It is no surprise that center Shaun O’Hara will not play tomorrow against the Cowboys, but he may not be back in the next few weeks either.
O’Hara missed three games earlier in the season with bursitis in his left ankle and Achilles and now will miss his second straight game because of a right mid-foot sprain. O’Hara yesterday revealed that when he hurt his foot Oct. 25 in Dallas he was told “it could be anywhere from 2-8 weeks.” He is in his third week of recovery.
“These injuries are different for everybody, different for each position,” O’Hara said. “That’s the frustrating thing. I’m trying to positive. I know that I will be back out there, I just don’t know when. Every week feels like a month these days.”
General manager Jerry Reese said: “Shaun’s health is a concern, but I do believe he will make it back and give us a boost down the stretch.”
O’Hara was not with the team in Seattle but plans on being on the sideline against the Cowboys.
“They told me not to stand if possible, but I don’t think I’ll be able to be anywhere else but down there on the sideline,” O’Hara said. “At least try to feel like I’m still part of the group.”
*
WR Hakeem Nicks appeared unconcerned about being accused by his former school, North Carolina, of giving $3,300 in improper gifts and benefits to members of UNC’s football team. North Carolina is under investigation by the NCAA and is conducting its own investigation as to any misdeeds. The school described the improper benefits as “impermissible gifts of cash and jewelry and impermissible assistance with lodging, travel, transportation and entertainment expenses.”
“I’m not worried about it. I’m in the NFL now,” Nicks said. “That’s college. I’m in the NFL and gonna focus on football. Stuff happens.”
*
O’Hara, WR Steve Smith (pectoral), LT David Diehl (hamstring), KR Darius Reynaud (hamstring) and FB Madison Hedgecock (hamstring) have all been ruled out for the game. LT Will Beatty (foot) is questionable. . . . Backup Kevin Boothe, removed this week from the physically unable to perform list, is expected to start at left guard in his first action of the season after tearing a pectoral muscle back in the spring. . . . It looks as if DE Alex Hall will make his Giants debut working on special teams. . . . Hearing that RB Brandon Jacobs was hard on himself for the way he ran in Seattle, Tom Coughlin said, “He should be. You’re always the most difficult and most tough on yourself. He’s just like that because he should have tried to run over the tackler.”