When running back, Saquon Barkley decided to leave the Giants and join the eagles, New York’s biggest division foe, and many viewed the decision as a gut punch and a betrayal.
In reality, it’s neither. Barkley reportedly didn’t even get an offer from the Giants before the start of free agency, and the Giants might be better off apart than they would have been together.
Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports believes the Giants’ decision not to allocate the money it would have probably taken for the two sides to continue their relationship was a wise one given what transpired during their first six seasons together.
The Giants built a team around Barkley over the last six years but have just a playoff win and a 34-64-1 record to show for it. They were wise to move on from Barkey, not make an offer, and allocate their money elsewhere.
From Barkley’s perspective, he now gets to play behind a more established offensive line, something he didn’t have in New York during his career, and in a better offense.
The running back also goes to a system that could tap into more of his skills as a receiver, something the Giants didn’t do much of beyond his rookie season when he had a career-high 91 receptions on 121 pass targets.
Daniel Jones
After Daniel Jones returned from a three-game absence due to a neck injury, he injured his right knee in the second quarter of the Giants’ 30-6 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Coach Brian Daboll, while optimistic, is also preparing for the worst-case scenario.
Jones felt his knee buckle but initially tried to run it off before realizing he couldn’t continue. Daboll emphasized the need to prepare the next quarterback, whether it’s Tommy DeVito, Matt Barkley, or another player.
With a week to prepare for a road game against division rival Dallas, the Giants face the challenge of an ineffective offense. They haven’t scored an offensive touchdown in the first quarter all season and have struggled to surpass single-digit points in many games.
At 2-7, the Giants have already matched their loss total from the previous season, making it mentally tough for players like Saquon Barkley, who emphasize the need to keep fighting despite the adversity.
However, stability at the quarterback position remains a significant challenge. With veteran backup Tyrod Taylor sidelined due to injury, the Giants are left with inexperienced options like DeVito and Barkley, posing a significant challenge for the team moving forward.
DeVito is an undrafted rookie from Illinois who made his NFL regular-season debut in last week’s loss to the Jets when he played the final 2 1/2 quarters after Taylor left. He was15 of 20 for 175 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions Sunday.
Looking lost often, the Giants tied for the seventh-largest halftime deficit in franchise history after being held scoreless through two quarters when the Raiders took a 24-0 lead into the locker room.
Las Vegas’ defense produced eight sacks, marking the fourth time this season the Giants were sacked at least seven times.
Not a good sign when the Giants had both tackles on their offensive line back for the first time since Week 1. Andrew Thomas was out since the opener with a hamstring injury and Evan Neal missed the last two with an injured right ankle.
Adding to the injury list, Neal said he’ll get an MRI on his left ankle Monday and added that this injury feels similar to the previous one. Also, New York cornerback Adoree’ Jackson suffered a concussion.
Certainly not welcome news for a unit that had allowed a total of 34 points over their last three games and was torched by a Las Vegas offense that hadn’t produced 20 points all season. The only time the Raiders got past the 20-point mark, a defensive sack for a safety pushed their final tally to 21.
New York’s defense didn’t lay a hand on Raiders rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell until the fourth quarter when Micah McFadden applied pressure.
“They did a good job early in the game, running the ball, hitting some big plays, took advantage of the opportunities that they had,” Daboll said.
With injuries mounting, the Giants have to find new ways to step forward — again.
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