NJ.com: Giants: Strahan misses Armstead's leadership

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Giants: Strahan misses Armstead's leadership

Wednesday, December 03, 2003

http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/107043312136410.xml

BY KIMBERLY JONES

Star-Ledger Staff

Giants DE Michael Strahan will look across the field Sunday and see LB Jessie Armstead on the opposite sideline, in a Redskins uniform.

"Man," Strahan will think, "it would have been nice to still have him here."

The divorce has been final for more than 21 months, since the Giants released Armstead, who was due to make $4.2 million in 2002, for salary-cap reasons. Nearly two seasons later, neither party may be the better for it.

Armstead signed with the Redskins in hopes of joining a contender, which has hardly been the case. And while the Giants might have made the financially prudent decision, at what cost did they lose their leader?

"Jessie wasn't a guy who would scream and yell at you," Strahan said. "(But) when you were out there with him, you knew you'd better do your best. You better give your best."

Strahan talks regularly to Armstead, who spent nine years as a Giant and never missed a game. With Armstead on the field, Strahan knew the responsibilities, particularly in terms of leadership, were clearly defined.

"Jessie handled the linebacking crew and everything behind," Strahan said. "We took care of what was up front. Now we have great players and guys who bust their butts. But he had a quality that I don't think you can replace, and it wasn't just the football."

Armstead was a presence in the locker room. He didn't raise his voice often. He wasn't a showoff who craved attention. He had an aura, and even offensive players say they miss him.

"Plenty of guys are bigger, stronger, faster, all that stuff," Strahan said. "It was the leadership quality that you just don't replace. I don't think there's anybody here who played with him who could argue with that."

The Giants defense has given up at least 19 points for five consecutive weeks and is on pace to give up 355 points this season, which would be the second-highest total of the past 10 years. They miss tackles, they are woeful in coverage, they leave chunks of the field wide open. Their blitzes don't get to the quarterback on time.

Armstead leads Washington with 3 1/2 sacks and is tied for third on his team with 77 tackles.

Strahan never believed Armstead was finished when he left the Giants, especially after watching him play part of the 2001 season with a torn hamstring.

"I think you get so caught up in salary-cap numbers and all these different things like that and you don't measure what somebody means to a team because of his leadership," Strahan said. "Those are the things you can't replace. Yeah, you can go plug another player in and give him money, or get two or three players for what you were paying one guy. But you can't fill that one void."

Next opponent: Coming off 24-20 loss to Saints, the Redskins have lost three consecutive games and seven of their past eight -- but only one by more than seven points. They've led in the fourth quarter of each of the past three games before collapsing defensively. WR Lavernues Coles (65 catches, 968 yards, 4 TDs) could cause havoc for a depleted secondary. RB Trung Canidate (123 rushes, 531 yards, 1 TD) leads the Redskins when they bother to run the ball; he is coming off a season-high 115 yards on 19 carries against the Saints. QB Patrick Ramsey missed Sunday's game and was replaced by Tim Hasselbeck but could return this week.

Game plan: All of a sudden it is the right side of the offensive line that isn't a question mark. If LT Luke Petitgout (back) can't go, the Giants will have to try something new to protect QB Kerry Collins and open some rushing lanes. Moving Jeff Roehl to LG and inserting Jeff Hatch at LT is one scenario. Max-protecting to the nth degree -- and sending just one receiver on a route -- is another. Neither is particularly appealing.

Roster move: LG Wayne Lucier (knee) yesterday became the sixth starter to land on injured reserve, a day after Allen (foot). The Giants signed TE Tony McGee, an 11-year veteran who played one game with the Cowboys this season. C Omar Smith was signed from the practice squad. Morristown native Sean O'Connor, an offensive lineman from Syracuse, was signed to the practice squad. He was with the Giants in training camp until his Aug. 25 release.

Key stat: Collins and WR Amani Toomer have hooked up 28 times for a TD, including the 77-yarder on Sunday against the Bills. They are tied for seventh place among active QB/receiver tandems. The list:

TDs

Team

Players

66

Colts

Marvin Harrison from Peyton Manning

57

Packers

Antonio Freeman from Brett Favre

47

49ers

Terrell Owens from Jeff Garcia

44

Jaguars

Jimmy Smith from Mark Brunell

34

Vikings

Randy Moss from Daunte Culpepper

30

Raiders

Tim Brown from Rich Gannon

28

Giants

Amani Toomer from Kerry Collins

28

Colts

Marcus Pollard from Manning

Under the microscope: Defensive coordinator Johnnie Lynn. Coach Jim Fassel counted nine missed tackles by the secondary against the Bills and 17 overall. Now Lynn is without both starting CBs, with Allen joining Will Peterson (back) on injured reserve. The Redskins will test the DBs; they called 42 pass plays and 26 run plays against the Saints.

Storylines: Which team takes over third place in the NFL East? And which one falls alone into the cellar? ... Fans have to make a choice: support the home team or stay home and watch games on TV that actually have playoff implications. ... Collins (3,048) has joined Manning (3,383) as the NFL's only passers to surpass 3,000 yards. ... Strahan is in a four-way tie with an NFL-leading 12 sacks. The Giants lead the NFL with 34 sacks. ... The 24 rushing yards against the Bills was the Giants' lowest total in a home game since Nov. 28, 1954.

What they're saying in Washington: "Our goals are not going to be reached. (We are) disappointed about that. But as competitors and professionals, we've got a game against the New York Giants this week." Redskins coach Steve Spurrier, who is 11-17 in two seasons

Key matchup: The Giants vs. Giants Stadium. The Giants have lost five consecutive home games, their longest such skid since they dropped their final six home games in 1983. Since the start of the 2000 season, the Giants have a better record on the road (17-13) than at home (16-14).

Injury report: Giants -- CB Ralph Brown (shoulder) is expected back. The status of TE Jeremy Shockey (knee) and Petitgout is not known. TE Marcellus Rivers (knee) is out. Redskins -- QB Patrick Ramsey (foot), C Larry Moore (foot), WR Darnerien McCants (knee) could play. WR Rod Gardner (arm bruise) is expected to play.