He claimed, among other things, that the Giants didn't tell him he
was going to be placed on IR until Tuesday morning, but that "the new
guy," who turned out to be seven-year veteran Jay Foreman, had been
flown in the day before and was already in meetings.
Emmons said that his injury was healing, that while he probably
couldn't play against Oakland, he would be able to answer the bell for
the first playoff game the next weekend. He also said that he rushed
back from the same injury earlier in the season "for the reason that the
team needed me," and that there was a risk then of tearing the muscle
and requiring surgery.
"They let me play," he said, "and if there was a risk then that they
shrugged off, why is the risk so important now?"
Sources close to the team indicated that the decision was made for
two viable reasons.
Emmons, in the estimation of the coaches, had not been playing
particularly well, and with the injury still a factor, he was an iffy
proposition.
Also, the injury could result in a tear on any play, and if that
occurred, the Giants would be minus one roster spot since changes cannot
be made in the postseason.
So they decided that it was better to bring in a healthy linebacker
than to take a chance on losing one for the playoffs who hadn't been
playing that well anyway.
It makes sense, and at the same time it indicates the cold-blooded
nature of the big business that is the NFL.
At this point, since Emmons criticized the team in public and
impugned coach Tom Coughlin (which is never allowed), it was also
suggested that his return next season might be questionable at best.
Yet another suspicion, not voiced by any team official or player, is
that this was payback for the morning of Dec. 15, when the Giants were
to play Kansas City, when Emmons walked into the locker room at 10 a.m.,
saying his pectoral muscle had been re-injured in practice during the
week and that he did not feel comfortable playing that day.
No comment or response was received from anyone in charge, of course,
but it is just another indication of an apparently growing unrest among
the team's players and the harsh methods employed by Coughlin and the
front office.
There has as yet been no comment on a rumor that wide receiver
Plaxico Burress, when summoned to gather with the rest of the team by
Coughlin, stayed by his locker in the rear of the clubhouse and
responded: "I can hear you fine from here."
SERIES HISTORY: The Giants and the Raiders have met only nine
previous times, with Oakland holding a 7-2 lead. Oakland has won the
last four games. The Giants only victories were back-to-back in 1986 and
1989. The last meeting was a 28-10 Raiders victory in Giants Stadium in
2001.
NOTES, QUOTES
--Linebacker Jay Foreman (6-foot-2, 247 pounds) was signed as a free
agent and will see action either from scrimmage or with the special
teams. He is the son of former Minnesota Viking Pro Bowl running back
Chuck Foreman. He was assigned the locker once used by Hall of Fame
linebacker Lawrence Taylor, and a bronze plaque over the nameplate
attests to that. "Pretty good company, isn't it?" he grinned.
--Defensive end Osi Umenyiora on the Giants' road record: "We have
struggled every time we've gone on the road, and I don't know what the
reason could be. This is our chance to get rid of it for good and just
blow them out."
--Rookie Corey Webster is going to start at right cornerback in place
of Curtis Deloatch. When asked if this was because Webster has been
playing well in a substitute's role or if it had more to do with the
fact that Deloatch was struggling, coach Tom Coughlin had a one-word
answer: "Both."
--Quarterback Eli Manning on his current performance level: "I am not
satisfied with the way I've been playing. Nobody would be. So we have to
go out to Oakland and get a win, and I have to play well. My goal is to
improve each week and get a win. And no, just making the playoffs is not
satisfying. We need to win the division, and winning Saturday will do
it."
--Left defensive tackle Kendrick Clancy was a college roommate and
teammate of Oakland defensive end Derrick Burgess when both attended the
University of Mississippi. "Yeah, we're good friends," he said, smiling.
"We talk to each other all the time. I called him last night (Tuesday)
and we trash-talked to each other."
--Right defensive tackle William Joseph, who should be able to play
after three weeks out with a sprained ankle, is looking forward to the
action. "Besides, they (the Raiders) don't have anybody on their team
from (the University of) Miami," he said. "So how good can they be?"
--Left defensive end Michael Strahan isn't satisfied yet. "We're in
the playoffs, but our goal was to win the division," he said. "We can do
that if we beat Oakland on Saturday. We need to move into the playoffs
on a winning note."
BY THE NUMBERS: There are nine possibilities (out of 29) that would
make the Giants the third seed in the playoffs and thus the host team
against the sixth seed (the lesser of the two wild-card entrants). Seven
involve a Giants victory over Oakland and two involve a tie between the
Giants and Carolina. The Giants hold an insurmountable 10-game lead in
strength of schedule, the tiebreaker that would make the Giants the
third seed.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Does it feel good? No, man, it's an empty feeling.
Thank God for this chance to make it right." - Giants defensive tackle
Kendrick Clancy on how he feels about "backing into" a wild-card spot
rather than winning the NFC East last week, when the team lost to
Washington.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
There will be roster changes aplenty on defense, but coach Tom
Coughlin isn't sharing any of that with the public. He has, however,
admitted that rookie Corey Webster will start for Curtis Deloatch at
right cornerback.
Other changes are expected to be made among the starting linebackers,
and even WLB Nick Greisen isn't guaranteed of staying there. He may move
to middle linebacker, where both Antonio Pierce and second-teamer Chase Blackburn are out due to injury. That would put Roman Phifer or Jay
Foreman at the strong side, with Reggie Torbor the likely starter on the
weak side. Rookie Eric Moore and Justin Tuck are also possibilities.
Offensively, the Giants should get RT Kareem McKenzie back after
three weeks, putting the offensive line at full strength for the first
time during that period. LT Luke Petitgout returned last week, allowing
David Diehl to go back to his left guard spot.
PLAYER/PERSONNEL NOTES
--Rookie RCB Corey Webster will start for Curtis Deloatch, who isn't
injured but has simply played badly the last two or three weeks. Webster
has started one game and played extensively in many others, but now he
gets to deal with Raiders WRs Randy Moss and Jerry Porter. "I'm ready,"
he said. "It has been a few weeks since I last felt like a rookie."
--LCB Will Allen, who has not played well lately and who allowed
Redskins' WR Santana Moss to get loose for two long TD catches last
week, is the starter for now, but rumors persist that when he becomes an
unrestricted free agent in March, the Giants will make only a cursory
attempt to re-sign him.
--QB Eli Manning, whose arrival via the draft-day trade with San
Diego in 2004 led to the angry demand for a release by QB Kerry Collins,
now with the Raiders, says he doesn't really know Collins and has no ill
will. "I think he is a very talented player," he said. "He took the
Giants to the Super Bowl (2000 season), and I have met him once, as he
got off the bus when the Raiders came here (Giants Stadium) to play the
Jets. I walked up and shook his hand."
--LB Jay Foreman becomes the third player on the Giants' roster whose
father also played in the NFL. He is the son of Minnesota great RB Chuck
Foreman; sub QB Tim Hasselbeck is the son of former TE Don Hasselbeck;
and LB Barrett Green, currently on injured reserve, is the son of former
Giants SS Joe Green.
--RG Chris Snee was exonerated from the holding penalty that cost the
Giants a touchdown last week against Washington (it negated a Manning to
WR Amani Toomer pass), by none other than his father-in-law (Giants
coach Tom Coughlin). "The guy tried a spin move on Chris," Coughlin
said. "He slipped and Chris just threw him to the ground. Officials have
to learn that when they see a guy on the ground, it isn't always because
he was held."
GAME PLAN: The Giants will attempt to get RB Tiki Barber loose
against an Oakland defense that ranks 25th in the NFL against the rush.
To do this, they'll need to neutralize the middle of the Raiders
defense, DTs Ted Washington and Tommy Kelly and MLB Danny Clark. If that
works, and if the support corps has to move up to help, then QB Eli
Manning can begin throwing passes, many of them to be directed at rookie
LCB Fabian Washington. The Raiders will attempt to run the ball, but
without RB LaMont Jordan (sprained big toe) that isn't a positive
option. QB Kerry Collins has a weapon in WR Randy Moss, and he'll try to
isolate him against rookie RCB Corey Webster.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
--Giants LDE Michael Strahan gets the blue-ribbon matchup, going
against huge Oakland RT Robert Gallery (6-foot-7, 325 pounds), the
second player drafted in 2004 (just after Eli Manning). Gallery is less
quick than big, but quicker than most for his size. Strahan, whose
weight is down to 255-260 pounds, is exceptionally fast off the snap and
wily after 13 years in the league.
--Giants RCB Corey Webster, a second round draft pick this year, will
have to find a way to contend with Oakland WR Randy Moss and/or Jerry
Porter, two of the NFL's best. Each has 70 receptions for a combined
1,429 yards and seven TDs. But without a running game (if RB LaMont
Jordan is out due to a sprained big toe) the Giants defense can afford
to double-team and play zone formations all game.
INJURY IMPACT
--TE Jeremy Shockey (ankle) did not practice Thursday, but from all
indications he will play Saturday night. "It's getting better day by
day," coach Tom Coughlin said.
--MLB Antonio Pierce, WLB Reggie Torbor and TE Jeremy Shockey did not
practice Thursday, but RT Kareem McKenzie (hamstring), WR Tim Carter
(hip) and DT William Joseph (ankle) did.
Frankly, it's anybody's guess who the Giants' three linebackers will
be and where they'll line up. All coach Tom Coughlin will say is that
"we have to make some defensive adjustments" in light of the missing
players. That list includes SLB Carlos Emmons, Pierce, MLB Chase
Blackburn and possibly SLB Reggie Torbor.
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