Hakeem Nicks, Others Out For Giants

There’s a reason that most NFL teams are opposed to the new full season of Thursday Night Football, and it’s not because it’s on a school night. After an physical comeback victory in the Meadowlands on Sunday, the New York Giants will be without many of their key offensive players tomorrow, when they take on the Panthers in Carolina.

Hakeem Nicks, who has and will continue to battle a foot injury all season, will not suit up for the team on short rest. Nicks joins fellow pass catcher Domenik Hixon, starting running back Ahmad Bradshaw and tackle David Diehl on the list of Giants who will not play. Diehl’s injury will result in some shuffling at the line, with Sean Locklear moving to right tackle and Will Beatty getting the start on the left. Andre Brown, who had a breakout game in Bradshaw’s absence on Sunday, will start at tail back, while it’s expected that Ramses Barden, Jerrel Jernigan and rookie Rueben Randle will fill the void left by Hixon and Nicks.

The amount of marquee players sitting does raise questions about how a full season of Thursday games will affect the quality of the product on the field, as well as player safety. It is hard for the Commissioner’s office to sell the notion that they value player safety while they are depriving ailing players of their recovery time. 17 mid-week games a season will undoubtedly jeopardize player safety by asking more players to play injured, or diminish the quality of the competition by preventing players from fully rehabbing and getting back onto the field.

On a brighter note, Prince Amukamara should make his season debut, and LB Keith Rivers is also expected to play.