WAITING GAME: Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, who has missed the past three games because of injuries to his right foot and left knee, practiced on a limited basis yesterday and said he hopes to play Sunday against the 49ers. (Ai Wire /Landov)
There have been stops and starts, too many of them for Hakeem Nicks and so initially he didn’t want to talk about what he did yesterday out on the field, which wasn’t really much at all.
Nicks has been here before, running around a bit on a Thursday and then waking up the next morning wondering how he’s going to feel and if his body is going to allow him to play. Two weeks ago, his body told him no and he didn’t get on the bus to Philadelphia. Last week he didn’t even really try because he already knew the answer.
Now comes this afternoon, which Nicks calls “the defining day’’ to determine what comes next.
“Hopefully everyone can see me out on the field on Sunday,’’ he said.
That’s the plan, and there’s no doubt the Giants need all hands on deck going against the 49ers, currently the scourge of the NFC, but plans have gone awry with Nicks for most of this season. He didn’t make the trip to his hometown of Charlotte to face the Panthers because his surgically repaired right foot did not have enough time to rest after playing a game four days earlier. He was expected to play against the Eagles but after practicing one day his left knee unexpectedly swelled up the next day, forcing him out of that game.
After sitting out on Wednesday, Nicks yesterday participated in practice on a limited basis, admittedly not extending himself too far.
“I really just went out there trying to see if I was showing some favoritism, it wasn’t going out there seeing if I was going to catch every pass or nothing like that,’’ Nicks said. “Felt pretty good. Have to go out [today], have a full practice, if I go through that OK, everything can be good.
“I’m ready to see. It’s been three games and I’m ready to get back out there.’’
The trick is how the foot and, more importantly, the knee respond today, if he can get through a full practice without any setbacks.
Even without Nicks for three of the five games, the Giants are the No. 2 passing offense in the league, falling just below Tom Brady and the Patriots. Domenik Hixon (15 catches, 236 yards) and Ramses Barden (12 catches, 198 yards) have taken their turn starting in place of Nicks and the air show has not been grounded and last week rookie Rueben Randle got into the act with six receptions against the Browns.
It has been an impressive and successful “next-man-up’’ approach but none of the Giants receivers can duplicate the big-play ability Nicks has displayed.
“We all know what I can bring to the table when I’m out there,’’ Nicks said.
“The other guys have filled in admirably,’’ offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said. “But you always want your best players, the guys who are your starters to come back. To get him back would be great. Now the problem is, just getting him back is one thing, what level is he able to play at, that’s another.’’
It is doubtful Nicks can be full-go by this weekend, but if he can make it onto the field at Candlestick Park, he instantly becomes a threat the 49ers formidable defense must respect.
“There’s a different feel when he’s out there, you understand defenses have to take him into account a little bit,’’ Victor Cruz said. “Him just being out there, having his voice out there is just different for us.’’
Nicks said he is confident he can heal from these physical ailments.
“I don’t think it will be lingering on for too long,’’ he said.
Nevertheless, Nicks knows pushing himself too hard now could lead to trouble later.
“You look at it if you try to rush it now, force it now you can have a major setback and miss the whole season,’’ Nicks said. “If it’s something minor right now, you kind of want to get it out of the way, get it over and so when it starts to really count at the end of the season, starts to really make that run you can be in the mix.’’