Denver's thin air could pose problem for Giants
Photo credit: AP | Dealing with the thin air and high altitude at Denver's Invesco Field at Mile High could be difficult for the Giants.
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Photos: Giants 34, Falcons 31 (OT)
The don't call it Mile High Stadium anymore, but not because it's been lowered. In fact, the full name of the home of the Broncos is Invesco Field at Mile High. And as the Giants head into the thin air already winded from a game just a few days earlier, theories and predictions about how the altitude will affect them vary from player to player.
"I think the altitude is more mental than anything else," said linebacker Chase Blackburn, perhaps trying to put mind over matter. Or is it attitude over altitude?
Those who have played at such heights know that it can be a disadvantage for teams to travel from a sea-level existence - like, say, East Rutherford, N.J. - and suddenly have to play in the mountains.
"You get used to it," said new Giants cornerback D.J. Johnson, who had been with the Broncos and on their practice squad since May. "But everyone watches the games and people who go out there, you're going to be tired."
Linebacker Bryan Kehl knows how hard it can be on a visiting team because he used to take advantage of it. He played at BYU, which is at about 4,500 feet above sea level, a little less than a true mile high. In the Mountain West Conference, that's not very impressive considering that Colorado State and Air Force are both about as high as Denver and New Mexico State and Wyoming are both higher that that. Wyoming is at 7,200 feet.
But what about when teams came from the low lands for non-conference games?
"They would be struggling big time," Kehl said. "I always make fun of Clint [Sintim], he played at Virginia and they went to Wyoming and lost. I'm like 'You lost to Wyoming? We beat on them every year!' And he's like 'Man, I couldn't breath.' It makes a difference."
Regardless of whether or not they believe in the difference, the Giants are preparing for it. Tom Coughlin said he has spoken to the players about maintaining their hydration all during the week and getting plenty of rest (which, in a short week, can be difficult). They are also encouraged to stay away from alcohol during this week.
"We will have [oxygen] on the sideline," Coughlin said. "I've personally been involved in coaching teams that have played there in the past and we never had a real issue."
The altitude isn't a negative for everybody. Lawrence Tynes, who played at Kansas City for three years and was in the same division as the Broncos, said the thin air can add five to eight yards on kickoffs and field goal attempts.
"It helps you a lot for sure," Tynes said. "The ball will travel a lot farther. I'll definitely go past 55 yards in pregame from both sides."
The extra yardage on the kicks will also allow the Giants to neutralize dangerous returner Eddie Royal differently than they did against guys like Darren Sproles of the Chargers or Eric Weems of the Falcons. In those last two games they used a lot of short kicks and quasi-squibs to keep the returners off balance and disrupt the timing.
"But against Denver, we'll probably just kick away and hopefully get some deep balls in the end zone," Tynes said.
The Giants hope they'll have plenty of chances to kick off Thursday night. That will mean they're scoring points and probably not gasping for wind. Of course, not everyone will be affected by the altitude. Kehl said he's looking forward to it.
"I'm used to it," the native of Utah said. "That's where I grew up, that's where my body was formed."
But for those who haven't been raised in the snow-caps?
"I'm not worried," Kehl said before his certainty faded like, well, like an athlete at high altitude. "I think we'll be all right. We should be all right. We'll see if we're all right."
