Saquon Barkley Hopes to Get On Track in Giants Running Game

The heavy tape job on his ankle reminds Giants running back Saquon Barkley that he's still not 100 percent recovered from a Week 5 low ankle sprain that sidelined him for four games and which has appeared to compromise his mobility.

Barkley, who came to the league with breath-taking speed and agility, has struggled to regain his rookie year form in which he rushed for over 1,300 yards at 5.0 yards per carry.

Since then, a series of lower body injuries, the most recent of which is the aforementioned sprained ankle, appear to have slowly drained his agility and explosiveness to where his current average rushing yards per carry, 3.8, is a career low.

But don’t expect Barkley to feel sorry for himself.

“If you ever know anyone that had an ankle sprain and you go on through the season with it, it just nags here and there,” Barkley said. “That’s not the reason – I’m not going to make excuses why I haven’t been performing at a high level. I don’t believe that’s the reason.”

Ok, so what is the reason then?

Barkley didn’t say, but according to the eye test, his mind, eyes, and feet don't seem to be on the same page. That could be due to the month-long period of inactivity combined with limited practice reps.

On several occasions, Barkley looks like he’s had trouble staying on his feet or has failed to hit holes with consistent conviction while playing at game speed.

“Yeah, that’s going to continue to come back with playing football,” Barkley said. “Obviously, it’s been very unfortunate to have the injuries that I’ve had, and the biggest thing that I can see is just the lack of time that I’ve spent on the football field.

“Obviously, you can simulate it in practice and in camp and in training, in the offseason, but it’s nothing like getting back on the field. That’s only going to continue to come as I continue to just play more and continue to get back on the field. Obviously, I see stuff where I’m like, ‘Damn, like I’ve got to be better there.’ But I also see stuff where I left my feet for the first time in a minute.”

Barkley also has taken accountability for two dropped passes last week that might have otherwise helped move the chains. But to be fair to him, he’s also been operating behind an offensive line that, according to Football Outsiders, has helped running backs to average 3.58 yards per carry, 30th in the league.

If ever there was a week for Barkley and the Giants running game to get back on track, this week would be it. The Chargers run defense is ranked 31st, allowing 141.2 yards per carry.

Not that it matters to Barkley or his teammates.

“Whatever they’re ranked, it’s the NFL. They get paid a lot of money over there. Those coaches get paid a lot of money over there, too,” he said.

“We’ve got to come ready. We can’t come with the mindset that, ‘Oh, they’ve been struggling in the run game, so this should be cake walk.’ No. Obviously, we know we have to establish the run game and that starts by us, that starts by establishing the line of scrimmage, dominating the line of scrimmage and me making the right reads and me finishing the runs and getting vertical and making plays when the plays are needed to be made.”

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