Andre Brown suffered a concussion
New York Giants running back Andre Brown (35) runs the ball during the second quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Giants were able to upset the Detroit Lions and eliminate the NFC North squad from playoff contention in a 23-20 overtime win, but they did lose Andre Brown to a concussion during that overtime period. Brown was injured on a play in which he fumbled the ball, and the Giants later diagnosed him with a concussion.
Brown’s status for next week’s game against the Washington Redskins is unknown, but what is known is that losing Brown would be a disaster for the Giants. He’s one of the only parts of this offense doing well, and the Giants running game could be in shambles without him. They are extremely thin at RB due to several injuries this season (Brown was on the short-term I.R. to start the season, too), and they would have to hope that raw backup running back Michael Cox is capable of shouldering the load next week against the Redskins if Brown is unable to play.
Working behind an ineffective offensive line, Brown was only able to muster 40 yards on 16 carries against a dominant Detroit Lions defensive line and linebackers corps. Keep a close eye on his practice status this week, and he’ll have to pass through the league’s mandatory concussion protocol in order to play.
So far this season, Brown has averaged 3.8 yards per carry on the ground with three rushing touchdowns and 20 receptions to boot. He’s been solid, but it’s clear that neither Eli Manning nor the Giants running game can have sustained success until this team makes significant upgrades on the offensive line, as the Giants were once again thoroughly beat in the trenches.