The New York Giants’ Saquon Barkley who gained the 2018 Associated Press Rookie of the Year appears to have returned in full pressure to start the 2022 season towards the Tennessee Titans.
After a ho-hum first half by the complete Giants offense that noticed quarterback Daniel Jones below a relentless barrage of strain and a zero on the scoreboard, Barkley emerged in the second half as a gamebreaker as soon as once more, flashing burst not often seen in his final three injury-plagued seasons. It could also be one week, however Barkley put up play after play that made it tough to deny he’s again to peak form.
By the finish of the Giants’ 21-20 win over the Tennessee Titans, Barkley amassed 164 speeding yards (9.1 yards per carry) and a landing on 18 carries and added 30 extra yards whereas pacing the Giants with six receptions. It was Barkley’s highest whole speeding yards since Week 16 of 2019 (189 yards).
“It’s just one game, to be honest. That’s how I look at it,” he instructed reporters. “Obviously, at the end of the day, I’m excited to get the win. But personally, I just gotta keep coming. Something that keeps sticking with me that coach (Brian Daboll) says, just enjoy the process. That’s something that I’ve been battling the last two years with rehabbing and injuries, and that’s been my mindset. So, no matter what. Win, loss, tie, I was going to come in here with the same mindset and just keep enjoying the process.”
Barkley’s efficiency was optimistic all through, however the essence of his return will be boiled down to a couple of game-defining performs. On Big Blue’s first play of the third quarter, he bounced a run exterior and streaked 68 yards down the sideline to kickstart New York’s first scoring drive. He additionally had one other impression play — a 33-yard run the place he sneaked by two converging defenders and regained his footing — at the starting of the Giants’ game-winning possession.
Both his 4-yard landing run and his two-point conversion on a shovel cross, which put the Giants up for good, displayed a capability to dance round would-be tacklers that has been lacking from Barkley’s recreation since an ACL tear and numerous ankle accidents had seemingly stripped the again of his shiftiness.
That was the story of the evening for Barkley. Rather than the plodding, uncertain runner who amassed solely 593 speeding yards in 13 video games final yr, Barkley created area with ease and welcomed explosive contact at the line to scratch out additional yards when nothing else was accessible.
His teammates had been understandably extra demonstrative in their reward than he was in talking about himself.
“He’s got it in his eyes,” broad receiver Sterling Shepard mentioned, per Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. “You see that man’s eyes. Locked in, focused. Man’s a dog, bro. People better stop playing with that man.”
That one thing Shepard noticed in Barkley’s eyes translated to the subject. He appeared to be the Barkley of outdated at each alternative, and if he is in a position to add extra performances like that in the coming weeks, the offense Daboll is bringing from Buffalo has greater than sufficient room to develop.