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 four sportswriters to have covered all the Super Bowls. Dave has allowed TEAM GIANTS to reprint some of his articles.

READY FOR THIS PIECE OF NEWS?
GIANTS-VIKINGS SAID TO BE TALKING
ABOUT A TRADE FOR ADRIAN PETERSON;
DAVID BAAS LANDS ON INJURY LIST

By Dave Klein
All right, the Giants have their first victory. Wow, now they're only 1-6, and who knows how far they can take that by the end of the season?

(That's a joke, fellas, and if you're still thinking about playoffs, start rooting for a nine-game winning streak.)

So in keeping with today's previous offering from Aaron Klein, the Good-Bad-Ugly, how about some more?

The Good? There is a rumor, almost totally discounted, that the Giants and Vikings are discussing a trade. The deadline is Oct. 29, by the way, so there isn't much time to waste. Ready for the details?

The Giants would get running back Adrian Peterson (be still, my heart), in return for defensive end Justin Tuck, running back David Wilson and the team's second- and fifth-round draft picks in 2014.

?

Tuck is getting older, Wilson is always injured and draft picks, especially the way the Vikings use them, are immaterial. And Peterson? Imagine a team with Eli Manning, Victor Cruz and Rueben Randle (notice no mention of Hakeem Nicks?) along with AP in the backfield.

It's mind-boggling.

Oh, the deal with Nicks. He is in the final year of his contract. He is not playing well. He is dropping passes he always caught, and sure, some of them have been thrown off-target by Eli (who is usually under pressure), but he was Eli's target 10 times last Monday night and he caught two. Is he annoyed at Cruz's mega-bucks contract? Is he hurt and is that being hidden from the public? Who knows?

Randle is coming along, and cutting down considerably on running incorrect routes. Cruz is going to be a force for years.

So if the Vikings are silly enough to make the trade, the Giants should add something – take them all out to dinner or something.

Now for some BAD NEWS, assuming you consider it bad. Center David Baas has been placed on Injured Reserve, which means he's out for the season. He hurt his knee Monday night, after coming back from neck woes. It is likely he won't play again next season, either, at least not for the Giants.

Young Jim Cordle, who did a good job when Baas missed the previous three games, figures to be the starter. Baas is the second starter to be placed on I.R. since Pro Bowl guard Chris Snee went that route a few weeks ago. But there is a strong sentiment that the Giants take care of their need for a more veteran center soon, if not during next year's draft.

Oh, and here's news some of you might consider good, some bad. The Philadelphia Eagles, next up on the Giants' schedule next week in warm, friendly Lincoln Financial Field (why is it easier to say Veterans Field, or "The Vet," just as it is so much easier to say Giants Stadium and not MetLife?), are tentatively listing Michael Vick as their starting quarterback.

If he isn't the starter, it probably won't be Nick Foles, who suffered a concussion last week in a thrashing administered by the Cowboys, and if Vick isn't deemed ready, the job will fall to rookie Matt Barkley.

Most Giant fans would rather see Vick than Foles, and all of them would rather see Barkley than either one of the others. Foles has been the most recent starter and has completed 52 of 90 passes for 622 yards, six touchdowns and ZERO interceptions. Vick has connected on 71 for 132 for 1,185 yards, five touchdowns and two picks. He runs a little, too, but that's how he gets hurt, and he's erratic when he runs or passes.

EXTRA POINTS – Wilson (neck) is still listed as OUT for Sunday's game, but Brandon Jacobs (hamstring) might return. ... I don't know, between Peyton Hillis and Michael Cox, the running game seemed okay, you know? ... Linebacker Spencer Paysinger (ankle) and defensive tackle Shaun Rogers (knee) are questionable; the Giants would miss them both.

Philly is favored by 5.5 points, and there is no truth to the rumor that the spread becomes a pick ‘em if Vick starts.

Check out Dave's website at E-GIANTS where you can subscribe to his newsletters which run much more frequently than what is available here.
- Team Giants

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