Anyone else notice all the chatter about the Giants making a mistake by taking Saquon Barkley with the second pick in the 2018 NFL Draft has vanished amid the recent struggles of Sam Darnold?

It also has something to do with the way Barkley has performed during his 1 ½ seasons as a pro, which includes winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year award last year. Even though the Giants are a losing team, Barkley is worth the price of admission and the running back’s leadership in the locker room is a franchise’s dream.

That said, the debate should no longer exist because: 1) The Giants got their potential franchise quarterback in Daniel Jones during last year’s draft; and 2) Darnold has regressed to the point his long-term success is no longer a given.

The current futility of the two franchises, who combine for a 3-14 record has turned what should have been the most anticipated game of the regular season into a fog of disappointment and uncertain futures.

Sunday’s game at MetLife Stadium should be a highly anticipated starting point; the Jets and Giants facing each other in the first regular-season showdown between Barkley and Darnold, the second and third choices in the 2018 draft after the Browns took Baker Mayfield No. 1.

It’s also the first meeting between the two quarterbacks — Darnold and Jones — who figure to guide their franchises deep into the next decade; and the first between Barkley and the Jets’ $52.5 million running back Le’Veon Bell.

It should be the rebirth of an ancient rivalry that hasn’t really meant much since Victor Cruz went 99 yards on Christmas Eve 2011 to jump-start the Giants’ last Super Bowl run. Yet, the Jets (1-7) and Giants (2-7) seem to be taking two steps backward before going forward.

The Jets immediate concern is Darnold, who is has been terrible in three straight games. This season has always been about his development under new head coach Adam Gase. It’s not all Darnold’s fault the Jets have become the least productive offense in the league at 223.5 yards per game, but he has hurt his team over the past three games with bad reads, poor throws and shoddy fundamentals.

Statistically, he is the lowest rated among qualified quarterbacks in the NFL at 70.5 and has thrown eight interceptions in his past three games.

Instead of standing tall and confident, Darnold, sacked 18 times in five games, has gotten gun-shy behind a porous offensive line. Once fundamentally sound, he has been making too many throws off his back foot and forcing balls into coverage. He went from seeing ghosts against the Patriots to flinging an ill-fated interception that contributed to losing against the previously winless Dolphins.

“You go through those things sometimes,” Gase said. “You have to learn from that.”

Darnold has started just 18 games in his NFL career and it’s expected he’ll get past this slump and be everything the Jets hope he can be. But the NFL is littered with young quarterbacks who have failed amid high expectations. Josh Rosen, selected 10th by the Cardinals in 2018, has already been traded to Miami, while Mitch Trubisky, the second-overall choice by the Bears in 2017, is disappointing the fan base in Chicago.

The list of washouts goes back to Mark Sanchez, who took the Jets to back-to-back AFC Championship games, but is best remembered for the Buttfumble.

Gase said on Wednesday the Jets “don’t have a choice,” other than to get his quarterback back on track. Darnold looked focused as he rehearsed his fundamentals during practice Wednesday when he wore a black jersey with camouflage numbers as part of the NFL’s Salute to Service weekend. Gase is staying optimistic.

“The last four or five weeks he’s had a chance to dig into this thing and watch a ton of tape and I think he really feels more comfortable than he’s ever felt in this offense,” the coach said.

The Jets thought they’d gotten away with something when the Giants took Barkley clearing the way for Darnold to wear green. Now Darnold doesn’t look any better than Jones, and Barkley looks better than both.

Ref;nypost.com