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Tom worried injuries may be 'long-term'
BY RALPH VACCHIANO
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Eli Manning is only in his second NFL year, but Giants' 9-4 record has put pressure on youngster to win now.
At full strength, the Giants have proven to be one of the top teams in the NFC, a threat to win their division and a true playoff contender.
But they may not be at full strength for the rest of the year.
The Giants' injury luck ran out on Sunday when they lost four starters - LB Antonio Pierce (ankle), DT William Joseph (leg), RT Kareem McKenzie (hamstring) and LT Luke Petitgout (back) - in their 26-23 overtime win in Philadelphia. All four underwent MRI exams yesterday afternoon.
"I'm worried long-term on all four of them, really," Tom Coughlin said.
The biggest concern, though, was for Pierce, who team sources fear has a high right ankle sprain. If that is what the MRI shows, he could miss up to six weeks, depending on the severity. That obviously would end his regular season and cast doubt on his availability for the playoffs, too.
Pierce, after the game on Sunday, guaranteed he'd be back to face his old team, the Washington Commanders, on Christmas Eve. And Coughlin - who declined to offer specifics on any of the players - wouldn't even count Pierce out for Saturday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
"This guy is a guy that has fought his way back from things before," Coughlin said. "I'm not expecting anything miraculous here, but I'd rather state exactly what the doctors tell me."
Coughlin was able to compensate for the linemen's absence on Sunday by moving David Diehl to right tackle, putting veteran Bob Whitfield at left tackle and inserting Jason Whittle at left guard. But the only other lineman on the roster - guard Rich Seubert - wasn't active for the game. Had another lineman gotten hurt - Diehl gave the Giants a scare when he suffered a stinger in the second quarter - Coughlin said he would've had to put a defensive lineman in.
However, while remaining purposely vague, Coughlin sounded hopeful that McKenzie would be back soon, and said that Petitgout - who has had chronic back problems - might have even been able to return late in Sunday's game.
He was much more evasive, though, about Pierce, whom Michael Strahan described as "the heart and soul" of the Giants' defense.
"Antonio is a big part of the defense, not only for his playmaking ability, but he's a leader out there," safety Brent Alexander said outside Giants Stadium yesterday while helping to load vans filled with food and toys for Lift Up America, a charity that will deliver those packages to less fortunate families. "He's all over the field. He's in control and out of control all at the same time. He's making plays everywhere.
"We're just hoping we can get him back as soon as possible."
Pierce's presence would be a huge help the next two weeks with the Giants (9-4) holding a one-game lead over the Cowboys in the NFC East and about to face the fourth- and fifth-ranked rushing teams in the league (Kansas City, 142.2 yards per game; Washington 131.2). Not having to face Pierce for most of the game on Sunday, the Brian Westbrook-less Eagles rushed for 175 yards, including 114 on 11 carries by rookie Ryan Moats.
"Obviously Pierce has been the guy that's been the connector between the front and the secondary for the entire year," Coughlin said. "It didn't help matters that he wasn't there."
THERE'S MORE: WR Jamaar Taylor has a bone bruise in his knee from a practice collision last week. He's not expected to do much this week. ... S Shaun Williams (hamstring) will try to practice, but Coughlin said, "I don't know how effective he will be."
BY RALPH VACCHIANO
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Eli Manning is only in his second NFL year, but Giants' 9-4 record has put pressure on youngster to win now.
At full strength, the Giants have proven to be one of the top teams in the NFC, a threat to win their division and a true playoff contender.
But they may not be at full strength for the rest of the year.
The Giants' injury luck ran out on Sunday when they lost four starters - LB Antonio Pierce (ankle), DT William Joseph (leg), RT Kareem McKenzie (hamstring) and LT Luke Petitgout (back) - in their 26-23 overtime win in Philadelphia. All four underwent MRI exams yesterday afternoon.
"I'm worried long-term on all four of them, really," Tom Coughlin said.
The biggest concern, though, was for Pierce, who team sources fear has a high right ankle sprain. If that is what the MRI shows, he could miss up to six weeks, depending on the severity. That obviously would end his regular season and cast doubt on his availability for the playoffs, too.
Pierce, after the game on Sunday, guaranteed he'd be back to face his old team, the Washington Commanders, on Christmas Eve. And Coughlin - who declined to offer specifics on any of the players - wouldn't even count Pierce out for Saturday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
"This guy is a guy that has fought his way back from things before," Coughlin said. "I'm not expecting anything miraculous here, but I'd rather state exactly what the doctors tell me."
Coughlin was able to compensate for the linemen's absence on Sunday by moving David Diehl to right tackle, putting veteran Bob Whitfield at left tackle and inserting Jason Whittle at left guard. But the only other lineman on the roster - guard Rich Seubert - wasn't active for the game. Had another lineman gotten hurt - Diehl gave the Giants a scare when he suffered a stinger in the second quarter - Coughlin said he would've had to put a defensive lineman in.
However, while remaining purposely vague, Coughlin sounded hopeful that McKenzie would be back soon, and said that Petitgout - who has had chronic back problems - might have even been able to return late in Sunday's game.
He was much more evasive, though, about Pierce, whom Michael Strahan described as "the heart and soul" of the Giants' defense.
"Antonio is a big part of the defense, not only for his playmaking ability, but he's a leader out there," safety Brent Alexander said outside Giants Stadium yesterday while helping to load vans filled with food and toys for Lift Up America, a charity that will deliver those packages to less fortunate families. "He's all over the field. He's in control and out of control all at the same time. He's making plays everywhere.
"We're just hoping we can get him back as soon as possible."
Pierce's presence would be a huge help the next two weeks with the Giants (9-4) holding a one-game lead over the Cowboys in the NFC East and about to face the fourth- and fifth-ranked rushing teams in the league (Kansas City, 142.2 yards per game; Washington 131.2). Not having to face Pierce for most of the game on Sunday, the Brian Westbrook-less Eagles rushed for 175 yards, including 114 on 11 carries by rookie Ryan Moats.
"Obviously Pierce has been the guy that's been the connector between the front and the secondary for the entire year," Coughlin said. "It didn't help matters that he wasn't there."
THERE'S MORE: WR Jamaar Taylor has a bone bruise in his knee from a practice collision last week. He's not expected to do much this week. ... S Shaun Williams (hamstring) will try to practice, but Coughlin said, "I don't know how effective he will be."
