By Ryan G. Murphy, WNBC.com
A key match up to look out for when the Giants play the Falcons next Monday night is in the trenches. Osi Umenyiora will go head to head with Falcons’ rookie left tackle Renardo Foster, who will start in place of the injured Wayne Gandy.
Foster played under Falcons’ head coach Bobby Petrino at Louisville. The 6’ 7” 328-pound lineman was an All Big East First Team player in 2006, but going up against a pro-bowl defensive end in Umenyiora is no small task.
During a conference call Wednesday, Petrino said Foster will have his work cut out for him against Umenyiora, who leads the league with seven sacks, notching six of them against a rookie tackle two weeks ago.
“Renardo will start there. He has played both this year and through the preseason. That is a positive that he has played in both the left-handed and right-handed stance. He does have good size. He is about 6-7, 328 pounds, but he is young,” Petrino said.
Of Umenyiora Petrino said: “[I’m most impressed] with how quick he is off the ball. He’s got long arms and continues to bring it. He’s got a couple of really good counter moves.”
Notes From the Call:
• Petrino confirmed that Joey Harrington will get the start at quarterback Monday. Byron Leftwich will be the backup.
• Petrino was the quarterbacks coach from 1999-2000 and spent 2001 as the offensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars when Tom Coughlin was the head coach.
• Petrino said he was disappointed with tight end Alge Crumpler’s statement that the Falcons are the worst team in football beyond the 50-yard-line. Petrino did not say whether Crumpler was disciplined, but Petrino did acknowledge that the two had a talk and that everything is fine now.
• Petrino acknowledged that it’s been a difficult road in the NFL so far, especially since he expected to have Michael Vick at quarterback to start the season. Petrino said the Vick situation is behind the team now.
