A piercing fire alarm went off yesterday inside the Giants locker room, with lights blinking and a shrill buzz cutting sharply and loudly through the air. The Giants simply went about their business as if it were peaceful and quiet.
Perhaps they were oblivious or absorbed in thought. More likely, they’re immune to any more jolts to their systems.
Hammered by injuries and bludgeoned by the Bears during a second-half swoon Sunday night that kissed goodbye a five-game winning streak and seemed to suck the life out of them, the Giants find themselves in heavyduty regroup mode.
A subdued sense of gloom hovered over the Giants as they studied what went wrong in a 38-20 loss to the Bears and took account of the incomprehensible spate of injuries that has infected nearly every aspect of the team. Rarely have the first-place Giants (6-3) seemed so vulnerable.
Coach Tom Coughlin, not much more than 12 hours after his baffling decision to attempt a 52yard field goal ended in historic disaster, fell on his sword, accepting blame in almost a hushed tone that made him sound weary. Players spoke of keeping up the fight no matter who else goes down but there was more concern than conviction in their voices.
“Every time we got the chance to really put our foot in the ground, we didn’t put it in the ground,” linebacker Antonio Pierce said.
“We half-step. It feels like we’re going to take that big step and we don’t take that big step.” The steps this week take the Giants into Monday night’s game in Jacksonville hoping they can prevent a collapse that once appeared unthinkable and now seems entirely possible. They will face the Jaguars without two starters on offense (receiver Amani Toomer and left tackle Luke Petitgout) and at the very least four starters on defense (ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, linebacker LaVar Arrington and cornerback Sam Madison). Tiki Barber finished up with a sprained left thumb that will require special attention and wrapping.
The depleted Giants gained the upper hand on the Bears for one half but were outscored 28-7 in the second half.
“The guys we got, they are who they are,” Pierce said.
“Sometimes you get the results, sometimes you don’t, but most of the time you’re not going to get that kind of play.” That was no white-flag surrender from Pierce, simply reality as he sees it.
“I think we’re better than we were last year, when it was bound to blow up in our face,” he said. “I don’t see it blowing up in our face. I don’t see any injury except maybe the quarterback going down knocking our whole season out.
We can bounce back from anything.” Petitgout in the second quarter broke his left fibula and while he expressed optimism he will return, he’s likely done for the season. “The injury is a serious injury … it will require a certain amount of time, just for recovery,” Coughlin said.
Madison aggravated the hamstring strain that kept him out of the two previous games. He’s out of action this week.
Coughlin has his hands full keeping his team from spiraling out of first place. He called the injury plague “most disconcerting” while linebacker Carlos Emmons went further. “We’re cursed right now,” he said.
That’s not all. Coughlin yesterday morning had a chat with quarterback Eli Manning, who was dreadful against the Bears. “He has a little time to reflect on that now,” Coughlin said. “He certainly is upset by it.” Asked if he’s worried this is the start of another lateseason fade, Manning said “I’m not concerned. It was a bad game.” Just like that, from bad to worse.
“You win five games in a row, you’re on a high, everything seems to be going perfect,” Manning said. “All of a sudden you play a disappointing game against a good team and it’s a downer. We’ve got to bounce back from this.”
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THE RACE TIGHTENS
The Giants’ 38-20 loss on Sunday night, coupled with wins by the Cowboys and Eagles earlier in the day closed the gap in the NFC East by a full game:
TEAM — RECORD — GB
Giants 6-3 –
Eagles 5-4 1
Cowboys 5-4 1