Giants Line Injuries Reveal Bleak Truth About Week 14
The New York Giants have more than their fair share of problems to solve during the home stretch. With five games to play and two wins to their name, there hasn’t been a shortage of issues to deal with, and Week 14 offers a couple more.
The Giants went into Week 13 without offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, a recipe for disaster against a Dallas Cowboys defense headlined by edge rusher Micah Parsons. Quarterback Drew Lock was sacked six times and New York lost, 27-20.
Lock will be under center again on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, but he once again may be without his best offensive lineman.
© Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK
The team released the following injury report on Wednesday.
DID NOT PARTICIPATE
- Cornerback Deonte Banks (Rib)
- Offensive Tackle Jermaine Eluemunor (Quad)
- Offensive Tackle Evan Neal (Hip)
- Defensive Tackle Rakeem Nuñez-Roches (Neck/Shoulder)
- Linebacker Bobby Okereke (Back)
LIMITED
- Defensive Tackle D.J. Davidson (Shoulder)
- Quarterback Tommy DeVito (Right Forearm)
- Receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton (Achilles)
- Linebacker Dyontae Johnson (Ankle)
- Defensive Tackle Jordon Riley (Knee)
Eluemunor seemed devastated to miss Thanksgiving’s contest, but he isn’t the safest bet to play in Week 14. He’s a must-watch as the injury reports roll out throughout the week. Working his way toward limited or full participation should signal his impending return.
Further, Neal struggled against Dallas. He, too, could miss Sunday’s contest, leaving New York with two backup tackles – reaching even deeper into the depths of the roster. If one tackle absence is enough to stifle the offense, a second could render the entire operation unwatchable.
The linebacker position is also important to monitor. Okereke is having a down year compared to 2023. His status isn’t clear (or necessarily in doubt) for Sunday, but the more time he misses has an impact on Dyontae Johnson’s playing time. The team activated Johnson’s window to return from injured reserve, meaning he has three weeks to see the field. After standing out in the preseason, it will be interesting to see how much time he gets, even if Okereke’s role doesn’t directly overlap with his.
DeVito’s status matters more for Week 15, as Lock was named the starter; and the litany of defensive line injuries only make Dexter Lawrence’s absence harder to mitigate.
The Giants’ struggles have been overly apparent, but with contributors falling left and right, the path to victory remains difficult.
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