Sean Payton's daughter Meghan stunned after Saquon Barkley scores 65-yard TD in first 30 seconds vs Giants

The Philadelphia Eagles made a fast start against the New York Giants after Eagles running back Saquon Barkley made a big play on his first carry of Sunday's clash.

The three-time Pro Bowler took a handoff in the opening minute of the first quarter and dashed to the left before sprinting 65 yards for a touchdown to give the home team a 7-0 lead.

Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton's daughter, Maghan Payton, was left stunned by the 28-year-old running back's play to open the game. She summed up her reaction on X, writing:

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"SAQUON"

Barkley hasn't made the best start to the season despite the Eagles' 5-2 record. Before his 65-yard TD against the Giants on Sunday, his longest had been just 18 yards.

According to Dov Kleiman, Barkley has now tied former NFL MVP Adrian Peterson for the most (nine) rushing touchdowns of 65 yards or longer.

However, the Eagles' lead didn't last long as the Giants tied the game late in the first quarter after New York running back Cam Skattebo combined with rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart for an 18-yard TD.

Eagles star Saquon Barkley feels he is close to turning around his season after a sluggish start

Heading into Sunday's contest, Saquon Barkley went eight consecutive games without 100 yards and his 65-yard dash was the second-most in an NFL game this season.

Barkley acknowledged his shortcomings ahead of the game.

“I have to do a better job of not taking negative runs,” Barkley said, per NJ.com. "I keep saying that. I know I sound like a broken record, but that’s something I’ve got to do. I own it.”

However, Barkley admitted that he was close to turning a corner before Sunday's game.

I know it’s going to turn,” Barkley said. “It’s close.”

The Pro Bowler has been a shadow of himself this year, recording 369 yards on 113 attempts with three touchdowns heading into the Giants game.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

Know More

Giants Nation! Check out the latest New York Giants Schedule and dive into the Giants Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash