Eli Manning Injury and the Most Irreplaceable NFL Players
Eli Manning gave Giants fans a scare when he suffered a horrific looking injury in the Giants preseason opener against the Jets Monday.
In a scene straight out of Frankenstein, Manning needed stitches after a three-inch laceration to his forehead after his helmet came off during a broken play.
Although Manning is expected to be fine, the Giants certainly aren't going to take any chances. The New York Post is reporting that the team is planning to hold him out of the next preseason game against the Steelers.
Manning is certainly a player the Giants absolutely cannot afford to lose given the Giants' lack of a proven backup quarterback.
Here's a look at 10 NFL players who are simply irreplaceable.
No. 15: Matthew Stafford, Lions
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Stafford's development in his second year in the NFL will be crucial in determining whether or not the Lions will escape the doormat of the NFC in the near future.
Detroit signed former 49ers quarterback Shaun Hill in mid-July and currently list him as Stafford's backup. If anything happens to the face of the franchise, the Lions are certain to remain in a holding pattern until Stafford returns.
No. 14: Brandon Marshall, Dolphins
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Marshall was acquired to give the Dolphins a legitimate All-Pro caliber receiver, something Miami has lacked for years.
Although the receiving corps has some nice complimentary players including Davone Bess and Brian Hartline, there is no question that Marshall will be the top target for quarterback Chad Henne.
If Marshall doesn't stay healthy, the Dolphins will once again revert to being a completely one-dimensional offensive team.
No. 13: Mario Williams, Texans
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Williams is coming off a dominant season, when his nine sacks failed to measure the full impact he had on opposing offenses.
Aside from Williams, the Texas aren't a dominant group up front. Double-teams of Williams free up Antonio Smith and Amobi Okoye to produce. But if anything happens to Williams, the Texans will suddenly find themselves with one of the worst defensive lines in the NFL.
The Texas could have really used Aaron Schobel, who flirted with signing in Houston before finally deciding to retire.
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No. 12: Matt Ryan And Roddy White, Falcons
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Chris Redman has shown that he can play, but the Falcons need Matt Ryan to stay healthy to continue erasing the franchise's recent history of mediocrity.
Ryan's performance last season was tied directly to Roddy White's production. If either player gets injured, the Falcons will really struggle to put points on the board.
No. 11: Ed Reed, Ravens
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Reed's health is one of the biggest keys to the Ravens' chances this season.
The 31 year old remains on the PUP list and there is no concrete timetable for his return, putting the Ravens defense in the position of being without the anchor of its secondary.
The Ravens will likely struggle against the pass all season, with or without Reed. But his absence puts them in a very uncomfortable position.
No. 10: Philip Rivers, Chargers
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The Chargers have dealt with an incredible amount of injuries and holdouts this year and in recent seasons, but Philip Rivers has played through injuries and withstood the turmoil around him.
San Diego parted ways with Charlie Whitehurst by retained the services of veteran Billy Volek, who will be the No. 2 quarterback this season. Volek has had some big games in the past, but hasn't seen substantial action in over two seasons.
An injury to Rivers is the last thing the Chargers can afford.
No. 9: Andre Johnson And Matt Schaub, Texans
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The newly-minted Johnson is arguably the best player in the game at his position, which obviously makes him a valuable asset for Matt Schaub and the Texans.
Houston has a nice group of receivers, including Kevin Walter and Jacoby Jones, but can ill-afford to lose Johnson.
The quarterback situation is far from ideal. Schaub's injury problems have been well documented, and the Texans will be forced to use Dan Orlovsky or John David Booty if history repeats itself.
The Texas are close to be a playoff team this season, but the margin for error is very small. An injury to Schaub, Johnson or Mario Williams could keep the Texans in purgatory.
No. 8: Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars
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Jones-Drew faded a bit down the stretch last year, but he remains by far the Jaguars best player.
The bowling ball back is a weapon in the running game and as a receiver, and doesn't have a proven backup behind him.
If anything happens to MJD, the Jaguars offense could go from bad to worse in a hurry.
No. 7: Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals
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Fitzgerald is likely to sit out the remainder of the preseason after suffering an MCL injury last weekend, which isn't good news for a team already facing plenty of hurdles heading into the season.
The Cardinals like Steve Breaston and Early Doucet, but both players are best suited to complimenting Fitzgerald's sizable skills.
If Fitzgerald doesn't stay healthy, the apathetic treatment of Anquan Boldin could come back to bite Arizona.
No. 6: Jay Cutler, Bears
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At the moment, the Bears are literally without a backup quarterback behind Jay Cutler.
Caleb Hanie suffered a shoulder injury against the Chargers, leaving the team with Dan LeFevour and Matt Gutierrez to compete for the No. 2 spot until Hanie returns.
The team opted against acquiring Marc Bulger in the offseason, and has to hope the patchwork offensive line prevents Cutler from taking too many big hits this year.
No. 5: Carson Palmer, Bengals
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Carson Palmer might no longer be a top-tier NFL quarterback, but his value to the Bengals has probably never been greater.
In addition to managing the Ochocinco-Owens situation, Palmer absolutely needs to stay healthy to give the Bengals a chance to win.
The backup quarterbacks behind Palmer are simply not reliable in the least.
J.T. O'Sullivan has struggled throughout camp, and Carson's younger brother Jordan has been far from impressive.
No. 4: Tony Romo, Cowboys
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The Cowboys are a very deep team all around, just not at quarterback. Jon Kitna might not look like he ages, but he does.
Kitna is 37, and is clearly not in a position to play extended snaps if forced into action by an injury to Romo.
Behind Kitna, the Cowboys have a talented but raw Stephen McGee and unproven Matt Nichols, who is likely destined for the practice squad.
No. 3: Tom Brady, Patriots
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The Patriots are sure glad Brady decided not to hold out this season.
The aging Pats have tried to get younger across the board, including at quarterback. But younger doesn't necessarily translate to better, especially in the case of Brian Hoyer and Zac Robinson.
Hoyer is listed as the No. 2 quarterback after seeing limited action last season as a rookie.
Aside from his season-ending knee injury in 2008, Brady has been very durable. The Pats hope that trend continues.
No. 2: Chris Johnson, Titans
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The Titans happily parted ways with LenDale White in the offseason, leaving themselves without a proven backup to the over-worked Chris Johnson.
The duo of Javon Ringer and Alvin Pearman will spell Johnson from time to time, but neither player brings much experience or talent to the table.
If anything happens to Johnson, the Titans will go south in a hurry.
No. 1: Peyton Manning
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Manning's talent and mind makes him still the most valuable player in the NFL.
Behind him, Curtis Painter represents an unstable and unproven insurance policy. Tom Brandstater and Tim Hiller round out the quarterback position for the Colts.
The Indianapolis is obviously predicated on Manning staying healthy. There's no reason to believe that won't happen, but if it does the consequences could be absolutely fatal to the Colts' chances.
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