The Giants have screamed loud and long that the major cause of all their problems in 2009 was injuries. That's why they didn't make any big changes anywhere but safety and that's why they feel like it will be a snap for them to climb back on top of the NFC this season.
We're curious if they're feeling any different after Wednesday morning's practice. The list of players missing was long enough to make you think that you'd stumbled into the local public hospital emergency room on the night of a full moon. Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN New York was kind enough to relate the full list which included guard Chris Snee for the first time. Snee's got a knee problem of some kind, Tom Coughlin wasn't forthcoming about details, and here are the rest of the wounded.
CB Corey Webster (glute), WR Steve Smith (groin), WR Sinorice Moss (groin), TE Kevin Boss (ankle/hamstring), TE Travis Beckum (hamstring), TE Jake Ballard (hamstring), TE Scott Chandler (hip), G Kevin Boothe (pectoral), DE Osi Umenyiora (hip), LB Keith Bulluck (knee), S Kenny Phillips (knee) and WR Hakeem Nicks (toe/knee).
That left exactly one tight end for the morning session which is good for Bear Pascoe's chances of making an impression on the coaches but bad for the installation of anything the Giants are trying to do offensively. That's not the really bad news, though.
The bad news would be the fact that up to eight of the team's 22 starters are included on that list. Some of them, Bulluck and Phillips, have injuries from last season that are going to limit them to one practice a day and others may be on a similar track but it isn't particularly inspiring to see that may essential players on the sideline before the team has even started playing exhibition games.
An optimist would say that this is just smart precautionary behavior to ensure that small aches and pains don't get worse but a pessimist with a memory would simply point to the way the Giants excused their collapse on injuries to express why this isn't a confidence builder. The Giants didn't lose many players for long stretches with injuries, they merely saw them play at diminished effectiveness because of seemingly minor injuries.
It feels like we're swimming in a pretty similar pool and that's not a dip anyone wanted to be taking.
U.S. & World
Josh Alper is a writer living in New York City and is a contributor to FanHouse.com and ProFootballTalk.com in addition to his duties for NBCNewYork.com. You can follow him on Twitter.
