The injury occurred with 10:48 remaining in the second quarter while chasing down Jets quarterback Brett Favre. He was merely brush-blocked by Jets left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, but fell heavily and off balance. For a few seconds, it appeared as though nothing untoward had taken place and Umenyiora, in fact, took a few more steps chasing his quarry, but then he fell to the ground.

He was helped off the field by medical personnel and did not put weight on the injured leg. He was then examined on the bench and finally driven into the locker room on a cart.

Umenyiora had an MRI at the Hospital of Special Surgery, which revealed the extent of the injury. He is scheduled to undergo surgery Tuesday.

It's the same knee Umenyiora had arthroscopic surgery on during his career at Troy.

"I think the number one thing that brings frustration, anxiety, and knots in your stomach, all the things that go along with the injury to the players which do not allow your team to function as it is presented on paper," coach Tom Coughlin said. "Those types of things are very difficult for coaches, no matter what age you are. "

It's an especially big blow for a team already trying to overcome the retirement of Michael Strahan. The Giants have now lost both starting ends off a defense -- and specifically a pass rush -- that was instrumental in the team upsetting New England in the Super Bowl.

Would the Giants consider seeing if Strahan is willing to come out of retirement?

"You know what? Someone has already raised that today and I haven't really talked to anyone at this point in time about anything, to be honest with you," Coughlin said Sunday. "I am sure that (GM) Jerry Reese and I and ownership will look long and hard at whatever options are out there and do what is best here at this point in time."

Umenyiora has led the team in sacks in each of the last two seasons, and has earned Pro Bowl honors for 2005 and 2007. Originally a second-round draft pick from Troy (Ala.) State, Umenyiora is directly connected to the Eli Manning trade the team engineered on draft day of 2004.

Part of the deal was the team's first-round draft pick for the following season, and Chargers general manager A.J. Smith, at the last moment, asked then-general manager Ernie Accorsi if he would send Umenyiora as part of the deal rather than the 2005 first-round spot.

Accorsi said no, and so the trade went through and the Chargers, the following season, chose linebacker-defensive end Shawne Merriman. Ironically, last week Merriman announced he had two ligament tears in his knee and would in all likelihood miss the 2008 season.