Former New York Giants great Tiki Barber, who knows a thing or two about playing running back in the NFL, had some harsh criticism of current Giants star rusher Saquon Barkley on his CBS Sports Radio program on Tuesday.
“Saquon Barkley, he might not be an every down back. He cannot pass protect. And it is starting becoming glaring. It’s probably the only issue he had to deal with coming into the NFL [because] he wasn’t asked to do it at Penn State,” Barber said. “You see him diving on the ground, not sticking his head into people’s chest…
“It’s going to be a liability. People see it now — it’s on tape. It’s going to come out.”
Barkley was shut down by the Pittsburgh Steelers in Monday night’s 26-16 loss gaining just six yards on 15 carries. Barkley also missed some blocks and failed to pick up at least one blitz.
“If you watch him for the last couple of years, he doesn’t want to block,” Barber added. “If you can’t block, you can’t be on the field on third down. You just can’t because know those high-blitz and dog downs.
“Saquon Barkley is a big man, [but] he doesn’t want to his anybody. It’s frustrating to watch.”
Barber could be right about Barkley here, but if he is, this is something new. Barkley has not been shy about making contact — either as a blocker or a runner — in his first two seasons with the Giants despite his struggles in pass protection.
Nothing against Barber — who had Hall of Fame talent — but he ran behind some the greatest offensive lines in Giants history. As great as he was its doubtful that he — or any running back for that matter — could have had success in that situation.
Barkley was running behind an untested line on Monday night and was also playing his first game in a new offensive scheme. Assignments were being blown left and right against one of the NFLs’ most proficient and aggressive defensive fronts in the Steelers.
Earlier this year, as I reported in May, Barber was singing the praises of Barkley predicting that he was going to “crush” his Giants records.
This is either just frustration on Barber’s part because he wants Barkley to do well and wants to get the message to him without telling him to his face, or jealously. It could be a little of both but its not something that I think will turn into a full blown feud.
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