DING DONG! That was my doorbell and when answering it I fully expected the typical Girl Scout or neighborhood kid asking if my child could play. I was dead wrong.
Tom Coughlin of the New York Giants greeted me with his menacing leather like face straining to form what seemed to be a smile. In seconds the distorted smile vanished and his eyes narrowed on me. He skipped over all pleasantries and gruffly said, “Son, we’ve had a few injuries on our club and we’re looking for warm bodies to take the field. You look as if your carrying 200 lbs and we’ve heard that you use to play ball. How would you like to start against the Washington Redskins this Sunday?”
I was dumbfounded! My dream of playing in the NFL was finally coming true. Fame and money was moments away and most importantly I deserved this. Yes, I deserved this because I was a student of the game and had been harnessing these skills via fantasy leagues for years now. I was finally being rewarded for my dedication and craft for the game. I immediately accepted the offer and headed up the stairs to pack. Coughlin screamed up the stairs, “Hurry up kid! We got five more stops tonight.” I didn’t want Coughlin to change his mind so I frantically threw my toiletries in a pillowcase and headed for the stairs.
I didn’t even see it. In my haste, I’d thrown half my belongings around the house trying to locate my lucky headband. As I approached the stairs I tripped over my golf spikes, the PGA will have to wait, and I barreled down 16 steps and landed hard on my shoulder. My head ached and my left knee seemed as if it were on fire. I grimaced in pain as Coughlin immediately approached from the living room. He bent down and with his beady eyes surveyed the scene. “You OK kid? Can you get up?” I tried to reply but all I could muster was a symbolic thumbs down. He slammed his ball cap and bellowed, “Son of a Bitch!”
Dramatic? Maybe, but it’s not far from the truth for Tom Coughlin these days. The Giants’ defense has been hit hard with injuries this preseason, having lost Bruce Johnson (Achilles), Brian Witherspoon (ACL), Terrell Thomas (ACL), Clint Sintim (ACL), Marvin Austin (pectoral), and starting middle linebacker Jonathon Goff, all for the season.
Not to mention first-round pick, Prince Amukamara (Foot) and Defensive end Osi Umenyiora (knee) are still rehabbing from pre-season injuries and won’t return for weeks.
So, can the Giants overcome their injuries and compete for a playoff berth? Probably not. You don’t lose a large portion of your secondary and compete in a division that showcases Michael Vick and Tony Romo. You don’t compete against a schedule that includes gunslingers like Sam Bradford, Tom Brady, Kevin Kolb, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers.
Whats that? The Giants defensive line and line-backing core can pick up the slack. Right? The Giants recently lost their defensive QB in Jonathon Goff. As the starting middle linebacker, Goff called defensive signals for the traditionally tough defense and without him the Giants are forced to start sixth round rookie Greg Jones from Michigan State. Though talented, Jones doesn’t know the entire playbook and wasn’t expected to contribute heavily in the defense this year. So who’s the Giant’s new defensive QB? The silence in this case speaks volumes.
Well, couldn’t’ the offense step it up and offset some of the defensive short falls? Sure, the Giants have a decent offense and no one expects Eli Manning to throw another career high in interceptions. The Giants wide receiving core of Nicks, Manningham, Hixon, and Cruz are one of the better receiving cores in the league. Furthermore, the Giants are known for a strong running game and with Jacobs and Bradshaw returning this sentiment rings true once more. The problem is the Giants are built to score just enough for their defense to maintain the lead. Their not built to compete in high scoring shoot outs, which they’ll likely have a few of with this years schedule. Are the Giants going to struggle to win 4-5 games? No, Coughlin won’t allow it to happen and he’ll game plan based on his remaining players strengths, thereby, putting a respectable product on the field. However, winning 8 games doesn’t bode well for a playoff aspiring organization.
The Giants have been hit hard with the injury bug this year and they won’t be able to overcome it.
