When the New York Giants selected Duke quarterback Daniel Jones sixth overall in this year’s NFL Draft, they foresaw games like the one they played in Washington on Sunday.
Visions of Jones and running back Saquon Barkley slicing up and dissenting defenses was the reason general manager Dave Gettleman selected them both.
“I think that’s kind of what they envisioned when they drafted DJ and they drafted me,” Barkley said after the Giants defeated the Redskins, 41-35 at FedEx Field. “I think we both the potential and the talent to play well together, and open stuff up for each other, and I think we showed that [Sunday], with the help of everyone else.”
Jones tossed five touchdowns and threw for 352 yards — both career highs — in his return from an ankle injury that sidelined him for the past two games.
Barkley also had a career day setting a franchise record with 279 yards from scrimmage, including a career-high 189 rushing and 90 receiving. Barkley scored touchdowns on a 67-yard run in the first quarter and a 33-yard reception in the second quarter.
Head coach Pat Shurmur called Jones’ performance ‘heroic’ and finally had something to crow about after a game as the Giants won their second in a row.
“I told the team, this is the time of year when teams can quit fighting and it’s pretty obvious to me that our guys didn’t,” Shurmur said. “They fought hard. We made enough plays to win.”
Barkley didn’t talk much about his day — he wanted to focus on Jones and his teammates.
“He’s a dog. He has that mentality,” Barkley said of Jones. “When they scored, I was like, ‘Let’s call heads,’ and we get the rock, and he already said we’d win the game. That’s the mindset he has, and that’s the approach he has with everything.”
By winning the game, the Giants likely blew their shot at drafting Ohio State edge rusher Chase Young, the player the fans have been fantasizing about. Barkley says that is not on this team’s mind.
“A lot of people probably wanted us to just lay down and lose for draft picks, but we had the mindset of a team that we want to finish the season off strong, and we have the opportunity to do that next week,” Barkley said.
The Giants host the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium this coming Sunday with a chance to knock their hated rivals from the postseason picture.
[vertical-gallery id=635625]