WAITING GAME: Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul works out during training camp earlier this month. The star pass-rusher came off the physically unable to perform list yesterday, but still isn’t sure when he’ll be back on the field for game action. (AP)
It might qualify as merely a momentary tease, but consider it significant progress for the Giants: JPP is off the PUP.
That qualifies as big-time good news for Big Blue and a sign perhaps their summer of angst with injuries to key players (including losing safety Stevie Brown, their best play-making defensive back, for the season on Saturday) is about to take a turn for the positive.
Jason Pierre-Paul, who is coming off June 4 back surgery that has kept him out of team drills all summer, was taken off the physically unable to perform list yesterday, a promising step for the Giants’ best defensive player and a massive psychological boost for his defensive teammates.
Now for the caution flag: Pierre-Paul said he will not play in Thursday’s preseason finale against the Patriots in Foxborough, Mass., and offered no timetable for his return to game action.
“I’m not playing any preseason games and I don’t even know about the Dallas game,’’ Pierre-Paul said, referring to the season-opener in Arlington, Texas, on Sept. 8. “I just want try to get better and test it out and see how it is taking on double teams and all that. Right now, there’s nothing to be said about whether I’m going to play come the opener.’’
When asked if he has a schedule for his return, Pierre-Paul said: “I don’t have no goal. I’m taking it day by day. I’m not trying to rush. A back is a serious thing. Back surgery is a serious thing. You can’t try to come back too early or you can mess it up even more. I’m taking it day by day.
“I’m off PUP and that’s a good thing.’’
Indeed it is, because the Giants’ defensive front cannot function the way it needs to without Pierre-Paul drawing double teams from opposing offensive linemen and harassing quarterbacks. They need at least two-thirds to three-quarters of the 16 1/2 sacks he produced in 2011 if they are going to dominate on defense the way they believe they can this season.
News of Pierre-Paul’s removal from the PUP list was met with widespread cheer by teammates, who need him playing.
Just a few days ago, cornerback Terrell Thomas, who was gearing up for an emotional return of his own from a right-knee injury, sought out Pierre-Paul to offer some heart-to-heart advice.
“I just told him to listen to his body,’’ Thomas said. “Sometimes it is going to hurt and you are going to have to push through it and other times it is going to hurt and you have to stop. I just told him to listen to the game plan and more than anything listen to your body. If your body says no, then you can’t do it, you have to respect your body. There will be times when your body says no and you have to push through it, and I went through those bumps.
“You have to work through the pain and get back into football shape. Obviously they are trying to get him ready for Week 1 so we’ll see how that works out.”
If it works out Pierre-Paul can be ready to face Dallas, it could be salvation for the Giants’ defense.
“We all know what JPP means to this defense and to this team,’’ safety Antrel Rolle said. “Just having him out there [practicing] with the guys is going to make us fight that much harder to get ourselves ready. He’s our best defensive playmaker, hands down.’’
Rolle then made a bold prediction.
“With him having this surgery and trying to get back to tip-top form, hopefully we’re going to see a performance that he’s never, ever shown us,’’ Rolle said. “We expect miraculous things out of JPP and he’s a guy that can definitely give it to us.’’
Linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka called Pierre-Paul’s return “huge for us as a group.’’
“When we’re at full strength, when we have all of our pass rushers on the field, teams have to make a decision who they’re gonna leave single-blocked,’’ Kiwanuka said. “We always feel like that one individual who gets that single should win. Up front, I think we have the ability to take this to the Super Bowl. We have all the ability that we’ve had in years past. We just have to put it together.’’
Having Pierre-Paul back is the single most important piece to that puzzle.