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A good teammate stands up for others, even when things aren’t going well. That’s why Saquon Barkley believes he was in the right to get into it with a fan who he says mocked injured quarterback Daniel Jones when the New York Giants were beaten 31-16 by the Miami Dolphins in Week 5.
Barkley responded to an X (formerly Twitter) user who captured footage of the verbal spat, writing, “Stop reaching and trying to make it a me vs fans thing I’m not gonna just sit there and not say anything while you talk crazy to 8 after he just got hurt… buddy knew he was in the wrong.”
More context was provided by Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post: “Apparently, the fan that Saquon Barkley was yelling back at in the video below screamed some disparaging things to/about Daniel Jones as his neck was getting checked out on the sideline.”
Jones had left the game after being sacked by linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel with 12:45 left in the fourth quarter. It was one of 7 sacks for the Dolphins, 6 of them taken by Jones.
Taking a beating has become routine for Big Blue’s QB1 this season. An offensive line depleted by injuries has struggled to resist pressure, while Barkley being sidelined with a high ankle sprain has robbed the offense of its best player.
The result: an offense that hasn’t scored a touchdown in three of five games this season. The Giants’ inability to score is the main reason the Giants are 1-4 and tensions are boiling over.
Daniel Jones Deserves Better
No matter how much he’s struggled since signing a four-year, $160 million contract this offseason, Jones deserves better, both on and off the field. On the field, he needs better protection from a line that’s let him be pressured a staggering “81 times, this season, 3rd-most by any player through 5 games since ESPN began tracking pressures in 2009,” according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, citing ESPN Stats & Info.
The incessant pressure has understandably made Jones jittery in the pocket. He’s become too eager to stare down his first read or hold onto the ball and take off running instead of going through progressions.
More than decision-making, pressure and hits are taking a heavy physical toll on Jones. The bill finally came due at Hard Rock Stadium, when Van Ginkel closed in on the quarterback’s blindside with force, a clean hit, but one that caused Jones’ “neck to snap back hard,” according to Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports.
Jones needed help along the sideline, so it’s little wonder Barkley stood up for him against the boobirds. The fortunes of both players — and, by extension, those of the Giants — have been inextricably linked since Jones joined the team in 2019, a year after Barkley did.
Barkley helped Jones enjoy a banner season in 2022, and now the Giants are missing the Pro Bowl running back’s talents and leadership on the field.
Giants Need Saquon Barkley Healthy Again
Jones is thought to be OK after facing the Dolphins, but Barkley’s return will more likely turn around the Giants’ fortunes. He hasn’t played since Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals, the only game the Giants have won this season, a victory secured largely thanks to Barkley’s 92 total yards and 2 touchdowns.
Defenses have a tough task stopping the Giants when Barkley is in the lineup. The attention paid to No. 26 opens up the play-action passing game for Jones and his receivers.
It’s a formula that worked wonders last season, when Jones amassed 941 yards from 141 attempts off of play action. Without Barkley, there’s no guessing game between run and pass, letting defenses know they can simply tee off on Jones.
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