Drafted one place ahead of David Wilson this past April, Tampa Bay's rookie running back Doug Martin (31st pick overall) handled the primary workload in the Buccaneers' Week 1 victory over Carolina. He rushed 24 times for 95 yards and added four catches for another 23.
Albeit one game, Martin added a new dynamic and balance to the Buccaneers offense, which ran the ball just 37 percent of the time in 2011. This past Sunday, Tampa Bay had a 36-24 ratio in favor of the run.
"He's a hard runner," Tom Coughlin said of Martin before Wednesday's practice. "He is physical, runs through arm tackles. He and the fullback [Erik Lorig] are right up there in their pass reception area as well. They both do pick up the blitz well I think. They ran 36 times the other day."
Lorig, a tight end-turned defensive end-turned fullback, caught Carolina off guard last week with four catches of his own, totaling 21 yards. Along with Martin and LaGarrette Blount (one catch for two yards), the backfield (that now includes former Giant D.J. Ware who was released at the end of the preseason) had nine of quarterback Josh Freeman's 16 completions, adding another wrinkle which the Giants will prepare for.
