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
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