Giants scouting report: Great running the ball, poor against the run

Noon Saturday at U.S. Bank Stadium (Ch. 9, 100.3-FM)

ABOUT THE GIANTS

• The Giants (8-5-1) won for the first time in five weeks during a 20-12 victory over the Washington Commanders on Sunday night. The sliding Giants were one of the league's hottest teams in a 7-2 start, but they've since cooled with losses to the Lions, Cowboys and Eagles while previously tying the Commanders before last week's rematch.

• Quarterback Daniel Jones, the sixth overall pick in the 2019 draft, hasn't been a productive passer in a contract year after new Giants general manager Joe Schoen declined a fifth-year option in Jones' contract before the season. But Jones has cut down on the turnovers; he has four interceptions and three lost fumbles for a Giants offense that is tied with the Eagles for the fewest giveaways (13) through 14 games.

• Defensive linemen Dexter Lawrence and rookie Kayvon Thibodeaux, who had a fumble recovery for a touchdown against Washington, can get after the quarterback. But the Giants' 26th-ranked defense is bad against the run. New York allows a league-worst 5.4 yards per carry and a league-worst 29.3% of runs for first downs.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT | RB Saquon Barkley

• Barkley has returned to form as the NFL's fourth-leading rusher entering the home stretch of the regular season. Barkley, 25, hasn't missed a game this season after an injury-marred three years and leads a rushing attack with Jones, the mobile quarterback who has 583 rushing yards (fifth among QBs).

• Barkley's 1,464 yards from scrimmage — including 1,170 yards rushing — ranks fourth among NFL running backs behind the Raiders' Josh Jacobs, Titans' Derrick Henry and 49ers' Christian McCaffrey. He has scored a rushing touchdown in nine of 14 games.

• Barkley on taking six carries for 48 yards in a fourth-quarter drive vs. Washington: "You want to be the guy. You want to make big plays in that moment. You kind of just relax, take a deep breath and let your body take over."

COACH SPEAK | Brian Daboll

• Daboll is in his first season as Giants head coach with an 8-5-1 record (.607), slightly improving a Giants offense that ranked 31st in back-to-back years before he was hired. The former Bills offensive coordinator has leaned into the Barkley-Jones tandem on the ground as New York ranks sixth in rushing attempts and rushing yardage league-wide.

• Daboll hasn't been aggressive with his fourth-down decision making, but he credited the team's football research staff for a successful fourth-and-9 throw from the Commanders' 35-yard line in the second quarter. Barkley scored a few plays later to take a 14-3 lead. It was just the 15th time this season a team converted a fourth down from that distance or longer.

• Daboll on the fourth-and-9 call: "We spend a lot of time on it. A lot of numbers and percentages. ... There's also real conversation about players and matchups and you kind of combine everything. I don't think you take one thing and say, 'This is what you do.' You got to have a feel for the game, got to have a feel for your opponent, got to have a feel for your matchup, got to have a feel for the weather."