National Football League

Giants D faces 1st-time starter for Seattle

Published Nov. 7, 2010 7:05 a.m. ET

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Quarterbacks in the NFL are such a small fraternity that Eli Manning can't help but feel a bit of empathy watching a stream of knockout blows in person.

He's just thrilled the times he faces the New York Giants defense, they're not allowed to touch him.

''It's scary for opposing quarterbacks knowing that going into the game they've got over a 70 percent chance of getting knocked out,'' Manning said. ''That's never a good thing.''

After a week off from sending quarterbacks to the infirmary, the Giants (5-2) look to strengthen their hold in the NFC East when they travel to Seattle (4-3) on Sunday.

And considering all the injury problems the Seahawks offense is facing, Charlie Whitehurst, about to make his first NFL start, might as well wear a sign reading ''fresh meat.''

''We're not going in there trying to hurt anybody. It just happens like that sometimes,'' Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora said.

The Giants defense has taken great pleasure in sending quarterbacks to the bench this season. Five knocked out QBs already sit on New York's ledger, and it might not take much to add another against the Seahawks.

It'll just be Whitehurst instead of starter Matt Hasselbeck.

Despite some hopeful talk from coach Pete Carroll, Hasselbeck wasn't cleared after suffering a concussion late in last Sunday's loss to Oakland. Carroll made the announcement Thursday that Whitehurst will be making his first start, having yet to throw a pass in a regular season game.

''It's exciting. It does kind of sneak up on you, but luckily I've been preparing like this, not just this year, but in year's past,'' Whitehurst said. ''I feel like I'm ready to go and I'm going to go out there and play.''

Whitehurst will be protected by a makeshift offensive line that could be missing up to three starters depending on who is healthy come Sunday morning.

Guard Ben Hamilton is already done for the season, placed on injured reserve due to a serious concussion. Rookie left tackle Russell Okung, who instantly made Seattle's offense better when he played his first full game in Week 5 against Chicago, is still hobbling with the second high-ankle sprain of his rookie season.

Okung's backup, Tyler Polumbus, has a sprained knee and center Chris Spencer, thought to be one of the healthier Seahawks linemen, has a neck injury.

Even a veteran like Chester Pitts, who said he hasn't played left tackle in nearly five years, might very well start there on Sunday.

No wonder Hasselbeck wasn't cleared.

''Oh my goodness gracious,'' was how Pitts started to describe the Giants defense. ''We saw a really good group last week. I would say the strength of the Raiders was inside, but I would say this group is strong everywhere. These guys are really good.''

The Giants have already taken out the likes of Tony Romo and Jay Cutler as part of their hit parade. They're tied with Green Bay for the league lead with 24 sacks, but have reached that total in one less game.

Most impressive in what New York has accomplished is their ability to harass quarterbacks without needing to use risky blitzes. It's the front four, and specifically ends Umenyiora and Justin Tuck, that create most of the havoc.

''We have to do a really good job of mixing all of the concepts to make sure that we can at least keep them out of sync as much as possible. That means you have to keep changing up and you have to do the things that you do in that kind of a situation,'' Carroll said. ''So as far as the quarterback position is concerned, that's our utmost concern - to keep him clean so that he can play the game he can play.''

While the Seahawks are just trying to find healthy bodies to play offense, the Giants' potent attack led by Manning could be in for a big day. Running back Ahmad Bradshaw lost the NFC lead in yards rushing while taking the week off, but might get a chance to make up for time missed.

Seattle's run defense was surprisingly effective early in the season, but will be severely tested by the Giants as injuries have hit the Seahawks defensive line. Defensive end Red Bryant was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury this week. Defensive tackle Colin Cole is out with an ankle injury, while his space-eating mate, Brandon Mebane, has missed the last three games bothered by a calf problem and is unsure of playing against the Giants.

Arizona became the first team to rush for more than 100 yards against Seattle two weeks ago, and Oakland continued the trend last week, rumbling for 239 yards. The absence of Bryant and Cole will cost Seattle's defensive line about 30 pounds of girth.

Now comes Bradshaw and when he needs a breather, 264-pound Brandon Jacobs, who ran for 136 yards and two touchdowns when the teams met two seasons ago.

Oh, and there's still that Manning guy back there directing it all. Manning already has a pair of 300-yard games this season, after topping that mark just four times in the previous two seasons.

But interceptions are a concern with Manning already throwing 11, more than he did all of 2008.

Still, he'll be facing a Seattle pass defense that ranks 29th in the league and allowed 307 yards to Denver's Kyle Orton, 310 last week to Oakland's Jason Campbell and a whopping 455 yards to San Diego's Philip Rivers.

''It's about kind of getting everybody around you to raise their level of play,'' Manning said, ''and understand their potential and understand how this offense works, learning it in and out and that will help out everybody.''

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