NY Giants need much more from Saquon Barkley, Kenny Golladay

Two of the NY Giants’ most important offensive players, Saquon Barkley and Kenny Golladay are still getting up to speed and until they are this team could struggle

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Credit NY Giants running back Saquon Barkley and Kenny Golladay for gutting it out, coming off injuries of varying severity, but this offense is going to be stuck in neutral until its stars are able to shift into overdrive.

Barkley, making his much-anticipated return from a torn ACL, was held to just 26 yards on 10 carries in Sunday’s 27-13 loss to the Denver Broncos, at times looking tentative on his surgically repaired knee and like he was missing his trademarked burst and elusiveness at others.

“I felt pretty good,” Barkley said. “It was a milestone for me, I guess you could say. I put in a lot of hard work to get back on the field. I was able to accomplish that, and there are still 16 more games to come.”

Getting back on the field for Barkley has to be a major hurdle cleared, but the offense needs him to be far more explosive and effective than his 2.6 yards per carry performance in the opener.

“I’m not going to use it as a crutch,” Barkley said of his injury. “The jig is up. I’m back on the field. Obviously, hopefully week-by-week my knee keeps responding and I do well, and the number of carries I do get, I can try to get this run-game going.”

Meanwhile, Golladay was a nonfactor through much of the game, catching just one pass for 17 yards in the first half before finishing with four catches for 64 yards in his NY Giants debut.

The NY Giants committed $45 million guaranteed to Golladay over the next four years to be a focal point of the passing game, and he was far from it against the Broncos.

Yes, there is optimism to be taken from Jones and Golladay connecting late in Sunday’s game, but Barkley and Golladay are supposed to be this offense’s difference-makers.

In Golladay’s case, a couple of late catches with the outcome all but decided, a difference does not make.

Until Barkley is able to shake of whatever lingering rust remains from his injury and Golladay both gets up to speed coming off a hamstring injury suffered during training camp and builds his chemistry with Jones, it’s difficult seeing this offense playing competitive football.

It won’t be an easy mountain for Golladay or Barkley to climb to be much better, physically, in Week 2 as the NY Giants face a quick turnaround and the division rival Washington Football Team on Thursday night.

Barkley, who says he’s still waiting to see how his knee responds coming out of this game, wouldn’t commit to being able to play against Washington.

“Right now, just going to go home, see how my knee responds, take it day-by-day,” Barkley said. “God-willing it’ll respond well, and have a conversation with the coaches and medical staff.”

Matt Lombardo is FanSided’s National NFL Insider and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday. Email Matt: Matt.Lombardo@FanSided.com.