CANTY WAIT!
Chris might be activated on Sunday
CHRIS CANTY will tell you that there’s still a layer of rust on his game, that he’s still finding his way in the Giants defense, after spending the first six weeks of the season — and all of training camp — recovering from a knee injury.
But the Giants’ big defensive tackle will say something else, too:
Even if he’s still rounding into form, he desperately wants to play in Sunday’s divisional showdown with the Washington Redskins at MetLife Stadium.
“Any competitor is always looking forward to the opportunity to compete, so obviously I’m excited about the game on Sunday,” Canty said. “I’m excited about this week, the opportunity to prepare to play in a football game.”
Canty is expected to make his season debut on Sunday after opening the year on the physically-unable-to-perform (PUP) list following offseason knee surgery. While on that list, he was relegated to training by himself for the first six weeks of the season, and that only increased his appetite to return to the field.
Canty was eligible to return to practice this week, and he returned to work with the Giants on Wednesday, practicing three straight days. Canty said he was “feeling good” after a full week of work.
Even though the Giants have until Nov. 7 to activate Canty from the PUP, it seems likely that he will be activated this week. Tom Coughlin did not say whether the Giants had made a decision on Friday, but he did remark that the defensive tackle was in “outstanding shape.”
And Canty’s teammates have seen a fearsome force in practice the last few days.
“Throughout the week, the one thing we’ve noticed most is the practice intensity,” said defensive end/linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka. “And the ability to stop the run and also rush the passer.”
That versatility is something the Giants haven’t truly had from an interior lineman this season. Third-year tackle Linval Joseph and rookie Markus Kuhn have been serviceable in recent weeks, but neither gets after the quarterback; they’ve combined for just two sacks this season. And even against the run, the Giants have been shaky: LeSean McCoy, Trent Richardson and Frank Gore have combined to average five yards per attempt on 48 carries the last three weeks.
But Canty helps solve both deficiencies, said linebacker Michael Boley. He’s sleeker than he was last year, having lost 15 pounds, and he explodes off the ball like a defensive end.
“The last few weeks, we’ve had some good interior play, but Canty is definitely bigger,” Boley said, “and more of a force. So having him back will help a lot. He’s been hungry to get back out there.”
That hunger and intensity should help compensate for the “lots of rust” that Canty admits he’s still shaking off. He knows he’ll (hopefully) make his debut against a fearsome Redskins ground attack, battling a unit that averages 166 rushing yards per game and a quicksilver quarterback in Robert Griffin III, and he said his Giants must “understand the unique challenges that this team poses to us.” And Canty hopes to help. “I hope I’m against that unconventional offense (of Washington’s),” he said. “That means I’m playing.”