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New York Giants: Paul Perkins Is X-Factor vs Green Bay Packers

By Kenneth Teape

Jan 1, 2017; Landover, MD, USA; New York Giants running back Paul Perkins (28) carries the ball as Washington Redskins safety Will Blackmon (41) prepares to make the tackler in the first quarter at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2017; Landover, MD, USA; New York Giants running back Paul Perkins (28) carries the ball as Washington Redskins safety Will Blackmon (41) prepares to make the tackler in the first quarter at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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New York Giants running back Paul Perkins is an x-factor against the Green Bay Packers this weekend.

The New York Giants have a tall task ahead of them this weekend against the Green Bay Packers. The Giants will head to Lambeau Field for Wild Card weekend, looking to conjure up some of the same success they during their postseason runs in 2008 and 2012.

In both of those Super Bowl runs, the Giants had to win in Lambeau Field. This year will be no different, as they will start their quest for a Super Bowl victory in Lambeau once again. Eli Manning was a big reason for those victories, but the Giants also got solid contributions in the running game.

That will be the case once again this weekend. That is why Paul Perkins is an X-Factor for the Giants. The Giants running game has been a disaster all season long but has shown life in recent weeks in part because of Perkins’ expanding role.

Perkins, whom the Giants selected in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, sparingly saw the playing field at the beginning of the season. He wasn’t on the field the first two weeks and received only 10 carries for 39 yards through the first seven games of the season into the bye. He also added six receptions for 105 yards.

After the bye week, he started to see his playing time increase and the Giants running game began showing signs of life. That is why he landed on ESPN NFL Nation’s X-Factor list for Wild Card weekend. Here is what Jordan Ranaan said about Perkins:

"The rookie has seen his rushing total increase each of the past six games. The best chance the Giants have of running the ball successfully is with Perkins — not Rashad Jennings — as the primary ball carrier after he became their first 100-yard rusher in Week 17 this season. Perkins adds a different dimension with his ability to make defenders miss, and his success on Sunday could help keep Packers QB Aaron Rodgers off the field. Perkins will get his opportunities."

Perkins did become the first Giants player this season to break the century mark in the final game of the regular season. He also set a new career-high for rushing yards in each of the last five games of the season.

Rashad Jennings will undoubtedly have a role still, but Perkins should once again be the lead back. Perkins has proven to be the more productive back as the season has gone on. He has shown an ability to make defenders miss and can make something out of nothing; Jennings needs the offensive line to open up holes in front of him, something they haven’t been able to consistently do.

If the Giants want to pull off the upset of the Packers they will need the running game to show up. There is only so much they can realistically rely on their defense to do against the red-hot Aaron Rodgers led Packers offense.

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One way to slow down the Packers offense would be to keep them off the field. Having a successful run game to control time of possession is a good way to keep Rodgers and company off the field, which makes Perkins an x-factor in the game.

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