Osi Umenyiora’s Return to Giants a ‘Dream’

Osi Umenyiora made the play of the game for the Giants in his return to the field after a year away due to injury.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- So you miss a whole year with an injury. You make goofy headlines for storming out of a team meeting two weeks before the start of the season. You're Osi Umenyiora, and for months all you could think about was getting back on a football field, in a real game.

Umenyiora finally did that Sunday night in the Giants' 23-17 victory over the Redskins, and it went about as well as it possibly could have gone. The Giants' star defensive end made the play of the game, stripping Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell of the ball, recovering the fumble and running it back 37 yards for a touchdown to put the Giants up 17-0 in the second quarter.

"For real, that's the holy grail for a defensive end," teammate and fellow DE Mathias Kiwanuka said. "It's a cycle. It's a hat trick. Ending a game on a sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery, touchdown in overtime would be the ultimate, but that's pretty good. That's close to as good as it gets."

For Umenyiora, playing in his first real game since Super Bowl XLII, the feeling was literally indescribable.

"I can't even explain it to you," Umenyiora said. "Sometimes when you're out there all the time, you kind of forget what it feels like to not be out there. Last year, I missed it and I'm happy I was able to come back this year."

His return strengthens one of the deepest and toughest defensive lines in the NFL. Fellow defensive end Justin Tuck has his own star turn later in the game, stifling a Washington drive with a couple of crucial tackles. But it was Umenyiora's play that will lead the highlight reels.

It happened with three minutes left in the first half. Campbell made a good play fake and dropped back in the pocket. Washington coach Jim Zorn would say later that he thought the protection on the play was good, and it was. But Campbell held the ball a second too long, and Umenyiora got around his blocker and whacked the ball out of Campbell's hand. He then turned, scooped up the loose ball and barreled into the end zone, flashing a little bit of speed along the way.

"Thanks," he said when told he looked good running the ball. "I played a little running back -- in my dreams."

Osi Umenyiora spent the past year dreaming about getting back on the football field. Once he finally did, he made it a dream comeback.