NFL

Brown’s break gives Giants rookie Wilson a shot

David Wilson has to laugh when friends ask him how he is holding up. He knows what he has been through in his rookie season with the Giants, knows what he’s done and — more specifically — knows what he hasn’t done.

How is he holding up?

“I don’t need an oil change yet,’’ Wilson said yesterday, cracking himself up.

The tread on his NFL tires has barely touched the playing surface, especially the tread used for what’s supposed to be his primary role of carrying the ball as a running back. His first-year existence of watching and waiting is at an end, though, as Andre Brown’s season is at an end with a broken left fibula.

With a Monday night game against the Redskins on tap next, the Giants have two days off before resuming practice on Thursday. Wilson, the seldom-used first-round pick, admits his thought-process has already changed now that he has made a rise up the depth chart, sitting behind starter Ahmad Bradshaw.

“The other weeks you come in hoping and trying to be persistent and hoping and wishing you get your opportunity,’’ Wilson said, “Now you know this week you will.’’

Technically, Brown’s season is not over, as the Giants placed him on injured reserve with eligibility to return, a new wrinkle in the league this season. This was the last week for the Giants to designate a player for the short-term IR, which allows a player to miss six weeks of practice, eight weeks of games and then return. That timing would put Brown back on the practice field for the playoffs and back in a game for Super Bowl XLVII.

Of course, it’s wishful thinking by the Giants. Coach Tom Coughlin called it “realistic,’’ but the move is most likely designed to keep Brown’s spirits up.

“I think it’s going to provide Andre with great incentive,” said Coughlin, who added it is unclear if Brown will need any sort of surgical procedure. “We want that experience for him. He was very disappointed last night, let’s put it that way, and frustrated. He’s had some seasons end in this way before, and I think this is a way to motivate, inspire him, give him great purpose, and hopefully that will help.”

With that, the Giants have to move on and Coughlin, asked about Wilson, said: “It’s his time.’’

This scenario is eerily similar to 2007. Derrick Ward was sharing the rushing load with Brandon Jacobs when in early December, the 12th game of the season, Ward fractured his left fibula in a victory in Chicago. That injury opened the door for a rookie named Ahmad Bradshaw, who was enduring the typical wait-and-learn first-year indoctrination. Bradshaw went on to gain 151 yards in a playoff-clinching victory over the Bills and in the post-season run emerged as the Giants’ leading rusher with 48 carries and 208 yards.

In the first 11 games of his rookie year, Bradshaw was barely used: six rushing attempts for 39 yards. By comparison, Wilson has been a workhorse with 24 carries for 102 yards. Wilson’s main role is as a kickoff returner, where he has fielded 40 of the team’s 44 chances.

“The timing as far as where he is coming from couldn’t be any better,’’ Coughlin said. “It is a great opportunity for him and I think for our team as well in terms of what could develop in this stage of the season for David.’’

The reason for Wilson’s lack of use on offense has been pinned on his unreliability in pass protection, a failing he insists is more about his college reputation and less about his work in practice as a rookie. To get Wilson up to speed, second-year fullback Henry Hynoski for the past few weeks has administered written tests to Wilson, staying after practice for up to 90 minutes.

“I’ve been working with him mainly on pass protection stuff, just telling him, ‘After practice I want you to have all your protections written down and who you are assigned to, and what the adjustments can be,’ and he did that,’’ Hynoski said. “He’s done a pretty good job so far, and I’m going to be extra hard on him this week getting him prepared and I know coaches will be, too.’’