Video monitors help spot Ware's concussion

It was easy to see that D.J. Ware suffered a concussion in the third quarter Sunday against the Falcons. Easy, that is, if you were able to look again.

It was on the play in which Eli Manning rolled to his right and threw a pass to Hakeem Nicks at the goal line, trying to get a touchdown or an interference call (he got neither). Ware was in the backfield at the start of the play, dived to make a block and seemed to hit his head on the turf.

While the action -- and almost every set of eyes in the stadium -- flowed with the play, Ware was on the ground. He tried to get up, was helped to his feet by David Baas, then nearly tumbled over again before staggering toward the sideline.

It's probably something trainers and medical staffs would not have been able to see. But thanks to a new system, they did.

According to The Associated Press, the Giants were helped by the NFL's installation of video monitors on the sideline in treating injuries to Ware and cornerback Aaron Ross. Both suffered concussions.

Giants vice president of medical services Ronnie Barnes said the team's medical staff was unsure what happened with Ware and "the video replay provided us with evidence that a concussive event had occurred."

According to the AP, the NFL on Friday instituted monitors, to be used only by a team's medical staff, to review plays that might have caused an injury. Barnes said "the system worked as it should have." League spokesman Greg Aiello said the Giants were the only team that needed to use the technology in the four wild-card games.

Ross' injury occurred on a more obvious stage, when he and Jason Pierre-Paul collided while going after a deflected pass. The two remained down on the turf for several moments afterward, and because it happened at a point where the eye was naturally drawn, the video system was not as valuable as it was in Ware's case.

Tom Coughlin said Ware and Ross were going through league-mandated protocols for players with concussions.