No. 1: Saquon Barkley Looked as Good as Advertised
The Giants top pick used in this year’s draft on running back Saquon Barkley looks to have been a phenomenal move.
The rookie runner started off slow, starting the game with 12 carries for just 29 yards at one point. The run blocking wasn’t great, allowing no holes for him to run through and the Jaguars defensive line is unbelievable. That made for a bad recipe at the beginning of the game.
Barkley would take his next six carries for 77 yards, One of those carries came on an amazing 68-yard touchdown run. The rookie showed off his skill set, breaking a couple of arm tackles while making a cut to the outside. No one would bring him down before he reached the end zone, making it quite the first touchdown (of many) of his young career.
Here’s the run in its entirety:
WELCOME TO THE NFL, @SAQUON! 🔥
1st TD of his career!
📺: FOX #GiantsPride #Kickoff2018 https://t.co/Pl5gOvEhAB
— NFL (@NFL) September 9, 2018
The Giants have lacked a true running game the past few seasons. The production from Barkley in Week 1 is a huge leap in the right direction for the G-Men. Barkley will be a key cog in the passing game as well, as he possesses very good catching skills as a tailback.
In this game, he was unable to get going through the air, ending the game with just two catches for 22 yards. He also won’t play many defenses as talented as the Jaguars, though, leaving room for improvement there.
Look for the Giants to get him involved very quickly in the aerial attack, next week in his first Sunday night game. If Barkley continues on his Week 1 performance, he could be on his way to snatching the Offensive Rookie of the Year award very early.