One thing we can say, unequivocally and irrefutably about O.J. Simpson is: he knows a thing or two about running the football. He recently came to the defense of the Giants' own running back star.

After Week 1 of the 2020 season, Simpson — who was released from prison in Oct. 2017 after serving nine years for assault and weapons chargers — is blaming the New York Giants collective offensive execution for RB Saquon's Barkley 15-carry, six-yard performance in the Giants' 26-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football. Barkley added six catches for 60 yards.

“He didn’t have a chance,” Simpson said of Barkley. “I can tell you I, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders…none of us could have gained any yards…The difference between myself, Walter [Payton] and Barry [Sanders] is that I had Lou Saban and Jim Ringo coaching, Walter had [Mike] Ditka and Barry had Wayne Fontes. Tough guys. Guys that coached the offensive line not to do fancy blocking, but to take that [helmet] and stick that [helmet] on some [expletive].”

Simpson specifically called out the approach of new Giants offensive coordinator Jason Garrett (Simpson would not be the first person to do so), and called for the Giants to take a more old-school approach to running the football.

“I always thought despite the points that they scored, when they got into big games they underachieved because they didn’t play physical — it was all about the scheme,” Simpson said of the Dallas Cowboys teams Garrett coached for a decade. “And that seems to be what they’re doing with the Giants…They need to give Saquon a fullback. They need to give a running start at the line and let him break off a fullback’s block or double-team blocks. Stop with this fancy scheme crap and start hitting people.”

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Barkley, for what it's worth, put the onus on himself after the loss.

“I have to be better, I have to be better for the team. We have to find a way to get the run game going. That’s how I truly believe,” the third-year RB said. “I can’t just talk off of emotions. One thing that just pops in my mind is find a way to get the run game going for this team. I know that’s going to be a key part of our success. I truly believe and I still believe in it. Keep grinding at it, keep working at it and find a way.”