Prince Amukamara picks off pass in NFL debut
Defensive back Prince Amukamara #20 of the New York Giants intercepts a pass intended for wide receiver DeSean Jackson #10 of the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium. (Nov. 20, 2011) Credit: Jim McIsaac
It didn't take Prince Amukamara long to get used to the NFL.
On only the second play of his career, which came in the first quarter of Sunday night's 17-10 loss to the Eagles, the first-round draft pick intercepted a deep pass from Vince Young intended for DeSean Jackson.
"[Cornerbacks coach Pete] Giunta told me to be ready for that, fresh legs, fresh meat," Amukamara said of lining up opposite Jackson early in the game and the Eagles' desire to test him quickly. "As soon as I got out there, DeSean was making signals like 'look over here!' So he tried me."
Jackson actually had Amukamara beat, but the rookie recovered and Young underthrew the pass, allowing him to make up ground.
"I stumbled a little bit," Amukamara said, "but you're not beat until the ball is caught, and I made a play."
The Giants had been waiting a long time for Amukamara to do just that. He fractured a bone in his foot in early August and was sidelined until late last month. Slowly he worked his way onto the practice field and into a role with the defense.
In this game, he played extensively as the Giants limited the snaps of injured cornerback Aaron Ross and also had injuries to defensive backs Michael Coe and Derrick Martin during the game.
"Without seeing the tape, I would say he played pretty well for a kid who just came out there," Tom Coughlin said.
One area Amukamara said he needs work on is his conditioning. He hadn't played in a football game since last January, so he found himself huffing and puffing in the fourth quarter.
"I just really need to work on my wind. I felt pretty winded out there," he said. "But I think I did overall pretty good. I got good feedback from the coaches and the players."
He said his foot felt fine after the game as well. "Medicine does wonders," he said. "I didn't really feel it out there. I felt like my old self."
He was disappointed that the team lost and unable to truly enjoy his first game and his first interception. But being on the field, he said, was a terrific experience and allowed him to finally have a sense of belonging.
"Just to go through what these guys are going through," he said, "I feel a part of the team right now."
