Darkwa doing ‘everything’ to stay healthy, run wild
EAST RUTHERFORD » Orleans Darkwa has never been happier to wake up feeling sore the morning after an NFL game.
Consider this: The Giants’ fourth-year running back had 21 rushing attempts total in four games entering Sunday night’s contest in Denver. He doubled that figure against the Broncos, punishing the league’s top run defense for a career-best 117 yards.
On Monday, his body felt the effects. Only twice before in his career had Darkwa carried the ball at least 10 times. His previous career high was 12.
“I like it. I like that feeling,” Darkwa said of the workload. “Something I learned from Rashad (Jennings) while he was here is just to invest in your body. So I’m doing a lot of things treatment-wise to make sure I’m ready to go for the next week constantly. I’m going to be ready when my number’s called. No matter how many carries, I’m going to be ready for it.” Giants fans have to hope he is right. The danger with Darkwa is that while he has shown flashes of brilliance — he is averaging 4.5 yards per carry in 42 career games — injuries have frequently stymied his depth chart standing.
Over the past two seasons, Darkwa dealt with multiple health issues including a nagging leg injury which led to him going on injured reserve last November. He also missed Week 4 this year with a back injury, but that proved to be nothing serious.
“I’m doing everything I can to make sure that I can give my best for this team,” Darkwa said. “The sky is the limit as long as I can just go out there and stay healthy. I’m doing everything as far as the weight room, making sure I’m strengthening — even on off days. Really my off day is not an off day because I’m getting treatment on most days.”
With struggling Paul Perkins sidelined the last two weeks with a rib injury, Darkwa gained 186 yards on 6.4 yards per carry against Los Angeles and Denver. Eight carries against the Chargers transitioned into 21 against the Broncos, and the Tulane product hasn’t wasted a chance to find a groove and ignite the Giants’ running game.
“Really haven’t had that since college,” Darkwa said. “When you get that opportunity and you constantly get the ball, you get that momentum going and you see good things. The o-line did a tremendous job for me and all the backs. We’ve just got to keep building off that.”
The Giants’ three longest runs this season (20, 23, 47) all belong to Darkwa, so New York figures to ride him going forward while continuing to mix in rookie Wayne Gallman.
Before Darkwa topped the century mark in Denver, the Broncos held four Pro Bowls running backs — Melvin Gordon, Ezekiel Elliott, LeSean McCoy and Marshawn Lynch — to 95 yards total.
“I just try to make the most out of every play,” Darkwa says. He does so with a plan of smoothly attacking the holes that the Giants simulate in practice and instinctively creating lanes when the trenches get messy.
Personnel adjustments have likely helped the cause.
Since averaging only 59.25 rushing yards in the first four games, the Giants totaled 300 over the last two weeks. They did so while utilizing a much smaller rate of three-receiver sets.
Against Denver, New York aligned 12 personnel (one back, two tight ends) on 72 percent of snaps. The league average in Week 6 was 19 percent, per Pro Football Focus.
“The tight ends are a big part of it, and the receivers sticking their nose in there is a big part of it, too,” head coach Ben McAdoo said. “It’s the ultimate team game. It takes all 11. Eli (Manning) does a good job directing it. The backs are running big. They’re running heavy. They’re running physical.”
The Giants have gone more tight end-heavy by necessity since season-ending injuries to Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall. A fresh matchup next Sunday with the Seahawks, who rank 26th in the league with 127.2 rushing yards allowed per game, will test the plan’s sustainability.
“We know it’s going to be another tough task,” Darkwa said. “Denver was number one in rush defense, so obviously we know we have the tools to succeed as far as rushing the ball. But we’ve got another tough front coming up with Seattle. They’re good in all phases of the game.”