http://www.giants.com/news/headlines/st … y_id=42034

Safety Phillips placed on IR
By Michael Eisen, Giants.com

SEPTEMBER 22, 2009

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - Kenny Phillips played the best game of his young professional career Sunday night in Dallas. He intercepted two passes, both of which led to Giants touchdowns. He also tied for the team lead with seven tackles, boosting his two-game total to a team-high 16. It seemed Phillips, the Giants' first-round draft choice in 2008, was on his way to a stellar sophomore season.

Instead, that season has come to a shocking early conclusion.

The Giants announced today that Phillips is being placed on injured reserve with a knee condition that first surfaced in training camp. Phillips has seldom practiced in recent weeks and received constant treatment. But an examination yesterday by team doctors and an MRI revealed that the condition (patella femoral arthritis) in Phillips' left knee has worsened. A final determination has not yet been made on how to treat Phillips' condition.

"I really feel for Kenny because he had worked so hard during the offseason to prepare himself for the '09 season," general manager Jerry Reese said. "He had a great camp and was just beginning to come into his own and showed flashes of being one of the premier safeties in the NFL. We expect him to recover from this setback and come back stronger than ever. This league is about making adjustments and we will do that."

The Giants did so immediately when they were awarded Aaron Rouse off waivers from the Green Bay Packers, who released him yesterday. Rouse started the Packers' first two games of the season.

After his outstanding performance in Dallas, it would seem unfathomable that Phillips wouldn't suit up again this season. It certainly was to Phillips.

"It never crossed my mind, ever," he said. "I knew the situation. I just felt I could push it through the season. So to get this news is a real shock."

"The most important thing for us right now is to realize it's an emotional time for Kenny Phillips," said coach Tom Coughlin. "He had an excellent training camp. He played the deep ball, really, unlike anybody we've had around here. He has two interceptions with two outstanding plays the other night, he leads the team in tackles. His presence is felt in really every category on special teams and defense. He was quietly very strong back in the secondary. We were very excited about what we thought could be a Pro Bowl year for our free safety.

"Unfortunately, it's a difficult time for all of us and for Kenny. Our concerns are about Kenny from an emotional standpoint, because this morning he looked like he'd lost his best friend. He's really down. But it's something the doctors felt was needed to be corrected right now, so what's in the best interest of the player is being done. I'm sure he'll rehab and be back with us in the spring."

Phillips was the 31st overall selection in the 2008 draft, the first safety chosen by the Giants on the opening round since Shaun Williams 10 years earlier. As a rookie he played in every game with three starts and finished with 66 tackles (43 solo), seven passes defensed and an interception.

James Butler' departure as a free agent (he now plays for the St. Louis Rams) opened up a starting job for Phillips, who responded by working long hours in the offseason. He showed improvement from the first day of training camp and continued to play well when the season opened.

"That is probably the toughest part - I worked hard this offseason and I felt like this was going to be a big year not only for me, but for the Giants," Phillips said. "I started the season off pretty well with a few tackles, interceptions and for it to just get snatched away from me like this is real tough."

At some point in camp, Phillips' knee became swollen and sore. He missed two of the four preseason games, but he worked as hard at rehabilitation as he did on his conditioning and was able to play well in the Giants' victories over Washington and Dallas.

"It's hard to say exactly when (the knee first hurt)," he said. "Everybody gets nicks and bruises in training camp, so that's just what I thought it was. Swelling occurred, but most people get swelling. As long as it goes down, it's not a big deal.

"For the most part I was able to do the things that I am used to doing. I had a little bit of restriction from time to time, but that was something that I was going to play with, I learned to play with."

This is the first time in Phillips' football life he will miss extensive playing time because of injury.

"I hate to miss out on this season," he said. "We have such a great team I wish I could just be a part of it, helping them out. I know the team is going to support me. They are treating me like family, like I am their son, brothers or whatever. Jerry Reese came down and talked to me, Coach Coughlin, the training staff, everyone has been real supportive of me."

As much as he wants to play, Phillips fully supports the judgment to shut him down for the season.

"I am only in year two, so I feel this is the right decision," he said. "Longevity is the key, so this is why we are going through with it."

What won't be as easy is watching his teammates try to win their second straight NFC East title. But Phillips is determined to re-join them as soon as possible.

"We're only in Week 3, so I don't know how I am going to find a way to cope," he said. "But if anything it makes me want to work even harder. Playing two games, I had a pretty good start and I want to do better than that next year."

"The key is now everyone wants to critique our defensive team at this point in time in terms of being able to defend the run," said Coughlin. "As a team all of us - players and coaches - we all have to do our job a little bit better."

Phillips is the third Giants player to go on injured reserve. Rookie running back Andre Brown ruptured his Achilles tendon in practice on Aug. 14. Defensive tackle Jay Alford suffered a torn ACL in a preseason game in Chicago on Aug. 22.

Rouse, 6-4 and 227 pounds, had nine tackles (seven solo) in Green Bay's 31-24 loss to Cincinnati last week. He had three solo tackles in the season-opening victory over Chicago.

A third-year pro, he has played in 27 games with 11 starts. He has 113 tackles (80 solo), seven passes defensed and four interceptions, including a pick of Peyton Manning that he returned 99 yards for a touchdown last Oct. 19. It was the longest interception return in Lambeau Field history.

Rouse joined the Packers as a 2007 third-round round draft choice from Virginia Tech, the 89th overall selection. As a rookie he played in 11 games with three starts at free safety and had 33 tackles (26 solo) and a pair of interceptions. After missing the first three games with a hamstring injury, Rouse made his NFL debut at Minnesota on Sept. 30, 2007. His first start was also against the Vikings, on Nov. 11. Rouse had two special teams tackles in the NFC Championship Game against the Giants.

In 2008, Rouse played in 14 games with six starts and was third among Packers defensive backs with 68 tackles (44 solo). Aside from his touchdown, he intercepted a pass at New Orleans on Nov. 24.

In 52 games at Virginia Tech, Rouse had 24 starts and recorded 217 tackles (93 solo), 12 stops for losses, forced four fumbles and had five interceptions. A native of Norfolk, Va., Rouse was born on Jan. 8, 1984.

*The same players who missed practice yesterday sat out today's workout: defensive linemen Justin Tuck (shoulder) and Chris Canty (calf), cornerbacks Aaron Ross (hamstring) and Kevin Dockery (hamstring), wide receiver Domenik Hixon (knee), wide reciver Hakeem Nicks (foot) and running back Danny Ware (elbow).

The same three players were limited: Wide receiver Mario Manningham (shoulder), offensive lineman Adam Koets (ankle) and linebacker Clint Sintim (groin).

Sucks for them as he was becoming a solid player for them.

I've always felt that Bradley needed to be in a lower stress enviroment in order to thrive.  When he gets in a big market problems usually follow-whether it be media, fans, perceived slights etc, it doesn't help that he's an asshole as well.  The only thing that Bradley has done well is have a good OBP. 

As far as teams interested in Bradley--Sabean in SF is still around and Dayton Moore of KC just got an extension despite putting together a 100 loss team.

They really should have just signed Abreu for 4 million or whatever he ended up with.

The Cubs are lucky that they play in a division with a bunch of rebuilding teams-Reds, Pirates, Astros.  That leaves the Brewers and Cardinals as main competition.  If they need pitching help though, they should not go into the FA pool this year--it is a subpar year for starting pitchers.  I'm not sure they have enough prospects to get into the inevitable Halladay sweepstakes.

I'd go with Hayward-Bay since Chambers is SD #1 guy and will be covered by the best cover corner in the NFL--Oakland's Nnamdi Asomugha.  You know Oakland will take some deep shots down the field and that'll give him a few chances to get a deep ball.  Teams just don't throw toward Asomugha's side of the field.

In that case, I'll just pick up the 2 disc set when there's very little difference between quality.  I remember Carrie Anne Moss's doing a good job in the film too.  Thanks for the detailed recommendation.