Rams (0-1) at Giants (0-1), 8:30 p.m. Eastern, ESPN
Line: Giants by 6
Receiver Hakeem Nicks (knee) returned to practice late last week for the Giants and said that he expected to play Monday night. Defensive lineman Justin Tuck (neck) was also back in practice last week and is expected to play.
Giants fans may no longer recognize the brief updates in the previous paragraph. They are an example of what sports journalists and fans call “good injury news.” Good injury news occurs when a player recovers more quickly than expected, or when his original prognosis was more serious than his actual ailment. Good injury news is relatively common in the N.F.L., but the Giants have not encountered much lately; their last confirmed case involved Jessie Armstead in 1996.
In case Nicks cannot play, the Giants signed the 35-year old receiver Brandon Stokley, who caught a touchdown pass against them in Super Bowl XXXV. The Giants also invited members of the 1986 Super Bowl team to the game to sign autographs, giving Stokley some people close to his age to talk to, and reminding fans that a team with absolutely no wide receivers can achieve great things.
The return to health of Nicks and Tuck, the inspiring presence of some former stars and the relative weakness of the Rams have caused another unfamiliar sensation in Giants fans: optimism. That’s the feeling that the Giants are probably going to win, folks. There is no reason to consult a doctor. Pick: Giants
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