The beginnings of Saquon Barkley left him wondering what could have been

Saquon Barkley broke a pair of tackles and cut to his right and was Sa-Gone, now a big MetLife roar accompanying him on the sidelines, 68 yards to pay for the dirt in the blink of an eye. Eye, suddenly the first match was not lost. there for the taking.

"A touchdown is not going to win the match, and that touchdown has not won the game this week," said Barkley after Jaguars 20, Giants 15. "It was a dream come true, I'm not sure. I was able to keep the ball, but it was just like, "Go ahead, next piece, you have to find a way to go back there."

Barkley (18 carries, 106 rushing yards / 2 catches, 22 receiving yards) and the Giants have never found a way back over the past 10.39, and have never even found a way to convert the two-point conversion to a sick-admit transfer to Barkley left guard who is not going anywhere fast.

It was a game that escaped even one day when Odell Beckham Jr. dominated (11 receptions for 111 yards, two pass interference penalties shot at 45 yards on a trip). One with too many passes lost by Evan Engram and too much Ereck Flowers again and too much Eli Manning for what should have been a 33-yard touchdown to Beckham. The one where Bill Parcells would have reminded us that there are no medals for trying.

"We left him there … we could have done a little more as a team to finish the match and win the match," Barkley said.

The boy's sensation was reflected in the mirror above three woulda, mighta, shouldas that reminded him that football was a game of thumbs, more in the NFL than in Penn State.

On the possession of the Giants, the 31 of the Giants, Manning's third and fifth pass to Barkley in the left side against two defenders was good for … 4 yards. Manning was left 36 yards out of the end zone in his next and last possession because Kaelin Clay's smothered boot kick robbed him of the chance to be heroic at the last minute.

"Eli did an excellent reading. It was me against two guys but it does not matter, you have to find a way to do it first, "said Barkley.

Give Barkley an inch and he takes a mile. But give him a fourth and second and he will be guessing after winning only 1.

There was just over six minutes left in the third quarter. The Giants, 13-9, were at Jacksonville 38.

Barkley jumped. And against a brick wall that serves as the Jaguars' defensive line, he found out he was not Superman.

"I jumped in. I thought I'd have it.I thought I had done enough to move the sticks, but I did not do it.No apologies, I have to realize how much it's important, "Barkley said.

He was asked what he could have done differently.

"Maybe not diving," Barkley said. "I'm 230 pounds, lower my shoulder and fight for it. Or maybe go back, and do it in a different way. There are so many things you can do in this scenario. I can go back and play so many times in my head. Whatever it is, you have to find a way to get there.

He ended up singing the same sad song about the two-point conversion.

"I was arrested at 1. I have to find a way to get it, it's so simple," Barkley said.

Barkley had 12 rushing yards at his Welcome to the NFL. Curiously, his six targets in the passing game came after intermission.

"There was a game when I like to miss a guy and I broke out and [Tashaun Gipson] came and attacked me. It was like college, it was a touchdown, "Barkley said.

He never stopped believing that his touch was going to happen.

"He knew something was going to break out," said Evan Engram. "We will see a lot more of that."

There was also a portage of less than 3 yards, another one of minus 4, another of minus 1 and a pair with no gain.

"It's a bit like playing chess, and when you have the opportunity, you have to perform," said Barkley.

And you do the things that make you lose, it's a failure.