E-GIANTS
Dave Klein was the Giants' beat writer for The Star-Ledger from 1961 to 1995.
He is the author of 26 books and he is one of only three sportswriters to have covered all the Super Bowls. Dave has allowed TEAM GIANTS to reprint some of his articles.

GIANTS LOSE RB VEREEN FOR FULL SEASON WITH TORN TRICEPS MUSCLE

By Dave Klein
The Giants' golden opportunity turned into a nightmare Sunday when they found a way - and there is no doubt they seemed to be looking for one - to lose to the Washington Redskins, 29-27.

Now the nightmare hit another tier when it was disclosed that running back Shane Vereen, their leading rusher, will be lost for the remainder of the season with a torn triceps muscle injury that will require surgery.

"Shane is a tremendous football players and our thoughts go out to him with that tough injury," said head coach Ben McAdoo Monday morning. "I feel for him. He's a good football player. We wish him a speedy recovery."

In two games, Vereen has gained 147 yards in 31 carries with one touchdown, and he added eight receptions for 75 yards. Now he is gone for the season, with the sort of injury that has proven to be problematical for others in the past. The 27-year-old signed as a free agent from the New England Patriots in March of 2015, gained 260 rushing yards in 61 carries and caught 59 passes for 494 more last season. He scored four touchdowns - as a receiver out of the backfield.

Now the pressure falls on veteran Rashad Jennings, who cannot seem to stay healthy; the promising (but in flashes) Orleans Darkwa, free agent Bobby Rainey, who will move up quickly; and rookie Paul Perkins. Jennings didn't play Sunday (bruised right thumb).

Vereen is usually the third down back, and used primarily as a receiver out of the backfield, but the absence of Jennings forced him to make his first start as a Giant. In fact, the end-ending interception thrown by quarterback Eli Manning in the final minutes, a drive that might have led to the winning field goal, was a pass intended for Vereen.

"He played most of the game with that injury," McAdoo said. "I'm not sure but I think it was a significant time." Asked whether he thought the injury was at least partially responsible for Vereen's failure to get to the appointed spot at the appointed time, McAdoo expressed no opinion.

The Giants, now 2-1 when they should easily be 3-0, now travel to Minnesota (where the Vikings are 3-0) for a Monday night game, and it should be noted that they are undefeated despite the loss for the season of running back Adrian Peterson (knee surgery), who is clearly better than anyone the Giants have in their offensive backfield.

"We'll have to fill the loss of Vereen by committee," McAdoo said, but he didn't notice that doing anything like that "by committee" is almost doomed to fail. The assumption is that Jennings will resume his position as the starter, backed up by Darkwa, Rainey and Perkins. But there is no receiver out of the backfield in that group, and that is a significant part of the offensive scheme generated by McAdoo and coordinator Mike Sullivan.

There is, of course, the existing possibility that the Giants might find a veteran running back on waivers, or even engineer and successful trade for a better one, but that is not usually their modus operandi.

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On another subject, perhaps the Giants should introduce wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to Dr. Phil. He is getting closer to falling apart and losing whatever h remains of his self-control.

He did lead all receivers with seven catches for 121 yards, conducted a solo meltdown on the sidelines that caused McAdoo and Manning to approach and console him. "He needs to control his emotions and become less of a distraction to himself and to his teammates," McAdoo said. "It's our job to help him with that process, and with his maturation."

The head coach paused and then added: "It takes a village," he said, when asked how he plans to go about the reformation. "Communication is what it takes. Having a variety of different people, coaches and staff members to communicate with. Just help him direct his focus."

When asked what happened on the sideline when it appeared he suffered that aforementioned meltdown, Beckham said: "I don't remember."

When asked if he was in tears [of frustration] at any point, he said: "I don't remember."

When asked how he got a scratch on his face, he said: "I don't remember."

When asked if, on the first touchdown pass caught by Vereen, his arch-rival Josh Norman caught him in the air and carried him about five steps, he said: "I don't remember."

And finally, when ask if he didn't remember those things because there was so much adrenaline flowing that it was difficult to remember, he said: "I don't remember."

Oh, and apparently some officials conferred with Beckham prior to the game, with an accompanying report that they also confronted Norman. "Basically, they came up to me before the game and said, ‘if you do anything, we're throwing you out of the game. I had to be on my best behavior. Unfortunately, that's what it has come to, it's not really football and more."

As to whether Norman received a similar warning, he said: "That's none of my concern. They came up to me and talked with me. That's all I remember."

He is a remarkable athlete, perhaps the best wide receiver in the NFL, but something or someone must show him a different way or he will continue to self-destruct.

EXTRA POINTS - Cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (groin) and rookie Eli Apple (hamstring) were taken out of the game. Will they be able to play in Minnesota? "It's early in the week," McAdoo said. "We have to give them a chance to get healthy. We won't rule anybody out right now." ... Rookie safety Darian Thompson (foot) was examined Monday morning and it was decided by Dr. Robert Anderson that he will not require surgery.

Starting center Weston Richburg was the first to be ejected from a game because of the so-called "Beckham Rule," installed this season after the OBJ-Norman war last season. ... Any player committing two unsportsmanlike penalties in a game is to be automatically ejected.

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