Daniel Jones was benched in favour of Drew Lock as Saquon Barkley’s Philadelphia Eagles trounced the New York Giants.
At MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Barkley shone as the Eagles soared to a commanding 25-point lead in the final quarter. After Jalen Hurts’ second touchdown via the ‘Brotherly Shove’, the Giants opted for a quarterback switch.
It was a woeful day for Jones. The sixth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Jones managed just 14 completions from 21 passes for a mere 99 yards – less than what Barkley achieved on the ground – while being sacked seven times.
In contrast, Barkley converted 17 carries into 177 yards and a touchdown, averaging an impressive 10.4 yards per carry. It was a triumphant return to his old team for Barkley, who was met with boos throughout and even had his jersey set alight as he arrived in East Rutherford earlier that day.
Barkley now boasts more touchdowns at MetLife Stadium this season than Jones, a statistic that paints a bleak picture for the quarterback. The Giants coaching staff decided they’d seen enough; Jones was replaced by Lock for the final quarter.
Lock had a challenging start, completing just one of his three pass attempts for negative yardage. The backup then connected with Wan’Dale Robinson to finally make progress, while also using his legs to advance the chains.
Lock got his first taste of the formidable Eagles defence when he was sacked by Jalyx Hunt, who forced a fumble. The ball was scooped up by the Giants, saving them from the embarrassment of a turnover, but it led to a punt.
Saquon Barkley starred for the Eagles, rushing for over 177 yards in the crushing win against the Giants (
Getty Images)
The Eagles also switched their quarterback, albeit under very different circumstances. Hurts had completed 10 out of 14 pass attempts for 114 yards and a touchdown, as well as adding two touchdowns and 22 yards on the ground before being replaced by former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Kenny Pickett.
The crushing loss to the Eagles leaves the Giants floundering at 2-5 at the bottom of the NFC East. The team is currently last in the division, trailing behind the 3-3 Dallas Cowboys and both the 4-2 Washington Commanders and Eagles.
The Giants are set to face off against the 4-2 Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on Monday Night Football on Monday, Oct. 28.
