Bradshaw isn't just shifty, he's powerful

Chris Snee had no idea just how strong Ahmad Bradshaw is until he experienced it firsthand late in Sunday's game against the Packers.

With the Giants trailing 28-24 and 11:50 to play in the fourth quarter, Eli Manning threw a short pass to his right to Bradshaw, who headed upfield. Snee, the Giants' right guard, was supposed to block B.J. Raji, but the Packers' burly defensive tackle got away from him yet still couldn't catch the running back. Bradshaw collided with Charles Woodson, sending the cornerback to the ground with a concussion, and kept going. But then Snee got in the way, and Bradshaw ran into him, essentially making the tackle that was credited to Packers safety Charlie Peprah. The force of the impact startled Snee.

"He ran over Woodson, and I was getting in front of Raji, and I felt a little shot there," Snee said. "He runs hard, and he'll always fight for those extra yards. He's not going down."

Of course, in this case, Bradshaw went down because of the collision with his teammate. But the more you see of this 5-10, 214-pound dynamo, the more you realize that the Giants' fate in the next four games is in many ways tied to Bradshaw. He returned from a foot injury that kept him out the previous four games, and his presence gave the Giants a major lift. The numbers tell you he had only 38 rushing yards on 11 carries, and two receptions for 9 yards. But there's something about Bradshaw that goes beyond the statistics. His shiftiness and toughness seem to rub off on his teammates, and he gives Manning a much more effective play-action fake because teams fear his running more than they worry about Brandon Jacobs getting the ball.

Even Jacobs seems to benefit from Bradshaw; he led the Giants' rushing attack with 59 yards and a 7.4 yards-per-carry average. Jacobs is averaging only 3.4 yards per carry this season.

"Ahmad's a bulldog, which is what we call him," Jacobs said. "The guy is tough."

Jacobs gave Bradshaw the "Bulldog" nickname last year, and it has stuck. Manning is clearly the most indispensable player on offense, but Bradshaw might be next. The Giants lost three of the four games he didn't play, and they nearly upset the unbeaten Packers when he returned on Sunday. His presence could loom large against the Cowboys in a huge NFC East game on Sunday night at Cowboys Stadium, where the Giants hope to pull into a first-place tie with Dallas.

"You like to have him in the offense," Manning said. "He does a great job when he touches the ball, whether it's running or receiving. He's very shifty, and having that combination of him and Brandon is a great fit for any running attack."

It's as much about Bradshaw's style as it is about his productivity. Since taking over as the team's starting tailback before the 2010 season, Bradshaw has demonstrated a determination and sheer will that have rubbed off on his teammates. Even if the blocking is poor at the point of attack, Bradshaw patiently will try to find an opening. And unlike a lot of running backs who go down at the first hint of contact, Bradshaw is relentlessness and will keep a play alive much longer than can be reasonably expected.

"People don't realize how physically strong and powerful he is," said Kevin Boothe, who has filled in at center for the injured David Baas. "He runs hard every time he touches the ball."

Bradshaw is universally respected in the locker room because he never takes a play off, and refuses to give up, always fighting for the extra yard. It's that relentlessness that puts his body at risk; he's had multiple surgeries on his feet and ankles. But it's also what makes him a terrific player, a guy the Giants will need if they're going to pull out of their four-game tailspin.