Saquon Barkley

Eli Manning Has Greatly Improved His Play Since The Bye Week

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When the New York Giants started off the season at 1-7, fans were quick to point fingers. Many placed blame on the coaching staff, the offensive line, and the quarterback, Eli Manning. Going into the week 9 bye, Manning had a total of eight passing touchdowns and six interceptions (an average of one touchdown per game and .75 interceptions per game). These statistics were less than impressive and were the reason many fans blamed Eli Manning for the horrible start to the season.

The New York Giants came out of the BYE strong:

Coming out of the bye week the Giants had a winnable matchup with the 49ers in San Francisco. But in order to win, the Giants needed a big game out of Eli Manning. Manning delivered with a three touchdown performance that included a game winning drive in the final minutes of the game. Since the bye week, the Giants have won four of their five games. Much of this turnaround can be attributed to the improved play of Manning.

Since the bye week, Manning has thrown a total of 10 touchdown passes and only 2 interceptions (an average of 2 touchdowns per game and 0.4 interceptions per game). That is a huge improvement and has been a key component to the Giants recent success.

A New Game Plan:

The Giants have altered their game plan drastically since week one. They started the season off as a balanced team that refused to throw the ball downfield. The game plan consisted of constant check downs to Saquon Barkley. That game plan has changed in recent weeks as the Giants have become a run-first team. Barkley is now the center piece of the offense, and that has helped Eli Manning tremendously. The run game has opened up the passing game and given the offense the ability to throw it past the sticks more often.

Eli Manning’s New Role:

Eli Manning has a new role in the Giants offense. He’s no longer a playmaker; he is a game manager. At this point in his career, this is how it needs to be. He isn’t going to gain a ton of yardage and have 45 drop backs per game anymore, but that’s a good thing. Barkley can carry the load while Manning manages it and holds it all together. This is a formula that has lead to success in the latter part of this season. The Giants still have a chance at making the playoffs. It is a slim—very slim— chance, but it is a chance nonetheless. And they would not have this chance if not for the improved play of Manning.

If Eli can continue to play at a high level for the rest of the season, he could earn himself another season in Big Blue. If the Giants feel confident in Manning’s ability to play like this consistently, they could draft a quarterback (maybe Dwayne Haskins Jr.) and groom him with Manning next season. Of course, Barkley is the key to all of this. Him being such a dominant force has paved the way for a solid second half to the season for Eli. This is a formula that could certainly be continued next season, and expanded upon the season after with a new quarterback on a rookie deal.

Just How Great Has Saquon Barkley Been For The New York Giants?

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The New York Giants are in the middle of another lost season. Through twelve weeks, the Giants are a measly 3-8. The team has not shown much improvement from last year’s disastrous campaign. However, this disappointing season has come with one awesome silver lining in the backfield. That silver lining goes by the name of Saquon Barkley.

Saquon Barkley Has Delivered On High Expectations:

Running back Saquon Barkley was drafted by the Giants with the second overall picks in this year’s draft. The Giants took Barkley ahead of notable quarterback prospects Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen. This decision was considered widely controversial all offseason.

While some may still say they should have taken a quarterback, no one will deny the fact that the Giants got the best player in the draft with Barkley. He had high expectations going into the season due to where he was drafted. Through eleven games, Saquon has surpassed these expectations by putting up an incredible 1,410 yards from scrimmage with ten total touchdowns. Barkley is also averaging an impressive 4.8 yards per carry. He is also fourth in the league in rushing yards with a total of 829 yards.

This is especially impressive when you consider he is only receiving 15.5 rushing attempts per game. This means that, in theory, if Barkley received as many attempts per game as the league’s leading rusher Ezekiel Elliot (19.7 a/g), he would have 1,040 yards, just 35 yards shy of the league lead. Perhaps the most impressive statistic of them all is that Barkley has a total of zero fumbles on the season. This is an incredible statistic considering he is only a rookie. The rookie out of Penn State also leads all rookies in the league in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.

The Human Highlight Machine:

Playing in a big market like New York, it was expected that Barkley’s play would be put under a microscope. Every highlight would get more attention, and so would every mistake. However, there has not been many mistakes, but there has been plenty of highlights. Saquon has four touchdowns of 50+ yards already, including this beauty from Sunday’s most recent loss in Philadelphia:

Barkley has proven he can also be a serious receiving threat out of the backfield with four receiving touchdowns so far this season (also check out how he flew about fifteen feet through the air at the end of this one):

If those plays were not enough to wow you yet, just try to count how many defenders Barkley makes miss on this screen pass:

Barkley has played an almost perfect season of football so far for the Giants. From breaking rookie records to creating historic highlights, Saquon has proven he will be one of the best backs in the league for years to come. His play so far this season has solidified him as the top candidate for offensive rookie of the year.

Saquon Barkley Powers The New York Giants For Third-Win: Recap

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New York Giants

The New York Giants‘ offense finally looked like the offense that fans were expecting to see heading into the season. Coach Pat Shurmur gave the Buccaneers defense a heavy dose of Saquon Barkley.

Barkley finished the day with 27 carries for 142 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. On top of that, Barkley added two receptions for 10 yards and one receiving touchdown. Eli Manning was sharp to start the game, completing his first 11 pass attempts (tying a career high). Manning finished the day with an incredible 94% completion percentage (17/18), 231 yards, and two touchdowns.

He connected on red zone touchdown passes with Barkley and Beckham Jr.

The Giants’ defense gave Ryan Fitzpatrick a rough time early on, forcing three interceptions. Defensive backs Michael Thomas and Curtis Riley each got their first interceptions of the season. Janoris Jenkins dropped an easy interception that was then scooped out of the air by linebacker Alec Ogletree, who then returned the interception back for a touchdown. The poor play of Fitzpatrick lead to his inevitable benching for Jameis Winston in the third quarter.

Winston came in and played a solid half of football. Once Winston came in, the defense appeared to fall asleep, letting up three big touchdown drives to keep the game close.

With a three point lead with five minutes remaining, Manning connected with Evan Engram on a 54 yard reception to get the Giants back in the red zone. This ultimately lead to Saquon Barkley’s third touchdown of the game, extending the Giants lead to ten. The defense then let up a huge touchdown to Mike Evans, but recovered the ensuing onside kick. They were then able to let Barkley run the clock down to thirty seconds and punt the ball back to Tampa Bay. B.W. Webb then finished the game, intercepting Winston with 15 seconds remaining.

Pat Shurmur called a great game. The Giants offense was able to score a season high 38 points in a huge win at home to keep the season alive. The Giants are now on a two game winning streak with a huge divisional game against the Eagles coming up next Sunday. After today’s win, Giants fans should feel hopeful that their team can achieve Odell Beckham Jr.’s goal of winning out and slipping into the playoffs. If the offense keeps up this level of play, they could have a great finish to the season.

Final Score: Giants- 38, Buccaneers- 35.

Just How Good Has Giants’ Saquon Barkley Been So Far?

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New York Giants, Saquon Barkley

When you consider the fact that the New York Giants passed over several potential franchise quarterbacks to grab Saquon Barkley with the No.2 overall pick, you have to wonder..why? Were his thigh-sized calves enough to sway your opinion, or was it ability to stop on a dime and reach his top speed in two steps. Maybe it was his massive upper body, the same body that currently holds every weight lifting record in the history of running backs at Penn State.

Barkley is a freak of nature, a bulldozer with the speed and agility of a cheetah. His vision on the field is next to none. The truth is, his tangible skills on the scratch the surface of his potential and characteristics. Barkley is a leader, a man that can step in a room and draw everybody’s attention, for the right reasons. His work ethic, positive mentality, and confidence in his teammates is simply contagious. His aura is one of maturity and humbleness.

How has Saquon Barkley looked on the field so far in 2018?

We all knew what the Giants were getting from the running back after seeing him annihilate teams at the collegiate level. Barkley has not disappointed, amassing an astonishing 519 rushing yards, 497 receiving yards, and seven total touchdowns. The young back has already surpassed 1,000 yards from scrimmage and is on pace to record over 2,000 all-purpose yards. He would be the first running back to do so in their rookie season.

The question I keep asking myself is: In hindsight, was Barkley the right pick over a player like Sam Darnold?

Darnold leads the NFL in interceptions with 14. He has had several impressive starts, but the unfortunate truth is that his inconsistencies and turnover issues have not seemed to improve after leaving USC. The same trends are once again re-surfacing. Now, I believe that the Jets simply aren’t developing him correctly. They should have allowed McGown to start the season and provided Darnold with time to learn behind a veteran. He seems too rushed into things, and often times the way you’re molded as a rookie can make or break you.

Barkley on the other hand entered the league a super-star.

Watch this mid-season highlight video. It shows a player that seems to be going into his fifth-year, and not enjoying his rookie season. Barkley is as polished as they come, and the best part about him is that he’s inexperienced. It just means he can only get better.

Giants’ Saquon Barkley Quickly Becoming Face Of The Franchise

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New York Giants, Saquon Barkley

As quarterback Eli Manning quickly fades out of the spotlight and Odell Beckham Jr. creates negative media attention, one New York Giants player has used the distractions to prove his worth as a leader and as a play-maker.

First-round rookie Saquon Barkley has been silent. His words resonate throughout the media but are blinded by the media attention that Beckham has produced. If the Giants’ star receiver was hoping to maintain his iconic stance in the NFL, he’s quickly being outmatched by the humble running back.

One of my major concerns with Beckham is his folding in the face of adversity. Given, he’s lost his fair share of games in the past few years, but creating negative attention and throwing everybody under the bus surely doesn’t help his cause. Barkley, despite carrying the offense, has assured that he must improve and that he will do whatever to takes to help his team succeed. Now, that’s what a leader is supposed to do.

How has Saquon Barkley looked so far this season for the New York Giants?

Barkley is averaging an astounding 5.2 yards per carry against one of the league’s worst offensive lines, including 811 all-purpose yards with six total touchdowns. He has been the Giants’ most lethal weapon, and his insane athletic abilities have been the silver lining this season. In fact, most are simply watching the Giants just to see the dynamic rusher.

There’s no question he will continue to grow as a player and make Sports Center worthy plays every week, but his intangible  skills as a leader will be influential for years to come, and that’s the underlying story that most are overlooking amid the madness.

 

New York Giants: Should Saquon Barkley Get More Carries This Week?

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New York Giants, Eli Manning, Saquon Barkley

It looks like the New York Giants can finally run the ball again. It’s been years since they’ve threatened other teams with their backfield, but the addition of Saquon Barkley is proving to be one that should pan out as expected. The young running back has helped the Giants in multiple areas so far and has contributed touchdowns either running the ball or receiving in every game except for the Dallas loss.

He’s also contributed more than 100 yards in every game of his NFL career so far, with both rushing and receiving included in that statistic. In fact, he kept the streak alive against New Orleans by finishing with exactly 100 yards. Against the Panthers, when Barkley had 48 yards on the ground, he made up for his lack of a rushing touchdown by scoring not one but two through the air.

In other words, you could say Barkley is living up to the hype and is showing the kind of versatility that the Giants drafted him for. His skillset has translated well from college, with his famous dips and cuts already showing up in his NFL appearances. Furthermore, Barkley’s presence on the field gives the opposing defense more to focus on and opens up other players, such as Odell Beckham Jr.

The trick play touchdown that the two scored against the Panthers is a good example of the chaos that they can cause when on the field together. So why is it that we don’t see Barkley rushing the ball more than 20 times a game? Giving Barkley the ball more has been commonly suggested as a way to help an offense that has struggled through much of the season.

In his last game, though, he had 15 rushing attempts, and against New Orleans, he had only 10. Yes, only 10 rushing attempts for the entire game. Coincidentally, that game ended up being one where the Giants were outclassed. Against Dallas, Barkley still had a relatively low amount of carries with 11 of them.

The season opening loss was when he had his highest yards total and his highest yards per carry average. Barkley has been able to handle his workload so far, and you may have wondered if this is going to result in him getting more carries as the season goes on. Well, it looks like the answer to that is a maybe.

Let’s take a look at the list of running backs this season, by rushing attempts. Barkley happens to be the youngest player in that group, after reaching the number nine spot on the list at the age of 21. He’s also the only rookie on the top ten list, which is expected after the Giants spent their number two overall pick on him.

That’s part of the reason why you’ll likely see the number of carries per game stay around the same number for Barkley. He’s already one of the top ten running backs in the league in terms of usage, and that’s only the ground game. This doesn’t include his play in the passing game at all, and it’s safe to say that Barkley ha a bigger workload than a power back who rushes the ball 17 times a game but never runs routes and makes receptions.

It’s still early in his career. He isn’t halfway through his first season as a professional. It’s important to not wear down the future star of the team with too many snaps early on, and that’s what the Giants could inadvertently do if they start giving Barkely the same carries as, say, Todd Gurley or Ezekiel Elliot.

Let’s not forget that Barkley is a rookie and that the upcoming Thursday night game against the Eagles will only be the sixth game of his career. He’s already done more than most players had at this point, and it would be better to keep that going rather than overworking him potentially.

We would all like to see Saquon Barkley run the ball more. But the truth is? He’s already carrying the ball almost as much as any back in the league. He’s also helping out in the passing game, which takes more effort than a typical viewer could notice. It’s best to not either cause his form to slump or let him get injured, especially when this season isn’t exactly one worth picking up an injury for at this point.

There will be a time when he becomes the workhorse back of the Giants. That time, though, is a little bit off into the future. Maybe later this year. Maybe next year. But it will eventually happen. Just not right now, going into Thursday Night Football against the Eagles.

Will The Giants Hold Saquon Barkley Back From Greatness?

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New York Giants, Saquon Barkley

We’re four games into Saquon Barkley’s career as a New York Giant and the Giants are anything but good. Big Blue have started the 2018-2019 season at 1-3, a very disappointing beginning for this “offensive powerhouse”…on paper.

After hiring a new General Manager, re-vamping the offensive line (kinda), and adding a dynamic running back to a healthy receiving core, you’d think we’d be off to a better start. But, that isn’t the case for our Giants.

A team with so much offensive promise but no direction, it begs me to ask the question:

Will Saquon Barkley’s career be a wasted as a New York Giant?

Side note, from the beginning, I wanted Barkley to be drafted a New York Giant. I also selfishly wanted him considering I am a Penn State Grad.  I know that the Giants needed a franchise quarterback to develop behind Eli and we thought we had one in Davis Webb, until he was surprisingly cut. Now, we’re left with Kyle Lauletta and Alex Tanney. Obviously, our quarterback of the future is a giant question mark.

Back on track.

Barkley is off to a very good start in his career and already in the Giants record books. He set the Giants single game reception record at 14 and tied the NFL single game record, with the same number, for a rookie. Barkley also has had at least 100 all purpose yards in his first 4 NFL games, looking to join Adrian Peterson and Kareem Hunt as the only players to do so in each of their first five career games. Pretty solid so far.

Fanatsic numbers to begin a career, but he could be doing a lot more with a better offensive line.  Don’t get me wrong, the offensive line as been better, slightly.  There just aren’t any holes for him to make plays, he has to create his own.  Almost too much of the workload is already being put on Saquon and it might only get worse.  Barkley is still putting up numbers with a bad offensive line, imagine what he could do with a good line.  I picture Ezekeil Elliot from the previous two years, but even better, more dynamic and versatile.

There were numerous plays last week against the New Orleans Saint that had me thinking, “I really hope Barkley’s career isn’t going to be a waste.”  It shouldn’t be a waste as long as the supporting cast around Barkley is built to maximize his abilities.  A running backs lifespan in the NFL isn’t very long, therefore, the Giants need to take advantage of his skills and production while he is young.

I do not want to see Barkley as a player that collects a bunch of great stats, is a great player, but the team never wins a championship.  Players that come to mind consist of Barry Sanders, LaDainian Tomlinson and Eric Dickerson, just to name a few.  For Barkley to not be included on this list, the offensive line needs to be re-worked, again, and a change under-center will need to occur.  Giants fans do not want to say, “We had one of the best running backs in NFL history, unfortunately, the team never won the big one with him…”

New York Giants Have Unlocked The Best In Saquon Barkley

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Some might mention that New York Giants’ rookie running back Saquon Barkley has earned a putrid 2.9 yards on 44 carries, while others would add in his two big runs that gained 92 yards on just two carries. Overall, the young back has amassed 220 total rushing yards on 46 carries, averaging out at healthy 4.7 yards per carry.

Barkley is composed of various different skill-sets, including running the ball with extreme dynamics, blocking with a strong base and upper body, and catching the ball about as well as a professional receiver. Utilizing him to the best of his abilities is tough, why? Because he’s so good at everything and you can’t simply focus on him at all times…or can you?

Over the past three weeks, the Giants have looked Barkley’s way 21 times in the passing game, which is enough to coin him as a top receiver on the team, and maybe in the league (in terms of targets and receptions). While most of them were short dump offs, he proved he can also go up and grab the high passes.

In the fourth quarter with the Giants trying to ice the game, Eli Manning threw up a pass towards the right boundary where Barkley was lined up. About 15 yards off the line of scrimmage the rookie jumped up above the defender and snagged a pass to continue the drive and ultimately get Sterling Shepard into the endzone to bring the Giants to 27 points.

The methods that head coach Pat Shurmur used to make the most of arguably his best player, were nothing next to superb. I mean c’mon, when do you ever see a running back line up as a wide-out and run an actual route that is targeted? Most of the time it’s just a distraction, but this play was focused around Barkley and the mismatches he creates.

In addition to his stellar day receiving, Barkley finished the game with a 17 carries for 82 yards, with one being a 15 yard elusive touchdown run.

What is the most impressive aspect of Saquon Barkley:

We just listed off several impressive items in regard to the powerful back, but my favorite aspect is his ability to create positive yardage from nothing. The Giants’ offensive line hasn’t been very good in the first three games, and Barkley has felt the pressure almost immediately on multiple occasions. This didn’t stop his willingness to fight and grind out the yardage to even get back to the line of scrimmage.

He’s tenacious, exciting, powerful, elusive…you name it. The Giants got a good one in Barkley, and we should continue to see him excel and improve week in and week out.

New York Giants: Saquon Barkley’s Week 2 Workload Expectations

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New York Giants, Saquon Barkley

Heading into week 2 of the regular season, the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys will be fighting to crawl out of an 0-1 hole. The team that falls to 0-2 will need to muster some serious strength to find a way out of the darkness. Expect the Giants to utilize their shiny new toy in Saquon Barkley early and often, especially since there’s very limited tape on his abilities in the NFL.

Barkley finished week 1 with two receptions on six targets. An uptick in receptions should be in the works for this week. The Cowboys have a solid defensive line, and finding a way to expose their tenacity at the line of scrimmage with be a priority.

Dallas’ top two linebackers, Sean Lee and Jaylon Smith, are both a-gap blitzers that will apply tremendous pressure on the Giants’ offense line and Eli Manning, which likely means head coach Pat Shurmur will focus on the short to intermediate passing game. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a few man-coverage shots to Odell Beckham Jr. down the sidelines.

But what should we expect from Barkley in terms of overall production in week 2?

After salvaging his regular season debut with a 68-yard touchdown run to bring the Giants within one score of Jags, the expectations are elevated against the Cowboys. There’s no doubt that he will face off against a much weaker defensive front this week, but I would never rule out a tough, physical matchup against a division rival.

If you take away Barkley’s TD run, he averaged just 2.2 yards per carry. His one big run brought him up to 5.9 yards per carry. He will have to be more efficient on first-down and hope that the right side of the line can hold up against Dallas’ best pass-rusher in Demarcus Lawrence. Shurmur should consider utilizing Rhett Ellison on the right side to help chip the defensive end to allow Barkley more time and space to maneuver.

My prediction for the game is 18 carries, 98 yards and five receptions for 47 yards and a receiving touchdown.

 

 

New York Giants: Saquon Barkley’s Injury Timetable

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Despite the return of Saquon Barkley to practice this week for the New York Giants, his injury timetable must be handled with caution and care. The Giants’ first-round pick is not expected to suit up for this weeks game against the Jets, but interestingly, his availability for the remainder of the preseason might be in jeopardy.

Although Barkley stated that he felt “really good” in his return back to the practice field, head coach Pat Shurmur is taking his injury one day at a time. In other words, risking another injury with preseason play might not be worth it given his most recent ailment. Hamstring injuries can be tricky, as they’re easily re-strained, which is why caution is necessary for the next few weeks.

How did Saquon Barkley perform in practice for the Giants?

On Wednesday, Barkley only participated in individual drills, but it was an increase from the previous days. Running a few routes and taking part in 7-on-7 drills was as far as Shurmur was willing to push his prized running back.

Barring a setback, Barkley will likely be 100% healthy once September 9th rolls around, which is why keeping him out of the remainder of preseason is a good idea. Of course, playing time is essential for a rookie trying to adapt to the speed of an NFL game, but after ripping a 39 yard run on Saquon’s first ever carry, the new regime saw everything they needed to see to make the decision to be extremely cautious.

“Well he practiced [Wednesday] as you saw. Getting him back out there,” coach Pat Shurmur said, according to ESPN. “He’s coming back from his tweak.”

Shurmur later stated, “we’ll see” in regard to seeing the running back again in live-action before week 1.

If Barkley sits out the remainder of preseason he will bring only six professional snaps into his regular season debut. While that’s not ideal, he should be more than capable of handling a full workload with no restrictions.

“Would I feel comfortable Week 1 playing? Yeah,” said Barkley. “Obviously I would love to be out there and play as quickly as I possibly can. But that’s part of the game. … When I’m able to play I have to be 100 percent ready.”

Being overly attentive to his tweak is just a precaution moving forward, and it’s entirely justified as Penn State took similar measures to guarantee his health moving into the next week.