Saquon Barkley looks offside in Giants return.
In other words, the Giants played their star running back Monday night for the first time in five games, but Barkley didn’t act in a 30-10 loss to the Buccaneers as he has in his past prime, or even as he did just before injuring his ankle.
Playing for the first time since the freak Oct. 10 accident of stepping on an opponent’s foot that caused a severe ankle sprain, Barkley rushed six times for 25 yards and added six receptions for 31 yards. Not enough touches or production, especially thinking about Oct. 3 and the way Barkley led the Giants to a return win with two late touchdowns against the Saints.
“Obviously upset with the result,” Barkley said, “but it feels good to go back there. I just have to get back to work and improve every week. ”
Barkley was a lot like his return from other injuries, whether it was in the first three games of this season after last year’s ACL tear (averaging 3.4 yards per carry) or the first seven games of his return to midseason for a sprained ankle in 2019 (averaging 3.1 per carry).
“It’s kind of frustrating having to sit back and go back and feel like I was in Week 1, getting my feet back,” Barkley said. “That comes with wasting a little time and getting my body back. I’m going to do whatever it takes to bring my brain, my feet and my legs together. ”
This was always going to be a difficult task for Barkley’s return. The Buccaneers have the tightest running defense in the NFL (79.8 yards per game). Running blocker Vita Vea didn’t play and Giants left tackle Andrew Thomas came back, catching a 2-yard touchdown pass on a trick play, no less, but those lineup changes weren’t enough to tip the balance at the ground in favor. from one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL.
The Giants have asked Barkley to beat the odds against him since he was the second pick in the 2018 draft.
“If you don’t win the line of scrimmage,” Thomas said, “it makes it harder for the skill. [position] guys to do their job. If we turn the ball around, we struggle with protections, we don’t run the ball well, it will be difficult to win in the NFL.”
Giants coach Joe Judge blamed the coaching staff more than the players for the offensive failures against the Buccaneers. Barkley doesn’t see it that way.
“Sometimes instead of pointing the finger, you have to point the thumb,” Barkley said. Look at yourself in the mirror. If I go out and make more plays, or this person or that person makes more plays, it’s not even a conversation. We have to assume that we as players and go make the plays.”