Having to go home in two weeks drives Saquon Barkley

In the aftermath of a resounding rookie season, Saquon Barkley promptly punched his ticket to the Pro Bowl.

During his sophomore season, he's been plagued by a high-ankle sprain and, in addition to missing three games, his production has waned.

Hence, he won't be booking a return trip to the Pro Bowl. It's hardly an aspect of the season that troubles Barkley, though. It's the Giants' three victories that trouble him more than anything.

"Does it motivate me? No," Barkley said Thursday when asked if missing out on the all-star game fueled him, via the New York Daily News. "What motivates me is that we're going home in two weeks. That's the only motivation that I have. We're not in the playoff run, we're not having the chance of the playoffs. That's going to be my motivation this offseason."

Barkley's first season was a spectacular year-long showcase as he collected NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after posting a league-high 2,028 scrimmage yards, 15 total touchdowns and rushed for 1,307 yards with a 5.0 yards per carry average.

With two games remaining this season, Barkley's numbers pale in comparison to his breakout rookie campaign: 1,045 scrimmage yards, five total touchdowns, 722 rushing yards with a 4.1 yards per carry average.

Of course, Barkley's absence from the Pro Bowl is a team-wide instance as no Giants were voted to the NFC roster. It's more evidence of the struggles for the 3-11 squad that, at best, can hope to match last season's 5-11 mark.

"It's been tough," Barkley said. "Not just because of lack of the production but just because we're not winning games. We're 3-11. Obviously, we have a chance of going 5-11, that's not what we wanted for the season, that's not what any team who has a losing record wanted for this season. That's the outcome of it, that's something we're not happy with, definitely not satisfied with, definitely have got to work on."

As for the Pro Bowl, it's not difficult to prognosticate that the talented Barkley will find his way back to one -- or more. For now, though, he's looking back in reverence while refreshingly admitting that his roster presence was not warranted.

"The Pro Bowl is dope," Barkley said. "I went there last year, it's an awesome experience. It's not the end all be all. I don't think that I was even anywhere close or deserved to being in the Pro Bowl. Not shocked at that. Congrats to all of the running backs that it made, they had a heck of a year."

Unfortunately, Big Blue has not had a heck of a year and that's what's propelling Barkley, not a missed trip to the Pro Bowl.