The New York Giants have been extremely disappointing so far this season and they only managed to find their first win of the season in week 6 of the season, giving them a 1-5 record. On top of that, the injuries to key players have been crippling the team, especially offensively. As the adage almost goes, however, when the going gets tough you often find new leaders emerging, and last weekend we saw the emergence of running back Orleans Darkwa.
The 25 year old undrafted back was hugely impressive against the Denver Broncos and it was his play that led the Giants to their first victory. Darkwa has only received such a big role due to injuries and he may continue to have a big role over the coming weeks. Although usually a pass-first team, the Giants expanded their running game last weekend due to a lack of notable receivers.
Last weekend we saw Darkwa run 21 times for 117 yards, along with one catch for 13 yards. Those numbers alone are exceptional, but they are even better when you consider he did it all against the best run defense in the league. Melvin Gordon opened up with 54 rushing yards against the Broncos, but since then they have offered very little, with Ezekiel Elliott running for nine yards, LeSean McCoy running for 21 and Marshawn Lynch for just 12.
Those stats make Darkwa’s recent performance against the Broncos look off the scale, and certainly something that will keep him heavily involved in this offense. It may seem a big switch to go from being pass-first to run-first for the Giants, but with the receivers they have available, and the form Darkwa showed against Denver, that has to be something they do.
When you combine last weekend with the situation that the Giants find themselves in, it looks highly likely that Darkwa is going to have a breakout year for them. Looking back to his previous seasons, he has a career high 153 rushing yards in 2015, something he has already surpassed after week six this season.
The latest NFL odds suggest that the bookmakers don’t think Darkwa is enough to save the Giants this season, although he does look set to breakthrough and give their fans something to cheer about. His explosive running game may not be what their fans are used to seeing, but it has already shown how effective it can be and going forward it looks to be the best way for them to win games.
From the position they are in, the New York Giants are going to struggle to make the playoffs this season. However, if they want to hold on to their slim hopes of making them, they need to embrace what Orleans Darkwa can bring to the team. He has the ability to run big yards for them this season, and should be given the ball often to show what he can do. This is a great opportunity for Darkwa, and one that got off to a flying start in Denver last weekend.