Giants wideouts Manningham, Moss see opportunity
They've become somewhat forgotten, receivers who go deep only on the depth chart. Mario Manningham missed almost all of training camp with a quadriceps injury and has not dressed for an NFL game. .Sinorice Moss, his future with the franchise in doubt from the moment the Giants drafted Manningham in April, has been in uniform for the first three games of the season. But in the last two, he has not stepped onto the field.
Each said that with the suspension of Plaxico Burress for Sunday's game against the Seahawks, his fortune is about to change.
"This is my opportunity,"
Moss said Wednesday.
"I'm ready to go out there and make plays and help my team win,"
Manningham said Thursday.
Can they both be right? Probably not. With only one receiver suspended, it's unlikely that Moss and Manningham will find a way to impact this game. It's not even a sure bet that one of them will.
Both have spoken about the virtues of patience, waiting for the right chance. After Sunday, at least one of them probably will still be on the line.
The Giants have extraordinary depth at receiver, even without Burress. Amani Toomer is a solid pro, Domenik Hixon was one of the stars of the preseason when he filled in for an injured Burress for most of training camp and has shown a penchant for the big play during the season (on passes and punt returns). And Steve Smith is quickly becoming one of Eli Manning's favorite targets, especially on third downs. The Giants have converted 11 third downs by passing this season, and a team-high four have gone to Smith.
It's no wonder that Moss and Manningham have had trouble cracking that lineup. But now that the fissure between the team and Burress has created a crack, there's not going to be room for both to squeeze through.
Manningham may be handicapped by a stomach virus he suffered from this week, which caused him to miss practices on Monday and Wednesday. Thursday, however, he returned to the field -- five pounds lighter and a little lacking in energy, he said -- and had full participation in practice. Although he looked a bit sluggish walking from one area of the field to the other, he appeared to run his routes crisply and caught several early throws from Manning.
"I'm getting there,"
he said. "I'll be back by the time Sunday comes."
Tom Coughlin seemed impressed with Manningham's comeback. "He has obviously been affected by it because I don't think he has had a lot to eat,"
the coach said. "Not a lot has stayed down. But he practiced pretty well for a guy who hasn't worked."
Moss also has the advantage of having played during camp. When the receivers were banged up in August, it was Moss who remained on the field taking those all-important summer snaps.
"It helped a lot,"
Moss said of catching balls in Albany. "We really had to step up and grow up. We had a big task in the preseason stepping in and making some plays, so having that time with Eli and the other quarterbacks it's like all the hard work we put in, now it's time for it to pay off."
When he met with reporters Wednesday, Manning spoke about the depth at receiver and said he would have Moss as the fourth wideout. The Giants have used that formation this season, but that was before Manningham returned. After three seasons, the Giants know what they have in Moss. They might want to take Manningham out for a spin against the .Seahawks.
Manningham said he's been shadowing fellow University of Michigan product Toomer, who has the locker next to his. After a stellar career with the Wolverines, riding the bench this first part of the season has been difficult for Manningham.
"I can't pout about it,"
he said. "I have a lot of guys in front of me who've been there. I can't do anything but sit back and listen and wait my turn."
Whether it's a long wait or a short wait could be determined Sunday.
