Giants left tackle Luke Petitgout backpedaled as Bears defensive end Alex Brown came at him alone with arms flailing and legs pumping.
It was a typical pass protection play for a left tackle. Petitgout has the size (6-foot-6, 308 pounds). Brown has the speed. Petitgout does this routine 30 to 40 times a game and 150 to 200 times a week in practice. As usually is the case, Petitgout's technique was solid. He directed the quick Bears defensive end behind quarterback Eli Manning, providing him enough room to maneuver.
Manning took one step forward and threw his pass. Behind him, Bears defensive tackle Alfonso Boone broke free of a well-executed block by left guard David Diehl and made a desperation lunge at Manning. Instead touching of Manning, Boone hit dirt and accidentally rolled into the leg of Petitgout, who couldn't see him. To no one's surprise, Petitgout came to the sidelines and had X-rays. His leg was broken and his season is indefinitely on hold and possibly over.
Petitgout's injury isn't the only one involving offensive linemen, who are going down in many different ways. Broncos left tackle Matt Lepsis blew out his knee and is out for the season. Rams left tackle Orlando Pace is out for the year after blowing out his left triceps muscle trying to hold off an outside rush by Seahawks defensive end Grant Wistrom. Season-ending injuries have also taken away Kynan Forney of the Falcons, Travelle Wharton of the Panthers, Damien Woody of the Lions, Charles Spencer of the Texans, Bennie Anderson and Seth McKinney of the Dolphins, Leander Jordan of the Chargers, Kenyatta Walker of the Bucs and others.
Linemen are going down at an alarming rate and it's clearly going to continue. Coaches and general managers are concerned, but they don't have answers. The standard line is, "it's cyclical."
This story is not a plea to the competition committee for rule changes because nothing is wrong with the rules that are affecting these blockers. This is not a call to the officials to keep a close eye on illegal tactics because most of these major injuries aren't that much different from what happened to Petitgout. Maybe, just maybe, this is just a bad luck year for offensive linemen.
Still, I think there is more to it. Teams have leaned toward drafting speed and athletic ability on defense since 2000 and they are succeeding. If a team has a doubt on a first- or second-round draft choice and aren't locked into taking a position for need, they are selecting athletes for defense.
On any given Sunday, just watch the speed of the Cover 2 defenses and marvel. There is so much speed going to the defense that safeties can play corner and the three linebacker positions are almost interchangeable.
On most 4-3 teams, the right defensive end weighs between 240 and 270 pounds, and they are lightning quick. That's where the first problem involving offensive line injuries starts.
Petitgout is the model of what's happening to left tackles, and watch for more to be affected. Brown isn't a Pro Bowl defensive end, but he's a half-step away. He's quick and powerful. Because there are so many right defensive ends with Brown-type ability, left tackles have to cover more ground in keeping the end away from the quarterback.
Because of that, the left tackle is vulnerable to be blindsided by a body rolling near his feet. In past years, a left tackle might not have to cover as much ground. The end would come around the corner. The left tackle would wait for the right time to deliver a two-handed punch that would send the end safely away from the quarterback in the pocket.
The quicker, strong ends are changing all of that. The left tackle must keep more of his concentration on Brown and less on the ground he covers. That leaves him in a dangerous area. Petitgout covered enough ground blocking Brown he ended up suffering a hit from the tackle on the other side of the field. It's scary.
And the process isn't reserved for just games. Practice injuries are just as dangerous because the tackles are blocking against teammates on defense who are equally as fast and equally as strong. That's why I wouldn't be surprised if the number of knee injuries to tackles increases.
To be a good tackle, a blocker must be able to make an athletic pivot shift from a three-point stance to a position in which he can stay in front of the end and have the power to hold back his charge. That pivot shift puts a lot of torque on the knee. If the end immediately engages the tackle and the moving wrestling match begins, the chances of the knee popping increase.
It sets up a scenario in which more tackles could blow out knees or pop shoulders out of place along with suffering bad ankle injuries or breaks from not being able to guard against players being around his feet. For the interior blockers, they better listen to the coaches who tell them, "Stay on your feet." Those who don't keep their feet could be victims of ankle or knee injuries from the clutter of bodies around their lower extremities.
There isn't any scientific data to support the claim that offensive linemen injuries are up, but it's certainly visible and explainable. Maybe it is a cycle, but any cycle involving an increase in injuries can be scary, particularly at the left tackle position.
Left tackle is the highest-paid position along the offensive line. Great ones are worth $7 million a year, and the price will only increase. Left tackles must neutralize a defense's best pass rusher. Ends are getting so good that most teams have a good one. If you watch the SEC and see some of the talent at defensive end in that conference, the need for good play at left tackle is only going to increase.
Many of the top left tackles are getting older and the replacement flow coming into the league hasn't been the best. The preservation of the tackles is important.
Another set of injuries that must be studied are the growing number of muscle stress-related problems. Sports hernia and severe groin injuries seem to be on the rise. Pectoral muscle tears and triceps and biceps injuries also are a concern.
Those could be related to the near year-long work schedule of the blockers. It's a long season, and the NFL has created a longer offense. NFL players can't afford to get out of shape, but there may not be enough time for a body to recover from the pounding it takes during the season.
Maybe this is a cycle, but if it is, the cycle is a scary one for the importance of maintaining quality play along the offensive line. Linemen protect the quarterback. Teams that have major drop-offs at quarterback usually drop in the standings dramatically.
The idea here is protection. Linemen, watch your feet. Coaches and general managers, watch the trend to make sure there could be ways to protect the players whose jobs are to protect the quarterbacks.
John Clayton is a senior writer for ESPN.com.