Jerry Reese: Sitting Hakeem Nicks May Have Been Better

 

New York Giants’ general manager Jerry Reese is making a statement that many Giants’ fans would agree with and have asked for during the course of the season. It was painfully clear WR Hakeem Nicks was nowhere close to being 100 percent. Furthermore, Nicks presence on the field actually hurt the offense more than it helped.

“In hindsight, maybe we would have taken him out a little quicker than we did,” Reese told reporters. Nicks had a monster game in Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but it was clear he was pretty banged up in the second half. He did go on to miss the next couple of games.

However, when Nicks finally returned to the field again, he wasn’t as effective as he needed to be. QB Eli Manning was more effective getting the ball to his healthy receivers, whether it was WR Reuben Randle, WR Domenik Hixon or WR Ramses Barden. When Manning tried to get Nicks involved, the offense struggled.

Nicks looked like an old man out there at times, coming up lame on plays he usually makes. Not much good occurred when Manning was throwing it in Nicks’ direction. Nicks probably didn’t want to take himself out of the game, but it would’ve been better for the team if he did.

Now Nicks has a whole off-season to rest up his ankle and foot issues and come back for the 2013 strong and healthy. Manning needs his receivers healthy and ready to contribute. If not, head to the sidelines and make way for someone else.