[sendtonews_embed video_id=”jaoEjStv47-1671460-6173″]
The New York Giants were squashed by the Los Angeles Chargers, 37-21, on Sunday and they are on their way to another double-digit loss season, their fifth straight.
Running back Saquon Barkley, once thought to be a long-term staple of this franchise, could be at a crossroads as his performance hasn’t improved much as the season has progressed.
On Sunday, Barkley rushed 16 times for 64 yards against the Chargers’ 31st ranked rush defense. He caught three passes for 31 yards, including a 18-yard garbage time touchdown.
The Giants have Barkley on the books for $7.2 million next season after exercising his fifth-year option this spring. He is not doing much to maintain their confidence.
“Got to go back and watch film before I just give myself an honest grade,” Barkley told reporters after the game. “I felt a little more explosive today, getting comfortable getting a rock. But yeah, that’s it. I’ll go back and watch film and be able to give myself a better answer.”
The Giants rushed for 135 yards in the game (Barkley 64, Devontae Booker 56, Eli Penny 8, Mike Glennon 7) but being behind most of the game took them out of running mode.
“I know coming into the week everyone was saying what their ranking was as a defense. I said earlier in the week this is the NFL. They’ve got some studs over there,” Barkley said. “Obviously, some of the guys were banged up and weren’t out there, but I think our O-line did a really good job. We were able to get the run game going between me and Book, but at the end of the day we didn’t get the job done.”
With the score 17-7 with 1:40 remaining in the first half, the Giants got the ball on the Los Angeles 41-yard line. They went three-and-out, losing a net of two yards and punted the ball back to the Chargers with 40 seconds remaining.
With 23 seconds remaining, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert avoided the rush and fired a strike to wide receiver Jalen Guyton for a 59-yard touchdown.
Instead of the Giants narrowing the score to possibly 17-10 or 17-14, they were down, 24-7, heading into the tunnel. It was just another last minute breakdown before the end of a half.
The Giants hive been outscored, 59-0, in that area this season.
“Yeah, we’ve got to be better in that sequence as a team, play better complementary football,” Barkley said. “As a team, that’s kind of been the message and the theme all year. But at the end of the day we went into halftime, said it’s a 0-0 game. We’ve got to come back, fight, show some effort and try to come out with a dub. We didn’t do that.”
No, they didn’t. This season has truly proved to be the last straw for Giants fans when it comes to losing. There can be no more excuses, no more talk.
Fans no longer care about the names on the back of the jerseys. Loyalty is gone. It’s time to blow this thing up for good and start fresh. With the way the league is set up these days, that not as difficult as it used to be.
[vertical-gallery id=682406]