One step forward, two steps back. That’s how it has seemed to go for the Giants this season, and on Sunday, they were dealt another blow – not only losing to the hated Philadelphia Eagles, but losing running back David Wilson to a neck injury in the process.
Before exiting the game in the first quarter, Wilson rushed six times for 16 yards and his first touchdown of the season, celebrated with an impressive double backflip.
While Wilson had not been producing much this season, averaging only 3.3 yards per carry, Brandon Jacobs, rookie Michael Cox, and the recently released-and-resigned Da’Rel Scott do not offer any semblance of an upgrade.
Some way, somehow, the already anemic Giants running game has gotten worse. And in a season that already appears lost, Wilson going down for at least this week, if not more (according to reports from Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo), will only make the games that much less watchable.
The most likely candidate to replace Wilson as the every-down back is Jacobs, the one-time productive running back who is averaging a robust 2.2 yards per carry on 22 rushes this season. He also had a play last week that could be considered a microcosm of the Giants season.
Jacobs took the handoff and fumbled the ball before he was even touched. Perhaps he had just eaten some popcorn on the sideline.
Then there’s Scott, who was so bad that the Giants cut him last week. He actually hasn’t been as awful as Jacobs, averaging 3.5 yards per carry on only 16 rushes. He’s also caught 10 passes out of the backfield, so he can be useful on third down situations.
Sadly he’s the best of a bad bunch.
Cox, has yet to see a carry in the NFL, so I wouldn’t expect to see him garner any carries against the Bears.
No matter which direction the Giants end up going this Thursday, it doesn’t figure to be pretty. They may very well be staring down the barrel of an 0-6 start without a surprise performance.
Joe’s Prediction in Review:
Predicted: 18 carries, 75 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 catch, 4 yards, 0 touchdowns
Actual: 6 carries, 16 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 catches, 0 yards, 0 touchdowns
Verdict: Ouch. I’ll go easy on myself and take a mulligan because of the industry. Wilson was on pace for 24 carries and 64 yards, so I guess I wasn’t that bad after all.
Joe Vasile | Featured Columnist
Joe Vasile is the play-by-play announcer for Widener Pride football and host of “Ball Four” on WTSR in Trenton. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeVasilePBP.