New York Giants

Giants' Coughlin: Orleans Darkwa gave us a spark on offense

Published Oct. 27, 2015 2:19 a.m. ET

foxsports

Raise your hand if you predicted that New York Giants running back Orleans Darkwa would see more offensive snaps than Rashad Jennings in the team's Week 7 game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Darkwa finally got an extended opportunity with the first-team offense and ended up with three more offensive snaps than Jennings. Darkwa finished the game with a team-high eight carries for 48 rushing yards.

When speaking to the media on his Monday conference call, head coach Tom Coughlin talked about Darkwa's unexpected performance.

"I thought Orleans Darkwa gave us a spark," Coughlin said.

Darkwa's biggest play came on a run between the tackles in the second quarter. He displayed excellent vision and burst en route to a 15-yard touchdown run. It was the Giants' first rushing touchdown by any running back since Week 3.

Darkwa had not previously been a part of the Giants' backfield rotation, so what made Coughlin and offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo decide to call his number in Week 7?

"He had an outstanding preseason," Coughlin said when asked about how he came to the decision to play Darkwa. "So during the course of the week, he had some carries in first and second down. The coaches felt strongly that he should be given an opportunity. It wasn’t right away in the game, but eventually he played and he played well."

Going forward, Darkwa's playing will likely come down to the game flow. The matchups will play the key factor, as they always do, and the Giants could look to get Darkwa some looks in certain situations.

"I think right now it depends on the plan and the type of game we expect and how we strategize and plan on using," Coughlin said about a potential four-man committe. "But the four healthy guys…that’s a great thing, believe me. When you look around at the different positions, four guys that continue to maintain good health, that helps an awful lot."