We suggested prior to Thursday’s game that for the Giants to save their season, Eli Manning would have to put the team on his shoulders. Needless to say, that wasn’t even close to happening against the Broncos. But he might have had an excuse: That foot injury from Week 4 that everyone had stopped talking about? It’s reportedly gotten worse, sort of.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported yesterday that by compensating for the plantar fasciitis (which the team says is no longer a concern), Manning developed a “stress reaction” in his right foot. The injury isn’t yet severe enough for Manning to sit, but it makes him susceptible to a stress fracture, which would end his season. The Giants are “aggressively treating” the foot in the hopes that his condition doesn’t worsen, but basically, Manning’s in the same position he was with the last injury: He’s willing and able to play through the pain, but he’s risking a more serious injury with every step.
We’re not sure if this explains the 26–6 loss to Denver, and it’s certainly not the only reason they’ve dropped five of their last six games. But it doesn’t bode well for the Dallas game next week, or the Eagles game the week after that, or for any of the other hugely important games that remain on the schedule. It’s hard to carry a team when you can barely walk without a limp.