He was so hyped — over-hyped, really — as he began being linked to the Giants that his addition seemed like a no-brainer. He put on a show at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, and, just like that, he was SuperSaquon Barkley.
He was drafted so high — over-drafted, really — when he came to the Giants with the No. 2 overall pick in 2018 that there was immediate euphoria, but also some trepidation. Sure, it looked as if Barkley would be great, but the position where he would achieve that greatness — running back — was becoming devalued in a league increasingly emphasizing the passing game and a running back-by-committee approach.
He was so good in his debut season — the runaway winner of the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award — that it felt possible the heavily muscled, thighs-the-size-of-boulders Barkley might be able to live up to the outsized expectations thrust upon him.
Now, that’s not quite so clear. Yes, there have been long runs and stirring touchdowns, but there also has been reconstructive knee surgery and high and low ankle sprains that have kept Barkley off the field and put his stardom on pause.
As the Giants clinched their first playoff berth since 2016 with Sunday’s 38-10 demolition of the Colts, much of the focus was directed at Daniel Jones, who threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more. Saquon? He was there, as well.
But the Giants had no trouble putting together their highest-scoring output in 43 games minus huge numbers from Barkley. He was called on just 12 times to run the ball, and he produced 58 rushing yards, third on the team behind Jones (11-91) and Matt Breida (9-59). Barkley averaged 4.8 yards per attempt, and his longest run went for 19 yards.
This was a rare case when the Giants did not need any more from their franchise running back — he also caught two passes that lost a combined five yards — but it feels as if everyone always wants more from Barkley.
Even Barkley himself.
“Saquon was running hard,’’ coach Brian Daboll said. “Saquon is … always coming to the sideline, and you can see it in his eyes: Every time he touches the ball, he wants to go 80. So, I’m like, ‘Hey, buddy. That was a really good 2-yard run.’ And he’s [upset]. So, I’m like, ‘Relax, pal. It was a good 2-yard run. It’ll come. Let’s not go outside of doing what we need to do.’’’
With one game remaining in the regular season, Barkley already has surpassed the career-high 1,307 rushing yards he amassed in 2018 as a rookie. Through Week 17, Barkley’s 1,312 rushing yards ranks fourth in the NFL, behind Josh Jacobs of the Raiders (1,608 yards), Nick Chubb of the Browns (1,448) and Derrick Henry of the Titans (1,429).
Barkley, without a contract for 2023, accomplished something vital to his future earnings: He remained healthy and on the field. Before this year, he had not played in every game in a season since 2018. Whether or not Daboll opts to rest Barkley on Sunday in the regular-season finale against the Eagles is irrelevant. Barkley is healthy and able to play a 17th game for the first time in his career.
Figure the launch point on a new deal for Barkley starts at $12 million per year, a number in the range of Henry (average: $12.6 million per year), Chubb ($12.2 million) and Dalvin Cook ($12.6 million). It is unlikely Barkley will rise to the level of Christian McCaffrey ($16 million per year), Ezekiel Elliott ($15 million) or Alvin Kamara ($15 million), but he could come close, given he is 26 years old, coming off a productive, healthy season and emerged as a key player and leader for a resurgent franchise that defied meager expectations to clinch a playoff berth and carry a record of 9-6-1 into the regular-season finale.
Unlike his rookie year, when Barkley was sensational and his team was a 5-11 dud, this time around every yard gained, every pass caught and every blitz blocked contributed to a winning product. His stats are gaudy, and, for once, led to success for the collective.
“I really don’t focus too much on the numbers,’’ Barkley said. “My goal this offseason was to get back to myself. I think everyone gets caught up in the numbers and gets caught up in the stats. I think stats are a beautiful thing, but I don’t distinguish stats like, ‘Oh, who’s this and who’s that?’ I think it’s when you turn on film, you can see how talented a guy was, and I wanted to show the Giants organization that the guy that they drafted is still here. … If you turn on the film from last year and you turn on the film from this year, whether I had better stats or I don’t, you can just tell there’s a big difference.’’
The player the Giants drafted in 2018 is still here. And, given what has transpired this season, he figures to be here for several more years.
Figuring out the playoff puzzle
Kickoff times for the games in Week 18 initially went on the NFL schedule as To Be Determined so that the league could time certain matchups to ensure the most drama and competitive equity in the final weekend of the season. This is why Giants-Eagles was put into the 4:25 p.m. window, a spot later in the day reserved for games with playoff implications. The Eagles have not yet clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
This makes for an interesting scenario. The Giants are locked into the No. 6 seed in the NFC, but do not yet know their opponent in the first round of the playoffs. They could know, however, before they step on the field at Lincoln Financial Field. If the Vikings lose to the Bears in a game that kicks off at 1 p.m., the Vikings will be the No. 3 seed and face the Giants in the playoffs at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, which would be the second time in a roughly three-week span the two teams met there.
If the Bears (3-13) aren’t able to upset the Vikings (12-4) in Chicago, the Giants will not know their playoff destination until after their own game in Philadelphia. In that scenario, if the 49ers (12-4) beat the visiting Cardinals (4-12), the 49ers will take the No. 2 seed and it will be Giants-Vikings in the first round. But if the Vikings beat the Bears and the 49ers lose to the Cardinals, the Giants will face the 49ers.
X marks the spot
In his first game off the non-football injury list, Xavier McKinney played 83 percent (48) of the total snaps on defense. He had seven tackles in Sunday’s one-sided victory over the Colts, misplayed a ball in the air that resulted in a 49-yard reception for Parris Campbell and did not hold onto what should have been an interception.
“I’m tired as hell,’’ McKinney told The Post with a smile after his first action since Oct. 30.
McKinney fractured three fingers on his left hand during the bye week when the Can-Am all-terrain vehicle he was in overturned during a sightseeing tour in Cabo San Lucas.
“It’s a big relief,” McKinney said. “I’m just happy to be back. At times this game is taken for granted. You never know when it might be your last snap. … I’m just happy about life because a lot of things could have went wrong and it could have been more than just a broken hand. I’m just happy I’m still here with the guys and out there with them.’’
McKinney said in addition to the normal bumps and contact in a game, he purposely made sure to knock his left hand around a bit to make sure it could hold up to the pounding.
“To see how much I could take of it,’’ he said. “Everything was fine, I had no problems with it.’’
Asked and answered
Here are two questions that have come up recently that we will attempt to answer as accurately as possible:
Matt Breida looked pretty good running the ball against the Colts. Has he been under-utilized?
There might be something to this. Breida has been more than a seldom-used backup running back in his six-year NFL career. He has had as many as 153 rushing attempts and as many as 814 rushing yards in a single season, both with the 49ers in 2018. Since 2020, though, Breida has not seen a lot of action while playing for the Dolphins, Bills and Giants. This season, he has just 50 rushing attempts and 192 yards, though he has appeared in all 16 games. He also has 13 receptions for 106 yards.
The Giants want the ball in Barkley’s hands as often as possible. And every rushing attempt for Breida is a rushing attempt that does not go to Barkley. We get it. But having them on the field together does create potential mismatches for the opposing defense. Breida looked quick and decisive rushing for 59 yards on nine attempts against the Colts. And he is a capable pass-catcher. The coaching staff has mixed and matched remarkably well this season. A slightly increased role for Breida might have been warranted.
So, is Richie James, like, good now?
There are times when the only thing to do is give credit where credit is due. It was easy, and perhaps logical, to bury James after he lost two fumbles on punt returns in the brutal loss to the Seahawks in Week 8. The next game, against the Texans after the bye week, James was replaced as the punt returner and did not play a single snap at wide receiver.
What did he do? Did he go in the tank? No, he kept quiet and kept working, and look where he is now. He led the Giants with seven receptions for 76 yards against the Colts. He has all four of his touchdown receptions in the past seven games. This after compiling a total of three touchdown catches in his first three NFL seasons with the 49ers. Perhaps even more impressive, James came to the Giants with 38 career receptions and has tallied 57 this season. When you start looking at contributions from unforeseen places, make sure you do not wait too long before looking at James.
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