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Paul Perkins On WFAN: Giants Working Hard To Turn Around Run Game

NEW YORK (WFAN) -- The Giants did plenty of things well last season. Running the ball wasn't one of them.

After having the league's 29th-ranked rushing offense, Big Blue has been focusing heavily on the run game in OTAs and minicamp.

Second-year running back Paul Perkins will be counted on heavily to lead that turnaround.

"As a group, as a collective offensive line/running back group, we're really getting some cohesion, and we're really starting to mesh as a group," Perkins told WFAN's Mike Francesa on Wednesday. "So I'm feeling really confident about this upcoming season."

Perkins rushed for 456 yards as a rookie. But after the Giants released Rashad Jennings in February, Perkins will take over as the featured back.

The Giants also will enter training camp with veterans Shane Vereen, Orleans Darkwa and Shaun Draughn and rookie Wayne Gallman on the roster, among others.

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"The focal point of this next season is going to have to be the run game," Perkins said. "So it doesn't just fall on my shoulders, but it falls on the rest of the running backs and the offensive line."

The Giants went 11-5 last season and earned a wild-card spot before falling to the Packers in the first round of the playoffs.

So what is coach Ben McAdoo's message entering this season?

"Keep getting better -- that's our mantra," Perkins said. "Every day, we're making 1 percent gains. And continue to build off of yesterday's practice or the last mistake. Just continue to progress and continue to get better."

To listen to Francesa's interview with Perkins, click on the audio player above.

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