NFL Super Bowl XLVI: Why the New York Running Game Won't Ever Win a Super Bowl

I know what you're thinking.

Not in a weird kind of way; just saying I know what the first question is going to be in response to that headline.

You're wondering how a running game matters in this league with these types of quarterbacks.

You will reference Drew Brees' and Tom Brady's passing yards; you will point out Aaron Rodgers touchdown to interception ratio; you will highlight the points scored of passing touchdowns compared to running touchdowns.

All of those are true and all of those matter in the NFL.

Eli Manning and the New York Giants wouldn't have made it to Super Bowl XLVI if they didn't have a strong passing attack—it simply wouldn't work in this current league, no matter how strong your defense might be.

If you don't think that is the case, look at both Championship games and you will duly note that a strong passing attack is needed to compete at the highest level in the National Football League.

So yes, you would be completely right to be hesitant about this article.

But this article is not meant to read like I'm advocating for the running game to be the go-to-play for sides when times are tough and that if they don't run the ball, they are never going to win.

That argument has been proven wrong time and time again this year—displayed most clearly by the New York Giants.

See, there's a difference between running the football and having a running game.

When you're taking it upfield on the ground, moving the chains, busting through tackles and setting up touchdown-scoring drives, that's a running game. No impact? That's just running the football and all that does is take time off the clock and heap more pressure on your quarterback.

And for all the postseason success so far of the Giants, there is no hiding the fact that their success has come out of the defense, Eli Manning's throwing abilities and nothing else.

To put it even more simply: the running game did nothing, as it has done all season.

The Giants averaged 89.2 rushing yards per game, at 3.5 yards per carry.

Do you know where both of those stats ranked them in the league?

Last.

For a team one win away from Super Bowl glory, they have the worst running game in the NFL. And the only thing worse than the fact they can't run the football is the that they persist with it.

I know I said above that you need to run the football to move the chains and set up drives, and I stand by that, but there comes a point when you have to throw off what is shackling you.

And it appears that they're not quite getting the message.

They've had more rushing attempts per game in the postseason than they did in the regular season—taking 28.0 attempts per game for just over four yards per carry.

Though what do you expect when you have Brandon Jacobs.

I mean, c'mon man, seriously? You're 6'4" and weigh 264 pounds and you have chalked up 35 rushing yards in your last two games. You are getting brought down by guys that you should be running through or over or around or under.

Just do something, please.

And if it wasn't for Ahmad Bradshaw, this running game wouldn't even be running at all.

While Jacobs has put up 35 yards for 2.5 yards per carry in his last two games and is steadily declining, Bradshaw has chalked up 137 yards for 4.5 yards per carry in his last two.

Maybe you're thinking these numbers don't look as appalling as I'm making them out to be.

Keep in mind, though, that this is off the back of 28 carries per game in playoff football, against the powerhouse offense of the Green Bay Packers and the run-stopping machine that is the San Francisco 49ers.

This running game against the New England Patriots simply is not going to work.

Gone is the leaky defense that we saw throughout the regular season — replaced by a unit that's allowing just 15 points per game. Teams have run on the Patriots at a whopping average of 35.5 times per match, and have only walked away with 3.7 yards per carry.

This New England defense is not going to allow you to run the football with ease, especially not when your running game is temperamental to begin with.

The New York Giants must either run Bradshaw outside the tackles, or abandon the ground game early and leave it all on Manning's arm, which they may well end up doing anyway.

The running game of the G-men simply isn't good enough to be effective against a rejuvenated Patriots defense and, as a result, will not help the Giants cause for a Super Bowl victory.

I'm not saying the Giants won't win the Super Bowl; what I am saying is that the running game won't do them any favors in getting there.

Think of it like an afro.

No matter how good an afro may look, it's not going to help you win a marathon.

And if the New York Giants truly want to win this marathon that we call the NFL, they will be wise to leave their running game at the front door.

I wouldn't even bother picking it up on the way out either.

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