Running Game Isn't a Giant Problem

Coming into this season, some people who follow the Giants believed that their offense would be ok with out Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer since they led the league last season with 2,518 yards on the ground.

Through the first two games of this season the Giants are ranked 22nd in the league with 200 yards rushing. Though their running game is towards the bottom of the league Eli Manning has propelled the Giants to the 5th best passing offense in the NFL this season. Opposed to last season when they were only ranked 18th in the league. I know it is has only been two weeks but the Giants are operating totally opposite from how they normally run and they are still winning.

The reason I am mentioning all of this, is to say that the Giants have been forced to totally change how they run their offense. I don't mean the playbook itself but how much passing they do opposed to rushing. The reason being, teams came into the 2009 season not respecting any of the Giants receivers and the passing game. Opponents have been keying on the NFL's best running attack from last season because they know that's how the Giants want to play and win games.

In turn, at the beginning of the Redskins and Cowboys games the Giants came out throwing because teams have been bringing an extra player in the box to slow down Jacobs and Bradshaw and it has worked. Even though the Giants are struggling running the ball, Eli Manning, Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, and the rest of the receivers have stepped their game up to make up for the lost production.

Teams better learn sooner rather then later that they can't bring that safety up as much as they would like. Because the Giants have become an elite passing team right before our eyes. What everyone has questioned has been answered. Can Eli carry this offense? Yes. Can these receivers step up? Yes.

Right now is not a time to be worried about the Giants running game. And, the reason I say that is because they are winning and they are taking what their opponents are giving them.

I do believe as the season goes on Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw will begin to excel and start making some noise due to the success of the passing game. If not, the giants may have one of the top passing offense's in the NFL this season and I don't remember the last time you could say that.