There's always a little bit of the good, the bad, and the ugly when you're a football fan. It comes with the territory. New York Giants fans know this all too well. Although I suppose it’s been a while since we’ve actually gotten to see “the good.”
That's why, when Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News hit Big Blue Nation with a potentially season-altering update on Giants rookie offensive lineman Francis “Sisi” Mauigoa, all of East Rutherford held its collective breath, waiting for the worst. Leonard reported that the starting right guard had to leave joint practice with the Miami Dolphins due to an injury -- shoulder pads off and all.
I can tell you what immediately went through my mind: That's it. That's the season. That's a wrap. Wind taken right out of the sails. Just when you thought we could have something good in this world, the football gods giveth and they taketh away. But shortly after, it was reported that Sisi’s injury was heat-related -- thanks to that brutal Miami humidity -- and nothing too serious.
He even walked back out with the medical staff toward the end of practice. Phew.
Giants avoided worst-case scenario with Francis Mauigoa
To say losing Mauigoa for an extended period because of something that happened at joint practice would have been a colossal nightmare is the understatement of the century.
The 21-year-old human bulldozer is the perfect lineman for the new-look offense head coach John Harbaugh is trying to install. He's big (6-foot-6, 330 pounds) and plays with a natural, functional strength that allows him to dead-stop bull rushes and absorb interior pressure.
The former Miami Hurricanes star is still learning the ropes after moving inside from right tackle to right guard, but the early returns are promising.
In his first preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sisi played 30 total snaps, finishing the game with a 66.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. His pass-blocking grade (73.5) outpaced his run-blocking grade (62.7), but he didn't allow a single pressure and wasn't called for any penalties while he was out there -- not too shabby for a youngster learning the ropes.
His next chance to impress comes against -- you guessed it -- the Dolphins. The aqua and orange play host to the G-Men on Saturday for preseason Game 2.
So, after a few terrifying minutes, Giants fans can chalk this one up as “the good.” Mauigoa appears to be fine -- the starting offensive line remains intact, and Big Blue’s human bulldozer should get another chance to keep building on an impressive summer against Miami.
We’ve seen enough of the bad and the ugly around these parts anyway.
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