Quantcast
Returning the favor – Metro US

Returning the favor

The?Giants may not know how much they’re missing until they watch Leon Washington on Sunday.

The ex-Jet is helping the Seahawks to a gaudy 44.5-yard kickoff return average at home, as well as 10 yards a pop on punts in the comfy confines of Qwest Field. Such staggering numbers should make Giants coach Tom Coughlin envious, which is why newly signed Will Blackmon may get a share of Darius Reynaud’s returns against the Seahawks.

“That’s one thing I don’t worry about,” Reynaud said. “Like they say, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. So bringing a guy in like that probably makes me better. We’ll both come in and start off on a good foot … I can control only what I can control and I hope for the best, with either one of us.”

Blackmon was brought in to boost the secondary, which lost Bruce Johnson for the season, and add another pair of legs to the return game. Reynaud may be running out of time to improve his 5.9-yard return average.

“At this point, yes,” Coughlin said when asked if Reynaud is still his No. 1 returner. “But we do have some guys that have done that before and are anxious to want to do it again. We have 11 guys, no matter who we put out there, that are responsible for those returns. We haven’t given him a lot of help.”

While the Giants can’t boast one solid return specialist, the Seahawks own two. In addition to washington, who has two kickoff return touchdowns, rookie Golden Tate ranks fifth in the NFL with an 11.5-yard punt return average.