Darius Reynaud’s status will be a game-time decision for the Giants tomorrow in Seattle with a pulled hamstring possibly opening the door for new return man Will Blackmon to get some chances.
Reynaud pulled his right hamstring on the final special teams play of Giants practice yesterday, though he termed it “minor” and said, “It’s not bad.”
Reynaud, listed as questionable, said he expect to play tomorrow.
“Yeah, I’m going to do some more stuff [this] morning. Get on the field and see how it feels.”
If Reynaud doesn’t go, presumably Blackmon — just picked up by the team last week — could get the nod and make his Giants debut as the kick and punt returner. Blackmon, who tore his ACL last season and hasn’t played in over a year, said yesterday that he wasn’t sure if he’d be active.
Reynaud is averaging 18.4 yards on kick returns and 5.9 on punts.
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So far this season, Leon Washington
is averaging 33.7 yards on kickoff returns for the Seahawks.
Giants coach Tom Coughlin
will go further than that, pointing out the former Jets’ kick returner’s average in home games.
“Do you know what it is?” he asked. “Forty-four yards.
“You want to keep him from affecting the change in the game,” he said. “Their offense has taken the ball over, I want to say, 10 times in plus territory this year and scored five of those 10 times, so they’ve benefited from outstanding field position, for sure.”
The Giants’ special teams have been miserable this season, something to watch for tomorrow.
Washington also could return punts this week, because Seattle punt returner Golden Tate
is out with an ankle injury.*
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Kevin Boss
will have plenty of supporters in the Qwest Field crowd tomorrow. An Oregon native, the Giants tight end said there will be “80-to-100” of his friends and family members attending.
“People have been waiting for this game since I got into the league,” he said.
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Madison Hedgecock
(hamstring), Shaun O’Hara
(foot) and Will Beatty
(foot) are out for the Giants. Osi Umenyiora
(knee), Kareem McKenzie
(illness), Dave Tollefson
(illness) and Gerris Wilkinson
(hand) practiced fully yesterday and are probable.
In addition to Tate, the Seahawks are without QB Matt Hasselbeck
(concussion) and DT Colin Cole
(ankle). T Russell Okung
(ankle) is doubtful.
