KANSAS CITY - A lot will be riding on
Eli Manning's right foot when he rolls out of bed this morning and takes his first step. It will be one small step for Manning and one Giant leap for Big Blue's playoff hopes.
Manning took an awkward step while dropping back on a pass in the fourth quarter of the
Giants' 27-16 victory over the Chiefs at
Arrowhead Stadium Sunday and hurt his heel. Manning dropped to the ground after the play - an incomplete pass to
Steve Smith - without being touched by a Chiefs defender. He got up, limped a little and stayed in for one more play, tossing a swing pass to
Hakeem Nicks, which the rookie receiver turned into a 54-yard touchdown for the Giants' final score.
But then he was done for the day. He said he could have come back into the game, depending upon the situation.
"Maybe," he said.
It is the "maybe" that ominously hung over the Giants' heads Sunday after they had pulled off the incredible feat of winning their third straight road game and boosting their record to 4-0.
Those are good streaks. But the more impressive one is that Manning has started 82 straight games for the Giants without missing one with an injury. That's 75 regular-season games and seven postseason games. And as one of the premier teams in the
NFL, and one of the favorites to go to the Super Bowl this year, the Giants can't afford for Manning to end that streak now. Nothing against backup
David Carr, but the Giants will only go as far as Manning can take them.
If Manning is limping or lame and has to miss a chunk of games, the Giants are sunk. That would hurt worse than
Plaxico Burress shooting himself in the leg late last season.
Manning has developed a great rapport with his young receivers, particularly Steve Smith, who had 11 catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns against the overmatched Chiefs Sunday. And Manning seems very comfortable in the Giants' offense, settling in and running the unit with cool efficiency.
Manning never left the field for X-rays after he hurt his heel, though he did get his foot retaped while he was sitting on the bench in the fourth quarter.
After the game, Manning and
coach Tom Coughlin said they didn't have any information on the extent of the quarterback's injury and would wait to see how he fared overnight before getting too worried.
"I think he's going to be sore," Coughlin said. "I don't know a whole lot more than that. When I asked him about it he said he had some discomfort."
Manning said he's been hurt worse. Manning, who doesn't have a medical degree as far as we know, ruled out an Achilles' tendon injury.
"Anytime you feel that little pull or strain especially down there you get nervous. The way it feels it could be an Achilles. But it wasn't that," he said. "I knew that right away, after a second. I could stand up and I could walk around and put some pressure on it. I was more relieved after that."
The good thing for Manning is that he doesn't have to be evaluated or treated by the Mets' medical staff.
His teammates were concerned but optimistic because he has proven to be so physically tough in the past.
"He's a guy that you see who has a start streak for a reason," said left tackle
David Diehl. "He wants to be out there and wants to be the guy who's accountable and wants to win football games. Knowing him, he'll be like one of us (offensive linemen) - be tough, get in there and do the job."
After the game, Manning wasn't counting himself out.
"I kind of assume I'm going to play (next week), that I'm going to be out there. I've always been a quick healer," he said. "I'll be doing everything I can possibly do to get healthy and prepared to play
Oakland."
