Giants have major OL problems (breaking update)

How does a hip injury turn into a torn hamstring? Was he running to get into the MRI machine?

Thanks, definitely not a doctor here. Follow up question…doesn’t a sprain feel different from a tear?

their defense is far and away the best in the NFC and will keep them in every game regardless of any OL problems

umm…their crappy line put up 45 points yesterday..

I am of course wary of how the line will play, but am cautiously optimistic.

Diehl has been having problems for a while this season (judging by Football Outsiders and Coldhardfootballfacts and my own eyes) and I suspect that part of the injury was already there. So, while LT is the most important position on the line, it was also an under-performing one.

On the plus side in terms of LT, we have Beatty coming back in a few weeks. He will be fresh and healthy, a plus this late, though it will take a bit to get him in football shape. He has not shined enough to take the starting LT spot, but he is certainly better than average for a back up. He can also play guard. He is very athletic.

Andrews is still a wait and see, but obviously the guy has talent. The Giants have been taking him slow and so far he has done very well. He might turn into the deal of the season, or not. It’s hard to tell. I do understand why the Eagles cut him. In any case, for a back up OL who can play up and down the line, he is much better than average.

In both cases, these were players competing for a starting job, not simply journeyman scrubs.

Seattle was not really a great test in terms of handling the rush or handling the run (given their injuries), but it was a nice test for our third injury, to Ohara, our center. Seubert, our seasoned overachiever-underdog LG filled in at C for the Seattle game, and despite the crowd noise, we only had one false start (and that was in garbage time). It also looks like Ohara will be back in a week or two (perhaps sooner if needed).

As for Koets, well I hate to see anyone hurt, and he is a serviceable backup. But he really hasn’t played much this season (until the Seahawks game, which probably led to his injury). In exchange we are getting Kevin Boothe back, also a serviceable backup, but probably the better of the two, and one who can play guard. He had a pec tear in training camp. In any case, it is nice to get fresh bodies for the line mid-season.

We also have Petrus, a raw rookie, a bit undersized, but very very strong apparently and also an overachiever.

Also on the plus side, Snee and McKenzie are healthy and playing well. Seubert is healthy and playing well.

My real fear? It’s not that we can’t line up a very nice OL, it’s that we might no longer have the luxury of lining up an extra tackle in place of a TE. In fact, our secret to success this year, might be the fact that we use a very mobile “heavy” package, usually with Andrews playing as a blocking TE, on BOTH passing and running plays. It really helps us in the red zone and on short yard. My hope is that Beatty, who is also very mobile for a big guy, can take over this role. We shall see. But that is the key I think.

As for how the season will turn out, we shall see. I think both the Giants and the Eagles will know better when we play each other. You guys have one disadvantage for the first game: you have a short week and a bruising defense to play this Monday Night. As a Giants fan, I would certainly prefer to face Vick than McNabb (who nearly always played well against us).