NY Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin Hints Brandon Jacobs Will Continue to Start

New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin started running back Brandon Jacobs over Ahmad Bradshaw last Sunday. As a result, Jacobs finished with 14 carries while Bradshaw had nine. You can expect more of the same this coming Sunday.

"To the point where it remains - it almost was an even distribution of carries, I think Bradshaw ended up with a little more last weekend," Coughlin remarked. "We've always played that way, but the way in which we start and the way in which we distribute throughout the course of the game is a little bit dictated by how the game goes. I'd like to stay right now with Brandon starting the game, but Ahmad is very much in the hunt and again, as pointed out, we did not have a turnover last week, which is a very positive thing."

It was Bradshaw, not Jacobs, who received the ball late in the fourth quarter. According to Coughlin, that was the plan all along. "(Bradshaw got the ball) to say we have faith in him," Coughlin said. "We have faith in all of them. Let's correct it. Let's fix it. Let's move on. I tried to express last week when so much was put in to who was going to start - they're all going to get their carries and they've all got to do a job and everybody has to feel responsibility for this thing. What a great thing it is not to have a giveaway in the game."

Coughlin also did not rule wide receiver Steve Smith out for this Sunday's game, although most reports indicate that he will not return to the field until December 12.

Jacobs taking the field for New York's first offensive series isn't all that big a deal, especially with Bradshaw getting double-digit touches via rushing and passing plays. As long as the team's running backs continue to not fumble the football away, expect Jacobs to continue starting. Better to not mess with what's working will be the mindset of the team's coaching staff for the near future.

All quotes via New York Giants Communications Office