New York Giants' Injuries Forcing New Names into Spotlight
Wouldn’t it be awesome if someone came up with a cure for the injury bug that seems to hit every organized sports team and of late has really hit the New York Giants?
I don’t know about you, but if that ever happened, I’d vote for that person to have his or her portrait on a postage stamp.
And with good reason, too. According to the Giants’ website, 12 players are currently on season-ending injured reserve, a list that doesn’t include offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz, who should be back on the field by the end of the month.
If you are thinking the Giants are the most injured team in the NFL, get in your car right now and go buy a lottery ticket because according to CBSSports.com, the Giants are tied with Jacksonville for having the most players on injured reserve.
While the team won’t use injuries as an excuse, it probably could if it wanted. Of the three teams with the most players on injured reserve—the Giants, Jaguars and Raiders—the combined win-loss record for all three is 4-21, with the Giants the best of the bunch at 3-5.
It’s a grim picture, no question. However, the show must go on—time for the next man up to step up and perform, hopefully like the starter he is replacing.
Let’s look at some of the Giants' key injuries this season—we’re only going to focus on those who landed on season-ending injured reserve once the season started—and see what kind of impact these injuries have had on the team’s performance.
It’s not a pretty picture, but given the Giants' record, you probably already knew that.
WR Victor Cruz
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Often when a player suffers a season-ending injury, there are questions about when and how the injury happened.
In the case of wide receiver Victor Cruz, whose agony was captured on live television and replayed seemingly endlessly to a national audience, we kind of wish that he had been afforded some privacy instead of being trailed by a television camera that caught him with his head in his hands, sobbing uncontrollably.
Cruz, who ruptured the patellar tendon in his knee, did so at, of all places, Lincoln Financial Field. The injury occurred in the opposite end zone where, in 2011, Cruz danced his way into the hearts of Giants fans after having his way with then-cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha.
What the Giants Lost
Not only did the Giants lose a popular player and a team co-captain, they lost one of two receivers—the other being Odell Beckham Jr.—who could actually get open and separate from defenders.
As a slot receiver, Cruz caught 20 of 35 passes thrown his way for 324 yards and one touchdown, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He also has five drops.
Even though he has been gone for a month, his yardage still has him in the top 10 of slot receivers, where he currently ranks sixth in the league.
Next Man Up
Before his injury, Cruz was both the Giants' No. 1 receiver and their best threat from the slot. With him gone, that means that Rueben Randle has moved to the No. 1 receiver spot, while Randle, Preston Parker and Beckham have all been tried in the slot.
Of those, Beckham seems to have the most promise for that role. He has caught all five targets thrown his way so far for 58 yards and a touchdown and is perhaps the shiftiest of the remaining three candidates in terms of juking the defender.
LB Jon Beason
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When linebacker Jon Beason’s injury was announced as a fractured sesamoid bone and ligament tear in his right foot, it was surprising to learn that he didn’t need surgery.
While surgery isn’t fun, and if given the choice, many people would probably avoid it, what needs to be said is that the prognosis that followed the announcement—six weeks of immobilization and six weeks of rehab—might have been fine for anyone whose day job didn’t necessitate running and pushing off on various playing surfaces.
Still, there was hope that Beason might be OK. That hope was quickly dashed when he had to take himself out of the Week 2 game against Arizona after stepping on someone’s foot and aggravating scar tissue in his healing toe.
Beason would then miss the next three games—all Giants victories—returning for the Philadelphia contest sporting what he told reporters was a “glass slipper”—a customized shoe designed to protect his foot from further trauma.
He made it through the Eagles game, which was played on a grass surface. The following week in Dallas, he didn’t even last the first quarter before heading to the locker room, his season soon to be over.
We can certainly sit here and say that he should have had the surgery as soon as he was injured, meaning he would have likely stayed on the PUP list, from which he might have been returning right about now.
We might never know if that would have been the case, as the surgery that Beason had hoped to avoid is done and the healing process is underway with an anticipated return of September 2015.
What the Giants Lost
Truthfully, the 2014 version of Beason wasn’t very effective. He was unable to get off blocks, no doubt due to the pain in his foot when he tried to push off of it. He was also often late to the ball-carrier, again a result likely tied to that foot issue.
Per Pro Football Focus, Beason finished with 10 tackles playing in the middle, including four stops for zero or negative yardage in the 72 overall snaps he played.
Perhaps the biggest loss that came with Beason moving to injured reserve was the leadership he brought. Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell told reporters that Beason was his voice on the field.
Head coach Tom Coughlin said that as soon as Beason was able to move around without crutches, he would welcome the three-time Pro Bowler’s presence around the facility, a rare accommodation made by the head coach to players on injured reserve.
Next Man Up
As they did all throughout the summer when Beason first injured his toe, Jameel McClain got the radio in his helmet as the team’s “Mike” linebacker.
However, earlier in the season, McClain’s moving to the middle did create a bit of an issue for the Giants, who at the time were without rookie Devon Kennard. After a strong preseason showing, Kennard suffered a hamstring strain in Week 1 and was temporarily shelved.
Kennard is fully healthy again and has officially replaced Mark Herzlich as the strong-side linebacker.
While the fifth-round pick’s responsibilities have been mostly limited to run defense, Kennard certainly has a bright future and should become a bigger part of the linebacker unit starting next year, if he is healthy.
CB Prince Amukamara
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Cornerback Prince Amukamara might be a natural target for teammates to poke fun at, given his happy-go-lucky nature, bright smile and unfeigned amazement whenever he learns something new.
When push came to shove, the fourth-year cornerback turned into a completely different personality when he stepped between the white lines.
In the offseason, Amukamara was at a bit of a crossroads as the Giants debated whether to pick up the option year on his rookie deal.
They did just that, the official word coming right at the deadline. Per Over the Cap, Amukamara will count for nearly $7 million against the 2015 salary cap pending any negotiations on a long-term deal.
What the Giants Lost
Simply put, the Giants lost their best cornerback and the 13th best cornerback among those who have taken 75 percent or more of their team’s snaps on defense, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
With a 58.2 NFL rating, Amukamara had allowed opponents to complete just 59.1 percent of their passes against him for 373 yards, 89 after the catch.
He didn’t give up a touchdown, had three interceptions and broke up five passes.
Next Man Up
With Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie hurting—he’s dealing with back and hamstring problems—the Giants are going to keep their fingers crossed that the man who was supposed to be their No. 1 cornerback until Amukamara stepped up his game can continue to take the majority of the snaps on defense.
That would free defensive coordinator Perry Fewell to start Zack Bowman in Amukamara’s spot. Bowman hasn’t been horrible—he has allowed just 33.3 percent of the passes thrown at him to be complete for 98 yards, 17 after the catch.
However, per Pro Football Focus, he’s allowed three touchdowns this season, which is not a great stat. That means that of the four passes that were completed against him, only one didn’t result in a score.
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Slot CB Walter Thurmond III
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When cornerback Walter Thurmond III, who signed a one-year “show me” deal in the offseason, was announced as having suffered a pectoral injury during the Week 2 game against the Arizona Cardinals, there was hope that it wasn’t serious.
After all, he stood before reporters in the locker room after the game, his shirt off and his injured arm hanging freely by his side. He even moved that arm naturally in conversing with reporters, something that gave hope that his injury was minor.
The next day, the MRI of his chest revealed that the injury was a season-ender, requiring surgery.
Talk about a punch to the gut!
What the Giants Lost
In Thurmond, the Giants hoped they were getting an upgrade over Terrell Thomas, who, despite valiantly fighting his way back from three ACL injuries, just wasn’t the same player he was when he started out in the NFL.
In 2013, his final season with the Giants, Thomas finished with a 106.0 NFL rating in coverage, per Pro Football Focus, that included giving up six touchdowns.
As a slot cornerback, Thomas allowed 45 of 69 passes to be complete for 433 yards, 228 coming after the catch. He also gave up three touchdowns and had one interception, leading to a 91.0 NFL rating as a slot cornerback.
Enter Thurmond. As a member of Seattle’s “Legion of Boom,” Thurmond allowed 43 of 65 passes to be completed for 376 yards, 206 after the catch, and no touchdowns last year per PFF.
In the first two games of 2014, Thurmond played 67 snaps, according to PFF, 33 of those coming in the slot.
As a slot cornerback, he allowed all seven passes thrown his way to be completed for 54 yards, 42 after the catch, and he didn’t give up any touchdowns.
Besides being a valuable asset, Thurmond was the next man up in the event tragedy befell Prince Amukamara or Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. He actually did play 24 snaps as an outside cornerback, giving both Amukamara and Rodgers-Cromartie a rest.
Next Man Up
Trumaine McBride, whom we will discuss on the next slide, was supposed to be the next man up at the slot cornerback, but he also suffered a season-ending injury.
The Giants have tried to wing it at the slot with Jayron Hosley, the disappointing third-round pick from 2012.
Unfortunately, Hosley, who had a poor showing in the preseason before stepping away to serve a league-imposed four-game suspension, hasn’t been very effective.
He has allowed six of nine passes to be complete for 112 yards, 56 after the catch. He has allowed one touchdown and has one interception.
The Giants have also tried safety Stevie Brown in the slot. In 20 snaps at that position, Brown has yet to be targeted.
Eventually, Mike Harris, whom the Giants recently signed off of the Lions practice squad, will probably be called upon to be the slot cornerback the rest of the way.
In the preseason, Harris played 35 snaps, allowing 75 percent of the passes thrown at him to be completed for 25 yards, 14 after the catch. He didn’t have any interceptions, nor did he give up any touchdowns this summer.
CB Trumaine McBride
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Last year, Trumaine McBride was one of those offseason signings that many people thought was simply another body for training camp.
Well, McBride proved many people wrong, and I'll discuss the reasons why in the next section.
As an unrestricted free agent, the Giants re-signed the 29-year-old McBride to a two-year contract that Over the Cap reported was worth $2.875 million and that ranked as the 68th-highest out of 211 cornerback contracts doled out in 2014.
Called upon again this year to step in for an injured starter (slot cornerback Walter Thurmond III), McBride suffered a broken thumb on his right hand in the 27-0 shellacking administered by the Eagles in Week 6.
He’s since had surgery to repair the fracture, and while he’s under contract next season for a very reasonable $1.55 million cap figure, OTC notes that the Giants could save $1.5 million if they re-stock the position with younger and cheaper talent.
What the Giants Lost
When you talk about a player who plays beyond his physical limitations and who plays bigger than his size, look no further than McBride, who packs a lot of punch in his 5'9", 185-pound frame.
“Maybe; I don’t know. I do know that me being short, I have to put myself in the best position to be in,” McBride told me for Inside Football last year when asked about his height being a disadvantage.
“With me, it’s always about technique, always about being in the best position I can be in. I have to play bigger than I really am.”
He has done that. Last season, when called upon to step in at cornerback for Corey Webster, McBride finished with a 57.4 NFL rating in coverage, the best of the Giants cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus.
This season, McBride picked up where he left off, moving inside to the slot after the Giants lost Thurmond.
According to PFF, McBride has played 117 snaps as the slot cornerback. He has allowed 12 out of 15 passes to be complete for 123 yards, 76 after the catch, and has allowed one touchdown and has recorded one interception as part of his 95.3 NFL rating, which is the 10th-best rating among NFL slot cornerbacks who have taken at least 50 percent of their team’s snaps.
Next Man Up
As noted on the previous slide, Mike Harris is probably going to settle in as the Giants’ slot corner the rest of the way.
The Giants also picked up Chykie Brown off waivers this week from the Baltimore Ravens, who drafted him in the fifth round in 2011.
Brown, who started on the outside in Week 1, has allowed 11 of 19 passes to be completed for 260 yards, 98 after the catch, per PFF.
He has also given up two touchdowns and had one pass defensed in coverage. Brown has not taken any snaps as a slot cornerback this season, so he would appear to be insurance in case Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie can’t make it through the entire game due to injuries.
Postscript: The Hits Keep on Coming
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The injury impact that’s forced several new faces into the lineup extends well beyond those Giants on injured reserve.
Here is a quick look at some other sidelined starters injured during the season who are expected back at some point and the teammates that are holding down the fort until they return.
Running Back Rashad Jennings (Knee)
There is little question that the Giants' run-blocking hasn't been very good or consistent this season.
However, when one has an experienced running back lining up in the backfield with the patience to let blocks develop, the vision to spot the tiniest creases and the speed to hit those creases before they close up, that running back can make the offensive line look better than it probably is.
That is what the Giants lose when Rashad Jennings isn’t on the field.
While his replacement, Andre Williams, is going to be a solid NFL back, his lack of experience and patience are resulting in him leaving a lot of yards on the field, if you consider that he is running behind the very same offensive line Jennings ran behind.
Left Guard Weston Richburg (Ankle)
Richburg is a new addition to the injury report, having suffered a sprained foot that left him on crutches and in a walking boot after Monday night’s game.
Classified as “day to day” by head coach Tom Coughlin during his Wednesday conference call with reporters, Richburg didn’t practice on Wednesday and is unlikely to play this weekend against the Seahawks.
Veteran Adam Snyder, whom the Giants picked up at the start of the season when they put Geoff Schwartz on the temporary injured reserve list, is projected to fill in for the rookie if he can’t go.
Defensive Tackle Cullen Jenkins (Calf)
Jenkins sprained his calf in Week 7 against Dallas and missed last week’s game against the Colts, no surprise given that before the bye week, he told reporters that he would probably miss a couple of weeks.
Jenkins began the new week limited in practice, which is a positive sign for him. However, given the long plane ride that awaits the team, it would not be surprising if they hold him out another week.
Jenkins’ absence has actually created a ripple effect regarding the “next man up.”
Veteran Mike Patterson was given the start last week, but Jenkins’ absence actually paved the way for defensive ends Robert Ayers (46 snaps) and Damontre Moore (25 snaps) as well as defensive tackle Jay Bromley (16 snaps), the team’s third-round pick, to see their highest number of snaps this season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Patricia Traina covers the New York Giants for Inside Football. Advanced statistics courtesy of Pro Football Focus unless otherwise noted. Salary cap and contract information via Over the Cap.
All quotes and information obtained firsthand unless otherwise sourced. Follow me on Twitter @Patricia_Traina.
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