New York Giants missing major offensive firepower against Patriots

Saquon Barkley (high-ankle sprain)

Initially expected to be out for six-to-eight weeks of action, Barkley shocked all when he was seen practicing in a limited capacity with his team only about ten days after he suffered the nasty high-ankle sprain. As you’ll see below, it’s not a wonder why many expected the freakish athlete to shatter the initial timetable and be back for this pivotal game.

Via @SNYGiants on Twitter:

Seeing Saquon look as fluid as he did had many thinking he would do the impossible and play against Minnesota last week, which would have meant he only would have missed one game. Pat Shurmur was surprisingly chippy towards the initial prognosis, even going so far as to tell one reporter, “Those weren’t my doctors,” when explaining that Saquon could easily beat the initial timetable.

However, it appears that the franchise will be (rightly) patient with their superhuman talent. While rushing Saquon back would be sure to help the team out against the stiff competition they’ve been facing, it’s not the right move for the long term. The earliest most felt he would come back initially was always against Arizona in week seven, as he would get an additional ten days rest after the Thursday Patriots game.

It looks as though that’s when we’ll see him back, although don’t be too surprised if he’s held out even longer. You can never be too careful with a young superstar, and especially with a runningback’s ankle. Even though sprains typically don’t put a player at risk for further damage down the line, it’s never a good idea to play with fire.