With an offseason filled with question marks and half the regular season gone, Jason Pierre-Paul is about to make his return for the New York Giants, as both he and the team are hoping there’s something left to salvage after the accident that left his arm mutilated, without one finger and with two others barely hanging on.
The Giants aren’t doing this as courtesy. Despite leading their division (4-4 in the NFC East), it has more to do with the overall weakness of their opponents, not their great play. They’re 24th in the NFL in points allowed, giving up 26 per game. They are last in sacks with just nine so far this season, and are hoping that bringing Pierre-Paul can help them add some pressure on quarterbacks who have been having a field day against them, unless they’re called Matt Cassel.
But there’s still a lot of mystery surrounding Pierre-Paul. The Giants aren’t quite sure what he can do and how well he’ll perform. His hand shouldn’t stop of from a normal three-point stance and speeding towards the quarterback, but when it comes to grappling and making a more physical battle with offensive linemen turn to his advantage, there are less optimistic thoughts.
He hasn’t had a preseason game, hasn’t had any live action. To think he’s just going to go out there and be the JPP that everybody hopes and wants, I don’t know if that’s fair. But we’ll see. It’s hard knowing what to expect.
Pierre-Paul had 12.5 sacks for the Giants last season and 42 in his five seasons with the team. He played a major part on their 2011 Super Bowl run, and besides playing for the benefit of the G-men’s defense, it’s about showing the NFL he has a place in the league. When this season ends, he’s a free agent, and falling flat on his face in the chances he’ll get from the Giants might mean an end to his NFL career.