Giants vs. Patriots: How BenJarvus Green-Ellis Can Make a Huge Impact

The New England Patriots and New York Giants are teams that throw the ball and have difficulty defending the pass, but on Sunday in Super Bowl XLVI both teams will have to establish the run to come away with a championship.

I think New England running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis could step up and provide a huge spark for the Patriots and lead them to another title.

The 26-year-old veteran out of Ole Miss (by way of Indiana) has been incredibly consistent for New England during his four years in the league.

His career average of 4.0 yards per carry perfectly fits the team's pass-first system. In addition to that, Green-Ellis seems fine sharing the ball with other backs, like Danny Woodhead and Stevan Ridley. 

In 2010, Green-Ellis was a force in short-yardage situations, scoring a career-high 13 touchdowns. But he was more than just a situational back, as he finished the year with 1008 yards. This regular season, he rushed for 667 yards and 11 touchdowns on 181 carries.

In addition to all of that, Green-Ellis has never fumbled in his NFL career. That's right, in four years and 510 carries, the man has never put the ball on the ground. That is simply a remarkable feat.

The Giants finished the season with the 27th-ranked defense in the NFL, and while their pass defense was the team's real problem, they also finished 19th against the run. New York allowed 121.3 yards per game on the ground, while New England rushed for 110.3 yards per game. 

In such a big game, Bill Belichick and the Patriots are almost certain to put the ball in Green-Ellis' reliable hands when they decide to run the ball. If New England's offensive line can open holes for him, I think he could make a huge impact on the game.

You know he's not going to fumble, and when given the chance, he can be a very effective power back. His ability to wear down New York's defensive front could make things a whole lot easier on quarterback Tom Brady when he drops back to pass.

While almost no one is talking about him right now, look for Green-Ellis to make a big impression on Sunday.