Concerns Continue to Pile Up For the New York Giants

As you may have already read in Matt Bertram's breaking news story, the Giants' defense keeps getting hit by bad news.

To start camp, Rocky Bernard, Chris Canty, and Fred Robbins were all limited in practice. Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck were also only practicing for half of two-a-days.

Now the worst is beginning to surface.

Jay Alford may in fact have torn two ligaments in his knee and be forced to sit out the season. This is depressing news, as we all remember the punishing blow Alford had on Tom Brady on the last drive of the Super Bowl.

At this point, the diagnosis is a torn MCL and a partially torn ACL. The team is going to rehab the knee for two weeks to determine the severity of the ACL tear. If they find out it is minor, he may be back in late October. If it is major, well you know what happens then.

Alford was poised to have a breakout season, all signs indicated he was ready to make a name for himself. He was training with Osi in the offseason and dominating in training camp.

While I'm not going to downplay his injury, it would be ignorant to say we do not need Alford, I still have confidence in the personnel available.

Barry Cofield is coming into his own as a run stopping defensive tackle, Rocky Bernard will assume his role as the starting DT—if he has fully recovered from his non-football injury. Fred Robbins is playing regularly, and Justin Tuck will more than likely be used inside on third down situations.

So we may be on the brink of panic mode, but we have yet to teeter over the edge.

Chris Canty should be able to contribute at some point in the season, sooner rather than later, pending any more setbacks to his hamstring. It is rumored that Canty may be out for a significant period of time, but at this point we can only speculate on his future.

Coach Tom Coughlin expects most of the players that have missed time to be back in the next week or so.

"We are expecting Bernard to be able to practice and then perhaps looking forward to him playing this weekend," Coughlin said. "We did get Fred Robbins in the game for a few plays last night. I think we are going to see (Chris) Snee and Richie Seubert back on the practice field. Let's hope we can play them this weekend.

"I think (Kenny) Phillips is going back out there even if it is in a limited way. (Aaron) Ross will be limited, but he has been out there before, limited. He hasn't really been able to step on the gas, so to speak. I am not sure how that will go. As far as Antonio (Pierce) goes, that will be as we go forward here, it is going to end up being, I don't know if I can even say day by day, but I know that's what the feeling was."

Coughlin has warned the players not to listen to outsiders. He was the same when the Giants were at the opposite end of the spectrum last year, when everyone said they would fail. Now he is telling the team not to be complacent on the preseason accolades, and that the games must still be played.

It seems like every year teams are afflicted by the injury bug, but when the season starts it all works out. Hopefully it does this year, once again.