The only quarterback left standing in the NFC East is Eli Manning.
For what that’s worth.
Michael Vick was gone before midseason, a physical failing that led to an offensive rebirth for the Eagles, who have taken flight with Nick Foles running the attack. The Redskins weren’t going anywhere with a less-than-dynamic Robert Griffin III and they aren’t going anywhere now that RG3 has been shut down and Kirk Cousins closes out a miserable year in Washington. Tony Romo nearly made it unscathed, but he’s got a herniated disk in his back, making his presence highly unlikely in Sunday’s division title showdown with the Eagles, meaning Kyle Orton is going to have to be dusted off to perform in a winner-take-all playoff-type game.
Manning this weekend is set to make his 16th start of the season, the 151st consecutive start of his 10-year career, but that doesn’t mean the Giants can look back at the mess that is 2013 and see a relatively clean medical history.
They were the most beat-up team in their division and one of the more injury-riddled teams in the league. At present, the Giants have 12 players on season-ending injured reserve, but it’s not an all-inclusive list. Consider that Dan Connor, who came out of training camp as the starting middle linebacker, hurt his neck in the very first game, was put on injured reserve and then waived off the roster.
The 13 players on IR puts the Giants in the top eight in the NFL, not as many as the Packers (16), Colts (15), Panthers (15), Jaguars (14), Buccaneers (14) and as many as the Jets (13). It is not always how many players are lost, but which players and when.
How bad did it get? The Giants have started 46 different players this season, the league’s second-highest total to the Buccaneers (47 players started).
There is no doubt that players falling by the wayside was a factor in the 6-9 record heading into Sunday’s game against the Redskins. To what extent is debatable, but there is no denying the brunt of the damage was inflicted on an offense that came up sorely lacking. Their best offensive lineman, right guard Chris Snee, wasn’t effective in the first three games before relenting to have hip surgery. Center David Baas lasted three games before his knee gave out. David Diehl, projected to be a veteran filling a reserve role, missed the first three games following thumb surgery and then was forced onto the field as a starter.
Last Sunday, the Giants used their seventh different starting offensive line configuration in a 23-20 overtime victory in Detroit, the second-highest total in the league this season. Only the Raiders, with eight different starting lineups on the line, were less cohesive up front. This forced overhaul was a fatal blow, as depth along the line was an issue even before the injuries hit.
An investigation is not in order to figure out why the Giants are such a lousy rushing team — their 80.7 yards per game is 31st in the NFL, behind only the Falcons. Not only has the blocking from the ever-changing line been suspect, a key ingredient was removed when fullback Henry Hynoski went down after only three games with a shoulder injury that required surgery.
At running back, those asked to carry the ball nearly didn’t show up. Andre Brown broke his leg for the second time in less than a year and missed the first eight games. David Wilson, entering his second season, lost two fumbles in the opener in Dallas, never gained his footing and then, after five games was gone for good with a herniated disk in his neck that could be career-threatening. The Giants were forced to pick over the unemployment scrap heap to bring back old friend Brandon Jacobs and then Peyton Hillis, veterans whose better days are behind them.
Six different running backs ended up starting at least one game and the results, other than a few exceptions, were dismal. In their last two games, the Giants rushed for 25 yards against the Seahawks and 41 yards against the Lions. The 66 yards is the lowest two-game total in franchise history.
Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, under fire for the demise of his unit, did not want to use all the injuries as an excuse but said: “You don’t have to be too intelligent to figure that one out’’ when asked what affect the physical issues had on trying to gain yards and score points.
“You have to compensate for a lot of things,’’ Gilbride said. “You’re adjusting for a lot of things. It’s not like defense. In defense, if one guy beats a block, he can go and compensate for everybody. Here, all eleven guys have to play well enough to give the guy who has the ball the chance to perform, to function, at a high enough efficiency level.’’