Saquon Barkley’s right shoulder is ready for all the challenges it could face during Sunday’s game: big hits, a “Jumpman” touchdown celebration and throwing a pass.
Barkley, who was limited in practice, said his “shoulder feels pretty good,” and he does not expect to be hampered against the Ravens. He was injured late in the third quarter last week and missed 14 offensive plays against the Packers but returned to score the winning touchdown — striking Nike’s Michael Jordan pose across the goal line — running as a wildcat quarterback.
“I’ve just been rehabbing it, being smart,” Barkley said, “but I’m excited for us to get a chance to go against a really good football team.”
The Giants stumbled into a new way of using him two weeks ago, when quarterbacks Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor were injured and Barkley stepped in for three plays at quarterback. The package remains, even with a healthy Jones.
“I ran it in college, I ran it last year a little bit,” Barkley said. “I just listen to the rules that I’m told and follow it. The guy I’ve got to read, read him. If he does this, do one thing. If he does that, do another. When the ball is in my hand, try to make a play, and whether it’s running with it or making the right decision and handing it off.”
Or throwing it?
“That’s a good point,” Barkley said.
Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen called Barkley “the NFL’s top running back.” The stats back it up: Barkley leads the NFL in yards from scrimmage.
“You want to accomplish this, you want to accomplish that, but at the end of the day the ultimate goal is to win games,” Barkley said. “Me being up in that category, I feel like helps the team. That’s more of the motivation. I really don’t care about the individual stats. I’m a big believer in that’s all going to take care of itself.”
Punter Jamie Gillan, a Scotland native, rejoined the team Thursday after he was delayed leaving London, following the Giants’ international win, due to a passport issue. He said he stayed in an Airbnb with family, used a local gym and had his iPad with film.
“There was no ‘stuck in London’ or anything like that,” Gillan said. “This is something that we knew we had to do for a while. I just had to get my passport, P1-A Visa, extended to get back into the country. So, we did. Humongous thanks to the Giants organization and Laurie Tisch [sister of Giants co-owner Steve Tisch] for allowing that to happen, talking to the right people and the people at the U.S. Embassy.”
The Giants-Packers game could’ve turned out differently if a punt that hit off Jason Pinnock’s leg was recovered by the Packers for a fumble before it rolled out of bounds. Pinnock had his head turned to block, which made returner Richie James responsible for yelling the cue to make teammates aware of a bouncing ball.
“He’s screaming and yelling and pointing, but it’s unusual,” special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey said. ‘Normally in our game in this country, you don’t have a lot of cheering and yelling — crowd noise — during the play. And it was really, really loud in between each kick, which is a little different. So, that’s being in London; they’re used to the ball. They cheer anytime you punt or kick.”
Taylor was a full practice participant for the first time since suffering a concussion Oct. 2.
CB Cor’Dale Flott (calf), TE Tanner Hudson (illness), LB Jihad Ward (rest), DBs Tony Jefferson (foot) and Jason Pinnock (ankle), and WRs Kenny Golladay (knee) and Kadarius Toney (hamstring) did not practice.
In addition to Barkley, OLB Azeez Ojulari (calf), DT Leonard Williams (knee), WR Wan’Dale Robinson, TE Chris Myarick (ankle), and CBs Darnay Holmes (quad) and Adoree’ Jackson (knee/neck) were limited.