Slayton took ‘chance’ on late return

Why did rookie Darius Slayton take the ball out of the end zone with 2:13 remaining in Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals, with the Giants trailing by six points and out of timeouts?

“[Special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey] pretty much just gave me the option, stay in or bring it out,’’ Slayton told The Post. “Felt like I had a chance to bring it out and get a solid return, just didn’t quite pan out that way.’’

No, it did not pan out that way.

Slayton fielded the ball 1-yard deep in the end zone, got little traction on his return and was dropped on the 12-yard line. The return used up 11 seconds and gave the Giants 2:02 to work with. Had he stayed in the end zone, the Giants would have had the ball on their 25 with 2:13 left.

Coach Pat Shurmur afterward said he thought Slayton made a good decision.

“He’s done a good job with the opportunities he’s gotten, and there was a chance for him to make a big play and score a touchdown from a yard in,” Shurmur said. “I was OK with it.’’

Slayton has “done a good job with the opportunities he’s gotten?” Before this game, Slayton did not have a kickoff return in an NFL regularseason game. He was back there only because another rookie, Corey Ballentine, is in the concussion protocol. Slayton did have a 30-yard return earlier in the game.

A day later, Shurmur insisted he wanted to see Slayton try to return the kickoff.

“I do believe in the players and their ability to make a play,’’ Shurmur said. “If that was way deep in the end zone, then absolutely, we stay in. Had he run it back for a touchdown, we’d all be talking about something else right now.’’

➤ Shurmur said Saquon Barkley was “a little sore, what you might expect for a first game back,’’ but otherwise got through the game fine.

➤ It looked as if WR Golden Tate failed to make a play on Daniel

Jones’ first pass of the game, avoiding what would have been a big hit.

Tate on Monday said, “I have tunnel vision so I don’t know, I don’t remember’’ when asked about the play. Shurmur said, “That was tight, that was a hole coverage and the hole player was there. We have to be better at throwing and catching that, both sides of it.’’