’ve been ready to tackle Saquon. That’s my guy, though. When I get to meet him in the hole this time it’s gonna be full-go.’’

Collins is one of the best box safeties in the NFL, excelling against the run and filling holes. Unfortunately for him, Barkley is one of the most elusive and has immense abilities in the open field. If he gets to the second level, there’s not one player that can bring him down.

However, if there was one, it would likely be Collins and his familiarity with the talented runner. Personally, I do not think he has the side-to-side quickness to react on Barkley’s agility. Add in his tree-trunk size legs and it puts Saquon at a heightened advantage. It will be exciting to see the two clash come the regular season.

New York Giants: Predicting the first 3 games of the 2019 season

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New York Giants, Saquon Barkley

Yes, it’s very early to begin predicting the outcome of games several months from now, but waiting until then is torture, so we are going to take a crack at it. The New York Giants start the season off facing the Cowboys in Arlington, then they will host the Buffalo Bills and travel to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

All of these games are winnable, but as usual, the Giants will begin the season with a tough away game against the Cowboys. Maybe one year they will shake the schedule up a bit and not put Big Blue at a disadvantage right off the bat. That’s what you get when you’re facing “Americas Team…”

Predicting the outcome of the first 3 New York Giants games:

Week 1: NYG vs Dallas

The key to beating Dallas is to throw Dak Prescott off his game, which required a consistent pass-rush and push from the defensive line. Their defense is stellar and will likely cause all types of issues for head coach Pat Shurmur and the offense. It will be the units first game post-Odell Beckham Jr., so we should see some different looks, but ultimately it comes down to Eli Manning and the offensive line.

The line must provide Manning with time if the Giants are to squeeze out a win in Dallas. Saquon Barkley will, of course, be the focal point, and expect Golden Tate to get a nice dosage of targets in his first regular season game in blue. It will be a big game for Lorenzo Carter, Oshane Ximines, and Markus Golden. They will be relied on to make plays and disrupt Prescott in the pocket.

Ultimately, it won’t be enough for a shallow pass-rush unit against one of the league’s premier offensive lines.

Score: Dallas 24 – NYG 21

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New York Giants: Should Rod Smith Or Wayne Gallman Be The Runner Behind Barkley?

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New York Giants, Wayne Gallman, Rod Smith

The New York Giants have arguably the best running back in the league with Saquon Barkley. Saquon won AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2018 behind a league-leading 2,028 total yards from scrimmage.

Saquon Barkley is a generational talent, but the Giants have a solid all-around backfield. Wayne Gallman has provided quality play as the number two back over the last two seasons. Despite this, the Giants added another running back into the mix in 2019.

The Giants signed former Dallas Cowboys running back Rod Smith earlier this offseason. Rod Smith was signed to be a solid depth piece behind Saquon Barkley, along with Wayne Gallman. Both players have been backup running backs their entire career and will have to compete to solidify themselves as the number two running back on Big Blue’s roster in 2019.

What Wayne Gallman Brings To The Table:

Wayne Gallman was drafted by the Giants in the 4th round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He was a solid running back in college at Clemson and looked to be a steal for New York in the middle of the draft.

Gallman has not found himself receiving extended playing time with the Giants thus far. Gallman was the 2nd running back on the roster in his rookie season. The Giants opted for veteran Orleans Darkwa as their starting running back in 2017. He went on to rush for 751 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Despite his limited playing time, Gallman flashed his potential in 2017. He ran the ball 111 times, gaining 476 yards on the ground with 4.3 yards per carry. Gallman also provided quality snaps as a receiver in 2017. He caught 34 passes on 48 targets for 193 yards, 5.7 yards per reception, and 1 touchdown.

Saquon Barkley can do it all, but the Giants need to be careful not to run him to the ground this early in his career. Gallman did not receive much playing time in 2018 due to Barkley’s incredible production.

In 2018, Wayne Gallman was limited to only 51 carries. He never found a major groove in 2018 as he did in 2017, averaging only 3.5 yards per carry. Gallman did, however, score his first rushing touchdown of his carer in 2018.

Wayne still added quality snaps as a receiver out of the backfield, though he lost reps there, too. His yards per reception improved to 6.4 yards, but he only caught 14 passes on 22 targets and did not score a receiving touchdown.

Wayne Gallman has been a solid backup running back for the Giants over the last two seasons. However, New York has added another running back to the mix.

Wayne Gallman has brought a nice balance of running and receiving abilities to the Giants’ backup running back position over the past two seasons. However, he will have to beat out Rod Smith for the second string position.

What Rod Smith Brings To The Table:

Rod Smith has been in the NFL for 4 years. He has only started in 2 games but has played as a second string running back in 31 games over the last two seasons.

The Dallas Cowboys had Rod Smith back up their exuberant, young running back, Ezekiel Elliot. Elliot has been one of the best running backs in the league since being drafted in 2016. “Zeke” was a First-Team All-Pro in his 2016 rookie campaign and lead the NFL in rushing yards in 2018.

Rod Smith had the opportunity to backup Elliot for the last two seasons. He is certainly used to playing behind an extra-talented running back, so backing up Saquon Barkley should be no problem for Rod Smith.

Smith struggled in 2018,  averaging just 2.9 yards-per-carry. However, he had a solid 2017 season averaging 4.2 yards-per-carry on 55 rushing attempts, totaling 232 yards and 4 touchdowns. Similar to Gallman, Smith has also demonstrated the ability to be a receiver out of the backfield.

In 2017, Rod Smith caught 19 passes on 23 targets. He racked up 202 receiving yards and 1 touchdown. This touchdown was an impressive 81-yarder scored against no other than the New York Giants.

Rod Smith was not as effective in 2018, which might be why the Cowboys decided to move on from him. He was not given many opportunities in 2018 with a decrease in carries and receptions. However, in a better offensive system with Pat Shurmur and the Giants, Rod Smith could see some quality playing time and impress as he did in 2017.

Barkley will continue to be an all-world talent for the New York Giants in 2019 and beyond, but it is imperative for the Giants to get the backup running backs in the mix in order to keep Barkley from wearing down.

New York Giants: Eli Manning proves he’s nervous about the 2019 season

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New York Giants, Eli Manning, Daniel Jones

Any normal human being would be nervous if their employer brought in a younger version of the employee in question to eventually take their job. This is currently the case with New York Giants veteran passer Eli Manning. Drafting Daniel Jones might not have rattled Eli visually, but behind closed doors, he is certainly nervous.

Receiver Sterling Shepard gave away Manning’s hand on Tuesday afternoon after the first session of minicamp concluded. The two teammates had worked together this offseason as usual, but this time Eli has amped up his workouts and conditioning program.

The New York Giants seem to have gotten the message across to Manning:

In other words, Manning seems to be practicing like his job is on the line, and to be quite frank, it is. This could be the two-time Super Bowl-winning passer’s last season if he fails to operate at a high level behind a revamped offensive line. There are no more excuses on the table for Eli, as providing him with more time is the supposed missing ingredient to his success.

My question is – is it too late for Eli?

Suffering from inadequate offensive line play for years created a type of muscle memory for Eli, one that forces him to worry at the sight of pressure and drop his eyes and lose track of his progressions. This is a very real mental part of any quarterback’s game that heavily impacts their efficiency.

For Manning, it’s detrimental he overcomes this obstacle. General manager Dave Gettleman has done everything in his power to provide him with protection and talent – Saqoun Barkley is generally all he needs to succeed.

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However, the current team seems to have shifted their focus from Odell Beckham Jr. to team chemistry and camaraderie. This is a positive sign for the organization as a whole and Manning, who will benefit from less distraction and more positivity.

Between Barkley, Shepard, Golden Tate, and Evan Engram, the Giants have plenty of weaponry to assist in Manning’s success in 2019, and he must take advantage of it or he will go missing faster than Tom Hanks in “Castaway.”

New York Giants: Eli Manning is facing a very real consequence in 2019

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New York Giants quarterback, Eli Manning.

There’s a certain reality to the justification of Eli Manning remaining the starter for the New York Giants in 2019. After suffering through years of a sub-par offensive line, Manning is finally equipped with the talent needed to succeed, especially when it comes to his protection.

General manager Dave Gettleman has prioritized the rebuild of the offensive line, casting Ereck Flowers to a faraway land to torment a rival – the Washington Redskins. Bobby Hart has scammed his way into a starting position with the Cincinnati Bengals, go figure. The Giants have brought in Nate Solder, Kevin Zeitler, Will Hernandez, and now Mike Remmers to solidify a unit that hasn’t been adequate in years.

There’s a simple fact in regards to Manning, though, his efficiency drops considerably when pass-rushers are able to infiltrate the pocket quickly. The two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback is strictly a pocket passer, with little mobility to compensate for a lack of time.

The added support in the trenches will allow him to move through his progression quicker and find himself in a better position to succeed. His performance is the determining factor on whether rookie passer Daniel Jones will take over next season and send Manning on his way towards retirement.

Luckily, Manning has been blessed by the graces of Saquon Barkley. The talented running back masked Eli’s deficiencies last season, taking four receptions for scores and averaging nearly eight yards-per-catch.

Would the New York Giants really exercise the Green Bay model?

My question is – would the Giants be willing to sit Jones for two consecutive seasons in favor of Manning at the helm? I don’t believe they will, as Jones, being the 6th overall pick, will likely be ready to take over after the impending season. He will have an offense stocked with talent and a defense built on youth.

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One of the things I have enjoyed about this offseason is that Gettleman has taken a youth agenda and applied it towards the rebuild of the team, utilizing draft capital primarily. This will provide Jones with a fresh team to work around. Building chemistry is much easier when you have young, hungry players just entering the league. I expect the Giants to look for players that fit their positive atmospheric renovation.

The bottom line, Manning will have his final shot at redemption this year, as the offensive line excuse will be cut at the neck. If he cannot function at a high level with ample time in the pocket and with ample weaponry at his disposal, there’s no question it will be his final season with Big Blue.

New York Giants: Top News 6/4 – Is Eli Manning on the chopping block?

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New York Giants

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

Featuring Eli Manning as the starter for the 2019 season is expected, but it’s likely his final shot at redemption after years of poor offensive line play. Providing him with an opportunity in front of a solid group in the trenches is fair, considering the lack of talent in recent years which forced Manning to run for his life.

Manning is a pure pocket passer with very limited mobility, making an efficient offensive front a necessity, not a luxury, an idea which Jerry Reese seemed to embody over the course of his tenure.

General manager Dave Gettleman has flipped the script on this idea and bolstered Manning’s protection with “hog mollies.” The reality is, however, if Eli can’t function behind this unit, he will have earned himself a one-way ticket to retirement. Daniel Jones will most certainly take over and be the heir to the throne.

Jones will spend the upcoming season learning and gathering every bit of information he can from the veteran quarterback, ones of the league’s best when it comes to handling negative media and game-day preparation.

I get the feeling, though, that Eli knows his days are numbered, and that 2019 could be the final chapter of his illustrious career. There’s every reason to believe he will bounce back from a Saquon Barkley plastered 2018, but he will face the ultimate test, time.

Nonetheless–

Your top news of the day!

Ed Valentine (Big Blue View) – Revenge? At this point, Giants have little to get revenge for

Phil Akre (SNY) – 4 reasons Giants fans can look forward to 2019 season

Art Stapleton (North Jersey) – NY Giants: 5 things to watch at minicamp, including anonymity for Daniel Jones — for now

Matt Williamson (Big Blue View) – Jon Halapio film study: Not a great player, but a center the Giants can win with

Alexander Wilson (Empire Sports Media) – New York Giants: A linebacker position war could be forming

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New York Giants: Top News 6/3 – Saquon Barkley is a true leader

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New York Giants running back, Saquon Barkley.

Good Morning, New York Giants fans!

It was rare to see Odell Beckham Jr. publicly display support for his teammates when he featured on the New York Giants, something Saquon Barkley does very often.

Barkley was asked about Daniel Jones over the weekend, in which he stated his advocation for the rookie passer.

“He’s really in the perfect position,” Barkley said. “You get to come to New York. You get to learn behind Eli Manning, a two-time Super Bowl MVP, a quarterback who does everything right, and is a leader and captain. When his opportunity comes, he just has to be ready for it.

Being a quarterback in New York is not easy – the constant media attention and negativity, especially after being a questionable draft pick, can often overwhelm a young player. Jones has taken the negativity in stride and has handled the media with ease since being drafted by the Giants.

Jones will sit behind Eli Manning for the next season earning his opportunity to start for the historic franchise. General manager Dave Gettleman has put the future in his hands, and Barkley believes in his new teammate, further stating that the Duke product has been exemplary so far.

Nonetheless–

Your top Giants news of the day!

Dan Benton (Giants Wire) – Giants’ Saquon Barkley had a lot to say on Saturday: 5 takeaways

Paul Schwartz (New York Post) – Chad Wheeler not backing down from Giants’ job battle: ‘Still here’

Alexander Wilson (Empire Sports Media) – New York Giants: 3 rookies that could surprisingly earn starting roles

Dan Benton (Giants Wire) – Giants’ Daniel Jones likely to ‘steal’ playing time from Eli Manning?

Henry McKenna (FTW!) – Saquon Barkley on Odell Beckham trade: ‘We’ve even grown more as a team’

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New York Giants: Saquon Barkley Believes Team Can Reach Playoffs

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New York Giants, Eli Manning, Saquon Barkley

The New York Giants look to be headed into what can, at best, be called a rebuilding year. The team replaced a large number of players and it doesn’t look like the Giants have the experience or even the raw talent to compete for the playoffs at this point in time. At the beginning of the offseason, there were even predictions that the Giants would end up with the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

There’s a difference, however, between the narrative from experts and the narrative coming out of the team itself, with the latter predictably being far more positive on the team’s chances. There’s been positive buzz during the mostly drama free OTAs, and now, running back Saquon Barkley has come on the record stating that the team is going to make the playoffs this year.

“I know why people may not think [so], but yes. I’m going to confidently say ‘yes’ until the day we are not, until the day we are eliminated from playoff potential I’m still going to say we are a playoff team. My opinion is yes,” Barkley said following his youth football camp, which was taken over from former Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

“I know we lost a lot of great talent. Obviously Odell — Odell is still a very good friend of mine — but at the end of the day it’s about team,” Barkley continued.

Barkley also brought up the example of the New England Patriots, who are known for winning based on their team despite having star player Tom Brady.

“They are guys who come out and work and do things right and win situational football and they win games. If we continue to do what we did last year, especially the second half, and win situational football and come back together as a team I don’t see why the sky is not the limit,” Barkley concluded.

The Giants did perform somewhat better in the second half of the season, but were already in too deep of a hole at that point to compete for the playoffs seriously. If the team is to make it in this year, they’ll have to push themselves harder than they did last year and keep it consistent through every game, not just the back end of the season. Whether or not this set of players, many of whom haven’t played with each other at all yet, can do it remains to be seen.

New York Giants: Saquon Barkley Confident In Rookie Quarterback Daniel Jones

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New York Giants, Saquon Barkley

The New York Giants stunned the world in the 2019 NFL Draft and selected Duke quarterback Daniel Jones with the 6th overall pick. This was a highly controversial decision and has even been called a “terrible” pick. However, the Giants’ 2018 1st-round pick completely disagrees.

Saquon Barkley, the Giants’ 2nd overall draft pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, has shown great support for the Giants’ new quarterback. The 2018 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year spoke to the media on Saturday about his new teammate.

What Saquon Had To Say About Daniel Jones:

Daniel Jones has big shoes to fill once he takes over for franchise legend Eli Manning. Manning has won two Super Bowls with the Giants in his sixteen-year career. Saquon Barkley thinks Daniel Jones can do the same:

“Everyone has something to say and right now people are saying it was an awful pick,” Barkley said Saturday at West Essex High School following his Pro Camps Youth football camp. “But, when he wait ’til he wins two Super Bowls, they’ll be saying ‘what a great pick!’”

Eli Manning has also given Daniel Jones praise during OTA’s. Manning referred to Jones as a “good kid” who “throws the ball well.” Barkley thinks Jones threw the ball especially well at the Giants’ latest practice.

Jones “went crazy” and “had himself a day” in Friday’s OTA practice, according to Barkley. Check out this perfect pass by Jones to Coleman from Friday’s practice:

https://twitter.com/GiantsQBWatch/status/1133817637203456000

Daniel Jones has been learning from Eli Manning and is patiently waiting for the day he gets to show off his “super, super strong” arm strength. Until then, Jones will continue to put in work and light up the Giants’ practices.

New York Giants: Saquon Barkley Will Face A Favorable Schedule In 2019

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New York Giants running back, Saquon Barkley.

The New York Giants selected the best player in the 2018 NFL Draft. Running back Saquon Barkley out of Penn State went on to win AP Offensive Rookie of the Year after an outstanding rookie campaign.

Barkley broke records in his rookie season. Saquon got it done on the ground with 1,307 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. This included an average of 5.0 yards per carry on 261 rushing attempts.

He got it done through the air, too totaling 2,028 scrimmage yards. His 91 receptions were a rookie running back record, and they amounted to 721 receiving yards and 4 receiving touchdowns.

Saquon’s historic rookie season is just the start. The talented playmaker is primed to top his rookie season in 2019, thanks to a favorable schedule.

Best Matchups

Saquon Barkley and the New York Giants will face some of the worst rushing defenses in the league in 2019. In fact, they will face 2018’s bottom two run defending teams in 2019. The Arizona Cardinals were the 32nd (last) ranked team in the league defending against the run, allowing 154.9 rushing yards per game. The Giants will host the Cardinals in week 7.

The Miami Dolphins were the 31st ranked team in the league defending against the run, allowing 145.3 yards per game. Saquon will get to run all over this defense in MetLife Stadium in week 15.

In 2019, the Giants also face three other teams who ranked in the bottom 10 of run defense in 2018. In week 3 the Giants will face the 17th ranked Tampa Bay Buccaneers who allowed 123.9 yards per game.

Just before the bye week, the Giants will face the New York Jets in a MetLife Bowl in week 10. The Jets had the 26th ranked run defense in 2018 with 126.3 yards per game allowed.

A few weeks later, the Giants will host the Green Bay Packers who allowed 119.9 rushing yards per game in 2018, which ranked 22nd in the league. Manning vs. Rodgers might be the headline in week 13, but do not be surprised to see Saquon Barkley steal the show.

Saquon Barkley was a highlight machine in 2018. With plenty of favorable matchups and an improved offensive line in 2019, expect to see more of the same from the young phenom.

Tough Matchups

There are plenty of favorable matchups for Saquon on the Giants’ 2019 schedule, but there are still, of course, a few tough games. The Giants will face four teams who had top 10 run defenses in 2018. Unfortunately, two of those teams are in the division, so the Giants will face those teams twice.

The two division rivals that had top 10 run defenses in 2018 are the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Giants will play the Cowboys on the road in week 1, then play them at home in week 9. Dallas had the 5th ranked run defense in 2018, allowing only 94.6 yards per game.

The Eagles had the 7th ranked run defense in 2018. They allowed only 96.9 yards per game, however, Saquon Barkley performed phenomenally against them in both matchups in 2018. In week 6, Saquon had 130 rushing yards against Philadelphia and in week 12 he had 101 rushing yards.

Saquon Barkley will face the 2018’s 10th ranked run defense in week 8 of the 2019 NFL season. The Giants will travel to Detroit to face a solid Lions defense that allowed only 110.1 rushing yards per game in 2018.

The Giants will, unfortunately, have to play the NFL’s best run defending team from 2018 this season. The Chicago Bears ranked 1st in the league allowing only 80.0 yards per game. Good news: Saquon tore that top-ranked defense up in 2018. Barkley ran for 125 yards against Chicago last year, so expect him to feast again next year.

Saquon Barkley seems to play his best football when going against his toughest opponents. Technically, since Saquon is such a talented and game-changing player, every matchup is a good matchup. Regardless, the Giants will definitely expect Barkley to tear it up all season, since he has a multitude of favorable matchups on the schedule.