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Will The New York Giants Finally Make Rashad Jennings The Feature Back?

By Christopher Schwarz

Sep 25, 2014; Landover, MD, USA; New York Giants running back Rashad Jennings (23) carries the ball as Washington Redskins cornerback David Amerson (39) defends in the first quarter at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 25, 2014; Landover, MD, USA; New York Giants running back Rashad Jennings (23) carries the ball as Washington Redskins cornerback David Amerson (39) defends in the first quarter at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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The New York Giants running game thrived in 2015 when Rashad Jennings was the primary ball carrier. Head coach Ben McAdoo needs to embrace Jennings in 2016 to have success in the ground game.

One of the biggest stories this offseason was how the New York Giants would handle the rushing attack in 2016. With Rashad Jennings, Shane Vereen, Andre Williams, Orleans Darkwa, Paul Perkins, Bobby Rainey and Marshaun Coprich all in camp, the backfield was crowded to say the least.

After training camp was over, the roster is trimmed down to five running backs. So how will the Giants use their personnel on the ground? Last season’s four-man running back rotation was ineffective to say the least. It wasn’t until week seven that the GMen eclipsed the 100-yard mark on the ground. The team only accomplished that feat four times in all of 2015.

It wasn’t until week seven that the GMen eclipsed the 100-yard mark on the ground

Dec 27, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New York Giants running back Rashad Jennings (23) rushes for 14 yards against the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth quarter at TCF Bank Stadium. The Vikings win 49-17. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 27, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New York Giants running back Rashad Jennings (23) rushes for 14 yards against the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth quarter at TCF Bank Stadium. The Vikings win 49-17. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports /

Near the end of the season, when Jennings was the primary ball carrier, the running game improved significantly. As Lance Medow of Giants.com pointed out, “In the last four games of the season, Jennings recorded 79 total carries for 432 yards and averaged 5.5 yards per carry. To put that in perspective, in the first 12 games of the season, Jennings tallied 116 carries and averaged 3.7 yards per carry.”

Jennings Needs To Carry The Load

That’s a major statistical jump that could have flipped some of the losses from 2015. John Schmeelk at Giants.com, before the 53-man roster was set, estimated Jennings would get between 15-18 carries per game. In 2015, Jennings had just over 12 attempts per game, so he couldn’t get any kind of rhythm going.

Perhaps, the Giants were worried about the health of their running back corps last season. Then-head coach Tom Coughlin simply waited too long to use Jennings as the primary running back. Vereen got his touches as a third-down back and that will continue in 2016. But his insistence on adding Williams and Darkwa to the mix hurt Jennings’ ability to make an impact on the game.

Will Ben McAdoo finally embrace Jennings as the main ball carrier? Giants fans will have to wait and see during week one against the Dallas Cowboys.

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