2022 Giants Position Review: Running Backs
Feature (Series) - February 21, 2023
Have you ever wondered what happened to the dynamic rushing attacks that characterized the New York Giants’ backfields during their Super Bowl years? The days when rushing the football was a strength both in the trenches and on the edge, and the team had a duo of ball carriers that could punish defenses to a 1,000+ yard campaign that put the league on notice?
A
fter a decade of losing that luster and showcasing one of the most miserable rushing products in the entire NFL, the Giants rediscovered their crown jewel through a dual-threat dominance headlined by Saquon Barkley and quarterback Daniel Jones that elevated the backfield to a top-10 unit in 2022.
The running back position’s biggest limitation for the past couple of seasons was its nagging injuries. While he had an impressive rookie debut in 2018, Barkley’s outings in 2020 and 2021 would be severely hampered by consecutive ACL and ankle ailments. Without their stud back receiving heavy handoffs, the team couldn’t get the ball rolling behind their replacements, and the offense bottomed out in overall production each season.
Last year, the Giants brought in Mike Kafka to serve as the next offensive mastermind, and with the healthy returns of Barkley and Jones, the ground game accelerated into a well-oiled machine. One year removed from ranking 25th or worse in all major categories, the Giants rose to 18th in total yards this fall, including fourth in rushing yards and fifth in average yards per carry.
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As the 2023 NFL league year neared, I took the opportunity to highlight the progress of the New York Giants running backs position and where they were headed in the upcoming offseason ahead, as part of a content series for “Giants Country”.