Posts
East Rutherford, NJ -- Giants middle linebacker Antonio Pierce was diagnosed with a bulging disc in his neck this afternoon and will be sidelined indefinitely, according to the team’s medical staff.
Pierce underwent an MRI today at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan and was examined by team physician Dr. Russell Warren and Dr. Frank Camissa, Chief of the Spinal Surgical Services at HSS.
Pierce originally suffered a burner in the Arizona game on October 25 and experienced very little discomfort until practice this week, at which point the team’s medical staff scheduled this afternoon’s MRI.
“I'm shocked with what I heard from the doctors this afternoon,” said Pierce. “I had no idea that what happened a few weeks ago could keep me off the field. I didn't think it was that serious. I'm going to do everything the doctors tell me to do so I can get back out on the field as soon as possible.”
This really might be a blessing in disguise. AP has been on the downside for the last 2 years. ( that is why I was all for drafting Malaluga) Yes, he is a coach on the field, but that is exactly the problem. We need players on the field. He is old & slow in linebacker terms. I want to see Goff, Sintim.....Blackburn will be able to hold the fort. This Defense will be at full strength now except for AP. It might force Bill ( am I really the DC?...golly gee) to be more aggressive in his approach. Football is a young man's game. Go GMen.....It is time to go after it!
ReplyDeleteCareful what you wish for. Pierce may be slow, but he is the 'coach' of the defense. He gets everyone set in place, make last second adjustments. I don't think this is a good thing at all. Time will tell.
ReplyDeleteI agree Pierce has lost a step and I think the Giants were probably going to go elsewhere in the offseason, but I don't necessarily know if this is a good thing right now.
ReplyDeleteBlackburn is a serviceable player and I agree I want to see Sintim and Goff on the field more to see what they can do, but is there another middle linebacker on the team besides Blackburn?
And I thought with more playing for Sintim would come less playing time for Clark. Now you have Clark and Blackburn in on a number of plays instead of Clark and Pierce. I'd much prefer the latter.
Ernie,
I'm just curious, since Pierce is expected to be out six weeks, who else on the Giants could play MLB? We know Blackburn, but could Goff? I like Boley at WLB and Sintim and SLB. Could Clark move in to take th middle. Again no offense to Chase, but he's nothing more than a solid back up.
If nothing else, this probably ends Pierce's run with the Giants and possibly forces Boley or another linebacker who could cover in on passing downs. Any MLB's in the draft or free agency?
John, are those the last minute adjustments that led to 40 burgers being put up on us against the Saints and Eagles? Or the last minute adjustments that were being made during this 4 game losing streak? This staff is too conservative when it comes to putting in younger, faster, more explosive players. We've lost 4 in a row and are 6-8 in our last 14 (Including playoffs) with Pierce. Time to get younger, faster and bigger in the middle and stop worrying about all this pre snap nonsense - that goes for the offense too. TheEagles have been switching middle LB's on a seemingly weekly basis and their defense still out performs ours and makes fewer mental mistakes.
ReplyDelete