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Much was made of WR Plaxico Burress’ suspension from Sunday’s game, but the Giants believed they could afford to make such a strong statement and still be competitive because of their great depth. No kidding. Replacement Dominik Hixon, who started at split end, had a huge game, catching four passes for 102 yards and a touchdown, plus a 15-yard end-around. Although Hixon left the game with an apparent concussion, the Giants didn’t fall off, continuing to dominate in a 44-6 win — their largest margin of victory since 1972.
The PFW spin
The Giants’ depth has been a big reason they have been so successful this season. On defense, it has allowed the team to compensate for two major losses on the defensive line with Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, to keep first-round pick Kenny Phillips in a reserve role for now and to rotate a few reserves in at linebacker. On offense, the team has three (or more) running backs it believes can carry the load at any given time, a WR corps that goes five deep (and strong) and some reserve offensive linemen who might get chances to start elsewhere.
There were seven defensive players from Sunday’s win who did not start but who combined to total 14 of the team’s 50 credited tackles, a sack, an interception and two passes defended. Nine offensive players gained yards in the win, the backup running backs combined for 105 rushing yards on 18 carries and WR Sinorice Moss had his first two touchdowns of his NFL career. Of course, it didn’t hurt that the Giants led by four scores in the third quarter, but the reserves played well against Seattle's starters, too.
“We have plenty of other weapons on this team,” Giants QB Eli Manning said. “Just because a guy is out, it doesn’t mean we’re going to change our philosophy. We’re still going to run our same plays and the guys did a good job of stepping up when their names were called.”
A few of the biggest surprise performances from reserves on Sunday:
- Hixon. He started off the scoring with a 32-yard touchdown, burning Seahawks CB Kelly Jennings and showing great balance and concentration on the catch. Hixon had been one of the stars of the preseason, and the coaching staff has been raving about him since his 87-yard TD return on a kickoff in Week 17 last December. But they had struggled to find ways to use him in the regular season without taking reps from Burress, Amani Toomer or slot WR Steve Smith. It appears they’ll have to find room for Hixon, assuming his concussion isn’t serious.
- Moss. Below Hixon on the depth chart, Moss was perhaps the last player kept on the 53-man roster when the team broke from the preseason. He had played better in Albany after two nada seasons and was showing improvement, but there appeared to be little room for him if he wasn’t going to contribute much on special teams. Moss hasn’t made a difference on punt returns to date, as the team had hoped he would, but he stepped up as a receiver on Sunday, with four catches for 45 yards and two scores, one from Manning to put the game out of reach on the first drive of the third quarter and one from backup David Carr in garbage time. This won’t get Moss more looks immediately, but it will go a long way toward convincing the coaching staff he can step in if needed.
- Kevin Boothe. ORT Kareem McKenzie left the game with a concussion and was replaced by Boothe, who hadn’t seen much action prior to Sunday. He struggled on his second play, when Seahawks DE Patrick Kerney went around Boothe and strip-sacked Manning, although Boothe recovered the fumble. He also was flagged for a holding penalty later, but he responded by getting enough of a block on Jacobs’ TD run in the second quarter and sealed off the backside well and got to the second level on Jacobs’ 38-yard run in the third. Still, the Giants will be glad to have McKenzie back, as he appears to be fine. “[Boothe] was prepared to go,” Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said. “He really did a nice job with all of his assignments. He played against a very good football player [Kerney] and we thought he did a good job.”
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