Stuff happens. And by stuff, we mean injuries.
They’ve happened to the Giants, more so than most teams, and there is no doubt the continual thinning out of the roster every time a player goes down and out is a contributing factor in the great demise that is the 2013 season.
It is not, however, an excuse.
The losses have been costly but not catastrophic, and the Giants should have been able to navigate through the first six games without complete and embarrassing breakdowns across the board — on offense, defense and special teams.
Sure, the offensive line was down three-fifths of its starting unit, and that was a big factor in the running game being invisible and the shoddy pass protection that did nothing to help scatter-armed Eli Manning feel at ease in a shrinking pocket.
No doubt, the defense was compromised by losing starters at linebacker and cornerback, but there were enough supposed marquee players on the field to prevent the fourth quarter from devolving into an open-door end zone policy.
Far more than the injuries, the terrible drop in performance from the greatest talent on the team has ruined the season. Start with Manning and continue with Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul, Mathias Kiwanuka and Will Beatty. All were centerpieces on the most recent Super Bowl winner. All are in the midst of invisible or undignified seasons.
The Giants have five players of note on season-ending injured reserve: safety Stevie Brown, linebacker Dan Connor, fullback Henry Hynoski, cornerback Aaron Ross and right guard Chris Snee. In addition, center David Baas has missed four games with knee then neck issues, offensive lineman David Diehl missed the first four games recovering from thumb surgery, starting cornerback Corey Webster has missed the past four games with a strained groin, and tight end Adrien Robinson hasn’t played at all because of a sprained foot.
It is not exactly a list of losses that sends shock waves through the league. The injuries have been to dependable, workmanlike players whose absences clearly were felt, but not a list filled with irreplaceable pieces that should cause a team to collapse.
Snee is the Giants’ best offensive lineman, a four-time Pro Bowler, and in the three games he played it was obvious something was wrong with his non-surgically repaired hip. His toughness is missed. Connor, the former Panther and Cowboy, was signed to be the starting middle linebacker but he lasted only into the second quarter of the first game before a neck burner ended his season. Although not a difference-maker, Connor was expected to be a consistent enough player to stay in the lineup, and his departure paved the way for the trade with the Panthers for Jon Beason.
The loss of the thumping Hynoski was another dagger to the mortally wounded ground game. Brown, gone in the preseason to a torn ACL, was a revelation last season with eight interceptions, and his knack for big plays is sorely missed, even if Ryan Mundy has been a serviceable replacement. Ross was re-signed after a year with the Jaguars to provide depth, and he filled in for Webster until a back injury ended his season. That put too much physical stress on Terrell Thomas’ repaired knee. Webster stuck on the roster only after accepting a hefty cut in salary, and his inability to stay on the field has irked the coaching staff and guarantees his ninth year with the Giants will be his last.
Could a fortified roster have reduced the impact of these losses? General manager Jerry Reese unquestionably miscalculated along his offensive line and the results were unsightly. Reese neglected the position of linebacker, going with a bargain-basement group. Mundy was a smart signing, and now that Will Hill is done with his four-game suspension, the Giants are competitive without Brown at safety. Replacing Hynoski at fullback has been an ongoing search, with John Conner next up. Reese tried to accumulate depth at cornerback, and the absences of Webster and Ross have been hurtful, but not deadly.