New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley has had a resurgence year thus far in 2022 after totaling less than 1,000 scrimmage yards in 13 games last season.
Barkley is second in the NFL in rushing with 533 yards on 5.5 yards per attempt and first in scrimmage yards, posting 135.2 yards per game. In the team’s Week 5 win over the Green Bay Packers, Barkley rushed for 70 yards on 13 carries while posting 36 receiving yards on three catches, including the go-ahead touchdown for the Giants.
The Giants will be hosting the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6 on Sunday. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was asked about Barkley and let’s just say he didn’t mince words when it comes to their defensive game plan.
“He has to be public enemy No. 1 for us,” Harbaugh said in a press conference on October 12, via Heavy’s Josh Reed. “Saquon Barkley is definitely the main guy. You can tell; they try to get him the ball every way they can. He’s in the backfield, he’s out of the backfield, he’s a wide receiver, he’s in screens, he’s in every kind of screen there is, he has about every run. Oh, and then he plays quarterback, too. So, he’s pretty impressive.”
Baltimore’s rush defense has left a lot to be desired, ranking 26th in run defense DVOA and 21st in EPA/rush.
They will have their work cut out for them, especially with quarterback Daniel Jones as a running threat as well. Jones ranks second on the team in rushing attempts (41), yards (230), and touchdowns (two) and leads the Giants in yards per attempt among players with at least 14 carries, according to Pro Football Reference.
Giants Coach Connection With Harbaugh
Giants defensive coordinator Don Martindale joined the Ravens staff in 2012 as the team’s linebacker coach. He departed the Ravens to join Brian Daboll’s staff in New York after four seasons as defensive coordinator.
On Sunday, Martindale will be facing Harbaugh’s squad on the opposite sideline.
Harbaugh said Wednesday that it was a mutual decision for Martindale to leave after the 2021 season and that both keeping close throughout their coaching experiences helped lessen the blow of their decision.
“I think we both came to (the separation) decision together,” Harbaugh said. “That’s how I’d like to look at it. I feel that way about it and I think it’s turning out great for him. I have nothing but admiration for him. I just think (the separation) is more of a natural thing when you’re friends and you can just talk about things. You say, ‘You know what, let’s do this. We’ll be good. I hope he feels that way about it. I think he does. That’s what he has told me.”
The Giants enter Week 6 at No. 9 in points allowed and No. 12 in yards allowed under Martindale. He’s continued to incorporate his blitzing ways as he blitzed more than any other team in the league in three of Martindale’s four seasons as the defensive coordinator.
“It’s going to be interesting that way,” Harbaugh said. “You watch what’s on tape and he has new wrinkles of course.”
Giants Face Former MVP
It’ll be no easy task for the Giants to defend Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Just ask Martindale, who has four years of experience seeing Jackson up close on the practice field every day.
Martindale’s defense will have to be ready against the different ways that Jackson can attack them.
Martindale was asked whether Jackson can perform purely as a pocket passer and the 59-year-old coach scoffed at the question.
“Anybody that wants to say anything that he’s not, OK,” Martindale said, via the New York Post. “Because he’s unbelievable, and he’s playing at an MVP caliber right now like he was back in 2019. Not only can he beat you with his arm — he’s throwing the ball really well — but he can beat you with his legs, his mind and everything else.”
Jackson won league MVP in 2019 and could be having a better year in 2022. He’s on pace for a career-high 41 touchdown passes as well as a career-high 1,272 rushing yards.
The Giants will have to be on their toes when it comes to the 25-year-old quarterback.
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