Jaguars 20 Christopher Slayton NFL Draft , Giants 15: 3 winners, 3 losers from the Giants’ season opener The New York Giants lost their season-opening game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was an outcome that many expected as the Giants field a revamped roster in brand new offensive and defensive schemes against one of the best teams in the NFL. But while the final result was a predictable let-down, there were still individual performances that should be recognized — both winners and losers. There’s little doubt about who will be leading off our list of winners.Winners Saquon Barkley shows why the Giants drafted himThe Giants’ running game was largely bottled up by the Jaguars’ athletic, explosive defense. On 17 carries, Barkley had 38 carries, Jonathan Stewart had 8 yards on 2 carries, and Wayne Gallman lost a yard on 1 carry. Throughout the first half, the Giants running backs averaged contact a half-yard behind the line of scrimmage. Then Barkley went and showed why he was the second overall pick and turned a dead-in-the-water carry on second-and-3 into a 68-yard touchdown run — one of the longest by a Giants’ running back since David Wilson was backflipping in the end zone.It seemed only a matter of time until Barkley would break loose for a big gain, but nobody was expecting him to do to Jacksonville what he did to so many college defenses.Odell Beckham Jr. is definitely backWould Odell Beckham be healthy for the start of the regular season? Would he still be the same player after breaking his ankle? Could he produce covered by Jalen Ramsey and the rest of the Jag’s talented secondary. The answer to all of those questions was an emphatic “Yes.” Not only did Beckham consistently separate against both man and zone coverage, to the tune of 11 catches for 111 yards, but he also drew a pair of pass interference penalties to generate hidden yardage for his offense. Beckham is definitely back, and it’s a game-changer for the Giants’ offense.Eli Apple comes up bigThe Giants’ secondary was one of its biggest question marks heading in to the regular season. The depth is a question, but even at the top of the depth chart there were questions about whether or not third-year corner Eli Apple could rebound from a horrific 2017 campaign. It is still early, but he had an excellent game against the Jaguars’ receivers. Blake Bortles consistently looked elsewhere, often targeting Janoris Jenkins early in the game. He did target Apple twice on would-be big plays Christopher Slayton Buffalo Bills Jersey , but Apple showed tight coverage and much improved ball skills to blanket receivers without drawing a penalty.The Giants’ defensive scheme needs solid one-on-one coverage to succeed, and if Apple can build on this performance, it will be an excellent development for the Giants.LosersThe offensive lineWe have to start here. Ereck Flowers will be remembered as the goat and the villain of this game, but the offensive line as a whole had a horrific day. They were simply overmatched by the Jaguars’ front and were out-classed across the board. Flowers might have had the most spectacular failures, but every single lineman has a lot of work to do if the Giants want to keep to their promise of delivering improved offensive line play.If the line can’t improve, then the Giants’ offensive production will be because of the coaching staff’s schemes and individual efforts from players like Beckham, Barkley, Sterling Shepard, and Evan Engram. PenaltiesWith the Giants’ offensive line leaking pressure and precluding a run game, the Giants’ couldn’t afford to beat themselves. But all too often that is exactly what they did. Penalties from across the offense kept negating too many of the offense’s gains, knocking them far off schedule. The Giants consistently faced third and long situations and against a defense like the Jaguars’ that is an untenable situation. They did well to convert as many third downs as they did, but their sloppy play worked to the advantage of a defense which had too many to begin with.Kaelin ClayI hate to pile on to a young player who just joined the team. But having the game sealed by a turnover on a special teams play — a muffed punt by a returner who is on the team for his return skills — just leaves a sour taste in the mouth. Not only does it put a damper on a fourth-quarter rally which showed the potential of the offense and defense. The Giants finally started to find an offensive rhythm in the third quarter, and Barkley’s electric play ignited the team and the fans. The defense shut the Jaguars’ offense down in the second half, holding them to 13 offensive points for the game and forcing every possession to end in a punt. But also, returning kicks is Clay’s ticket on the Giants’ roster Color Rush Christopher Slayton Jersey , and having a play like that end any chance of last-second heroics and end the game on such a deflating note could put his job in jeopardy. TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on the killing of a Washburn University football player and wounding of a New York Giants draft pick (all times local):5:30 p.m.The New York Giants say cornerback Corey Ballentine, who was shot Sunday in Topeka, Kansas, is recovering and will join the team for its minicamp this weekend.Ballentine was injured and his friend, Dwane Simmons, was killed while attending a party hours after Ballentine was drafted Saturday by the Giants in the sixth round.Police have said people inside a car pulled up to the home and, after exchanging words, shot Ballentine and Simmons, who were teammates on the Washburn University football team.Giants general manager Dave Gettleman told SiriusXM NFL radio Monday that the team spoke to Ballentine Sunday and he was “coming along fine.” He said Ballentine is expected to join the Giants Thursday for the team minicamp this weekend._____4:15 p.m.Topeka police Chief Bill Cochran says Washburn University football teammates Dwane Simmons and Corey Ballentine were “in the wrong place at the wrong time” when they were shot at an off-campus house party.Simmons died in the early Sunday shooting. Ballentine, whom the New York Giants drafted hours before the shooting, suffered injuries that were not life-threatening.The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Simmons and Ballentine were among about 50 people at the party.The chief says many people, including Simmons and Ballentine, went outside after a disturbance occurred inside the home. A car pulled up and exchanged words with people before the shooting began. Cochran says the shooting and the earlier altercation don’t appear to have been linked.A candlelight vigil for Simmons is scheduled for Tuesday on the Washburn campus.____10 a.m.The father of a Washburn University football player who was killed in a weekend shooting in which a New York Giants draft pick was wounded says the crime “shattered a lot of people.”The Kansas City Star reports that Navarro Simmons described the death of his son, Dwane Simmons Youth Christopher Slayton Jersey , as “senseless.” The 23-year-old defensive back from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, was killed early Sunday at an off-campus party in Topeka, Kansas, where the school is located.Navarro Simmons says the family learned from detectives that his son and his son’s friend and teammate, cornerback Corey Ballentine, were about to leave the party when a vehicle pulled up. He says the people inside asked a question and then started shooting.The university says Ballentine is expected to make a full recovery. The Giants drafted him in the sixth round on Saturday.____8:20 a.m.No arrests have been made in a Kansas shooting that killed a Washburn University football player and wounded a former player who was drafted by the New York Giants just hours earlier.Police in Topeka, where the university is located, say they have no new information to release early Monday, one day after officers found 23-year-old defensive back Dwane Simmons dead while investigating gunshots.Cornerback Corey Ballentine was wounded, but his injuries aren’t believed to be life-threatening. Ballentine was picked by the Giants on Saturday in the sixth round of the NFL draft.Police spokeswoman Gretchen Koenen said in an email that the shooting happened during a social gathering and that dozens of people were there at the time. Koenen says police are gathering witness statements.