Jets vs. Giants: Why Both Teams Have Struggled Running the Ball in 2011

It's been ugly.

For two teams that pride themselves on their ability to pound it down the throats of their opponents, the New York Jets and New York Giants have been dismal running the rock this season.

The Jets currently rank No. 22 in terms of total rushing yards with 1,458, which averages out to 104.1 per game. The Jets' yards per attempt ranks No. 30 in the league, at 3.7.

Those deflated statistics are far off for a team that ranked fourth in the NFL last season, with 2,374 rushing yards (148.4 per game) and 4.4 yards per attempt (No. 8).  

The 2010 Jets team also finished the season with 14 rushing TDs, finishing among the top 10 teams in the league.

A large reason for the Jets' diminishing rushing yardage is due to the play of LaDainian Tomlinson, who has just 59 carries for 195 yards and one TD on the season.

Third-year man Shonn Greene has had a solid season for the Jets, posting 67.2 rushing yards per game and six touchdowns.  While 67 yards per game may seem low, through Week 15 the NFL doesn't have a 100-yard-per-game rusher.

As for the G-Men, they've been far worse this season.  They have rushed for a mere 1,206 yards this season (86.1 per game), which both rank dead last in the NFL.

In 2010, the Giants racked up 2,200 yards on the ground (137.5 per game) and scored 17 rushing TDs. 

The 2011 season for the Giants has seen Ahmad Bradshaw battle injuries and Brandon Jacobs practically talk himself out of New York.

When healthy, Bradshaw has been effective, averaging 54.8 rushing yards per game, three receptions per game and seven total TDs.

While both teams rank in the top 10 in the league in terms of rushing TDs, the yardage hasn't been there for either of them in 2011.

If either of these teams is going to make the playoffs, they'll need to establish an effective ground game going forward into 2012.