Michael Boley might not be a household name, but the veteran middle linebacker’s importance to the Giants can’t be overstated — especially this weekend.
Boley appears likely to return tomorrow after missing the past two-plus games with a hamstring injury he suffered in the first half of the Giants’ loss to the 49ers in Week 10. And his anticipated comeback won’t happen a moment too soon with Big Blue girding itself for the unbeaten Packers and Aaron Rodgers’ Flying Circus.
As well as essentially serving as the quarterback of the defense by wearing the signal headset, Boley also would strengthen what has been the bane of the Giants’ linebackers lately — pass coverage, especially against tight ends. With the Saints’ Jimmy Graham the most recent example, tight ends have dominated the Giants much of the season.
In the last four games (three of them losses), opposing tight ends have caught 33 passes for 395 yards and five touchdowns.
Tomorrow offers no respite, either, with the Giants facing the unenviable task of trying to contain 6-foot-4, 260-pound Jermichael Finley. The huge target has been a favorite Rodgers outlet this season, hauling in 36 passes for 513 yards and five touchdowns amid the Packers’ 11-0 start.
Mathias Kiwanuka is the Giants’ strong-side linebacker, a position usually tasked with covering the tight end, but Kiwanuka’s strength is as a pass rusher. Boley played the strong side while a member of the Falcons and has been a playmaker in coverage, breaking up three passes and forcing a career-high tying three fumbles.
So watching rookies Greg Jones, Mark Herzlich, Jacquian Williams and Spencer Paysinger struggle mightily in coverage during his absence was almost as painful as the hamstring injury for Boley.
“It was tough watching the team in general not do well while I was [sidelined],” Boley said. “You don’t want to be on the sideline having to look at that. You want to be out there.”
The Giants are listing Boley as questionable on the injury report, officially giving him just a 50-percent chance to play, but Boley practiced each of the past two days and appeared confident he would be able to suit up for this most important of games for Tom Coughlin’s reeling team.
“I was able to get some good work in today,” Boley said. “I was able to do a little more than I did [Thursday]. I’m just trying to get as much rest as I can.”
The Giants will need Boley even more after Herzlich (ankle) and defensive end Osi Umenyiora (ankle) were declared out for the Green Bay contest. Umenyiora appears likely to miss several games after badly damaging his ankle in Monday’s 49-24 loss to the Saints.
Having the headier Boley back in the lineup also could allow defensive coordinator Perry Fewell to call more aggressive coverages on early downs when the linebackers are on the field or when opponents aren’t in four- or five-receiver sets.
With so many rookies at linebacker and inconsistent play from his secondary, Fewell has used much more zone coverage — and the results have been disastrous.
“Right now, we’re in a tough patch,” Boley said. “We’re being very critical of ourselves all the way across the board, but I feel like we’ve really come together this week. We’re looking at this as must-win game, and we’re going to approach it that way.”
