Saquon Barkley stayed on his feet longer than he should have.
With the end zone and a season-changing touchdown in his sights, Barkley ran through an ankle tackle but began stumbling.
A few steps later, Barkley fell to the ground and the ball popped loose and into the hands of Carrington Valentine.
For just the third time in his six-year career, Barkley lost a fumble — and it couldn’t have come at a worst time, with four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
Or so it seemed before the Giants picked up Barkley by responding to the Packers’ go-ahead touchdown with a game-winning field-goal drive in a 24-22 win against the Packers on Monday night at MetLife Stadium.
“Teammates had my back,” Barkley said. “I wish I never put my team in that position, but it could be worse. We found a way to get a win.”
No one rescued Barkley more than Randy Bullock, who drilled the 37-yard walk-off kick.
What’s his reward?
“Whatever he wants, hit me up,” Barkley said. “We can go to Carbone. Any restaurant in New York he wants, let me know.”
Barkley’s pain was visible to his teammates.
His two-touchdown performance was at risk of going for naught.
“He’s one of the best players we have,” left tackle Andrew Thomas said. “He contributed a lot for us to even be in the game, so we just uplift him. He’s down on himself because he wants to be perfect, but that’s why he’s a great player.”
Barkley was trying to stay in bounds with the Giants clinging to a 21-16 lead.
An argument could’ve been made that he should’ve been ruled down by contact, but instead the “inexcusable” mistake was compounded by Valentine’s 50-yard return and the Giants allowing a touchdown.
“The player I know I am and I want to be, I can’t let that happen,” Barkley said. “That happens to great players in this league. But it’s about how you respond. I have to get back to the drawing board, get better and come out like fire next Sunday.”
No need to wait to respond.
Tommy DeVito led the Giants on an eight-play, 57-yard scoring drive over the final 93 seconds, with Barkley contributing a 7-yard catch and three ball-secured carries to run out the clock and set up the field goal.
“Definitely a lot of praying going on,” Barkley said. “Didn’t even watch the field goal. I had faith that we were going to make it.”
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