EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The most conflicted person in MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon will be Alibay Barkley.
He’ll be wearing a Joe Namath Jets jersey, while hoping his son, Saquon, does well for the Giants.
That’s confusing.
“My father has been a Jets fan his whole life,” Saquon Barkley said Thursday. “He gets the best of both worlds. He gets to root for his team and watch his son play the game he loves.”
Saquon is confident, but not totally sure, his father won’t root for the Jets. The son was a Jets fan too growing up in The Bronx, idolizing Curtis Martin, the Jets’ Hall of Fame-to-be running back.
Barkley admits he bought the Namath jersey and gave it to his father, long before the son became a member of the Giants. But you can be sure Dad also has a Saquon jersey.
His father isn’t the only one who knows Barkley’s number. Since Barkley returned from missing three games with a high right ankle sprain, he’s been the focal point of the opposing defense’s game plan.
The Dallas Cowboys, for example, limited Barkley to 28 yards on 14 carries in Monday night’s 37-18 victory over the Giants, and while Barkley caught six passes, all but two of the 67 yards gained came on one play. The Cowboys, Barkley says, did a lot of slanting in an effort to clog his inside running lanes.
After rushing for 1,307 yards in his eye-catching rookie season, Barkley has 401 yards so far this season. He’s averaged 55 yards per game in the three games he’s played since returning from the injury.
“I’m not disappointed in Saquon,” Giants coach Pat Shurmur said of Barkley’s play. “I think he would say he’s had some good runs and he also will say that there have been some runs where he left some meat on the bone.”
Offensive coordinator Mike Shula agrees.
“I don’t think he’s hit his stride yet, but we all know he’s a good back,” he said. “He’s getting there. With more carries, he’ll get better. Our best (run) game is still out there. We’re nowhere close to where we want to be.”
Neither is Barkley.
“It’s got to be better,” he said, refusing to blame his recovery from injury for the running drop-off. He also refuses to blame the offensive line, which has not played particularly well lately.
“I feel like I should feel for Week 10. Everybody is a little sore,” he said. “Nobody is happy with 2-7. But it would be crazy for me to make excuses. I need to be a better runner, better receiver, better all around, and a better leader.”
Barkley has watched a lot of tape in searching for the answers his offense is seeking. In what the team’s detractors might scoff at, he says: “The way I look at it (the running game), you don’t panic.”
Offensive line subs?
Shurmur is concerned that two of his starting offensive linemen may not play against the Jets. Center John Halapio (hamstring) and right tackle Mike Remmers (back soreness) have missed practice time during the week.
Remmers might have the best chance of playing. Asked about Halapio, the Giants coach answered: “I think he’s a ways away.”
If Halapio can’t go, Spencer Pulley, who started at guard and center in the second half of last season, takes his place. Nick Gates, who hasn’t started a game in his two-year career, is waiting in the wings if Remmers is sidelined.
Sterling Shepard back with team
Wide receiver Sterling Shepard returned to the team after he visited a specialist in Pittsburgh for an examination of his concussion. He’s back in concussion protocol and won’t play against the Jets.
Shurmur insists there have been no discussions about placing Shepard on season-ending injured reserve.
“Probably won’t be any activity this week,” said the Giants’ coach. “We’ll just move forward from there.”
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November 07, 2019 at 02:33PM
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Saquon Barkley's dad will wear a Jets jersey at Giants' game on Sunday - USA TODAY
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