The New York Giants lost to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, 33-18, but in some aspects the game was much closer than the score indicates. There were instances where the Giants broke down, dubious calls by the officials and some bad coaching choices by Pat Shurmur and his staff.

One of those decisions was to spread the ball around on offense instead of getting into the hands of their primary playmakers — wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and running back Saquon Barkley.

Beckham was targeted 11 times, catching seven of those for a total of 60 yards. He also had an end around for 10 yards. Barkley rushed only 10 times and caught six passes, but the plan going in was to try to establish the run and keep the powerful Saints offense off the field.

At one point in the second quarter, Barkley was spelled for a stint that appeared to go on way too long. Wayne Gallman caught a pass, got hit and fumbled. Instead of the Giants driving down for a score, the Saints took over at the Giants’ 10-yard line and kicked a field goal.

Shurmur said he wanted to give Barkley, a tireless worker, a breather and decided to keep Gallman in the game.

“We just wanted to give [Gallman] a little stretch of plays to get in there and get involved, that’s all,” said Shurmur after the game. “And we were actually moving the ball well until we fumbled.”

Yes, we know. Every time Barkley is either misused or underused, the critics are going to come calling. The Giants bypassed an entire class of potential franchise quarterbacks to select Barkley, so when fans see him on the bench in key spots, you can see why they freak out.

On Monday, Shurmur looked back on the decision to go with Gallman in that spot over his prized rookie.

“Looking back on it, I think Barkley had [16] touches yesterday,” he said. “I’d like to have a couple more probably, and those being runs certainly. We want to run the ball, we want to run the ball and when we want to throw it, we want to throw it, and we want to be explosive and efficient doing it. That’s the reality of it.”

Barkley is not in a position (yet) to make demands, and his personality and overall outlook won’t allow him to do anything but put the team first.

“If [Shurmur] said that, then that’s something he believes and my mindset is do whatever it takes to help the team win. And if that’s touch the ball 10, 15 times or touch the ball 30 times, then whatever it takes. I’m never really in the ‘I need the ball in my hands more and more.’ Obviously I would like to touch the ball more, especially if that’s the way the game is going, but I am aware that there are going to be games where sometimes the ball’s not supposed to be in my hands and sometimes we’re supposed to throw the ball,” Barkley told reporters.

“Whatever helps the team win, I’m more than ready to do.”

The Giants have the tools and weapons. Putting them all together is apparently a bigger challenge than originally thought.