Giants Hope to Run Wild Against Struggling Cowboys Run Defense

In the game of football, as in life, sometimes the only thing that matters is timing.

Take for interest this weekend’s game between the Giants and the Cowboys. The Giants, who have been looking for a spark on offense, and more specifically their running game, finally got just that last week against a Los Angeles Rams run defense that entering Week 4, had allowed 119.3 rushing yards per game, 18th in the NFL.

So what did the Giants running game, which has had to go forward without Saquon Barkley, its heart and soul, do? They ran for a season-high 136 yards on 25 carries, with two of their ten longest plays from scrimmage coming on the ground.

What was the difference?

“I think using some tempo helped us. I think we were controlling the line of scrimmage as well as we have in the running game all year long--a lot of positive runs,” offensive coordinator Jason Garrett said this week.

“I thought the guys did a good job up front blocking, not just the down guys but the tight ends. The receivers got involved and the runners ran the ball well, and we ran it in different ways. That certainly helped us as the game wore on. Again, it helped our protection, the run action stuff. We were able to make some plays in the passing game as a result of that.”

Another big reason for the running game having finally shown signs of a pulse is Devonta Freeman, whom the Giants signed after losing Barkley to a torn ACL in Week 2. Freeman recorded 45 yards on six carries for a 7.5 average, his 45 yards tying quarterback Daniel Jones total in the same game as the team’s single-game high.

“I feel like we are starting to click,” Freeman said. “Everybody is starting to do their job. To have a successful run game it’s going to take all 11. Once we play unified, the sky is the limit for us.”

This weekend, the Giants will look to continue that momentum against a struggling Cowboys run defense that gave up over 300 rushing yards last week to the Cleveland Browns, a total that sent their average rushing yards allowed to 172.5 yards per game, 31st in the league.

The Cowboys run defense was particularly susceptible on the right side of the formation against the Browns, who gained 174 of their 307 rushing yards running to the right.

Does that mean even more carries for Freeman, who, along with quarterback Daniel Jones has emerged as the hot hand in the running game?

“In terms of going with the hot hand, there are times we may do that and ride that out. But at the same time, we have to make sure we complement our game plan by going in with everything we have in the arsenal,” head coach Joe Judge said.

More importantly, it’s all about continuing to establish a comfort level, which Freeman believes is starting to happen not just for him but for everyone who is part of the Giants' running game.

“We can just continue to get comfortable with different looks, different schemes. There hasn’t been a preseason, you can expect a lot of things to be slower and take time. It’s a process,” he said.

“I definitely think you just need all 11 guys. That’s what we went out there and did last game. We’re going to build off that and just keep going and try to get better. All of us have been working hard all week long. Just try to get better every day.”

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