The New York Giants are going to need all the help they can get Sunday when they try to end their losing streak against the 11-0 Packers. Help may be on the way from the running back position. Starter Ahmad Bradshaw, who has missed the last four games with a foot injury, told reporters at Giants practice today that he's "planning to play" Sunday, though he still has to pass a couple of tests during the week before that can happen. Per Ralph Vacchiano of the Daily News:

"Maybe I'll try to run a little bit this week," said Bradshaw, who has missed the last four games with a fractured foot. "Then if Sunday comes and there's not a lot of pain …

"I feel good," Bradshaw added. "And I'm planning to play."

Bradshaw, who still leads the Giants with 440 rushing yards, said he's "not frustrated" by the fact that he's missed a month of action already, but he added "I miss it."

Asked if he would try to practice this week, Bradshaw said "I don't think I want to. I want to be as healthy as I can on Sunday."

Asked if he could play on Sunday even though he hasn't practiced for a month, Bradshaw responded "You're damn right."

So there you have it, folks. A Giants run game that ranks 32nd in the NFL in large part because of its offensive line's poor blocking could get a boost from the return of the running back on their roster most capable of finding holes where there aren't any. Bradshaw's return also could help re-ignite the Giants' screen pass game, which has been nearly nonexistent without him, and their pass blocking, since he's one of the best running backs in the league at blitz pickup.

The question, of course, is how healthy Bradshaw will be and whether the foot in which he has a cracked bone can hold up to the number of touches he was getting in games earlier this year. My guess is that, even if he plays, he'll be limited and won't get quite as many carries as he was getting before the injury, and that Brandon Jacobs, D.J. Ware and Da'Rel Scott will still factor into the running back mix. But Bradshaw is the best back they have, and even if he can play only a portion of the game, that's a portion in which they'll be much stronger than they've been during their current three-game losing streak. They are 1-3 without him, having beaten the Patriots the week after his injury and lost to the 49ers, Eagles and Saints since.