Hakeem Nicks Doubtful For Sunday Night; Diehl, Rivers, Hosley Ruled Out
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) — The New York Giants may be without wide receiver Hakeem Nicks for Sunday night's game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Nicks, who missed a win over Carolina on Sept. 19 with a sore foot, now has a knee problem.
Coach Tom Coughlin said Nicks developed swelling in his left knee after working out on Thursday. It was his first and only expected practice for the game. He was listed as doubtful for the contest between the NFC East rivals, meaning he has a 25 percent chance of playing.
Nicks banged his knee making a catch in the fourth quarter against Tampa Bay.
The North Carolina alum has caught 14 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown in two games for Big Blue this season.
Offensive tackle David Diehl (knee), linebacker Keith Rivers (hamstring) and cornerback Jayron Hosley (hamstring) were listed as out for the game against Philadelphia (2-1), which is in a three-way tie for first place with the Giants and Dallas.
Safety Antrel Rolle, who missed practice on Thursday because of soreness in his knee, worked out on a limited basis on Friday and is questionable for the game. Rolle hurt his knee against the Panthers, banging it against a hand-held television camera in the fourth quarter.
Cornerback Michael Coe, who missed the Carolina game with a hamstring injury, also is questionable, but he expects to play as the team's third cornerback.
If Nicks can't go, the Giants could start either Domenik Hixon or Ramses Barden. Hixon missed the Carolina game with a concussion, but is probable this week. Barden picked up the start against Carolina and had career-bests of nine catches and 138 yards.
"Whatever the circumstances are we will figure it out," quarterback Eli Manning said after practice.
The Giants are getting used to backups these days, and no matter who gets the call, it hasn't slowed the team. Barden did it last week and running back Andre Brown was outstanding the past two weeks filling in after Ahmad Bradshaw suffered a neck injury against the Buccaneers.
Bradshaw returned to practice this week and is probable.
"We've done it every year from way back when," Hixon said of the backups. "I was talking about that with a couple of guys from other teams. Our coaches coach everyone up, because you never know what may happen. So everyone is coached up and ready to play."
The biggest concern for the Giants will be at cornerback.
Corey Webster will be playing with a broken right hand and Prince Amukamara will start for Hosley despite still not being fully recovered from a preseason ankle sprain. He played last week.
"There's still a little discomfort, a little pain, but it's not really affecting my game," said Amukamara, who will make his first career start. "It gets sore a couple of times, but as I'm running it's warmed up. It feels good as new."
Webster said he intercepted two passes this week in practice using his left hand only. He plans to use both hands in the game, although he is still deciding on an appropriate cast to wear on his right hand, his dominant hand.
"You would like to have both hands," Webster said. "Whatever I can do to help my team I am going to be out there helping."
Coe almost certainly will have to play with Hosley out. He ran at full speed on Friday.
"I am a competitor and I feel everyone puts pressure on himself to play," Coe said. "It's a big game, a divisional game, especially to jump out to a lead in our division. And I definitely want to play against a great quarterback and great receivers in our division."
Not an encouraging injury report, but it's tough to be too concerned after what the backups did against the Panthers last week. Sound off with your thoughts and comments below...
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