One week after losing their quarterback to a season-ending knee injury, the Giants are hoping the same fate doesn’t await their best defensive player.
Outside linebacker Brian Burns, who played on a sprained left ankle, suffered what is feared to be a major right knee injury Sunday during a 12-7 victory against the Titans.
“There is some hope there,” head coach John Harbaugh said, “but we won’t know until we see the MRI.”
Of course, the Giants had initial hope that Dart’s injury was week to week too, until next-day imaging showed that he had damage to his MCL, PCL and meniscus.
Dr. David Chao, the former Chargers team physician and founder of SICscore.com, is worried about a season-ending ACL, based on video.
Burns didn’t practice all week but gutted through his 36th straight start in as many games with the Giants in a third-down pass rush specialist role.
Injured players often favor the other side of their body to compensate, and Burns’ knee buckled when he was blocked. He writhed in pain on the turf and had to be carried off without putting weight on his leg by teammates Aaron Stinnie and Andrew Thomas, who came off the sideline to check on him.
“Everybody knows what Burns means to the team, so I’m hoping it’s nothing too bad,” pass rusher Abdul Carter said. “Keeping him in my prayers.”
How many major injuries can the Giants withstand?
“We’re going to take as many hits as necessary to keep on going,” safety Jevón Holland said. “Next man up. That’s how we practice. Guys go down and everybody feels bad for them, but we know that they would want us to continue moving forward.”
It was the first time that the Giants won a game with fewer than 300 yards of offense and zero touchdowns since Nov. 14, 1976.
Odell Beckham Jr. played six offensive snaps, per Pro Football Focus. He was targeted once on an incompletion.
There was an “O-B-J” chant from the stands early in the fourth quarter.
Cam Skattebo’s 7-yard loss on a direct snap included a moment when it looked like he might throw the ball to Jameis Winston in the back of the end zone.
“That wasn’t part of it,” Harbaugh said. “I saw what you saw, and I thought to myself, ‘He’s not going to throw that, is he?’ Because there was no throw involved in that play. So, that was not our finest moment, for sure.”
Winston dedicated the win to QB Jaxson Dart, who wears No. 6.
“Win this game for Jaxson,” Winston said. “Twelve points, 6 x 2, this one’s for you.”
The Giants played without CB Deonte Banks and S Tyler Nubin, who were inactive while dealing with calf injuries. Colton Hood and Ar’Darius Washington started instead.
RB Devin Singletary was a healthy scratch for the first time, just two weeks after his Week 1 touchdown. Najee Harris had nine carries for 52 yards in his spot.
FB Patrick Ricard suffered a lacerated nose “all the way through, like deep,” Harbaugh said.
