New York Giants LB Antonio Pierce out for season, bulging disk could end his career with Big Blue

Antonio Pierce's season, and very possibly his Giants career, is over.

The team placed the 31-year-old middle linebacker on injured reserve Monday afternoon, according to a team spokesman. He has been out for two weeks with a bulging disc in his neck and was expected to miss at least four more.

Last week, Pierce traveled to Los Angeles to get a second opinion on his injury from Dr. Robert Watkins, a noted orthopedic surgeon, but according to the team Dr. Watkins concurred with the first opinion from the team doctors. The plan was to let Pierce rest and rehab the injury and see if the swelling went down on its' own.

Obviously it didn't. And while a team spokesman said Pierce has not suffered a setback and is not headed for surgery (at least not at the moment), it seems clear the Giants the did not believe that Pierce would be able to return to action this season.

Judging by his comments earlier Monday afternoon in his weekly, paid interview on WFAN, Pierce was likely stunned by the team's decision.

"Obviously when this happened I was shocked and obviously disappointed, so I wanted to get as many different experts as I could and hear what they had to say," Pierce said. "They kind of said the same thing: 'You've got to let it take some time to go down. It's nothing you can get medication for or rehab on. It's something that has to go down on its own.'

"Hopefully in a couple of weeks, depending on what the team wants to do, I can go and get another MRI and see what happens."

Continue

Eli Manning: Foot injury is not affecting his performance

Despite the New York Giants' recent slump and his own mediocre performances, quarterback Eli Manning says a stress reaction in his right foot is not affecting his play.

Manning developed the injury while dealing with another problem on the bottom of his foot during a win Oct. 4 at Kansas City. The Giants were 4-0 after that victory, but are now 6-5 as Manning has struggled in recent weeks, even though his inflamed arch has healed.

On Monday, he said his latest health issue has not been a factor on the field.  "In the games it doesn't bother me and I don't think about it. This is not something I am overly concerned with," Manning said. "It has been the same for probably the last three to four weeks, it's nothing new. I can go out and practice and do all I need to do."

Manning doesn't believe he would eventually need surgery on his foot.

"It's one of those things that time and rest is probably the biggest thing," he said. "Having the weekend and the bye week and off week helped some. Time to rest it is helpful. It is not something I think will linger or bother me."

Manning also said he has no pain when walking and there are no concerns that the stress reaction can lead to him being sidelined for any of the remaining five games.

"It is frustrating, kind of one thing leading to another. When you have to go to the training room and get treatment, it throws your schedule out of whack. It kind of pushes things back. I am a guy who doesn't like to be in a training room. That's been probably the biggest annoyance trying to deal with it."

The Giants play Dallas (8-3), Philadelphia (7-4) and Washington (3-7) in the next three weeks and pretty much need a sweep of those games for any chance to the win the NFC East. They beat the Cowboys in Week 2, their most impressive victory of the year, and also won the season opener against Washington. New York lost to Philadelphia 40-17 a month ago in perhaps its worst game of the season.

Continue

NY Giants quarterback Eli Manning dealing with second foot injury

Eli Manning has said recently his foot feels better and that the plantar fascia injury is behind him.


But that apparently doesn't mean he's free of any issues.

According to an ESPN report, Manning is suffering from a "stress reaction" that resulted from his overcompensating for the injury he suffered against the Chiefs in Week 4 and the plantar fasciitis that was nagging him before that.

Someone informed of Manning's injury situation confirmed the report. The person, who requested anonymity because the Giants haven't released any information on the latest ailment, said the stress reaction is "not a recent development," meaning Manning has been dealing with it for some time.
 
The stress reaction, which the Giants anticipated as a possible side effect of the plantar fascia injury, will not sideline Manning unless it develops into a full-blown stress fracture - a possibility but not a guaranteed outcome. The Giants have been trying to prevent such a situation with rest and rehab for Manning, who is feeling less pain now than earlier this season when he suffered the original injury, the person familiar with his ailments said.
 
Continue

NY Giants' season at tipping point with NFC East opponents waiting

Tom Coughlin thought his team had righted itself. And he thought the season was on its way to being righted, too.

There was the one-point San Diego loss in Week 9 which, despite being a loss, was encouraging to him because of how the Giants played. Then, last Sunday, there was the overtime win over NFC contender Atlanta.

But Thursday night’s 26-6 stinker of a defeat in Denver plunged the Giants right back into the frustration of their month-long losing skid.

“I thought that we were beginning to ascend right there, and that we would continue to build momentum based on those two games,” Coughlin said on Friday. “Thursday’s game was a great disappointment.”

More than just a disappointment, it has now pushed the Giants’ season to its tipping point. While every game since the Giants’ first loss to the Saints in Week 6 has seemed like a crossroads, where they are at right now — 6-5, two games out of first place in the division and about to play three straight NFC East games — is the season’s true juncture.

The first-place Cowboys (8-3) come to the Meadowlands next weekend, followed by the second-place Eagles (6-4), meaning there is absolutely no more wiggle room for the reeling Giants.

“You have to hit the reset button and come out and decide whether you are going to be a team that can compete, a team that is respected around the league,” defensive tackle Barry Cofield said. “Or a team that is going to show up like we did (Thursday). It’s really up to us.”

Continue

New York Giants strengths go missing in action in disaster of a year for Big Blue

In the aftermath of the Giants' Thanksgiving night disaster in Denver there were the usual array of empty answers and familiar deer-in-the-headlights looks. The players, as they have for the last two months, sounded dazed and confused.

So maybe the answer offered by defensive end Osi Umenyiora after the Giants' 26-6 loss to the Broncos was the most honest assessment of what's happened to Big Blue since their troubles began in mid-October.

"Well, to be honest with you," Umenyiora said, "I don't even know what is going on."

Judging by the Giants' performance on the field, no one does.

So how did they get here, to the brink of their season, just 49 days after a 5-0 start left them looking like one of the NFL's powerhouse teams? How have they gone from NFC favorites to a game against the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday that, if they  lose, they'll have little hope of winning the NFC East?

The answers are hard to pinpoint because too many things have unraveled, from the Giants' once-powerful rushing attack to their once-sack-happy defense. They've stopped playing physical defense. Their offense has become run-and-shoot seemingly overnight. The play-calling has been suspect. The special teams, at times have been bad.

In a season where the lack of a No. 1 receiver was supposed to be their only weakness, that position has become one of their few strengths. And with just five games left, it might already be too late to fix all the things that have gone wrong.

Continue

Giants tumble in 26-6 Broncos basting, season is officially in danger

The Giants had built up such a good feeling after they finally won last weekend. They just expected the feeling to last a little more than four days.

Instead, the feeling and their one-game winning streak vanished into the thin, mile-high air as they gave a pitiful Thanksgiving night performance and lost to the Denver Broncos, 26-6. They were startlingly bad, particularly on offense, where they managed just 38 yards in the entire first half.

And now they're back where they were a week ago: reeling and searching for answers with their season in jeopardy.

"It's very disappointing for me to stand here in front of you and talk about this game," Tom Coughlin said. "We didn't play well. We don't have a lot of good things to say. As a whole it was not a good performance."

"I'm frustrated, disappointed, angry," added linebacker Michael Boley. "For us to come in and play the way we did was unacceptable. We're better than this."

That's getting harder and harder to believe now that the Giants (6-5) have lost five of six games - especially after their hideous performance Thursday night. Their offense was absolutely anemic in scoring its fewest points since Eli Manning's second NFL start back in 2004. Their running game was nonexistent. with only 57 yards. Their game plan was suspect with 44 passes to 15 runs in a game that wasn't out of reach until the fourth quarter.

Meanwhile, the defense managed to give up 26 points to a team that had scored a total of 37 in losing its last four games. And the Giants' composure seemed to disintegrate when an admittedly "frustrated" Osi Umenyiora was caught on camera screaming at Brandon Jacobs and the offense on the sidelines after he got into it with Broncosquarterback Kyle Orton on the field.

Continue

Denver Broncos serve NY Giants lopsided 26-6 Thanksgiving night loss

DENVER – The Giants didn’t want any parts of this game when the schedule came out.

And they absolutely played like it Thursday night.

With a defense that couldn’t tackle or make a stop in the first half and an offense that failed to find the end zone for the first time this season, the Giants erased all of the good vibes they had mounted in Sunday’s victory over the Falcons with a 26-6 loss to the Broncos.

"We just didn’t play as well as we should," said Osi Umenyiora, who was caught by the TV cameras yelling on the sideline in the direction of a few teammates. "Given the situation, given the circumstances we’re in, we should have played a lot harder and we should have made a lot more plays. But we didn’t."

The Giants’ situation was made worse by the fact this loss came right after the Cowboys (8-3) knocked off the Raiders, meaning the Giants (6-5), who helped snap a four-game losing streak for the Broncos (7-4), are now two games out of first place with five to play.

"I’m as frustrated as anybody by the quality of our play," coach Tom Coughlin said.

Thursday night’s offensive output tied the lowest regular-season point total of Coughlin’s tenure, which was set in a 27-6 loss to the Eagles on Nov. 28, 2004, in Eli Manning’s second career start. It was the lowest total, period, since the 23-0 shutout loss to the Panthers four seasons ago.

Manning (24-for-40 for 230 yards and one interception), who had turned in two straight solid performances, threw over receivers’ heads and at their ankles while under pressure from the Broncos’ unconventional fronts.

"Their pass rush was good and they had some good blitzes on they got us with," Manning said.

Continue

NY Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw injures other ankle

Minutes after Ahmad Bradshaw’s latest ankle injury was revealed, Tom Coughlin was asked if the Giants’ running back would make the trip to Denver for Thursday’s game against the Broncos.

“We’ll see,’’ the coach replied. “We’ll see how it is.’’

It would be some recovery if Bradshaw even boards Wednesday’s flight after being on crutches at practice Tuesday while wearing a boot on his left foot.

Yes, his left foot. After battling through a pair of injuries in his right foot, Bradshaw injured his other one during Sunday’s victory against the Falcons. And this ankle sprain is much worse than the right ankle sprain that has been hampering him this year.

“Right after the game, we thought he had a (mild) ankle sprain,” Coughlin said. “But evidently, it’s more severe than that.”

Bradshaw did not address reporters after Sunday’s game or in the locker room the past couple of days. His status for the matchup with Denver will be updated Wednesday when the Giants declare him anything from probable to out, though the latter (or something close to it, like doubtful) seems much more likely.

Meanwhile, starting running back Brandon Jacobs has practiced fully the past two days and isn’t even on the injury report after leaving Sunday’s game with a right knee injury that has been bothering him all season but hasn’t knocked him out for a full game.  Continue

WPIX To Air New York Giants Vs. Denver Broncos On Thanksgiving Day

WPIX provides the pigskin on Thanksgiving by providing the NFL Network telecast of the New York Giants vs. Denver Broncos in primetime, plus a day of football themed movies and a live pre-game special from Denver ...

New York Giants face Broncos on Thanksgiving, hope defense can shut down Denver's offense

The coaches were back at work on Sunday night an hour after the Giants finally ended their month of misery. But at least for the first time since early October, they returned to work happy."Today was a lot more fun, I'll tell you that," Tom Coughlin said after Monday's practice. "(Winning) makes it easier to do everything. I thought the coffee was better this morning."

They needed a good cup coming off a night of little sleep as they tried to quickly get ready for a very short work week. But even that taste wasn't enough to mask the bitterness of the Giants' defensive performance. For the second straight game, the defense was pushed around on a late fourth-quarter touchdown drive. Yes, the Giants got away with it this time, thanks to an overtime coin flip and a Lawrence Tynes field goal that gave them a much-needed 34-31 win over the Atlanta Falcons. But as good as that felt, the defense knows it has issues. And with a Thanksgiving night game in Denver looming, the defense also knows there isn't much time to work it all out.

"It was a bitter taste," said cornerback Terrell Thomas. "It was a great win for our team, but we definitely like the way we finished. We would've loved to end it 31-24 with the Giants making a great stop at the end. But we didn't do that." No, instead they let the Falcons march 76 yards in 12 plays and 3:14 to tie the game even though, as Coughlin said, "There were enough opportunities to make plays, to stop a drive or at least create a long fourth-down situation."

It wasn't just the final drive, either, since the Giants gave up 255 second-half yards and allowed the Falcons to score on all four of their second-half drives (three touchdowns, one field goal). Those struggles were the biggest reason why the Giants blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead.

"You'd like it to be a safe lead, but we didn't do everything right," said defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka. "I'm not going to lie about that. But the key thing we take away from this game is it's a win. By no means are we saying it's a good game or a complete game, but it's a step in the right direction. We're on track."

Continue

A look back at the NY Giants' overtime victory over the Atlanta Falcons

QB Eli Manning. He's a streaky player and those streaks always seem to last a few weeks -- good and bad. He's never been one to be up and down from week to week but rather weeks to weeks. After being in a rut for a couple of games, he's back out of it now and in a groove. The accuracy we saw early in the season is back.
K Lawrence Tynes. If you kick the game-winning field goal, you get a game ball -- no matter if you missed earlier. You know, now that I think of it, has he ever made a clutch kick without missing one earlier in the game?


WR Mario Manningham. His catches were made 30, 26, 16, 15, 10 and 9 yards from the line. He also should have made a catch 11 yards off the line. My point being he was a downfield threat for a passing game that needed one.

Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride and coach Tom Coughlin. I really liked the game plan and the pass plays. More on that down bottom.

TE Kevin Boss. My pick for breakout player on this team is finally starting to break out. Just watch the way he catches the ball with his hands. So soft in bringing it in. Very fun to watch.

CB Corey Webster. What a game he played after struggling the past two. "If you're a competitor, it shows character to respond after a game like (the one he had against the Chargers)," he said. Boy, did he ever respond by recording five passes defensed and keeping Falcons WR Roddy White in check. He also made a nice play to come across the field with White on a PD for a pass thrown to WR Michael Jenkins in the end zone. Yes, Jenkins dropped it, but Webster's presence and his hand on Jenkins' arm probably contributed to that drop.

WR Steve Smith. Remember a few weeks ago, on the deep ball to Manningham against the Cardinals, how Manningham cleared the CB but stayed too close to the sideline, giving Manning less room to throw the ball and leading him to throw it out of bounds? Well, with that in mind, go back and watch Smith's 51-yard catch. After he stutters and runs past CB Chris Houston on the outside, he immediately accelerates and gets on top of Houston toward the inside -- right where he was lined up. That gives Manning a much bigger cushion to throw the ball and allows him to be more comfortable and accurate. Textbook route running by Smith there. And to make things even better, he came back on the next play and delivered a sweet crack-back block to free up RB Ahmad Bradshaw for a 12-yard run.  Continue

NY Giants' defense says overtime victory over Atlanta almost feels like a loss

The Giants had one night to celebrate their first victory in more than a month. Monday, it was back to looking at how they nearly extended their losing streak by blowing a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter and needing overtime to knock off the Falcons.

“It almost feels like we lost,” said linebacker Chase Blackburn, the man in the middle now that Antonio Pierce is out with a neck injury. “The defense didn’t help us win.”

Matt Ryan’s 11-yard pass to Tony Gonzalez that tied the score with 28 seconds remaining marked the second straight game in which an opposing offense needed a late touchdown and got one.

It was Atlanta’s third touchdown in four second-half drives — the other one ending in a field goal after Michael Jenkins dropped a touchdown in the back of the end zone on third-and-goal. After that failed third down, the Falcons converted four of their last five, their only failure being an intentionally short pass to set up a fourth-and-1 that was converted.

Sure, the end result was positive when the Giants won the overtime toss and immediately drove 49 yards to set up Lawrence Tynes’ 36-yard game-winning field goal.

But pinning their hopes on one side of a coin is no way to make a playoff push — a goal that could be significantly hampered by taking a leaky defense to Denver to play the Broncos on short rest Thursday night.

“It hurts my heart,” cornerback Terrell Thomas said. “That’s not Giant defense. ... We have to play consistent throughout the game and we’re not doing that.”  Continue

TE Kevin Boss catches two TDs for New York Giants in win over Atlanta

Kevin Boss knew the BALL would be coming his way.

With the Giants spending their bye week working on their struggles inside the 35-yard line, especially the red zone, the Giants' tight end expected quarterback Eli Manning to find him Sunday.

And sure enough, Boss had his first multi-touchdown touchdown game to help put life back into the Giants' season. He caught a season-high five passes for a career-high 76 yards and two scores as the Giants beat the Falcons, 34-31, in overtime at the Meadowlands. It was the Giants' first win in over a month, thanks in large part to a player who has struggled with an ankle injury this season.

The Giants knew they had to figure out a way to improve their dismal performances deep in enemy territory. Heading into the bye week, they had scored just 16 touchdowns in 36 trips inside their opponents' 20-yard line. Continue

Eli Manning keeps New York Giants' season alive with OT win over Atlanta Falcons

Someone told Eli Manning it had been 42 days since the Giants had won a game.

"It has felt like it, too," he said.

Six weeks is an eternity in the NFL. It is just long enough for one's confidence to erode. Just long enough to get the feeling that the season is sinking away.

Manning and the Giants took the field against the Falcons at the Meadowlands Sunday needing to do something they hadn't done in 42 days - win a game. They needed to win for their own mental health. They needed to win to have any hope of making the playoffs. They needed to win to salvage the season.

The Giants had to work overtime, but they got the job done, beating the Falcons, 34-31, in OT. They did it on the strength of Manning throwing for 384 yards and three TDs (with one interception). It was the first time in his career that Manning threw for over 300 yards at Giants Stadium.

"I hope to get a few more," Manning said. "It's definitely a game that I'll remember for a while. Hopefully this will keep us going, get us going on a little rally."

Manning couldn't have picked a more appropriate time to have such a superb game. The Giants had hit a four-game slide and it looked like their season was heading over a cliff.  Continue

New York Giants almost give away another before beating Atlanta Falcons in overtime, 34-31

The Giants' long, miserable losing streak is finally over. But just barely.

They needed a monster game from quarterback Eli Manning and overtime to do it, but the Giants were able to squeak by the Atlanta Falcons, 34-31, Sunday afternoon. They got their first win since Oct. 11 thanks to a 384-yard, three-touchdown performance from their quarterback, and a game-winning 36-yard field goal from Lawrence Tynes.

It shouldn't have been nearly that close, of course. The Giants' defense, with its captain, Antonio Pierce, standing on the sideline with a bulging disc in his neck, gave up a 14-point lead in the final six minutes. In fact, they let the Falcons march 76 yards on 12 plays and get an 11-yard touchdown pass from Ryan to tight end Tony Gonzalez with 28 seconds remaining to tie the game at 31-31.

That set up the biggest play of the game: The coin toss. The Falcons called tails and the coin landed on heads, giving the Giants a chance to win it before they took the field. And they did just that, thanks to a 29-yard pass from Manning to Mario Manningham that set up the field goal that gave the Giants the win.

The Giants didn't exactly charge out of their bye week. Manning threw an interception on his first drive and Lawrence Tynes shanked a 31-yard field goal attempt, which allowed the Falcons to take a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter. Atlanta scored on a seven-yard run by fullback Jason Snelling, who was having little trouble filling in for injured running back Michael Turner.

But the tide began to turn with about 7 1/2 minutes to play before halftime when rookie Hakeem Nicks got open down the sidelines and hauled in a 30-yard pass. On the next play, Manning hit tight end Boss down the right sideline at the 11 yard line, allowing Boss to put a move and a stiff-arm on Falcons safety Erik Coleman before scoring to put the Giants up 10-7.

A few minutes later, the Giants got a pair of breaks, first when Atlanta kicker Jason Elam missed a 35-yard field goal attempt with 2:51 remaining. After the Giants' offense stalled, the Giants' defense came up with a huge play when Justin Tuck sacked Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and forced a fumble that Osi Umenyiora recovered.

That gave the Giants the ball at the Atlanta 34 with 1:19 remaining. Six plays later, Manning hit Boss again, this time from 4 yards out, to give the Giants a 17-7 halftime lead.

In the second half, the Giants' roll continued, even after the Falcons opened the half with another Snelling touchdown run. The Giants had little problem answering that challenge, starting with a 51-yard pass from Manning to Steve Smith that set up a two-yard Brandon Jacobstouchdown run that restored their 10-point lead, 24-14.  Continue

With Antonio Pierce on sidelines, New York Giants look to replace 'heart' of defense

n what might be the most critical moment of a season already teetering on the brink, the Giants will have to play Sunday afternoon without their defensive leader.

But make no mistake, the "heart" of the Giants' defense will still be there.

"We won't have (Antonio Pierce) on the field, but we will have him on the sideline and we'll have his heart and his leadership there to rally the troops," Tom Coughlin said. "All the troops. Defense, offense and special teams. He will be there to lend his support to all of them."

The Giants (5-4) will need all the support they can get as they head into a crucial NFC showdown against the Atlanta Falcons (5-4) without Pierce, their defensive captain, who could miss the next six weeks. The Giants, already reeling from their first four-game losing streak in three years, were blindsided Friday night when they learned the 31-year-old Pierce has a bulging disk in his neck. For two weeks they had been dreaming of a return to full strength after the bye week. All other hands today will be on deck.

But in a season that has been defined by injuries, overcoming the loss of Pierce could be the Giants' toughest challenge yet. He's not only their captain and their emotional leader, he's also the brains of the defense and the signal caller on the field. Chase Blackburn, who'll likely step in for him at middle linebacker today, has been an able backup for the last five seasons.  Continue

NY Giants cornerback Aaron Ross ready to return from injury no matter what his role

During practice Thursday, while the rest of his teammates wore their typical shorts or sweatpants, Giants cornerback Aaron Ross suited up in his game day gray football pants.

After sitting out the first nine games of the season with a hamstring injury, it was a “practice run,” he joked. But he’s expecting to wear his uniform for real — and for the first time since January — when the Giants host the Atlanta Falcons Sunday.

“So far, they haven’t really told me, 'If you’re healthy, you’re going to play,' but that’s what it’s looking (like),” said Ross, who is listed as questionable and will likely be a game-time decision. “They’re working me in in different spots. So right now, it’s looking like if I’m healthy, I will (play).”  Contiune

Retired New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan delivers a pep talk to former team

Michael Strahan's last pep talk to the Giants came on the sidelines during Super Bowl XLII, just before their championship-winning drive.

The Giants (5-4) can only hope the little speech he gave Friday will have a similar effect.

The retired defensive end and current sitcom star did his part to help lift his struggling former team with an impromptu, five-minute chat after practice. According to several players, his speech was inspiring.

His theme, apparently, was: Believe.

"He said just 'Trust in each other. Teamwork is in huge,'" said linebacker Danny Clark. "He said, 'That's why this team has been so successful for so long. This is a team.' And he knows something about that."

Strahan, 37, wasn't expecting to give a speech after watching a Giants practice for the first time since he retired after the 2007 season. But when Tom Coughlin asked, Strahan stepped forward.

"That's what I do," Strahan said. "I'm a motivator. That part will never leave.  Continue

Reeling Falcons, Giants looking to end slides

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.(AP) —The New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons looked like powerhouse teams through five games. Now each team is struggling just to remain above .500.
The Giants, who started 5-0, have lost four straight. The Falcons, who started 4-1, have lost three of four, leaving each team 5-4 for Sunday’s game at Giants Stadium.
The Falcons are four games behind undefeated New Orleans in the NFC South and already must shift their focus to the NFC wild-card race. Continue

New York Giants could be without Antonio Pierce after MRI reveals bulging disk in linebackers' neck

So much for the Giants' return to good health.

Just hours after finally being able to practice with all 53 players on their active roster for a second consecutive day, the Giants were dealt a potentially devastating blow Friday night when they learned they could be without their defensive captain, Antonio Pierce, for most of the rest of the regular season. He's out "indefinitely," according to the Giants, with a bulging disk in his neck. And depending on how the disk responds to treatment, "indefinitely" could be up to six weeks - or possibly even much more.

That news "shocked" the 31-year-old middle linebacker when he got it Friday afternoon, according to a statement released by the Giants. Pierce had suffered a burner last month, in a loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 25, but according to the team, he had been experiencing "very little discomfort" since then. The discomfort returned this week, which prompted the Giants to send him for an MRI at theHospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan after Friday's practice ended. Then, after he was examined by team physician Dr. Russell Warrenand Dr. Frank .Camissa, the hospital's chief of spinal surgical services, Pierce got the unexpected news.

"I'm shocked with what I heard from the doctors this afternoon" Pierce said in the statement. "I had no idea that what happened a few weeks ago could keep me off the field. I didn't think it was that serious. I'm going to do everything the doctors tell me to do so I can get back out on the field as soon as possible."

Just when that will be depends on a lot of factors, including how bad the bulge is and how the disk responds to treatment. The treatment for a bulging disk could range anywhere from simple exercises, ice and electrical stimulation, to a cortisone injection, to surgery. For the moment, surgery doesn't appear to be under consideration, especially since it would end Pierce's season.  Continue