Move over, Andre Brown, just don't go too far away.
According to a report in the New York Daily News, the New York Giants plan to start Ahmad Bradshaw against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, September 30, despite the emergence of Brown, who rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns against the Carolina Panthers on Thursday. Giants coach Tom Coughlin didn't elaborate on how he would split the workload between his two running backs.
Is starting Bradshaw the right decision?
Before injuring his neck in week two against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bradshaw had rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown. Brown has rushed for 184 yards and three touchdowns in the last two games. But the old-school coach is going to start Bradshaw (as long as he's healthy) for the sole reason of experience. Bottom line is he trusts Bradshaw, even though the hard-nosed running back is coming off a down season in which he rushed for a career-low 3.9 yards per carry.
If you're a fantasy football owner, you can't be pleased by this news. If you're a Giants fan, on the other hand, it's great news. I can see a two-headed running attack in the making, just like last year when Bradshaw shared the ball with Brandon Jacobs. My guess is Bradshaw will get a 60-40 share of the carries and likely be the go-to guy on the goal-line, but Brown will stay very much in the mix.
"There's a long way to go and we're just happy we had an opportunity to develop a player," Coughlin was quoted as saying. "And they'll all have a chance to contribute."
The Giants have become a pass-happy team, but they'll need a strong running game to beat a physical team like the Eagles on Sunday and to compete in the rugged NFC East. Bradshaw and Brown could be the one-two punch New York needs to slam the competition.
How would you split the carries between Bradshaw and Brown? Can Bradshaw still be a No. 1 running back for the Giants? Let me know in the comments section below.
Adam Martini is a freelance sports writer who proudly wears his Rodney Hampton jersey on Sundays during the football season. He grew up in Queens, N.Y. rooting for the Giants despite being surrounded by Jets fans. Adam follows back Giants fans on Twitter @PegCitySports.
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