Giants may need to send Burress on a go-route

Nov 30, 2008 - 3:21 PM By Tom Torrisi PA SportsTicker Pro Football Editor

What to do about Plaxico Burress?

If you are the New York Giants, can the answer possibly be ... nothing?

Not anymore.

The star wideout of the defending Super Bowl champion Giants made headlines for all the wrong reasons - again - with his latest bizarre off-the-field episode.

Burress set off another firestorm of unwanted publicity for New York and its fans, getting hospitalized Friday night with a gunshot wound that appears to have been self-inflicted while he was at a Manhattan nightclub.

If this were an isolated incident, maybe it would be easy to ignore, even though it occurred just hours after the team announced that Burress would have to sit out Sunday's game against the Washington Redskins with a hamstring injury.

Given the magnitude of the game, and that the Giants can all but wrap up the NFC East title against a bitter rival, one would think Burress would be taking it easy at home, trying to heal and ensure he will be 100 percent for the postseason, when the Giants look to win back-to-back championships.

Instead, Burress packed a loaded handgun and headed out on the town for a night of merriment. Ironically, he managed to shoot himself in the same leg as the injured hamstring, which was about the only smart thing he did Friday night - and the entire season for that matter.

As usual, Burress' timing was impeccable. On Sunday, the Redskins will honor the late Sean Taylor, who was shot and killed a year ago in a bungled robbery attempt at his apartment in Miami.

Listen, Burress has built up a reservoir of goodwill among Giants fans for one very big reason reason: he was on the receiving end of the winning touchdown pass in Super Bowl XLII that delivered a world championship to Gotham.

That pretty much guarantees Burress a lifetime pass among New York's fandom. But what about Giants' management, for whom Burress has been nothing but a huge ache in the backside this entire season?

First came a refusal to practice during the team's minicamp in June, which led to a $25,000 fine. Then Burress sat out most of training camp with an ankle injury amid rumors that he was holding out until he got a fat pay raise.

Burress finally did get the contract he was seeking, signing a five-year, $35 million deal on the eve of the regular season. And how did he handle his prosperity? In much the same reckless manner that he has failed to utilize his enormous talents over the years.

After a dazzling start to the season, which included a 10-catch, 133-yard performance in Week One, Burress regressed to the Plaxico of old, drawing a two-game suspension for missing a practice and failing to call the team to explain his whereabouts.

Burress eventually had the suspension and fine cut in half, and later explained his absence by telling the New York media that he had to drive his child to school.

Oh, and while he apologized, he said he'd do the same thing again if he had to. Family comes first, after all.

Mind you, the Giants are getting such aggravation from a player whose numbers have been dreadful. Since Week Two, Burress has a grand total of 20 receptions and a high of 58 receiving yards in a game. Those are stats you expect from a backup tight end, not a wide receiver who is considered among the game's elite.

Burress' apologists will tell you the reason for the dip in production is because he is constantly double-teamed. Nonsense. In one four-game stretch, he had 10 catches for 90 yards - less than his output from Week One.

And yet, the Giants keep winning, rolling to a 10-1 mark that has included six consecutive victories. So how much does the team really need him?

Of course, management is saying all the right things for now.

"Obviously, our primary concern is for Plaxico's health and well-being, and given the circumstances, we are relieved to say he was released from a New York City hospital at approximately 2 p.m. today," the team said in a statement released Saturday afternoon.

The team also acknowledged that the incident "could become a matter for law enforcement officials," which may take the onus off the Giants when it comes to meting out punishment for Burress if the league gets involved. The NFL already has fined Burress $45,000 last month for his conduct toward an official, part of $200,000 in fines he has accrued since the start of the season.

Mind you, the latest mishap by Burress comes on the heels of two reported domestic disturbance calls at the home of the wide receiver in the past six months. Temporary restraining orders reportedly were obtained in both instances after Burress' wife, Tiffany, had phoned the police.

The second incident occurred in August, following a night out by Burress at another New York City nightclub. Fortunately, he did not have to drive his child to school the next day.

Listen, Burress is hardly the only high-profile receiver whose reputations have been sullied by a litany of outrageous behavior (see Randy Moss, Terrell Owens and the Johnsons - Chad and Keyshawn - to name a few.)

But for the most part, the aforementioned players have gotten themselves into trouble when their teams are losing. Is that an acceptable excuse? Absolutely not, but at least in the majority of those cases it typically is borne out of frustration.

That's what makes Burress' behavior all-the-more mind-boggling. Super Bowl hero. Rich new contract. One of the best players on the league's best teams. And yet, the only numbers he has put up worth noting have dollar signs attached to them and are payable to the Giants and/or the league.

Can the Giants win without Burress? Why not. They've lost Tiki Barber, Jeremy Shockey, Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora and have not blinked.

In the two games Burress sat out, Domenik Hixon had a combined 10 catches for 159 yards and a touchdown. Hixon may not be able to supply that every time out, but it's a good bet he can match the three catches and 35 yards per game Burress has averaged for the past two months.

Question or comment? E-mail thomas.torrisi@pa-sportsticker.com.