Andre Brown is out of the prediction business.
After making public his goal of 1,300 yards and 22 touchdowns this season in place of the departed Ahmad Bradshaw, the Giants running back now wishes he hadn’t been so open about it.
The expectations are still extremely high, of course, but Brown now regrets putting a target on his back should he come up short of those lofty individual numbers as part of Big Blue’s new backfield tandem with David Wilson.
“I’m going to go back on that [prediction], because somebody once told me not to set personal goals because you don’t want to set yourself up to come up short of them,” Brown said yesterday before the Giants’ first full-pad practice of training camp.
“I said [1,300 yards and 22 TDs], but I don’t know now,” he added, shaking his head. “I’m just going to go out and play ball, then let the numbers take care of themselves.”
A journeyman fourth-year pro who finally took advantage of his big break last season, Brown certainly has the size, speed and ability to put up eye-opening numbers.
Brown showed that in 2012, busting out with eight touchdowns and a whopping 5.3-yard rushing average in 10 games before a broken leg ended his season. That impressive stretch included his NFL coming-out party in Week 3, when he romped for 113 yards and two scores in a 36-7 win at Carolina.
The Giants will be counting on more of that from Brown this season, especially now that Bradshaw is out of the picture after signing with the Colts in free agency.
The speedy Wilson will be their No. 1 back, but Brown — a big, determined runner at 6-feet, 227 pounds — will be expected to provide the tough yards inside.
“Last year when we needed him, he really stepped up,” coach Tom Coughlin said yesterday. “[Brown] been grinding away, and he really has earned the opportunity that he’s gotten here, and I hope he takes full advantage of it.”
Brown, who spent time with four other teams after being drafted in the fourth round out of North Carolina State in 2009, has something totally new for him this summer — NFL roster security.
It’s such an unfamiliar feeling, Brown — fearing complacency — plans to act like it doesn’t exist.
“Even though I know I’m going to be here, I still attack it like I could get cut at any time,” Brown said. “I know how to attack a [training camp] and give it my all, and that’s what I’m ready to do this year, too.”
Brown said his once-broken leg is healed completely, and the Giants hope sharing his carries with Wilson and perhaps a third back — Da’Rel Scott, seventh-rounder Michael Cox and veteran Ryan Torain are jockeying for that spot — will enable Brown to stay healthy.
Coughlin said he certainly likes what he sees when he thinks about the Giants’ overall potential in the backfield.
“Brown is bigger, he’s fast, he does catch the ball well out of the backfield,” he said. “David, meanwhile, is a big threat for a big play any time he touches it. They’re an explosive duo, and hopefully, we’re going to give them some opportunities to get into the open field.”
Brown also said he thinks it will add up to a winning combination for the Giants. Just don’t try to pin him down with specific numbers.
“It’s a great combination that we have [in the backfield], and it’s our opportunity,” Brown said. “We’re ready to go out there and show what we got, show that we’re effective backs and that we can be a productive position in this offense. We’re just ready. We’ll step up to the challenge.”