Eli's balky foot carries weight of Giants' season
Photo credit: AP | New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning reacts following an incomplete pass during the third quarter of an NFL game against the Denver Broncos. (Nov. 26, 2009)
Despite a continuing collapse that has seen the Giants lose five of their last six games, defensive end Justin Tuck remains optimistic. When I asked what his level of optimism is on a scale of 1-10, he replied: "11."
"Call me ignorant or foolish, but that is the only way I know how to approach things," Tuck said.
This much we do know: There is no 11 without 10.
Number 10, that is.
Any thought that the Giants can arise from a funk now going on nearly two months is wishful thinking at best without Manning in the lineup. No disrespect to backup David Carr, another former No. 1 overall pick, but the Giants' chances will ride on Manning and his gimpy right foot.
The news that Manning has developed a "stress reaction" to his initial injury to the plantar fascia on his plant foot is hardly a comforting thought to this team's fragile psyche. In the wake of a humiliating 26-6 loss to the Broncos on Thanksgiving night, the Giants now prepare for a stretch of three divisional games that will most likely make or break their season.
Home to Dallas. Home to Philadelphia. At Washington.
Win 'em all, and the playoffs are a very real possibility. Win two, and it's a bit dicey. Win only one, and it's most likely over.
The guy with the bad wheel says it's all right there for the Giants, even with all the miserable performances during this 1-5 stretch.
"At this point, you just say, 'Hey, let's get back to winning games and playing our football,' " Manning said. "If anything, it is more fun when you win a game and perform at a high level. We are not in the perfect situation, but we have been in tight situations before. We have been in situations where we have been fighting for playoff spots."
Manning flashed back to the next-to-last game of the 2007 regular season, when the Giants visited the Bills on the heels of a home loss to the Redskins. The Giants beat Buffalo 38-21 to get into the playoffs.
"Two years ago we were fighting for a playoff spot, and we had to go into Buffalo and win that game to get into the playoffs," he said. "That is kind of what we are fighting right now. We have to know it's not going to be easy; we have a tough road but we are going to see how the character and what kind of team we've got, what type of fight we've got in this team, in these players and see if we can pull this off and enjoy these last five games."
As for his ailing foot, Manning is keeping a stiff upper lip. He insists there is no added discomfort. In fact, one source familiar with Manning's discomfort said he was in more pain in the immediate aftermath of getting hurt in Week 4 in Kansas City. And while there is a risk of suffering a stress fracture, even that might not end his season, according to the source. No guarantees, of course, but the optimism seemed legitimate.
The hardest part for Manning: the hassle of getting treatment on the foot every day. Other than that, he says it's business as usual.
Manning wants the focus to be on football, not his foot.
"We know nothing is guaranteed, nothing is easy," he said. "It's about how much we want it, who has the desire, who has the right attitude towards fighting through the tough times, and see if we can come out stronger and finish out."
We'll begin to find out Sunday whether 10 will lead to 11.
