The Dallas Cowboys will host the New York Giants on Sunday, Sept. 8th for their Week 1 matchup. Part of the game plan for the Cowboys will be containing running back Saquon Barkley's effectiveness. That won't be easy though, considering he's an “elite football player,” according to head coach Jason Garrett.
“The guy makes two yards a few yards. Two yards four yards [or] eight like all the elite backs in the history of the NFL. Every time that ball is snapped you have to hunker down and make sure you’re doing things the right way. Go get this guy. He’s an elite football player,” said Garrett on Monday, per USA Today.
Why?
“Just a great, great football player. There’s no other way to say it,” said Garrett. “He’s a great runner. He’s a great receiver. He can run inside, he can run outside. He makes tough yards inside, can make home run plays, his ability to get through holes, bounce plays, reverse his field.”
The Cowboys faced Barkley twice when he was a rookie in 2018. In those two games, he rushed for a total of 137 yards and a score on 4.9 yards per attempt. He also has added in 113 receiving yards on 18 receptions. Honing in the rookie Pro Bowler and an awe-inspiring athlete is going to be tough. Garrett says on doing so:
“When the ball is in his hand, he’s just dynamic. So you have to be great, fundamentally sound, disciplined defense. You have to be in your gaps, you have to set the edges. You have to rally to the ball. You have to be great tacklers, have a lot of guys to the ball. You have to do it again and again and again and again and again.”
Luckily, the Cowboys have the personnel to stop him in star linebackers Jaylon Smith, Sean Lee, and Leighton Vander Esch. Sunday will dictate if they actually do so.
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