New injury for Giants' Bradshaw, but Jacobs feeling better
Photo credit: Newsday/David Pokress | Tom Coughlin would not commit to Ahmad Bradshaw's availability in Thursday night's game against the Broncos. (August 17, 2009)
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Photos: Giants 34, Falcons 31 (OT)
Ahmad Bradshaw has been wearing a protective boot on his right foot since September, helping to support a cracked fifth metatarsal bone that will require surgery after the season.
Yesterday, the Giants revealed that this week he's been wearing a boot on his left foot to help a sprained ankle - a new injury - he suffered in Sunday's game against the Falcons. He also was spotted on crutches looking nothing like someone who could play Thursday. That could leave the Giants' running game, already an area of concern in terms of production and health, buried on Boot Hill.
At first, the Giants believed the Bradshaw injury was just a twisted ankle. "But apparently it's more severe than that and he's in the boot," Tom Coughlin said.
So severe, in fact, that Coughlin would not commit to Bradshaw's availability in Thursday night's game against the Broncos. "We'll see how it is," he said when asked if Bradshaw would make the trip with the team. They are flying to Denver Wednesday, the same day they must submit their final injury report and list Bradshaw as either out, doubtful, questionable or probable.
The potential loss of Bradshaw is even more troubling to a Giants team that was without Brandon Jacobs for the fourth quarter and overtime of Sunday's win over the Falcons. Jacobs took a hit to the right knee late in the third quarter, and although he said he could have returned to the game, Coughlin said earlier in the week that the medical staff disagreed.
In other words, the only fully functioning running back the Giants have going into the game is Danny Ware, who has four carries this season.
Jacobs did say he is feeling "really good" when he spoke with reporters Tuesday, and Coughlin said he looked and felt good during Monday's practice.
Jacobs also maintained his position that he was healthy enough to re-enter the game.
"It wasn't anything bad; it could have been worse," he said of the hit that sent him to the sideline. "Yes, I could have gone back into the game. We had two solid backs in the game doing a really good job of pass protecting and running the ball well. So there was really no need."
Bradshaw has played most of the season with a troublesome right foot, while the ankle on that same foot has been dogging him, as well. Although his production has slowed in recent weeks, his overall stats are impressive for a backup. He has 549 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 115 carries, averaging 4.8 yards.
Coughlin said he is confident Ware can contribute more to the running game should he be needed. On Sunday, he played mostly on third-down situations and did well in pass protection. He also had two carries for 15 yards, 13 of them on a play in the red zone where Eli Manning fumbled a shotgun snap and reached up to hand the ball off to him from the ground. Ware maintained his concentration on the ball and took advantage of the flinch in the defense that followed the fumble. "He did well," Coughlin said. "[He] made a real nice play on the run."
The Giants also have rookie Gartrell Johnson on their roster, although he has not been active since Ware returned from a dislocated elbow suffered in the season opener. Johnson has 11 carries for 39 yards.
But the real focus will be on Jacobs who, if he's healthy enough, could see the most carries he's had in a while.
