The New York Giants have suffered a massive blow, losing rookie wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson to a season-ending ACL injury.
Robinson blew out his right knee in a 31-18 loss against the Detroit Lions. The rookie had posted the best game of his career with nine catches for 100 yards prior to the injury.
The janky artificial turf at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey might have claimed another victim. The injury occurred at the start of the fourth quarter when Robinson attempted to evade a tackler and his knee buckled. He instantly grabbed his right knee while the training staff sprinted to his location while he wriggled on the turf in agony.
The Giants had high hopes for Robinson when they selected him out of Kentucky with a second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Robinson appeared in the first game of the season, but got banged up against the Tennessee Titans. He missed the next four games because of a sprained MCL in his right knee. Robinson scored a touchdown in his first game back in Week 6 against the Baltimore Ravens.
In six games this season, Robinson caught 23 receptions for 227 yards and only one touchdown.
Giants Thin at WR After 2 ACL Injuries
The Giants were already short-handed at the wide receiver position after losing Sterling Shepard to an eerily similar injury in Week 3. Shepard suffered a season-ending ACL injury against the Dallas Cowboys on “Monday Night Football.” The Cowboys prevailed 23-16, but the slick turf at MetLife Stadium was considered the culprit.
Numerous players across the league have criticized the dangerous playing conditions at MetLife Stadium. The Giants share the facility with the New York Jets, and both teams lost players to non-contact injuries that were allegedly caused by the poor condition of the silt turf.
Running back Saquon Barkley leads the Giants with 31 receptions. Darius Slayton leads the team with 413 yards on 24 catches. Slayton is tied with tight end Daniel Bellinger for the team lead with two receiving touchdowns.
With 23 catches, Robinson was tied for third with Richie James for the most receptions on the Giants.
We know how explosive Robinson can be,” said Barkley. “Not having him out there is definitely going to be a loss, but it’s going to give other guys opportunities, and we have all the confidence in all the other guys too to step in and make plays.”
“It’s a short week,” said head coach Brian Daboll. “We’ll get the guys ready to go. We’ll revisit things as we do each week and see how it goes.”
James will slide into Robinson’s slot receiver role for the remainder of the season. The Giants are expected to promote Kalil Pimpleton from the practice squad to fill the open roster spot.
Betting the Giants on Turkey Day
In Daboll’s first season as a head coach, he emerged as one of the cofavorites to win the NFL Coach of the Year after the Giants’ hot start. The Giants were one of the biggest surprise teams in the league when they jumped out to a 6-1 record, with their sole loss occurring against the Cowboys in Week 3.
In November, the Giants lost two out of their last three games and slipped to 7-3 on the season. A road loss against the upstart Seattle Seahawks in Week 8 wasn’t a huge shocker. But the Giants were upset at home by the Detroit Lions in Week 11.
The Giants have a short week to prepare for a Thanksgiving game against the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys play their annual game on Thanksgiving afternoon, but this NFC West divisional joust could have playoff implications for the Giants. They head to Texas as a +9 underdog.
The Giants are +8000 odds to win Super Bowl LVII, according to a recent update by DraftKings. The Giants are +4000 odds to win the NFC championship as the seventh-highest team on the futures board.
The Philadelphia Eagles are the consensus betting favorite -360 odds to win the NFC East, followed by the Cowboys at +300 odds. The Giants, currently tied for second in the NFC East, are a long shot at +2500 odds to win the division.
The post New York Giants Lose WR Wan’Dale Robinson to Season-Ending ACL Injury appeared first on Casino.org.