The New York Giants’ injury woes aren’t going away, and the latest casualty of the wave of infirmities is a tough team leader that Big Blue took years to sign.
According to Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News, veteran Chris Board, a well-known special teams virtuoso, was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday, September 14. Leonard also described the full scope of the position’s injury crisis, which include starter Micah McFadden already “being on IR” and Darius Muasau, his replacement, “being in the concussion protocol.”
Board’s loss will be felt even though the Giants have acted swiftly to add some veteran assistance. Especially in the third phase of football, where the Giants were exposed at crucial points in their 40-37 overtime loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2.
Giants Will Miss Coveted Newcomer
The Giants are now rushing to move on without Board after having to wait years to finally acquire him in free agency this offseason. At the linebacker position, where the former Baltimore Ravens star is a thumper with underappreciated athletic range in space, that will be difficult.
Because of such attributes, Board was a logical choice to take McFadden’s place after the active run defender’s season was cut short due to foot surgery. When Board took to the field in Dallas, things improved, but Muasau had the first opportunity to make up for McFadden’s absence.
This play demonstrated Board’s worth to the front seven, as highlighted by Giants Nation Show and dissected by former Giants great and two-time Super Bowl winner Carl Banks. “His job was to go and blow up the puller and make the runner bounce outside.. he did it TEXT BOOK,” according to Banks.
The physicality of the linebacker will be missed, even though Board had no influence over the other several mistakes that gave Cowboys running back Javonte Williams the opportunity to score. Although not as much as Board’s experience in special teams.
Chris Board Absence Depletes Struggling Special Teams
Board’s work covering kicks helped him become a valuable member of the Ravens. His replacement had trouble in that area against the Cowboys.
Swayze Bozeman, a former Kansas City Chiefs backer, has already been upgraded to the Giants’ active squad, but he will need to improve on special teams. Leonard claims that at AT&T Stadium, Bozeman was “called for holding to negate a 67-yard Gunner Olszewski kick return to open the game.”
The Giants had their share of breakdowns on special teams, with Michael Ghobrial’s unit plagued by penalties and unable to slow down Dallas’ return game. According to Pro Football Reference, three different Cowboys returners averaged more than 20 yards per kickoff return.
An even bigger issue came in the kicking game, where the Giants never came close to pressuring two-time Pro Bowler Brandon Aubrey. The All-Pro calmly drilled all four of his field goal attempts, including a 51-yarder and a massive 64-yarder that forced overtime.
What New York needs now are momentum-shifting plays on special teams, whether in coverage, returns, or blocking kicks. That will be a challenge without veteran Cody Board, but it also opens the door for new contributors to step in and claim the important role he once filled.