Barber Regains Focus

234-Yard Effort May Save Giants' Season

If last night was the final regular season game of Tiki Barber's career, it might have been his most productive. In three hours at FedEx Field last night, the Giants running back resurrected both his team and his reputation.

Like any man on the verge of retirement, Barber has often considered his legacy during the last few months. And in the days before his team traveled to Washington, Barber came to a terrifying conclusion: The last six weeks had been the worst stretch of his 10-year career.

"In this game, you need motivation," said Barber, who has hinted strongly this season would be his last. "And there was more to prove in this game than any I can remember."

During a 34-28 win, Barber erased memories of the Giants' late-season collapse -- and reminded New York fans of what they will miss if the running back retires at the end of this season. Barber ran for a franchise-record 234 yards on 23 carries and scored three touchdowns. His two-touchdown first half helped the Giants build a 13-point lead. His 50-yard touchdown run with six minutes left helped New York narrowly escape a Washington comeback.

New York now is almost guaranteed a playoff berth depending on today's games; Barber now has almost ensured at least one more game.

Barber long has considered himself a thinker, and his philosophizing during the last two weeks led him to some nasty conclusions. Since talking about his retirement in October, many Giants fans have turned on him. He publicly criticized Coach Tom Coughlin's play calling. He angered fans and some teammates by speaking wistfully about a future broadcasting career. In the last seven games, Barber had run for 100 yards twice. He became a scapegoat as the Giants spiraled from 6-2 to 7-8.

Last week, Barber's farewell tour bottomed out. He admitted Wednesday during a conference call that he struggled to focus in team meetings. "During the week," Barber said, "I am sitting in a meeting, and instead of being solely focused on the Washington Redskins, I will be thinking about other things."

Last night, Barber made it clear he's maintained his focus on the field. With the Giants facing another fourth-quarter collapse, Barber ran five times for 70 yards on the key possession of the game. "He picked us up," Coughlin said, "like he always does."

New York clung to a six-point lead when Barber took a standard handoff with six minutes to play. He ran into a line of scrimmage that looked cloaked in burgundy and gold. But in trademark style, Barber slashed through the line, slipped two tackles and broke free 50 yards to the end zone.

It was a highlight that looked eerily familiar to Redskins defenders. Two minutes into the second quarter, Barber slipped a tackle and ran 15 yards for a touchdown. A few possessions later, he took a handoff and broke away from Reed Doughty and Sean Taylor for a 55-yard score. He walked out of the end zone and thumped his chest at Eli Manning, making the message clear.

Barber wanted the ball again and again.

"I know when I get an opportunity to do my job I'm damn good," Barber said.

Barber's scintillating performance raised the same question that has haunted Giants fans for months: Why would a player retire in his prime? Barber ran for a career-high 1,860 yards last season. He's still one of the most explosive running backs in the NFL. He'll play in the 2007 Pro Bowl, his third in a row.

"Unless you've walked a mile in my shoes and done the things I've done, you can't attempt to understand me," Barber said. "Right now, this is mostly about the team. It's about winning. Mostly, it's about us getting into the playoffs. We needed to have resurgence, and we had it today. Right now, that's what I care about."