DENVER – Isn’t this all too much?
Isn’t it too much for a rookie who was fairly unheralded coming out of college to make his NFL debut on Monday Night Football? Isn’t too much for that rookie, who happens to be a cornerback, to get his first real taste of the big leagues on the road and against the Broncos, who have one of the most lethal offenses in the game? Isn’t it too much for this rookie to go against the likes of Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey, two gifted receivers who both somehow broke the 100-reception barrier last season?
Isn’t this all too much for William Peterson, who was set to start last night in place of the Giants’ star cornerback, Jason Sehorn?
“I look forward to that,” Peterson said late last week. “Monday night, how else would you want to start out? It’s my rookie year; hopefully I’ll get as much playing time as I can. If coach feels he wants to put me in early, I welcome the opportunity.”
That was indeed the thinking of Peterson and the Giants heading into last night’s season opener against the Broncos at the first-ever game at INVESCO Field at Mile High. With a team returning virtually intact from last year’s Super Bowl run, the Giants this time around have the luxury of putting veterans at most every spot on the field. They do not need to lean on rookies to do much heavy lifting. One of the rookies they are counting on, though, is Peterson, a third-round draft pick from Western Illinois who is more than he appears to be.
The plan was not to push Peterson on the field quite this quickly, but Sehorn’s right knee, which he had flushed Aug. 27, did not respond the way the team hoped it would. Sehorn was listed as probable early in the week, downgraded to questionable on the weekend after he was unable to practice and would not play in the opener. That was scary stuff for the Giants, considering the offensive firepower possessed by the Broncos.
Peterson played two seasons at Michigan, where he not only played in 21 games but he made two starts and as a sophomore led the Wolverines with four interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. Problems off the field, though, led to his dismissal from the team and he landed at Western Illinois, where he excelled at a considerably less-talented level than the Big 10. The Giants looked past the level of competition and selected Peterson even though in the first round of the draft they had taken a cornerback, Will Allen, of Syracuse.
Peterson missed two preseason games with a knee injury but quickly he impressed the Giants’ coaching staff, and whispers grew louder that he had actually moved ahead of Allen on the depth chart. Last night was the first test to see just how high Peterson had ascended.
If Peterson starts, it means the Giants are more comfortable with him on the outside and the more experienced Emmanuel McDaniel in his usual nickel back spot.
“I think I’m ready for it,” Peterson said. “Two preseason games got me ready. I got a feel for how the NFL game is on the field. Watching a lot of film on Denver, I’ll be ready to go.”