The stats are nice, but Giants RB Saquon Barkley is 'all about finding ways to win games'
New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley is having a Pro Bowl-caliber season. Entering Week 6, he led the NFC in rushing with 533 yards and was second in the NFL with a 106.6 yards per game average.
Barkley also had 13 carries of 10 or more yards (2nd in the NFL) and his 280 offensive snaps played were the most in the NFL among running backs this season.
His comeback, after three seasons ruined by injuries, is a major storyline not only in East Rutherford but around the NFL as well. Barkley does not seem keen to let injuries write the story of his career.
PRESSURE TO SELL: Al Michaels pushing Dan Snyder to sell Commanders on national TV is sure sign other NFL owners really do hate him
Last week in London against the Green Bay Packers, Barkley suffered a shoulder injury and had to be forced into the examination tent. He was cleared to return and helped lead the Giants to victory. But he won’t let that shoulder keep him off the field this week against the Baltimore Ravens.
“Shoulder feels pretty good,” Barkley said. “Obviously, I was able to go back out there and finish the game. I’ve just been rehabbing it, being smart. But I’m excited for us to get a chance to go against a really good football team.”
Barkley, who led the NFL in total yards from scrimmage as a rookie 2018, is back on top in 2022 in that category with 676 yards through five games. He was asked if that meant anything to him this season.
“Not really,” said Barkley, who will be a free agent after this season. “As a competitor, I’m not going to sit and lie, you want to do this, you want to accomplish this, you want to accomplish that, but at the end of the day the ultimate goal is to go out there and win games. Me being up in that category, I feel like helps the team. That’s more of the motivation. Whatever I can do to help the team be successful to help us win games, put ourselves in positions to win games is what I’m willing to do.
“I’m all about finding ways to win games. I really don’t care about the individual stats. At the end of the day, like I said, I’m a big believer in that’s all going to take care of itself. If I continue to have the right mindset and the right work ethic and continue to do the things that I’ve been able to do — that’s going to take care of itself. Whatever I can do to help the team win games.”
WEEK 6 PICKS: Cowboys-Eagles, Bills-Chiefs early season monster matchups