New York Giants Saquon Barkley continues to get recognize in the NFL for his great numbers as he is selected NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
The rookie stud put up one of the most impactful performances in Giants history. He had three touchdowns in total and rushed for 142 yards on 27 carries in the 38-35 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccanners. He’s the first Giants player to do that since Odell Beckham Jr., who had three touchdowns against the New Orleans Saints on Nov. 1, 2015.
“You take that as a challenge,” Barkley said after the game according to ESPN. “You take it personally. You know that they brought you in here for a reason and you have to get better. That’s how I take it. The same way that I took it was to still stay who I am. I hadn’t really changed anything [Sunday] besides my pace. I just got a feel for the running game and the offensive line, and I think I found a pace that I liked. They challenged me to do that and I did that [Sunday].
Barkley also becomes the first running back to score three touchdowns from scrimmage since Ahmad Bradshaw. The former running back scored on three one-yard runs against the Buffalo Bills on Oct. 16, 2011. He already has 1,268 scrimmage yards (728 rushing, 540 receiving) and 10 touchdowns (seven rushing, three receiving).
This makes him the sixth player in NFL history to record at least 1,200 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns in their first 10 games. He joins Pro Football Hall of Famers Eric Dickerson, Marshall Faulk, Ezekiel Elliott, Adrian Peterson and Billy Sims.
Barkley also becomes the first Giants player since safety Landon Collins. He won the NFC Defensive Player of the Week award in exactly a year against the Kansas City Chiefs. The second pick of the 2018 NFL Draft will look for more rushing and receiving touchdowns against the Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday at 1 pm.
