Wilkinson's injury limits options on defense

by Ed Valentine on Aug 8, 2007 5:50 AM EDT in New York Giants News

Linebacker Gerris Wilkinson, competing with Kawika Mitchell for playing time, injured his knee Monday night and will miss several weeks. Ernie Palladino of the Journal News has an interesting take on what that means for the Giants defense.

Inside Football's training camp report says it was a great day for Eli Manning and Michael Jennings, but a forgettable one for Sam Madison.

The New York Times points out that after Robert Douglas the Giants don't have another true fullback.

It doesn't look like long snapper Ryan Kuehl will be back soon. It's likely he has at least a partially torn achilles tendon.

A group of sports bloggers (what do they know?) has picked the Giants to finish last in the NFC East.

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i dont get it

picked last but projected to go 10-6? is the 10-6 projection just that one guy's opinion and not the other bloggers?

regardless, i have a hard time seeing the jints finishing behind washington, who have had some camp injuries. i think campbell will be improved, i just dont think that they have the overall talent that the giants do (no hard feelings hogs haven). i still love randle-el.

by SBakerTheTouchdownMaker on Aug 8, 2007 7:56 AM EDT reply actions

Dan Benton

wrote the projection for the Giants, and he's a Giants fan. I wrote the projection for the Redskins, and I'm a Redskins fan. We both felt that our teams would finish the season higher than non-partisans.

I imagine the overall projection was an amalgamation of all four bloggers rankings.

I have a hard time seeing the Giants finish ahead of the Redskins.

Hogs Haven

by Skin Patrol @ Big Blue View on Aug 8, 2007 9:40 AM EDT reply actions

Not surprising

A lot of people are down on the Giants. The Strahan thing has lowered everyone's (non-Giants fans) already low expectations.

If I'm going to break them, I'm going to break them both. - LT

by potroast on Aug 8, 2007 10:09 AM EDT up reply actions

I am not down on the Giants for the Strahan thing

Hogs Haven

by Skin Patrol @ Big Blue View on Aug 8, 2007 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Giants vs. Skins

Will, my friend, neither one of us is objective here. I can't see the 'Skins finishing ahead of the Giants, and you can't see it the other way around. It's not surprising that prognosticators are down on the Giants. They can't see beyond Barber and Strahan. I think there is more talent there than people realize. Oh well, I could be wrong and they could be awful. But, I don't think so.

by Ed Valentine on Aug 8, 2007 1:00 PM EDT up reply actions

You're right about a few things...

I'm a total partisan and I wear that proudly.
The truth is, my characterization of the division was a knee-jerk reaction to what was, in my opinion, a knee-jerk statement. I believe that the Redskins will finish above the Giants, and I think that's a worthwhile discussion to have. But me saying I can't possibly imagine it happening otherwise is hyperbole on my part. In a division this close, in the NFL in the 21st century, anyone categorically proclaiming that their team will finish above another team is setting themselves up for a plate of crow.

I think the Redskins are a better football team. I think the Giants lost significant personnel with Barber, not devastating personnel but significant, and I'm either ignorant of or unmoved by the other personnel upgrades the team has made. I am also absolutely not sold on Eli Manning whatsoever.

Was anyone picking the Giants to take the division in 2005? I wasn't. Still, I look at the two teams and I think the Redskins are better. Even my partisan eyes can't tell me that the Redskins should be favored over, say, the Eagles heading into 2007. Where all these teams ultimately end up is anyone's guess.

Hogs Haven

by Skin Patrol @ Big Blue View on Aug 8, 2007 2:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Best Case

Palladino is saying that the Wilkinson injury means that there is no depth at LB and Kiwanuka might have to stay there even if Strahan doesn't come back. The best case scenario is that Tuck takes Strahan's place. How is Tuck doing? Has anyone heard? I would love for Kiwanuka to stay at LB.

If I'm going to break them, I'm going to break them both. - LT

by potroast on Aug 8, 2007 10:05 AM EDT reply actions

tuck

i think he deserves a shot.

he was an absolute beast at notre dame in '03 before some injuries slowed him down in '04. i think he can be a player and that's not just the notre dame fan in me talking.

by SBakerTheTouchdownMaker on Aug 8, 2007 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions