Pierre-Paul’s Improbable Regular Season Likely Over 

Jason Pierre-Paul (RON SCHWANE/AP)

Giants’ defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul’s impressive and improbable regular season might be over after undergoing surgery to repair a sports hernia early Wednesday morning.

The Giants signed Pierre-Paul to a one year contract this past off season as sort of a “prove it deal.” This came after his infamous fireworks accident on July 4, 2015. When looking at Pierre-Paul’s stats throughout this season, boy, did he ever prove it. Pierre-Paul has a combined 53 tackles this season (35 solo, 18 assisted), seven sacks, and three forced fumbles. Pierre-Paul is a key contributing piece to the defense, and while being sidelined for about six weeks after sports hernia surgery, the Giants have big shoes to fill on the end of the defensive line.

“We wish JPP the best and a speedy recovery,” said Giants Head Coach Ben McAdoo. “We’ll use an ‘all hands on deck’ approach to fill his shoes. It won’t be easy to do, but we have confidence in the players in the room.”

“Guys have to step up,” said Giants linebacker Jonathan Casillas. “We have Kerry Wynn, he has played a lot of football here. Romeo (Okwara) and (Owa) Odighizuwa…But no one is JPP. No one is Jason Pierre-Paul. No one can really do the things that he can do for us or for anybody, so it is going to be different things that might have to do.”

The Giants will be looking at other defensive ends of the depth chart to replace Pierre-Paul while he is out injured. Giants are looking at Kerry Wynn, Romeo Okwara, and Owa Odighizuwa in particular.

“[Pierre-Paul] is a very relentless player,” said Wynn. “…always running around and hunting the ball and I try to do the same thing when I’m out there. I’ve always had a chip on my shoulder, coming from a small school, coming from a small hometown, and you want to show people what you can do.”

“I’m [going to] be myself,” said Okwara, of replacing Pierre-Paul. “We’re different players. I know my assets and what tools I bring to the game and I’m [going to] use those.”

“Me, Kerry, and Romeo, playing that reserve position, we know what it is,” said Odighizuwa. It’s our time, our name is being called so it’s time for us to replace him as best as possible for this week.”

The Giants’ are holding out hope that Pierre-Paul can return before the six week timeframe, especially if the Giants do end up making the playoffs this season.

“Surgery went well and feeling way better already,” said Pierre-Paul in a tweet he sent out 10 a.m. Wednesday morning. “God is good.”

This injury is a big blow to the defensive side of the ball, especially four days before a big divisional matchup against the high-powered Dallas Cowboys (11-1) offense. It is a next man up philosophy and the Giants will have to give it over 110% in prime time this Sunday.

“You can’t expect one person to jump in and fill his shoes,” said McAdoo. “He’s a very talented player. We’ll use all hands on deck.”