Loading ...While many experts, pundits, beat writers, and the like may choose to focus on the struggles of Brandon Jacobs and the offensive line, the real key to The Giants having success running the ball once again is Ahmad Bradshaw.
Bradshaw is somewhat of a forgotten figure when examining The Giants’ offense this off- season. As I alluded to, most have fixed their eyes on the struggles of Brandon Jacobs and the offensive line, or the successes of Eli Manning, Steve Smith, and the passing game.
The truth is, the health and success of Ahmad Bradshaw is the key to New York’s offense.
Bradshaw has struggled with some type of injury below his knees nearly every year since he has been in the league. In 2009, to go along with whatever ankle injury he had already worked through, Bradshaw suffered breaks in both of his feet.
Based on this, there is no reason to presume that Bradshaw will be healthy in 2010.
But that doesn’t mean he can’t be productive.
In 2009, Bradshaw had 778 yards on 163 carries and 21 receptions for 207 yards.
Not bad for a guy with two broken feet.
When Bradshaw was making plays, The Giants saw success. Some people even view Bradshaw as one of the primary reasons that The Giants were able to win Superbowl XLII. He burst onto the scene in week 15 and changed the dynamic of the offense.
IF Bradshaw is healthy in 2010, The Giants offense will soar to even greater heights. It has been a number of years since The Giants had a back who could take it the distance on any given play. Bradshaw has incredible balance and elusiveness to go along with his speed, and this makes him dangerous. If injuries do not hamper him, he is a lock to have 1,100 yards in my mind.
The flashes that Bradshaw has shown over the years must come together this season.
Many Giant fans witnessed how successful the team can be with a balanced rushing attack in 2008. The combo of Jacobs and Ward killed the clock and dictated the game. Ahmad Bradshaw is the key to this.
Jacobs is who he is. He pounds the ball. He gets you 4-5 yards. If the hole is gaping, he occasionally trucks someone.
But thats not what makes the running game dangerous; its the ability to take advantage of a gassed defense with a Derrick Ward or Ahmad Bradshaw.
Though this may sound ridiculous to many Giant fans, my belief that this can work again in 2010 comes from Tom Coughlin.
Coughlin may have his issues as a coach, and his teams may fold down the stretch, or be injury prone, or have stale strategies. But the one thing Coughlin does well is fix issues within the team from one season to the next.
After Tiki Barber left people thought he could not be replaced. Sure enough in 2007 the running game was as good as ever.
After Strahan left, it was he who could not be replaced. Sure enough The Giants had a great defense (and no, not all the credit goes to Spagnuolo).
Heading into 2009, the passing game had no chance without Burress. We all know how that turned out.
Whether you want to call it “issues” or “replacing players”, Coughlin excels at helping the team overcome perceived roadblocks from one season to the next.
Hence my reason for cautious optimism.
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I think the offensive line really hold the “keys.” But I do agree that Bradshaw is a bigger piece of the offense than most pundits acknowledge…
FF55,
From the previous thread – yeah, you’re in rare form today! I don’t think I disagree with your assessment at all re: Eli/Romo. I’m not even saying Eli isn’t already “really good”. I’m just saying at the end of the their careers, they could both very well be considered “really good”, as neither are Jamarcus Russel.
Kyle,
Good piece. I wish Bradshaw could be a threat as a receiver like Tiki was. Maybe he’ll turn out that way. I’m not even holding the blame on Bradshaw. We haven’t seen the screen pass since Hufnagel. It’s not like passing to the back is something the current OC has a foundation.
A few months ago, I went through the effort of correlating backfield catches as a percentage of total team catches and some other stat, and it showed that the offense was considerably more efficient when Tiki was around, and to a somewhat similar extent when Ward was around. I forget what my conclusion exactly was, but I do remember that we need more passes to the backs. It was one of the reasons I was quoted as having a baseball bat with a hamburger on the end for Spiller.
The pass distribution to the backs was ALWAYS over 20% until this year i dropped to 15%
Yeah, and it was actually well over 20%, wasn’t it?
Killdrive holds the keys. But he lost them in the couch.
Ahmad Bradshaw to run the inside draw on 2nd and long?
It finally came to me what blog forums are like. Saloons. I could go away for years come back here and the conversations would be exactly the same as they were when I left. Not to mention the cast of characters, the same cats sitting on the same stools screaming the same **** at the TV. Only no blood flows. Which I’m ashamed to say I regret a little
Blood can flow.
Samardjia and FF55 are currently in a spat.
Apparently FF55 is a crotchety old ****.
I’ve had my battles too. They happen from time to time.
Yeah, like that time you basically called me an idiot for not getting out of that meatlocker. D*ck.
:)
Ummm….perhaps a ****, perhaps old (at least compared to most of you), and perhaps crotchety at times, but NEVER all three at once. How dare you?
Anyway, Pettitte and Jeter are making me feel a lot better.
I meant blood literally.
You’re the funniest guy in the saloon. Always with your finger on the absurdities. And I happen to think Samardzjia is the smartest guy here. As for FF55, he’s been in charge too long, barks out orders, can’t hear himself. I can always hear the “How Dare You Talk to Me Like That! Do You Know Who I Am” in his comments.
No need to be a dick now, Mike.
LOL. Mike has it down pretty well.
Before I comment on Kyle’s excellent piece I want to reply to Kevros from the previous thread.
I cannot overstate the degree to which I know how fortunate I am to have the life I have, and to have the privilege of allowing my children to start off in life as they have. Some of it is my own doing. Some of it is having the great fortune to be born in America when I was. Some of it is the help along the way from my wife, my parents, my ancestors, and plenty of others. Some of it is because of both the natural abilities and the learned behavior of my kids. Some of it is plain old dumb luck. I wish for each and every one of you (heck, even TRBM!!) as wonderful a life as I’ve had so far and hope to continue as long as possible. I really mean that. This seems like a collection of generally nice, worthy, people who sometimes disagree fiercely but almost never indicate that they are not worthy of respect and empathy. It’s easy to root for all of you. Are there bad times, for me as well as anyone else? Sure. No one is exempt from that. But if I EVER indicate in any way that I don’t realize how fortunate I am I won’t object to anyone calling me on it.
Now, to Kyle’s piece. I think it’s quite good. But there are some big “ifs” in regard to this kid. Can he stay healthy? Will Gilbride properly integrate him into the passing game? Is Brown going to beat all the odds and be healthy enough that he can become the primary back coming out of the backfield in passing situations? If Jacobs cannot stay healthy can anyone else take on the role of the power back successfully so Bradshaw doesn’t have to carry too much of the load? Can the young receivers really step up their game even more so that any defense that decided to bring the safeties up takes a serious risk of getting badly burned?
If there are generally positive answers to the above then I think Bradshaw may have a breakout season if he stays healthy. We’ll see.
Dude. I’m the smartest guy here. Don’t make me rip you a new A-Hole…
Welll you’re cerainly smarter than meatlocker boy.
Kujo, I never called you an idiot. I think I called you a retard. Slight difference.
You did get locked in a freezer.
I get beer at the deli from the walk-in freezer (it is freezing cold in there) and I know where the light switch is and how to get out should the door close.
Why? because I’ll be damned if I die in some freezer in a deli run by a bunch of Mujahadin…Pounding on the door until my death. And I’m usually drunk when I go in there.
Haha.
So what you’re saying is that my idiocy is due to a genetic abnormality rather than sheer ignorance?
I guppose I can deal with that.
Yea. I ranked you somewhere between a Labrador and a monkey.
Monkador.
LabraMonkey…
You are like…one step below Chewbaca.
FF55 will like this:
Five Players Who Outranked Jeter, if Only Briefly
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/sports/baseball/06jeter.html?ref=sports
Sorry everybody. I smoked a joint this morning and I am in rare form.
Atta boy ;-)