The New York Giants will have to defend their Super Bowl title without a key part of the defense that won it for them.
The Giants learned Sunday that two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora will undergo season-ending surgery on his injured left knee.
Umenyiora was hurt in the second quarter of Saturday’s preseason game against the New York Jets, and Dr. Russell Warren told the team Sunday that an MRI found a tear in Umenyiora’s lateral meniscus.
“It was obviously the news that I did not want to hear,” Giants coach Tom Coughlin said.
The normal recovery lasts four months, Coughlin said, adding that a non-surgical option was not discussed.
Coupled with the retirement of seven-time Pro Bowl defensive end Michael Strahan a few months ago, Umenyiora’s injury leaves the Giants a bit thin at defensive end. Justin Tuck has replaced Strahan, and New York signed veteran Renaldo Wynn in the offseason.
The Giants will have to consider moving strongside linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka back to defensive end. He switched to linebacker last year so the team could put its best 11 players on the field.
“I haven’t had a chance to talk to him so I am not going to comment on that,” Coughlin said.
REDSKINS: Defensive end Jason Taylor is expected to miss 10-14 days with a sprained right knee, putting his availability in doubt for the season opener against the New York Giants on Sept. 4. Washington coach Jim Zorn said Taylor underwent an MRI Sunday, a day after the six-time Pro Bowl pick was hurt in a 47-3 preseason loss to Carolina.
FALCONS: First-year coach Mike Smith announced Sunday that rookie Matt Ryan will start at quarterback when Atlanta opens its season Sept. 7 at home against Detroit. Smith said Ryan, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2008 draft, outperformed Chris Redman, Joey Harrington and D.J. Shockley on the field and in the classroom.
Also, the Falcons signed veteran tight end Marcus Pollard on Sunday, adding experience to the position. Pollard, a 14-year veteran, was released by New England on Wednesday. He has 349 career receptions for 4,280 yards and 40 touchdowns in 13 NFL seasons. He led Seattle tight ends with 28 catches for 273 yards last season and signed with New England as a free agent in April.
EAGLES: Philadelphia safety Brian Dawkins is expected to be ready for the start of the season despite suffering a strained right ankle in a preseason game against New England on Friday. Dawkins underwent an MRI Saturday and did not practice Sunday but expects to play Week 1 against St. Louis. Asked whether Dawkins would be ready to play in the opener, Eagles coach Andy Reid said: “I believe so. It’s really a day-to-day situation right now.”
RAIDERS: Oakland lost two players from its already-thin offense to season-ending knee injuries when receiver Drew Carter and fullback Oren O’Neal went down in Saturday night’s 24-0 loss to Arizona. Carter, who signed a $2 million free-agent contract in the offseason, set career highs last season with 38 catches for 517 yards and four touchdowns for Carolina.
BENGALS: Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer broke his nose during Saturday night’s preseason game against New Orleans, but coach Marvin Lewis said Palmer should be ready for the regular season. Palmer was sacked three times by the Saints in the first half, the last on a safety blitz by Kevin Kaesviharn with 2 seconds left. The quarterback walked off the field with blood spilling down the front of his face, his nose already showing a prominent bump. He didn’t return for the second half.
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