The New York Giants have taken positive steps forward the past few weeks since their one-point loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in week seven. Fast forward to week 10, and the Giants overcame a bolstered Philadelphia team by 10 points.
In what was the most impressive win of the season, quarterback Daniel Jones played his cleanest game, protecting the ball and not giving the Eagles a chance to create turnovers.
The Giants won in two important categories, turnovers and time of possession. Both teams record the same number of first downs gained with 22, but overall, it was the running game that sparked success for a Big Blue.
On the day, the Giants ran for 151 yards, their second consecutive week breaching 150 yards on the ground. They posted 166 against the Washington Football Team. However, it is their fifth-week straight rushing for over 100 yards.
The New York Giants found an answer at RB:
Aside from the offensive line making significant strides in the run game, running back Wayne Gallman has taken his opportunity by the horns and ran with it. Over 18 carries, Gallman earned 53 yards and two touchdowns.
While Gallman only averaged 2.9 yards per carry, the Giants utilized him as a time of possession back in the fourth quarter to waste out the clock, which the Eagles expected and lowered his average yards per carry.
Wayne has consistently earned more snaps this season, with his highest coming against Philadelphia in week 10 with 23. He rushed for 53 yards, three first downs, and had a long of 17.
The question everyone is asking, where did Gallman go the past few years and why has the coaching staff refused to give him an opportunity?
Well, this dates back to Pat Shurmur and his era. Back in 2017 with Ben McAdoo, Wayne enjoyed 111 attempts at 476 yards. He failed to score a touchdown on the ground, earning five this season in about half the amount of touches. His snaps fell off though with Shurmur at the helm, and it is unknown as to why he was pushed down the depth chart and replaced by undrafted free agent Jon Hilliman in 2019.
At this point, it is fair to say that Gallman should be a fantastic complement to Saquon Barkley in the future, given his hard running style and ability to run downhill with speed and power. At just 210 pounds, Gallman plays like he’s 260 pounds, utilizing his elusiveness and slender body to burst through holes.
Even when Devonta Freeman makes his return in a few weeks, the Giants should continue to roll with the former Clemson standout and see what they have. This is the final year of a four-year rookie deal, so extending him on a cheap contract and utilizing him in unison with Barkley could be beneficial. In addition, he understands the scheme, and retaining him would only benefit Jason Garrett and the offense.