GIANTS ‘D’ READY TO RUN ‘AMUK’
PRINCE SET FOR RETURN
THE gang is not all here.
But it’s pretty darn close, and, for the Giants, close should be plenty good enough. This is as near a full assemblage as the Giants’ defense has mustered all season, and this bodes well for a unit that holds the fate of the NFC East race in its hands.
One of the most vital pieces of the puzzle, cornerback Prince Amukamara, is primed to return for Sunday’s game against the Redskins, and his reemergence figures to enliven a defense that is on the uptick and feeling better about itself, setting its sights on maintaining and widening the division lead.
“We’re going to see pretty soon, whether it’s this week or next week, what our full defense is gonna look like, really for the first time all year,’’ linebacker Mark Herzlich told The Post Monday as the Giants reconvened after six full days off. “Going forward, this will be our squad.’’
The squad was without one of its best players for five consecutive games, but the wait is over for Amukamara. The Giants surely could have used him in their prebye 2726 loss to the unbeaten Patriots, but the defense gained a ton of confidence despite falling short. The realization set in that if life could be made fairly miserable for Tom Brady, what’s to stop the Giants from spreading some discomfort to Kirk Cousins this weekend and then Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Tannehill, Cam Newton (that one will be a bit more challenging), Teddy Bridgewater and (take your pick) Sam Bradford or Mark Sanchez.
“We’re getting our defense healthy, which is huge for us,’’ linebacker Devon Kennard said. “And guys that have been back are feeling healthier and healthier.’’
The Giants hope, and expect, that what happened prior to this will not have any bearing on what comes next. They head into the stretch run ranked 31st in the NFL in team defense — 19th against the run, 32nd (dead last) against the pass. This terrible gradepoint average came without Jason Pierre-Paul for the first eight games, without defensive end Robert Ayers for four games, without Amukamara for five games, without linebacker J.T. Thomas for three games and without linebacker Uani ’Unga for three games. All are back, ready to roll. Jon Beason and Johnathan Hankins are on injured reserve, but this is as deep on defense as the Giants have been.
“A lot,’’ said PierrePaul, asked how much Amukamara’s return will help. “He’s a good player, I don’t care what anybody says.’’ No one really says otherwise. “I think he can add a lot,’’ coach Tom Coughlin said.
Amukamara went down in the second half against the 49ers back on Oct. 11 and finished the game with what was diagnosed as a partially torn left pectoral muscle. In the time he missed, his replacement, Jayron Hosley, barely held on for dear life. Amukamara in the first five games was second on the team in tackles (32), led the team with seven passes defended and had one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
“Oh, man, missing our brother and what he brings to the team, his competitive nature and his ability to go out there and match up with guys and take guys away,’’ said Dominique RodgersCromartie, the other starting cornerback. “We definitely need that.’’
This will be a boon to so many Giants, none more so than RodgersCromartie, who has felt the strain of protecting the back end as the only timetested cover man. And so, when Amukamara said, “I feel like I’m ready to play four quarters of a football game’’ and “I feel 100 percent,’’ it was just what RodgersCromartie needed to hear.
Amukamara will have to wear a protective brace on his left shoulder and chest area, but as with all players who rely so much on their legs, he’s heartened that he’s not coming back off a lowerbody injury having to deal with what he calls the “freakishly fast’’ Redskins receiver DeSean Jackson.
“Very fresh,’’ said Amukamara, describing how his legs feel. This is a huge stretch for Amukamara, as it will help determine if he stays, if he goes and how much he gets paid. As a 2011 firstround pick, he played out a fouryear, $8.1 million contract. The Giants had a fifthyear option on him and exercised it, paying him $6.8 million this season. Next, he becomes an unrestricted free agent. If he, and the Giants, finish strong, how can they part ways?