Ahmad Bradshaw leading NFL
When Ahmad Bradshaw got the starting position as New York Giants' running back, there were those who thought that it was a bad decision on the part of Giants’ head coach, Tom Coughlin and offensive co-ordinator, Kevin Gilbride. Into the eighth week though
the two have been vindicated and Ahmad Bradshaw has forced everyone to accept that he was the right choice.
After 7 regular season games, Bradshaw has the highest number of yards in the league. His 708 yards came off 134 carries and averages 5.3 yards. He is ahead of the second place Minnesota Vikings’ Adrian Peterson by 24 yards and third place Tennessee Titans’
Chris Johnson by 46 yards. Adrian Peterson though has played one less game than the other two running backs because the Vikings have already taken their Bye week. However, he has carried the ball more times than Bradshaw.
Bradshaw isn’t surprised by his performance this season. “It was a goal that I set for myself at the beginning of the year”, said Bradshaw, a goal he has reached. He added that it was something he had been working hard for. “Just having this opportunity
to be a starter and being able to be at the top of the list is a big achievement for me right now.”
When Giants' training camp opened, the general opinion was that New Yorks' Brandon Jackson would continue to be the number one running back for them. Jackson had been the Giants' starter since 2006 and there was no reason for a change. However, when Bradshaw
started working with the starting unit at camp, he was quite impressive and caught the coaching staff's eye.
“We always knew he had the potential”, said running backs' coach, Gerald Ingram. “He wants to be the guy who makes a difference with what he does. He wants to win and that shows it in how hard he runs.”
Jackson and Bradshaw are two different kinds of running backs. The big Brandon relies more on his strength than Bradshaw. He has the ability to plough through a defensive line’s weaknesses. Bradshaw, on the other hand, is extremely quick on his feet and
he makes openings for himself with his agility and speed. The switch from Jackson to Bradshaw has added a new dimension to the Giants' offense.
The effect is obvious. In the Giants' four game winning streak, Bradshaw ran for more than 126 yards in 3 of them. He is averaging over a hundred yards per game this season. When Bradshaw runs well, the Giants win.
Running back coach Ingram noted that there is no weak spot in the defence that a running back can aim for. A running back will try a hole in the defensive line and if the defence plugs that hole he would try the next and so on until he can slip through.
“If there is nothing, you hope you have a guy who can create magic. So there are times he is making magic happen out there”, stated Ingram referring to Bradshaw. “That's what makes him special.”
Bradshaw is also one of league's most resilient and physically tough players. He doesn’t have a heavy build but he more than makes up for it with his determination. Last year, he played 15 games with an injury that would have kept other players on the bench.
But, Bradshaw is now under more physical stress than he has ever been before. Until the season opened, Bradshaw had 253 carrier carries. In the seven games since the season opened, he has had 134 more carries.
Offensive co-ordinator, Kevin Gilbride was hoping that Bradshaw could last until the end of the season adding that so far he had faced no problems and had been playing great football for the New York Giants. “Everything he does is with great determination
and effort. It is hard for his teammates to look at him and not be affected in a positive way.”
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