Aug 29 The Plaxico Burress situation continues to get more and more mysterious by the day. One day after missing practice because of back trouble and going instead to Manhattan to see a specialist, Burress again sat out yesterday, spending the entire practice session getting treatment inside the Giants' locker room. With so many injured players already to deal with, coach Tom Coughlin admitted that it's troubling not to have his No. 1 wide receiver on the field for the final practice before tomorrow's preseason finale against New England.
Examinations of WR Plaxico Burress' back revealed no structural damage, but he remains out of action recovering from spasms. Burress, who received treatment at Giants Stadium, will not play vs. the Patriots tomorrow night in the preseason finale, and Tom Coughlin did not offer a timetable on a return. Burress missed the last three weeks of training camp and will not have played in any of the four preseason games.

Everyone knows having Reuben Droughns play fullback for the Giants is not an ideal situation. What once was a fleeting notion at the moment is reality, and don't put it past his teammates from finding humor in his predicament. "We heard a couple of jokes," right guard Chris Snee reported yesterday after practice. "I heard Amani (Toomer) say, 'Wait, wait, we don't have a fullback in the huddle,' and Reuben was standing right there."

Strahan's relationship with Reese has soured since late July, when Reese was quoted in the Daily News saying, "We can win without him." Strahan's 132-1/2 sacks lead active players, but the Giants have nine sacks in three preseason games with DEs Osi Umenyiora and Jason Tuck at one apiece. Tuck, playing in Strahan's spot, was impressive against the Jets Saturday with four tackles, a sack and a pressure. Strahan also wanted to hear from Reese regarding the daily $14,288 fine he is being assessed. Today is Day33, bringing the total to $471,504, which is nearly equal to the $500,000 roster bonus Strahan got during the offseason. Team sources have indicated a willingness to reduce the total but not forgive it entirely.
Sources close to Michael Strahan say he feels Giants GM Jerry Reese has been more interested in "talking tough" and of winning a battle with a star player than he is in Strahan's welfare and state of mind. He also feels the Giants are trying to make him look bad by fining him $14,288 for every day of his holdout. Privately the Giants have indicated they'd reduce his now-$471,504 fine, though how much may depend on Strahan's behavior if and when he returns.

Someone who spoke to Strahan yesterday said there's no guarantee a decision will come in the next two days. The person, who requested anonymity because Strahan wanted their conversation to remain private, said Strahan wasn't happy with the Giants' releasing a time frame he felt shouldn't have been divulged to the public. The person said Strahan "doesn't respond well" to being pressured into making a decision and might be swayed more toward retirement because of this latest development. It's been widely reported Strahan is looking for respect from the Giants and it's clear he feels disrespected by yesterday's developments.
One thing Reese and Strahan talked about during their tense meeting in March, according to a person with knowledge of the chat, was Strahan's continued desire to be an every-down player. Strahan has long prided himself on never coming off the field and being as good a run-stuffer as a pass-rusher. But Reese informed Strahan that the Giants don't need No. 92 on the field every play, and that's especially true now that Tuck may be ready and Strahan may not.

The final exhibition game is Thursday night at New England, followed the next day by a film session and another walk-through. The players are off Saturday and Sunday as the coaches decide on the final 22 cuts and begin preparation for the Sept. 9 opener in Dallas. The team will regroup Monday, so the only benefit Strahan would receive by reporting before then will be a few days of personal work, and perhaps a chance to explain himself to his teammates. In either case he will get five practice days before the opener to show whether he deserves to be part of the 45-man active roster against the Cowboys.

For the Giants, getting a body back, even one coming back from a sprained foot like Strahan, would be welcome considering the losses the team has taken over the past weeks. Long-snapper Ryan Kuehl was the latest veteran to end his season, finally placed on injured reserve after tearing his calf and Achilles' tendon the same day Strahan made his initial contact with team officials. Kuehl, along with defensive tackle Marcus Bell (knee), tight end Darcy Johnson (knee) and safety Michael Stone (hip), made four veteran players who were expected to contribute joining fullback Jim Finn on IR.

Anthony Mix, who spent the entire 2006 season on the Giants' practice squad, has progressed from a longshot to a player who has a good shot to make the Giants' 53-man roster. His chances were enhanced this week when it was revealed that David Tyree suffered a fractured wrist against the Jets. Tyree is expected to miss four to six weeks. In addition, Plaxico Burress - like Mix, a tall receiver who can do damage close to the goal line - has not practiced this week because of a sore back. But none of that would affect Mix's situation if he hadn't dramatically improved. Mix has a succinct description of his turnaround. At Baltimore on Aug. 19 he had a team-high five receptions for 43 yards. Mix was even better Saturday night against the Jets, catching a team-high seven passes for 47 yards and another score.

Aug 28 The Giants trimmed their roster to 76 players yesterday, one above the maximum allowed by the league as of 4 p.m. today, and the cuts were the usual list of unknowns. Their list of injured players, especially players who fill valuable roles, just seems to keep expanding. Special-teams ace David Tyree is the latest, having suffered a broken left wrist in Saturday's 20-12 loss to the Jets. Tyree had a strong game, downing a punt at the Jets' 1-yard line and nearly blocking another punt, but now he'll be out at least a month.
The Giants have the choice of holding Tyree's roster spot until he returns or placing him on injured reserve until he's healthy enough to be released. "We'll talk," coach Tom Coughlin said yesterday of himself and the front office. "Certainly, at this point in time we will wait for him." Tyree wasn't the only WR to miss practice yesterday. Plaxico Burress was out with back spasms and was being evaluated in New York while the rest of the team practiced. Coughlin said Burress experienced some discomfort in his back last week when he returned to practice after more than two weeks of being sidelined with a sprained ankle. Burress missed Saturday night's game with the flu. Burress has battled back spasms in the past and missed last year's win over the Texans with the same ailment.
The other injury of note from Saturday's game was fullback Robert Douglas. He injured the meniscus in his knee and will need surgery. Coughlin had no timetable for his return. With less than two weeks to go before the regular-season opener in Dallas, the Giants are limping to the starting line. "I'm concerned anytime anybody's not out here," Coughlin said. "Again, what I say is you fight it all the time. You've got to get the people ready to go that are here and you've got to go and do the best you can"
A total of 16 players missed practice Monday with various woes, including FB Robert Douglas. RB Reuben Droughns began taking some snaps at fullback. CB E.J. Underwood suffered a broken jaw against the Jets, an apparent season-ending injury. But Coughlin said Underwood could be back next week. First cuts The Giants announced seven of the eight roster moves they must make by 4 o'clock today to get to 75 players. Waived were S Richard Yancey, WR Will Buchanon, OT Myniya Smith, C Nick Jones and LB Karibi Dede, who was signed Thursday. TE Ronald Burgess (shoulder) was waived/injured while DT Marcus Bell was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury.
Tom Coughlin was asked "Do you feel like you have to have all the players wear red (no contact) jerseys now?" His reply - "No. No, it is football. You have to go, you have to go, you have to play, and you have to practice."

Just about everyone has been impressed by the dazzling preseason Eli Manning has put together in 2007. The much-examined Giants quarterback has completed 69.8 percent of his passes (30-of-43) for 287 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in three games. And he's done it without his No. 1 receiver, Plaxico Burress, in any of those games. Manning's 111.3 quarterback rating is ninth-best in league and his completion percentage is 10th. Manning's been good this preseason. And one of the things that's helped him do what he's done has been the offensive line.
Naturally, good health figures to be a key to the line during the season, because while Manning has been able to stay upright most of the preseason, overall, the Giants have allowed 12 sacks, most in the league. That means while the starters have been taking care of Manning, the backups have allowed nine sacks to various second- and third-team defenses, which would suggest the depth on the unit isn't great.

With less than two weeks to go before the regular-season opener, the New York Giants are still looking for a kicker. Neither veteran Lawrence Tynes nor free agent Josh Huston has won the job in training camp, and there is the possibility that Tom Coughlin may have to look at the waiver wire to find a kicker for the Sept. 9 game in Dallas. The kickers are 3-for-6 on field goal attempts in preseason, and they haven't been much better in kicks during training camp.
It would have been easy for Lawrence Tynes and Josh Huston to blame the snapper for their place-kicking woes against the Jets Saturday night. He's just a kid, after all, a third-rounder out of Penn State splitting practice time between snapping on field goals and learning his spot at defensive tackle. But no Giant yesterday was laying it all on rookie Jay Alford, even though some of his snaps have sent regular holder Jeff Feagles and Saturday's holder, Cory Ohnesorge, reaching and digging. In fact, on Tynes' second of the kickers' combined three misses Saturday, Alford sent the snap into the turf, forcing Ohnesorge to put it down with the laces in the wrong direction.
Former Colt and Cowboy Mike Vanderjagt, onetime Bear and Viking Paul Edinger, former Jet and Redskin John Hall and Aaron Elling, who was recently released by the Jaguars, are veteran kickers out on the street. Others will become available as teams cut to their final 53-man rosters. "There's no panic," coach Tom Coughlin insisted Monday. "These two guys will kick again come Thursday night and obviously from time to time during the preseason they have shown they can do the job. What we need is consistency."
What should not be forgotten in the Giants' kicking derby is that whoever gets the job will have to work with rookie snapper Jay Alford, who was drafted out of Penn State as a defensive tackle prospect and as such cannot devote his full attention to special teams. Alford was forced into snapping for field goals after Ryan Kuehl - who did not have a single bad snap in his three years with the Giants - went down in training camp with a high ankle sprain that could keep him out the entire season. Kuehl's lone role was snapping. Consider this a warning, courtesy of a 41-year old veteran who has seen it all. "In all reality if you look at most teams around the league there are three specialist positions," punter Jeff Feagles said, "and it includes one of the snappers."

The Strahan Watch, which began when he failed to report to camp on July 27, has reached one month. Despite speculation that yesterday was going to be the day he showed up, it came and went with no indication he was on his way from his home in Southern California. If his primary goal was to miss training camp - mission accomplished. The Giants surely would like to know his intentions so they can work him into the game plan against the Cowboys.
It's not going to be so easy for him to walk off the plane, put on the pads for the first time in a long while and sack Tony Romo. That would be dramatic, but not realistic. He probably needs to practice a couple of times. In 1990, then-31-year-old Lawrence Taylor held out all summer in a contract dispute until the Wednesday before the season opener against the Eagles. LT sacked Randall Cunningham three times. Strahan, on the other hand, is almost 36 and coming off a serious foot injury.

Fan Parking Questions and Answers - Ask your own.

Aug 27 Eli Manning was an impressive 17-for-25 for 146 yards and one touchdown in the first half on Saturday night at the Meadowlands. In parts of three games, he's completed 30 of 43 passes for 287 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. That's a completion percentage of 69.8 and a quarterback rating of 111.3 - impressive numbers whether or not the games count.
Coughlin, who did criticize Manning for getting the first-team offense to the end zone only once on Saturday night, said the improvement in Manning's game was evident on one throw - a strike on a crossing pattern to David Tyree just three plays into the game (Tyree took it for 52 yards, but it was called back because of a pass interference call on Amani Toomer). "A year ago, basically that same pattern crossing pattern was not accurately thrown to Plaxico (Burress)," Coughlin said. "The same thing (Saturday) night to David Tyree, right on the money."
Manning's passes have accounted for three of the Giants' five touchdowns this summer. "He had the high percentage again and really was able to move the team under different circumstances and different thoughts that we had in terms of what we were trying to accomplish," Coughlin said. "He did a good job of all of those things. Again, it is points. You have to put points on the board. You don't want to rely on the field goal in the first place. You want to score touchdowns. That is where it is. It is not even really the green zone; it is right at the fringe, that 25 yard-line area where we stumbled."

Tom Coughlin has many critics when it comes to his coaching style and on-field decisions. But there's no question he can spin a glaring weakness on his team with a little coachspeak. He tried again yesterday when asked about the Giants' two kickers missing a combined three field goals Saturday night against the Jets. "The one thing I will say as you try to build a case here against the kickers is the ball was struck well," Coughlin said on a conference call with reporters. "We were errant with the location and accuracy, but the ball was struck well."
Fact is, the Giants have a problem with their kicking situation. With Jay Feely in Miami after signing with the Dolphins in March, Lawrence Tynes and Josh Huston haven't done much to win a job. Combine Saturday's performance with only one touchback in 11 kickoffs combined this preseason, plus plenty of missed field goals during training camp in Albany and, well, Huston (and Tynes), we have a problem.
Tom Coughlin said there are no definitive plans to try out any kickers outside the organization. "I don't know that we'll try any," Coughlin said. "There's not going to be any panic. We certainly are not going to miss anything and evaluate those people throughout the league who are working or might come available. But we're going to continue to work with the kickers we have as well."
Coughlin also noted that regular holder Jeff Feagles missed the game with a back problem, and that rookie defensive tackle Jay Alford did make a bad snap on Tynes' second try. "Cory [Ohnesorge] did an admirable job in there," Coughlin said of the rookie who handled Feagles punting and holding jobs. "And Jay has been taking all the snaps since the injury to Ryan [Kuehl]. The concern comes when there is a malfunction, and the malfunction happened on one kick. We just have to keep working at it.

The Giants continue their wait for Michael Strahan to make up his mind about retirement. The absence reached 31 days yesterday, and the fines have hit $442,928. Worse yet, the coaching staff won't know if his sprained right foot will be healthy enough to withstand game play if he does return. But at least they know one thing. They know Justin Tuck's back. OK, so the third-year defensive end has a way to go before anybody starts seriously comparing him to Strahan. But there was no denying that he was a defensive force Saturday night in the 20-12 preseason loss to the Jets.
Tuck, who like Strahan had a Lisfranc joint sprain in his foot last season, practiced once a day during training camp in Albany and had just a dozen snaps with the first-team defense at Strahan's left defensive end spot in Baltimore eight days ago. He looked physically fit then and joined with tackles Fred Robbins and Barry Cofield and right end Osi Umenyiora to shut down the Ravens' running game. Tuck was even better Saturday. The Jets struck right away, with a 79-yard touchdown pass from Chad Pennington to Leon Washington, then held the Giants' offense in check. On the next Jets series, Tuck made consecutive solo tackles of Washington for 2-yard gains, then bounced inside, blew past rookie guard Jacob Bender and sacked Pennington for a 12-yard loss.

Based purely on playing time, Justin Tuck stands the most to lose with the impending arrival of Michael Strahan, yet it is Tuck who is exuberantly trumpeting Strahan’s return. Without Strahan, Tuck starts at left defensive end. With a healthy Strahan, Tuck goes to the bench. Yet after Tuck and the entire Giants first-unit defense overwhelmed the Jets in a 20-12 preseason loss, he all but pleaded for Strahan to end his holdout and get to work.
"I'm looking forward to it," Tuck said. "He's been by far the last 10 years the best defensive end to play this game. And he's an amazing teammate. I have no mixed feelings about seeing 92 in his locker." Even when Strahan returns, there should be plenty of snaps for Tuck in a rotation of defensive ends. "You can never have enough defensive ends," said Umenyiora, recalling last season when he, Strahan and Tuck were injured.

Cornerback E.J. Underwood was on the verge of making the Giants as an undrafted rookie last season when he suffered a shoulder injury against the Jets in the third preseason game and was lost for the year. It's a new season. Underwood held the same promise for Tom Coughlin. And in the same preseason game, there was another season-ending injury for Underwood, who suffered a broken jaw in the second quarter against the Jets Saturday and likely will end up on injured reserve again.
Tom Coughlin - "Just to clear up a couple of things, we have E.J. Underwood with a fractured jaw. He will have surgery either tonight or tomorrow morning. Kawika Mitchell, with the groin strain, had some strength this morning. Hopefully that is going to be something we can control. I don’t know if he can work it for this week, but he will make it.
Rodney Burgess, we have a few people that are getting MRIs that I really shouldn’t comment on until I find out what the MRIs are, but Rodney Burgess is one with a shoulder being looked at. Then we have some other guys that are being X-rayed or MRIed that I will comment on when I get the information back."

Aug 26 Giants lose to the Jets 20-12.

---

On The Game: Preseason Game 3 Recap Gamegirl... "......You had to be in your seat early for the start of this game. Right after the kickoff, Jets quarterback Chad Pennington threw a 79 yard touchdown pass for 6 points. On the very next play, the Giants blocked the extra point. Then Giants totally outplayed the Jets. For the rest of the half our defense had the Jets three-and-out......" Mikefan.... ".....The announcer alluded to the fact that Tom Coughlin decided that Plaxico couldn't play, even though he wanted to. There had been some rumors that Plaxico was milking his sprained ankle injury during training camp. Now I'm sure the 'new-improved' Tom Coughlin wouldn't be playing any mind games with Burress right? ......"

---

ESPN - Jets 20, Giants 12.
Giants.com - Giants fall to Jets 20-12.
Giants.com - Tom Coughlin Post Game Transcript.
Newsday - Despite loss, Coughlin sees some progress.
Newsday - A quick look at what Jets, Giants have showed us.
NYDailyNews - For Pete's sake! Jets just can't protect Chad.
NYPost - Despite loss, Big Blue starters dominate Jets.
NYPost - Calendar not on indecisive Strahan's side.
StarLedger - Recapping the Giants-Jets.
StarLedger - Burress return off due to flu.
StarLedger - Teammates anticipate Strahan's arrival.
TheJournalNews - Jets beat Giants, but both teams have worries.

Aug 25 The Giants had enough confidence David Diehl could make a successful transition from left guard to left tackle that following last season they parted ways with longtime starter Luke Petitgout. Tonight, Diehl and the rest of the Giants starters will play into the third quarter during their annual preseason tussle with the Jets. After that, it's a cameo appearance in the preseason finale in New England. Tonight is the last tune-up before the hits start coming for real Sept. 9 in Dallas.
Tonight, the Giants' new left tackle will play nearly three quarters against the Jets in the teams' third preseason game -- the one that is most like the regular season because the starters play through halftime while coaches game plan to exploit an opponent's weaknesses. Chances are, the Jets feel they can get to Eli Manning through Diehl. Can Diehl be an NFL left tackle? And did they make a mistake when they cut Luke Petitgout in February? Diehl believes he will relieve those fears and more tonight.

Sure the opponents are the Jets, which might stir up interest for the fans and media. But to veteran players, this being the third week of the preseason is the overriding factor. "This is the game the starters play the most," said quarterback Eli Manning. "We usually play into the third quarter. This is our last real chance to get sharp before the regular season." Manning will make a token appearance, if any at all, in Thursday night's exhibition finale in New England. Some regulars may sit out that game to avoid injuries on the brink of the regular season."
There might be a couple of good hits and a little trash talking when the Jets and Giants meet for mini bragging rights. Coaches Tom Coughlin of the Giants and Eric Mangini of the Jets might spice up tonight's game at Giants Stadium with a trick play, but don't expect much more. The matchup that matters will be the regular season game on Oct. 7. "You're not going to put all the cards on the table," Mangini said. It will serve as a scouting tool for the teams, who are both 1-1.
Eric Mangini's second preseason has been filled with uncertainty, and tinged with turmoil, creating a greater sense of urgency for the annual game against the Giants tonight at the Meadowlands. The outcome doesn't matter - few will remember it by Oct. 7, when they meet in the regular season - but this is a peace-of-mind game for the Jets.

Six weeks from now, Brandon Jacobs will feel the full fury of a meeting between the Jets and the Giants. Lucky for him, he'll get a preview of that physical brand of football tonight at 8 when those teams meet in the third preseason game. It will be Jacobs' longest test of the preseason as he prepares to make up, at least in part, for all those yards Tiki Barber left on the table with his retirement. But perhaps most important of all, tonight will provide his only extended opportunity to hone the protective techniques he's picked up from watching other great backs operate.
How convinced is Jacobs that he can do the job? Consider this response to a question about his biggest concern: "I have no concerns. I don't have one concern." Or this one about his receiving ability: "I think that is something I am going to surprise people with. I think I have pretty decent hands and my route running skills from my rookie year until now is like night and day." And this one about his blocking: "That's a done deal, I'm ready to do that, too. That's not hard. You just have to know your man, know who you've got and put him on his back."
Jeremy Shockey is not expected to play because of lingering tightness in his left hamstring, so Kevin Boss should start. Darcy Johnson projected as the other tight end until a season-ending knee injury in practice; Michael Matthews, a rookie free agent, has been holding down the blocking tight end spot, but he's on a big learning curve..

Since the rocky beginning to Michael Strahan's holdout when tempers on both sides flared, the Giants have gone overboard the last few weeks trying to profess their love for their absent defensive end. The latest bouquet came courtesy of co-owner Steve Tisch. Tisch, who lives and works in Southern California, not far from Strahan's new Hermosa Beach home, paid a surprise visit to the 35-year-old future Hall of Famer earlier this week. He confirmed the meeting to the Daily News through a team spokesman last night, but declined to offer any further details.It may not be a coincidence that Strahan, according to people familiar with his thinking, is expected to announce his return sometime in the next few days.

Aug 24 Tom Coughlin blew his whistle for the last time in Albany this year, signaling the end of training camp. The players responded by tossing their gloves into the air in celebration. "Some of them threw their gloves up in the air before practice," Coughlin said with a laugh. Everyone might have been joking, but the work done here for the past month has been serious. And Coughlin is pleased with the way the team has come together.
In the four weeks of practices and preseason games in between, the Giants discovered that: - bruising Brandon Jacobs can replace the retired Barber at halfback, and that there is depth to spare behind him. - David Diehl can play left tackle. - veteran receiver Amani Toomer has recovered from his second major knee injury. - Mathias Kiwanuka might struggle making the transition from defensive end to strongside linebacker, but he is getting better. - the defense could play well without Strahan, who is mulling whether to retire or return for a 15th NFL season. - rookie receiver Steve Smith might have been a steal in the second round of the draft. - thanks to Barber's nasty comments on Sunday Night Football about Eli Manning's lack of leadership ability, the quarterback showed he had the vocal backbone to rip his former teammate and show that he is a leader.

Thus ended a month-long stay at the University at Albany, which started with questions about the whereabouts of defensive end Michael Strahan and ended with no sign of the seven-time Pro Bowler. His absence could have been a major distraction, but Coughlin said the team was able to keep its focus. A source with knowledge of Strahan's thinking said "You know better" when asked if Strahan will make an appearance at Giants Stadium tomorrow night on the sideline for the Giants-Jets preseason game.
The final camp attendance total was 32,590, down some 8,000 from last year. A UAlbany official attributed the drop to no Tiki Barber and the pessimistic outlook offered for the team this season. Coughlin said Eli Manning, Anthony Wright and Tim Hasselbeck will share the QB duties vs. the Jets while Jared Lorenzen will get the bulk of the work against the Patriots in Thursday night's final exhibition.

Was that really Tom Coughlin, spending a month ensconced at the University at Albany, deftly handling every question thrown his way, whether it concerned the ongoing Michael Strahan saga or what Tiki Barber said this time or - egads! - yet another investigation into Eli Manning's development? The Giants coach this summer changed his demeanor in an attempt to reveal what he believes is his true colors. He knows he's direct and not tolerant of redundancy or anything he deems a waste of his valuable time. What Coughlin was surprised and hurt to learn following last season is that so many people in the media perceived him as uncaring, rude and even hostile when it came to the give-and-take that comes with the job.

One training camp as the No.1back was all it took to convince Brandon Jacobs, 25, that he is ready to take over as the featured back in the Giants offense. Never at a loss for confidence, the 6-4, 265-pounder seems more self-assured than ever. He knows the now-retired Barber was a machine, averaging 1,528 rushing yards and 526 receiving yards over the last five seasons. Jacobs says he is ready to do anything the 5-10 Barber could do. How does he know? "Just look at me," Jacobs said. "That tells me everything I need to know." Jacobs' teammates still can't get over his rare combination of speed, power and size. On Jacobs' last carry Sunday night in Baltimore, it seemed the entire Ravens defense piled on top of him and still couldn't drag him down.

In the NFL, one player's misfortune is usually another man's opportunity. Sunday night in Baltimore, Giants cornerback Sam Madison had the misfortune of pulling his hamstring. Now Corey Webster can perhaps claim his starting job. "Everyone goes out there and prepares like a starter anyway," said Webster, who will line up with the first team when the Giants host the Jets in a preseason game Saturday night. "I've been preparing like a starter, so it's nothing new. Every day is another opportunity for you to go out there and showcase your talents. It's always another opportunity to go out there and prove that you can do what you are here to do."
The Giants' second-round draft pick in 2005 (when they did not have a first-rounder) will replace veteran right cornerback Sam Madison, who suffered a hamstring injury in Sunday night's game in Baltimore. Webster had 10 starts at left corner last season before falling deep into then defensive coordinator Tim Lewis' doghouse and eventually onto the injured reserve list. His problems, however, started early in the season, in the regular-season opener against the Indianapolis Colts. He dove for a pass and landed out of bounds, then felt a pain in his hip area. He continued to play even though the problem cut down on his effectiveness. The injury was kept fairly quiet until he finally was forced to go onto IR in December.

Though small in stature, Sinorice Moss' entrance into the NFL was big. A standout player for the University of Miami, the brother of a Pro Bowl receiver (Santana) and another client in agent Drew Rosenhaus' stable of superstars, Moss was expected to make an immediate impact. That was until his quad strain, which appeared to be minor when he suffered it on the first weekend of training camp, sidelined him for 10 of the first 11 games of the regular season.

NFC East News
Washington Redskins - The New York Jets have reached an agreement to trade veteran Pete Kendall to the Washington Redskins, who hope the 34-year-old lineman will make up for the team's inability to find a suitable starting left guard during the off-season.

Aug 23 Shaun O'Hara yesterday morning read with a hefty amount of shock and awe that Eli Manning laid into former Giants teammate Tiki Barber, and the veteran center had an immediate reaction. "Good for him," O'Hara said of Manning. That was an overwhelming sentiment, as players, many others in the organization, and fans were pumped up after Manning for the first time in his four years as Giants quarterback used his words to stir the pot.
Center O'Hara said, "I admire [Eli] as a third-year player because I don't know many third-year players who would be comfortable enough to get up and talk in front of a team. I know I certainly wouldn't have in my third year. I'd be interested to see if Tiki ever did that in his third year."
For the most part, the Giants seemed thrilled that Manning stood up to Barber's barbs and fired back a few of his own. "He's a big boy. He's able to stand up for himself," said guard Chris Snee. "It's something you have to address. I feel he did a good job in handling it." "I'm not surprised," added Plaxico Burress. "When somebody talks about you, you're supposed to stand up for yourself."

On his Tuesday night radio show, Barber said he was glad Eli "was sticking up for himself." But he was upset by the "lost the heart" comment. "He also said that I didn't have any heart and he could see it on the field," Barber said on Sirius radio's "The Barber Shop." "I guess I really would have been a Hall of Famer if I had played with heart instead of rushing for 1,650 yards with no heart. Who knows?"
"From what I read, I guess his heart was not in it," said Manning, who wanted to end the "he said, she said" battle after one day, but needed to emphasize he was not questioning Barber's heart with his initial comments.
Manning didn't exactly back down yesterday, saying he was repeating various articles where Barber himself said his heart wasn't in the sport anymore. Whether Manning read it right or misconstrued it, it would be hard to argue that anger fueled the quarterback's initial reaction to Barber's criticism of his leadership abilities. The next time Eli Manning runs into Tiki Barber, why, he's going to ... he's going to ... Shake his hand. "I'm fine talking with Tiki," Manning said yesterday as he tried to lay the feud with his former teammate to rest. "If I see him, I'll talk to him. I'll be friendly to him. I'm not trying to start something. That's just the deal. It happened. "Hopefully, when we see each other - and we will - it won't be awkward because I don't want it to be."

Michael Strahan on the sidelines Saturday night? "I wouldn't be surprised," Giants LB Antonio Pierce said Wednesday as the next logical date for the defensive end's arrival approaches. However, while talk persists Strahan is nearing a decision, Osi Umenyiora said his fellow defensive end told him Tuesday by phone from California that he had not made a decision.
Rampant speculation within the organization is that Strahan will end his prolonged holdout in time to appear on the Giants' sideline Saturday night for the annual preseason game with the Jets. If that's the case, the seven-time Pro Bowl defensive end will practice for the first time Monday and have 13 days, likely without a single preseason game to fall back on, to get ready for the Sept. 9 regular-season opener in Dallas.

The New York Giants leave the University at Albany practice fields today for the final time this summer. The question is: For how many years will they return? general manager Jerry Reese acknowledged to a reporter that the new training facility -- being built as part of the $1.4 billion stadium the Giants and Jets will share -- could make holding camp in Albany no longer practical. "It's being isolated and being away, and that benefits us," Reese said. "But it really doesn't make a lot of sense, to be honest with you, to come up here when we're paying millions of dollars for a facility down there."
Giants co-owner John Mara has said that though the new training facility will be capable of accommodating an NFL training camp, the Giants have made no decisions about whether they intend to use it that way. He said of the issue, "It's been off my radar." He also acknowledged another scenario: Each year the Giants could spend a week or two in Albany before the first preseason game, then complete the rest of camp at The Meadowlands. "Certainly that's a possibility," Mara said.

Tom Coghlin was asked if Shockey had enough work that he would be ready to go for this game, even for the regular season and how long will his starters go this weekend.
On Shockey - "Oh yeah, he's had plenty of work. We'll have to see. Depending on what they say about this weekend. It's a medical call. If he can go, he'll go and if it's a limited number of plays, it's a limited number of plays. Now that Plaxico's (Burress) out there, you'd certainly like to have everybody out there."
On playing time - "I don't know. We'll see. It'll be right up toward the half. Somewhere in there. I haven't determined exactly what it'll be. I'll probably put a pitch count on them, you know, a number of snaps and just go from there."

J. R. Reed trotted onto the practice field on his first day as a Giant about as anonymously as possible. His name had not yet been added to his No. 30 jersey Wednesday morning. Three years ago, Reed was a rookie with the Philadelphia Eagles, a fourth-round draft pick playing safety and returning kicks for a team that made the Super Bowl. His career held nothing but promise. It all changed with a simple jump over a fence in the backyard of his home in Tampa, Fla., in the spring of 2005. He stumbled, sustaining a cut behind his knee that damaged a nerve to his lower leg. Doctors initially told him he would never play again. Nerves, they told him, do not regenerate."
New defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo, was Reed's defensive backs coach in Philadelphia. The Giants found themselves in dire straits when safety Will Demps sustained a dislocated elbow in Sunday's preseason game against the Ravens. Because the backup Michael Stone is also out, with a hip injury, the Giants have no depth at safety behind James Butler and Gibril Wilson. Cornerback Sam Madison is also out with a hamstring injury, straining the entire secondary. "He knows the system," Giants Coach Tom Coughlin said of Reed, referring to his relationship with Spagnuolo.

Former Giants
George Martin plans to tackle a walk across America to raise money and awareness for the ailing heroes of 9/11. On Sept. 16, the former captain of the Giants' 1986 Super Bowl-winning squad will begin A Journey for 9/11 from the George Washington Bridge. "We're going from the George Washington Bridge to the Golden Gate Bridge," Martin, 54, told the Daily News yesterday.
Bill Parcells is finished coaching, honest. "I knew when I stopped coaching this time that that was it," said Parcells, who admits, "I felt that way before. I really did. When I left the Jets, I really thought that was it. Quite frankly, I know it's 'it' now. My age, I don't want to say it's prohibitive, but it's a young man's game. I recognize that. I don't want to stay too long. I don't want to be propped up out there."

Aug 22 If Tiki Barber is still looking for signs that Eli Manning is ready to be a leader, he got an earful of them yesterday. The Giants quarterback hit back hard at his former teammate, two days after Barber questioned Manning's leadership skills on TV. Manning not only dismissed Barber's critique as irrelevant, but he also questioned the ex-Giant's leadership skills, too.
Barber had reserved his biting remarks about the Giants for coach Tom Coughlin, who reportedly scoffed at an NBC request to have Barber interview him before Sunday's game. But during the broadcast, Barber said Manning's attempts to take over the leadership role that Barber ceded to him were off-target. "He hasn't shown [leadership]," Barber said on the telecast. "His personality hasn't been so that he can step up, make a strong statement and have people believe that it's coming from his heart."

At halftime of Sunday night's Giants-Ravens preseason game, Barber in his debut on NBC's "Football Night in America" openly questioned Manning's leadership ability, describing how late last season he requested that the quarterback deliver a motivational speech to the offense and how "he was very uncomfortable doing it. Sometimes it was almost comical the way he would say things." Manning was briefed about those harsh words not long after the Giants defeated the Ravens 13-12, and upon his return to training camp yesterday took up the offensive.
Eli Manning responded to reporters questions about the criticism of his leadership ability delivered Sunday night by former teammate and current NBC commentator Tiki Barber. "It's one of those deals. When a guy goes to the media he has to say stuff. He's put in a situation where he's got to talk. That's just the way it is. That's the world we live in and you have to deal with it."

Enough is enough, Manning must have figured, before loading his rhetorical rifle and firing a retort at his former teammate. "I'm not going to lose any sleep about what Tiki has to say," said Manning, leading into the "however" phase of his comment. "I guess I could have questioned his leadership skills last year with calling out the coach and having articles about him retiring in the middle of the season, and that he's lost the heart.
As a quarterback you're reading that your running back has lost the heart to play the game and it's about the 10th week. I can see that a little bit at times. But I'm not going to get concerned. I'm going to go out there and play ball."
Never mind that Eli is way off the mark questioning Barber's heart. Perhaps he should take out the tape of Barber's heroic 234-yard, three-TD performance against the Redskins that dragged the Giants kicking and screaming into the playoffs. Barber, who called out the coach after getting 10 carries against the Jaguars, looked like the one Giant that night who didn't lose the heart to play the game. You can hit Barber as hard as you want for setting up his television career from Monday to Saturday, but never on Sunday. Last night, on his Sirius NFL Radio show, Barber said, "I have never, ever, ever not left 100 percent of myself on the football field. And you can say whatever you want, but don't say that because that's offensive."
On his show, "The Barber Shop," on Sirius NFL Radio, Barber said he was glad Manning stuck up for himself, even though Barber thought his comments were tame and honest. "It was not said maliciously," he said. Manning doesn't plan on changing his style, as he's said many times when the "L" word came up. His teammates don't expect or want a change, either. "He gets fired up on Sundays," Burress said. "It's kind of shocking, some of the things that come out of his mouth, but that's good for us to see that." "I thought Tiki and Eli were pretty good friends," Amani Toomer said. "It's kind of strange to have him say something like that ... I don't believe [Barber] really believes that."

Coach Chris Palmer on Eli Manning - Can Eli lead an offense?
" Oh I think so. Everybody leads in a different way. If you buy any business books, there are 101 ways to lead. He'll lead in his own particular fashion."
How about the way he carries himself, that was seemed to be a concern?
"I have not witnessed that. All I'm talking about is what's happening right now. There's not one time that I can say that there were bad vibes coming from him. And you guys have been with the team longer than I have, hopefully you'll see a difference this year."

The Big Apple might be growing impatient with Eli Manning. But Giants coach Tom Coughlin isn't. Yes, Manning throws too many interceptions. And yes, he is winless in his two playoff appearances. But at 26, Manning remains a young quarterback. Clearly, Eli is not his brother Peyton. A three-time NFL passing champion, two-time league MVP and the Super Bowl MVP last February, Peyton is the best quarterback in the game today.
Eli just doesn't stack up with Peyton. At least not the 2007 Peyton. But let me take you back to Peyton's first three seasons. He won only 21 of his first 39 career starts with 50 interceptions and an 0-1 record in the playoffs. Eli has won 20 of his first 39 starts with 44 interceptions to go with his 0-2 playoff record. "I hope it doesn't take Eli six years to win his first playoff game like it took me," Peyton said.

Plaxico Burress made it back to the practice field yesterday after 19 days on the sideline with a sprained right ankle. Eli Manning delivered a few throws to Burress, who looked a little rusty but had a couple of catches and no ill effects. "He looked pretty good," Tom Coughlin said. "It's good to have him on the field working with the quarterbacks, and I think he feels pretty good after practice." Of course, the Giants can't seem to get all of Manning's targets on the field at once. Jeremy Shockey sat out with a tight left hamstring that has plagued him since the first week of camp. Shockey felt tightness in the area during Sunday's win over the Ravens. "I don't have an exact time (frame) or anything," coach Tom Coughlin said. "I am not sure. Hopefully as soon as possible."
Wide Receivers Coach Mike Sullivan on how far behind is Plaxico [Burress] right now. "Plaxico has done a great job in the meetings, being very focused, he's attentive. He's out at practice getting the mental reps and will help the younger guys, talk them through it. As we've gone through game plan, these past two preseason games, he's right up front taking good notes. In terms of doing all the things he can do mentally, he's right there. We're excited about getting him back."
The rest of the players who missed practice due to injury were CB Sam Madison (hamstring), WR Sinorice Moss (ankle), C/G Grey Ruegamer (ankle), LBs Gerris Wilkinson (knee) and Barry Robertson (knee), S Michael Stone (hip), OL Todd Londot (ankle) and LS Ryan Kuehl (calf/Achilles'). As expected, the Giants signed former Eagles DB/KR J.R. Reed. They also signed C Nick Jones (Georgia) and claimed WR Will Buchanon off waivers from the Raiders.
To make room for those players, WR Michael Jennings (torn Achilles' tendon) and DE Charrod Taylor (foot) were waived because of injury. OL Dan Parrish, who was signed last week, was waived. There's a chance Jennings will be placed on injured reserve if he clears waivers. Taylor was the player the team signed as an undrafted free agent primarily because he was aboard the USS Cole when it was bombed in 2000.

Corey Webster kept telling Sam Madison his hip was bothering him. Madison kept insisting it was simply the repercussions of playing in the NFL, where everybody's in some kind of pain. "Until he had surgery," Madison said yesterday. "And then, I was like, 'Oh, crap, he really was hurt.'" Madison is the one hurting now. The Giants' starting cornerback pulled his left hamstring on Sunday and will likely miss a few weeks -- perhaps even the start of the regular season.
That means the Giants will be relying on Webster, at least for the rest of the preseason, to step into Madison's spot. Webster, who was placed on injured reserve before January's playoff loss to the Eagles, entered camp practicing once per day but was quickly given the green light to participate fully. Now, he said he's back to 100 percent.

In the first season of the post-Tiki Barber era, Brandon Jacobs and Reuben Droughns are being counted on to spearhead the Giants' running game. Behind them is a group of running backs looking to provide the team with much-needed depth. First in line is fourth-year pro Derrick Ward. Behind him are two young running backs who had stood out with stellar efforts in the first two preseason games. Rookie seventh-round pick Ahmad Bradshaw and first-year back Ryan Grant continued their solid summer efforts in the Giants' 13-12 victory at Baltimore on Sunday night.

NFC East News
Eagles - Jeremiah Trotter, one of the leaders of the Philadelphia Eagles defense for much of the last decade, was released Tuesday in a surprise move that may lead to his retirement.

Aug 21 Eli Manning got plenty of action in his two quarters of work Sunday night, whether he was scrambling away from one of the Ravens defenders or making a dozen very accurate throws. It was a very strong performance for the Giants quarterback, except for a fumbled snap that turned into a Ravens field goal. Manning completed 10 of 13 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown, a 10-yarder to rookie Steve Smith through heavy traffic, in the Giants' 13-12 win. Manning's best throw was an across-the-field completion to Smith while linebacker Terrell Suggs was taking Manning down.
Coughlin had much to be pleased with, as Eli Manning was extremely sharp, Amani Toomer came through his first game unscathed, a defensive unit that sagged one week earlier was considerably more effective and inspired, and young kicker Josh Huston further complicated the competition with a strong showing. This was all good stuff for Coughlin. Yet he was bummed out by a rash of injuries that came out of the game, leaving the Giants hurting in the defensive backfield and uncertain as to which of the walking wounded might be ready for the Sept. 9 regular-season opener in Dallas.

Tom Coughlin's Monday should have been brighter. The previous night he saw his defense, thoroughly embarrassed the week before, rise up against a physical Ravens' offense. He also saw one of his kickers take control in the battle to replace Jay Feely. All that and the news that Michael Strahan soon may report - Tom should have been a happy guy. But he wasn't.
Tom Coughlin sounded down. And he even admitted he was down. It wasn't the rainy weather or a case of the late training camp blues. It was the seven injuries the team suffered in Sunday's preseason win over the Ravens.
Coughlin knew he lost wide receiver Michael Jennings for the year with a torn left Achilles' tendon when Jennings, who was playing his way into contention for a roster spot, went down after a sideline catch early in the second quarter. The rest of the wounded are day-to-day or week-to-week, which complicates things for Coughlin and his staff with the season opener 19 days away.
Coughlin said, "I am very down about the Michael Jennings' thing. Here is a guy who has just worked his ever-loving (ass) off and done everything that you asked him to do. He had been spending an awful lot of time since the year he was on practice squad working on being a punt returner as well, so he had another opportunity to make the team from that standpoint. He got better week in and week out, almost practice in and practice out. He had a really nice night last night and then the injury struck. It is a very difficult thing to deal with."

Aaron Ross and Corey Webster are supposed to be the future of the Giants' secondary. The future might be closer than they think. Cornerback Sam Madison, one of the victims of the physical beating the Giants took in Baltimore on Sunday night, might not be ready for the season opener in Dallas on Sept.9, 19 days away. He suffered a pulled left hamstring in the Giants' 13-12 win and "depending on the severity, that could be a couple of weeks," Tom Coughlin said. That puts his scheduled opening night start in doubt.

Aug 20 Giants beat the Ravens 13-12.

---

On The Game: Preseason Game 2 Recap Gamegirl... "......By the end of the second quarter, the Ravens were up 3-0 but the Giants were starting to move the ball pretty good, and Eli Manning hit Steve Smith with a 10 yard touchdown pass for a 7-3 lead. That became 7-6 by the end of the half, and unfortunately, the injuries kept piling up. By then, Michael Jennings was out with an achilles tendon injury, Will Demps with a dislocated elbow, Sam Madison with a hamstring injury, and Steve Smith had a concussion....." Mikefan.... ".....Tiki Barber picked the wrong night to come out of the closet on Eli Manning. Barber said that Eli came across "almost comical" trying to handle the leadership role when given the chance. Cris Collinsworth seemed to be overly exuberant allowing the new (intruding?) sports jock to hang himself with every word. If Barber wants to be a successful sports announcer, he should get his timing down......"

---

ESPN - Key injuries mar Giants' physical preseason win over Ravens.
Giants.com - Costly win for Giants as team suffers injuries.
StarLedger - Onslaught of injuries puts an ominous cloud over solid performance.
StarLedger - Giants morning after.
Newsday - Injuries overshadow toughened Giants' defense.
Newsday - Strahan may be nearing return.
DailyNews - Jennings likely done for season, five others hurt.
DailyNews - Strahan nears decision time.
NYPost - Giants toppple Ravens, but lose four to injury.
NYPost - Smith shakes off concussion.
Record - Giants hit with injuries.
BaltimoreSun - Ravens turn in limp effort.
BaltimoreSun - No problem summing it up -- Giants wanted it more.

Aug 19 If preseason games are so insignificant, then why do the Baltimore Ravens seem to care so much about tonight's matchup against the New York Giants? The Ravens will break out their black uniforms, which they usually save for special occasions. Looking good is one thing, but the team is eager to impress a crowd of more than 70,000 fans and a national television audience by playing well, too. "We just want to show them that we're a tenacious defense with a lot of depth," linebacker Bart Scott said. "There's a lot of guys here who could be starting on other defenses. ... Let's see if they (the Giants) can match our tempo and intensity. It's important we take each game like it's our last."

The concept that Will Demps wants to go back into M&T Bank Stadium tonight at 8 and beat the Baltimore Ravens' collective brains out passed after the teams met there during the 2006 preseason. He's got bigger things on his mind now than taking out some aggression on the team that let him go last season in free agency. Demps wants that starting strong-safety job the coaches took away from him during the offseason and handed to James Butler. He's worked all training camp to get it, beginning the four-week session exclusively with the second unit, then sifted in with the starters last week following a strong performance in the preseason opener against Carolina. That Demps has made a push for a starting spot may have surprised others. But not last year's starting free safety.

New defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo plans to make the Giants more aggressive, using more man-up coverage and employing a philosophy that translates into "see the ball, get the ball," rather than read and react. The problem is that his "get the ball" guys have been banged up and unable to practice every day, including first round pick CB Aaron Ross and, to a lesser extent, second-year CB Kevin Dockery. "I guarantee we'll have more picks and turnovers this year," says Gibril Wilson, who appears to have been switched from SS to FS, a move that put FS Will Demps on the bench and moved reserve James Butler to starting SS.
The Giants have formally announced that Jared Lorenzen is their second-team quarterback behind starter Eli Manning. This might be considered one of the surprise developments for the team in recent years, since the 6-3, 285-pound Lorenzen, who was so overweight when signed as a free agent in 2004 that he chose not to report for a year. To their credit, the Giants didn't simply release him. They held on to his rights, and now perhaps their patience is beginning to pay off. He throws as hard a ball as any quarterback in the league. He is as tough as any of them. On third-and-one or third-and-two, he is a threat to use his vast bulk to simply push forward in an elephant's version of the quarterback keeper.

Plaxico Burress won't strap it up on this Sunday. He'll be sidelined tonight when the Giants visit the Ravens in their second preseason game. He expects to return to practice on Tuesday in preparation for this weekend's game against the Jets in which the starters will probably play into the third quarter. Coach Tom Coughlin undoubtedly will be relieved to have quarterback Eli Manning's top target on the field, but the coach clearly wanted Burress back a lot sooner. "He needs to obviously go full speed so we can get the quarterback and him hooked up," Coughlin said last week.

This will be Amani Toomer's first game action since last Nov. 5, when he partially tore his left anterior cruciate ligament against Houston. He has participated in most training camp practices (sitting out once on the days the Giants practiced twice) and did not play in last week's preseason opener against Carolina. "You usually don't look forward to preseason games," Toomer said. "After not being able to play in a game for a while and after watching last week, I'm excited. I've been preparing for a while like it's a real game and it's a good test for me."

Tim Hasselbeck hopes this isn't the last time he dons a Giants uniform. Amani Toomer figures this is another step toward his full recovery following knee surgery. Anthony Mix wants this to be the game that convinces the coaching staff he deserves to stay around. Blended into a nondescript preseason game are individual stakes that often coexist with the needs of the team.

Tim Hasselbeck has spent most of training camp standing and watching other quarterbacks get the reps he wishes he had. Tonight is his chance to prove he deserves more. Hasselbeck will get what might be his only preseason action tonight, when he directs the third-stringers against the Baltimore Ravens. He'll likely only play the fourth quarter - after Eli Manning and Jared Lorenzen have finished - and may only get two or three series. But he knows it's better than nothing.
"I try to be positive about it, rather than be negative," Hasselbeck said. "I never went in and said, 'Hey, how come I'm not getting more reps?' That approach to it is just not a healthy approach. So from that standpoint, you just be positive and take advantage of the opportunities you get." The 29-year-old Hasselbeck was Manning's backup in 2005, but lost the job to Lorenzen last season. This offseason the Giants signed veteran Anthony Wright, which pushed Hasselbeck to the fourth string and likely will leave him without an NFL job when camp is over.

Michael Jennings, who didn't catch a pass in the Giants' preseason opener on Aug. 11, understands his time as a starter is likely short. With Amani Toomer (knee) progressing nicely this summer and Burress due back eventually, the starting jobs are all locked up. And Sinorice Moss and rookie Steve Smith - the Giants' second-round picks in the last two drafts - probably have an edge over Jennings for the third- and fourth-receiver jobs.
Despite his time with the first team, Jennings, who caught five passes for 49 yards last season, still has work to do if he wants to make this year's squad. David Tyree, a valuable special teams player, likely will get one of the roster spots at receiver. That leaves Jennings to battle four younger and bigger receivers - Anthony Mix (6-5, 235), Brandon London (6-4, 210), Marco Thomas (6-1, 175) and Kevin McMahan (6-2, 200) - for the final job.
He's had plenty of opportunities so far in camp, running with the first-unit offense nearly every day because of Plaxico Burress' ankle injuries. Jennings will start again tonight against the Ravens because Burress' sprained right ankle is still healing; with a chance to play an entire half and catch passes from Manning, Jennings has another shot to be noticed.
With Amani Toomer working back from a November knee surgery, Burress annoying Coughlin by being out for two weeks and now Moss, who missed almost all of last year's camp with a quad injury, sidelined by a sprained ankle, Jennings is showing his durability. He's had some nicks, a tight groin or a sore hip, but he knows he can't afford to take a day off. "If you're not out there," he said, "you're not getting noticed."

Steve Serby's Sunday Q&A with Jerry Reese:
Q: What have you learned about Tom Coughlin you didn't know?
A: Tom gets a bad rap about being this gruff, no-personality person. Tom is a caring, hard-working, conscientious person who wants to win and wants to prepare his team to win, and he's good to work with. He's really a guy that can make you laugh and is good to be around.
Q: Dan Reeves?
A: One time at training camp it started to rain, and the equipment manager was bringing these rain jackets to him and I was sitting there just kinda getting wet the whole time, and Dan's like, "Do you see those guys sitting there? Get those guys some raincoats." I loved him after that.
Q: Jim Fassel?
A: Easy to work with and listened to the personnel people.

Eli Manning Answers Your Questions. The response to the first NYDailyNews.com Web-exclusive Fan Q&A, starring Giants quarterback Eli Manning, was overwhelming, to say the least. It got well over 100 comments and nearly 200 questions -- some serious, some not-so-serious, and a couple that were downright hilarious.

Aug 18 When Eli Manning throws passes to anybody but Amani Toomer, his mechanics are often very shaky. When Toomer is the target, Manning's motion is rarely smoother. That's what confidence in a receiver can do for a young quarterback. "You can read what he is doing," Manning said of Toomer. "He makes good decisions on his routes and his timing. If he gets banged at the line he knows to cut his routes shorter to stay within the timing of the plays. He will do the right thing and make big plays for us."

Amani Toomer, 32, will see his first game action since he partially tore his left ACL against Houston on Nov. 5. "I'm preparing like it's a real game," Toomer said. "It'll be a good test for me to see where I'm at." It will be good for Manning to have a starting wide receiver to throw to in a game. Manning has had limited time in training camp with Plaxico Burress (ankle), who will miss his second straight game Sunday. Coach Tom Coughlin said Toomer will see about 10 to 12 plays. "He needs to get hit," Coughlin said. "He needs to know that he can get up and be in one piece and play the game the way he wants to play."
Playing the Baltimore Ravens tomorrow night will be more than a preseason debut for Amani Toomer. It will be a chance for the Giants' second all-time leading receiver to show that he is back from knee surgery for the second time in his 12-year career. "There hasn't been a day in the last eight or nine months that I haven't tried to do something that has to do with getting me back on the field," said Toomer, who has not played in a game tearing a ligament in his left knee on Nov. 5. Surgery fixed the tear, but the process of getting back on the field has been slow for the receiver, who will turn 33 in September.

After sitting out the preseason opener, rookie cornerback Aaron Ross is expected to make his Giants debut tomorrow night against the Ravens in Baltimore. It's been three weeks of training camp mirroring every move of receivers Steve Smith and Sinorice Moss, and Ross is ready to track some fresh blood. "I can't wait to get out there," Ross said yesterday. "I've been practicing against Steve and Moss all this time. Now I'm ready to face some other receivers.
The rookie from Texas also would like to do some punt returns, but coach Tom Coughlin said that will have to wait for another time. "That's something I really love to do," he said of running back punts. "Hopefully when my hamstring is all right I'll have a chance to do it because it's something I really enjoy doing." Coughlin, however, wants to work Ross in on defense first before turning him loose in the return game.

In Derrick Ward's three seasons with the Giants, he's attempted only 35 rushes, all in 2005. Last season, he broke his foot after slipping on a wet floor during training camp and missed the first six games; he hurt the foot again in December and sat out the last two games. Ward presents a seemingly suitable option as the third tailback, because he offers a counter to the smash-mouth style of Droughns and Jacobs. But proving a capable kickoff return specialist can seal his position on the roster."

Some people might think that making the Giants' roster as a rookie free agent two years ago and playing in all 17 games in 2006 would cause Chase Blackburn to relax a little during his third training camp. Those people have obviously never met him. "I still come in with the same notion as I always have," said Blackburn, the 6-3, 247-pound linebacker. "I still feel like an undrafted free agent that hasn't made it yet, even now. I still come in with the same chip on my shoulder, just making sure I don't get comfortable with my position, because once you do that, that's when people jump ahead of you."

Jeff Feagles doesn't need a calendar or Tom Coughlin's schedule to tell him the Giants will soon leave their summer home here. "I can always tell when it's starting to get close to the end of camp," Feagles said, "because the reporters are starting to talk to me now." No one understands the rhythms and customs of training camp better than Feagles, who is participating in his 20th camp overall, his fifth with the Giants.
Feagles knows that at this late date in camp, most reporters have already examined the team's key issues and need a story to get them through the day. Why not chat with the punter? Of course, Feagles is no ordinary punter. He is the most durable and prolific player at his position in NFL history. Feagles has played a league-record 304 consecutive games and he is atop the record book in punts (1,514), yards (62,928) and punts down inside the 20-yard line (483).

Tim Hasselbeck has struggled so far this camp, though it's tough to blame him because he's had very few reps and has worked with the third-string offense and scout team. Tomorrow night, however, he'll be the third quarterback to enter, following Eli Manning and Jared Lorenzen. With Anthony Wright impressing in camp, the undersized but hard-working Hasselbeck's six-year career could be in jeopardy.

Aug 17 Manuel Wright played in only three games with the Miami Dolphins. His stint with the Buffalo Bills lasted just six days. And the Giants, who signed him on Wednesday, have guaranteed him less than two weeks. So yesterday, when the 340-pound defensive tackle was bombarded by reporters with 23 questions in five minutes, he had to find a way to explain why this time will be different.
"Well, I've actually been training," Wright said yesterday after the Giants' morning practice. "A lot of guys do it, but in the past four years I had just been, 'Whatever, get up and go play.' I actually put in my time and I feel that it should pay off this time."
Manny Wright talked about playing football for the Giants. He had a smile on his face and not a tear in his eye. As a rookie two years ago, he cried on the field after being scolded by then-Miami Dolphins coach Nick Saban. A lot has changed in Wright's life. The 340-pound defensive tackle, who seemed overwhelmed making the jump from Southern California, has learned to approach football in the NFL as a job. He has gotten his head straightened out, worked hard and gotten into his best shape in years.

Good thing Tui Alailefaleula isn't a 170-pound wide receiver. His name wouldn't fit across the back of his Giants jersey. But the man (hereafter Tui) not only has room for his last name, but also for a short biography. He is the second 340-pound-plus defensive tackle brought into camp the past two days in coach Tom Coughlin's quest for a "stout" middle of his defensive line after an abysmal showing against Carolina on Saturday night.
Big is Fred Robbins, who at 317 pounds once reigned supreme in size among the starting defensive line. Big does not adequately describe the doughy duo imported this week by the Giants, a tonnage twosome that yesterday hit the field for the first time. The weight of newly-signed 6-foot-4 twin peaks Manny Wright (345) and Tui Alailefaleula (375) adds up to 720 pounds, which for now makes this nothing more than an extreme experiment that may smack of desperation and unquestionably contains rivulets of perspiration. "I went from being one of the bigger guys to one of the smallest," Robbins said.
The run defense will get a boost from the return of Robbins, the left tackle who had the finest season of his career in 2006. He did not play vs. the Panthers because of a calf strain. Coughlin was asked if Wright and Alailefaleula will play in Baltimore.
"It depends on how we feel about them," he said. "They are going to condition before (practice) in the morning, throughout the day, after practice they are going to be involved, and if we feel like they are in a position where they can compete and not jeopardize themselves, then we will consider playing them. Not many plays, but some plays. That is what they are here for and it is the second preseason game."
Coughlin said Amani Toomer will play against the Ravens. It will be Toomer's first game action since he partially tore his left ACL vs. Houston last Nov. 5.
WR Plaxico Burress (ankle) is still out. Don't expect to see him play on Sunday in Baltimore. Also out: WRs Sinorice Moss (ankle) and Marco Thomas (groin), CBs Corey Webster (hip flexor) and Gerrick McPhearson (groin), LBs Gerris Wilkinson (knee) and Zak DeOssie (ankle), S Michael Stone (hip), S Craig Dahl (groin), C Todd Londot (ankle) and LS Ryan Kuehl (calf).
The University at Albany dedicated one of its football practice fields in honor of Wellington Mara and Bob Tisch, the late co-owners of the Giants, in a ceremony. UAlbany dedicated one of its practice fields to the memory of the Giants' late co-owners Wellington Mara and Robert Tisch.

The numbing routine of afternoon practice, dinner and evening meetings was interrupted Wednesday night when Tom Coughlin surprised his team by canceling the classroom work and taking the entire Giants team bowling. For slightly more than two hours, the Giants took over Del Lanes in Delmar, where owners Marvin Sontz and Bill Cornell and manager Tina Reide made sure to have plenty of size 14, 15 and 16 bowling shoes on hand.
About a month ago, Giants personnel arranged to have the alleys closed down for a private party on this particular date and Coughlin sprung it on the unsuspecting players for a night of team building. "As long as I beat Coach Coughlin that's all I care about," said Antonio Pierce, who says his typical score is 150. "He was a lot of rah-rahing. He got a little competitive on the bowling alley."

Michael Strahan's holdout hit three weeks yesterday, but the Giants have still set no deadline for him to make a decision about whether he wants to return. "The deadline will take care of itself," GM Jerry Reese said. "It's Michael's decision if he wants to retire or not. He's still planning that decision." A source close to Strahan told the Daily News earlier this week that Strahan had no plans to return before this Sunday night's preseason game in Baltimore, and likely wouldn't make it back before camp breaks on Aug. 23. Although the Giants can't force Strahan to return, there will come a point where it will be too late for him to be ready in time for the season opener at Dallas on Sept. 9.

Stadium News
The Jets and Giants completed a $1.3 billion financing agreement to build an 83,000-seat stadium in East Rutherford. The facility will be constructed near Giants Stadium, the teams' current home, and is scheduled to open in 2010. The new stadium will be the most expensive in U.S. history, topping the $1 billion the Dallas Cowboys say they are spending on their new arena in Arlington, Texas, and required the league to waive some financial rules. For Now If Needed - Parking Passes -  Buy or Sell

Aug 16 Post the questions you'd like to ask Eli Manning - up until Thursday night. On Friday the best or most interesting 10 questions (or so, depending on how much time Manning is willing to give) will be delivered to the quarterback on Friday by Ralph Vacchiano, the Giants' beat writer at the Daily News.

Justin Tuck wasn't surprised by how well his surgically repaired left foot held up in a quarter's work on Saturday. He was a little surprised at the stream of compliments that have come his way from the usually tight-lipped head coach. "I really didn't know what to expect from him or how important he would be for our team," Tom Coughlin said. "I'm excited by the way he's playing."
When Tuck came to camp, he figured to work in slowly and eventually show he was capable of backing up Osi Umenyiora on the right side. With Michael Strahan not in camp, Tuck's recovery and ability to get through 12 plays without pain against the Panthers on Saturday is huge for Coughlin, who has Tuck running with the first team in Strahan's left end spot.

Fred Robbins shot off the line like he knew the snap count better than the offensive linemen. With a quick first step, he got good position on guard Chris Snee, fought him off with his right arm and got to quarterback Eli Manning. That's called disrupting the pocket. And that's exactly what the Giants' defensive line -- minus Robbins, who was out with an injured calf -- didn't do in the preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers last Saturday. "We have to get out there and redeem ourselves," Robbins, who returned to practice on Monday, said yesterday morning before practice at the University of Albany. "We just have to get a feel for everything."

Derrick Ward is giving the New York Giants a bigger than normal kickoff return game. Much bigger. In a specialty job where the average return man might weigh about 180 pounds, Ward is packing 230 every time he fields a kickoff and gets in gear behind a wedge of blockers. As far as the Giants were concerned, Ward was one of the highlights in their 24-21 preseason loss to the Carolina Panthers on Saturday. The fourth-year back averaged 45.5 yards on two returns, taking the second 67 yards to set up New York's first touchdown.

Banished to the second team after a rough debut season with the Giants, Will Demps played like a man on a mission Saturday night. He showed impressive speed, delivered hard hits and didn't miss any big tackles. In the Giants' preseason opener, the safety was everything he was supposed to be last year. "That's the Will Demps they couldn't get last year," Demps said before practice yesterday at the University at Albany. "I feel like there's no hesitation in my game anymore. Just from the first preseason game they can kind of see what Will Demps really is. Now they can say, 'That's the guy. Wow.'" That's a big change for the 27-year-old Demps, whose only "wow" moments last season were bad ones.

Visanthe Shiancoe left for Minnesota via free agency. Shiancoe took a huge amount of offensive snaps last season. And Shockey's injury history means the No. 2 man has to be able to step in at any moment. Shockey has missed one game each in four of his first five seasons. In the other year he missed seven games. Tight ends coach Mike Pope was handed a quintet of players to sort out at the start of camp. He had Darcy Johnson at the top of the list, but admitted he thought the group basically was a year away from the status Shiancoe had attained in his four seasons with the club.

Darcy Johnson, Kevin Boss and Michael Matthews live together in the University at Albany dorms, so the tight ends have come to know each other well. Maybe that's why Boss and Matthews felt so bad yesterday. Their buddy, Johnson, had all but made the roster as the blocker to Jeremy Shockey's pass-catching role. But he wound up on season-ending injured reserve after an MRI revealed a partially torn right ACL and a sprained MCL after he was carted off the field during Tuesday's morning practice. With Johnson's season ended before it even began, both Boss and Matthews will indeed find roster spots. No tight end was added yesterday, and there is no immediate plans to get one in quickly. Still, it's always tough to see a friend go down.

Backup tight end Darcy Johnson has been placed on injured reserve with a knee problem. The move was one of seven the team made Wednesday, including the signing of defensive tackle Manuel Wright, who has battled weight and emotional issues in two years at the NFL level. The Giants also waived injured defensive end Dek Bake (back) and cornerback Travonti Johnson (leg), while guard Chris Patrick was waived outright. Also signed were offensive linemen Myniya Smith and Dan Parrish.

Despite their mileage, Sam Madison and R.W. McQuarters still enjoy playing football as much as they ever did. And they revel in their status as senior citizens on the corner, imparting their wisdom to younger teammates while absorbing their constant barbs and jokes. Of course, they're not still here because they're good guys and mentors.
They believe they can still play at a high level - high enough to fend off challenges from Corey Webster, who was a second-round draft choice, and Aaron Ross, this year's first-round selection. But they are in a somewhat odd position, tutoring young players who yearn for their jobs and will almost certainly succeed them.
None of the defensive machinations of first-year coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will amount to anything but idle summer chatter if Madison and McQuarters cannot hold up their end. Cornerback is a position for the young, but the Giants are rolling the dice with a pair of starters who are anything but. Madison, 33, is entering his 11th NFL season - the first nine with the Dolphins and last year with the Giants. McQuarters, 30, is beginning his 10th season split among the 49ers, Bears and Lions before arriving via free agency (along with Madison) to the Giants in 2006.

Aug 15 The Giants are one of only five teams to make the playoffs the last two years, but the buzz has begun that this is going to be a difficult transition year for them without Tiki Barber and perhaps without Michael Strahan, two of the best players in the history of the franchise. And with the Eagles emerging as a trendy pick to not only win the NFC East but get to the Super Bowl, there doesn't seem to be a lot of support for the Giants - except in their own locker room, where they think a division title is realistic.
Antonio Pierce, the team's Pro Bowl middle linebacker, said he and his teammates are well aware that much of the football public and media expect the Giants to be mediocre or worse this year. Most football magazines have them finishing third or fourth in the NFC East. Part of their reasoning was the Giants would be unable to replace the yardage produced in the past by recently-retired running back Tiki Barber. Now Michael Strahan, the Giants' other prominent player and personality of the last decade, remains out of camp and is contemplating retirement. Their absences are two of the reasons the Giants are picked by many to miss the playoffs for the first time in three years. It is a theory that Pierce vehemently disagrees with.

If that's what it takes, Tom Coughlin likes the way his offense's leader looks so far. Eli Manning threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Shockey in Saturday's preseason opener, but 10 plays from scrimmage wasn't enough with which to put on a show. Instead, Coughlin has seen a good progression from Manning through three weeks of training camp, hitting his targets well and conducting himself the way the coach wants.

Be forewarned. Whoever nailed Jeremy Shockey with the latest training-camp prank is going to live to regret picking this particular target. After lunch yesterday, Shockey went to sign some autographs and revealed a very purple left hand, stained with dye after he stuck it inside his glove, not knowing that it had been booby-trapped with the unwashable substance that banks use to mark money. It will take days for Shockey to remove the deep purple stain, and undoubtedly much less time to identify the culprit.

Plaxico Burress is no Jeremy Shockey, at least when it comes to playing on a bad ankle in training camp. Shockey pushed himself a year ago on a sprained ankle, and it ended up bothering him during the New York Giants' regular season. Burress isn't making the same mistake this year. The veteran receiver hasn't practiced since spraining his right ankle Aug. 2.
His hours on the field at the University at Albany over the past 12 days have been spent either watching Eli Manning and the offense work or riding a stationary bike. "I am going into my eighth year," Burress said Tuesday. "I pretty much know what to expect from myself, and they know what to expect from me. I know where to be at. I'll just return to my job. Like I said, it's like riding a bike. You get out there and do what you do."
Tom Coughlin hasn't had his top three receivers on the field with Eli Manning as much as he would like. Toomer sits out one session of each two-a-day as he recovers from knee surgery. Shockey has missed a few workouts with soreness in his legs. And Burress has been out since twisting his right ankle in the Aug. 2 evening practice. Coughlin hopes to have him back for today's workout, but fears his passing game will be a few punch-lines off heading into the regular season. The off-season always is filled with tales of how Burress and Shockey prefer to work out in Miami rather than participate in the Giants' program. And how once Manning begins throwing again he'd like to have his two main targets around to catch his throws.

Tom Coughlin is hopeful Plaxico Burress can return to practice this afternoon for the first time since spraining his right ankle on Aug. 2, but the wide receiver doesn't seem too concerned that losing the last two weeks will throw off his timing with Eli Manning. "I don't think it is an issue at all," Burress said yesterday. "Once I get back on the field, the timing is going to be there."
Manning has not been able to get into any rhythm with his starting wide receivers. Amani Toomer, coming off knee surgery, has been limited to one practice on days when the Giants are practicing twice. Burress, who had minor surgery on his left ankle in the offseason, had also been limited to one practice before he was hurt. He would like to get on the field today. "I'm going to try and see what happens," he said. "I'm feeling pretty good." It's the first time Burress has suffered a sprained ankle and he doesn't want to rush back and risk further injury.
It might not be such a big deal had Burress spent the offseason with Manning in New Jersey. But he wasn't there, either, as he recuperated from cleanup surgery on his left ankle. He sprained the right one on Aug. 2 and might return to practice today. Basically, he's missed a lot. But neither Burress nor his quarterback was going to fret about lost time. Not that Burress isn't trying hard to get back. He's spent the last 11 days on the stationary bike and running in straight lines. "It's tough. But once I'm back, I'll be able to run and come off the ball," Burress said. "There's no need to go out there now and play with pain. It's not frustrating at all. I just sit back and learn, and once it heals, I'll be fine."

In the past two days, Will Demps has rotated with James Butler and Gibril Wilson, with all three safeties taking turns working with the first unit. The competition for the two starting spots is on. Demps, who started all last season but was replaced by Butler when camp began this summer, appeared to have a pretty big chip on his shoulder against Carolina. He had a huge block on a 67-yard kickoff return by Derrick Ward, recorded a sack for a 13-yard loss and combined with linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka to tackle running back Nick Goings for a 1-yard loss. Demps looked like, well, a starter among a bunch of backups.

Aug 14 Eli Manning clearly falls short in comparisons to his brother now, but you have to remember the criticism Peyton faced as well after his first three years in the league, which is where Eli is right now. Here is where each stood after three years: Peyton: 26-22 record as starter, 0-2 in playoffs; Eli: 20-19 record, 0-2 in the playoffs.
Peyton: 1,014 of 1,679 (60.4%) for 12,287 yards, 85 TDs, 58 INTs; Eli: 690 of 1,276 (54.1%) for 8,049 yards, 54 TDs, 44 INTs. Then, in his fourth season, Peyton Manning's Colts didn't make the playoffs and after his fifth season lost 41-0 to the Jets in the wild-card round. It wasn't until his sixth year in the league that he won a playoff game.

Tom Coughlin was so troubled by the perception that he engaged in a rare self-evaluation in the offseason. Knowing he needed to be proactive in order to change how people think of him, he met extensively with the team's public relations staff and then invited every beat reporter from every newspaper that regularly covers the team, as well as NFL columnists.
"I probably haven't done a very good job showing who I am," he said. "Don't forget, I'm from an era where coaches were tough, hard-assed guys. So maybe I need to let the players see that I do have greater feelings for them, rather than make them think that I don't. But I don't like the perception that I'm someone who doesn't have care or concern for anyone. It's just not true."

If this were Hollywood, Michael Strahan would come riding in on a white horse and single-handedly solve the Giants' defensive woes. This, however, is about as far away from La-La Land as you can get, both geographically and culturally. And even if Strahan came galloping onto the University at Albany campus, there's no guarantee he would solve all the problems that showed up in Saturday night's exhibition loss to Carolina.
"Strahan, he's a Hall of Famer and yeah, maybe on one or two plays he would have done something differently," linebacker Antonio Pierce said. "For the most part you just got to get guys in the right position." Mathias Kiwanuka, converted from defensive end to strong-side linebacker with the idea that Strahan would be back, said there is no time to dwell on whether the 14-year veteran would have made a difference.
Tom Coughlin says the Giants' front office will have to discuss a timetable for Michael Strahan to return to the team or retire. "We haven't talked yet, meaning myself, Jerry [Reese, the general manager], John and Jon [Mara and Tisch, the co-owners], but we'll have to do that at some point," Coughlin said. "That doesn't mean anything's been set, or even discussed." A person close to Strahan said the defensive end, who owes the Giants $257,184 in fines for missing 18 days of training camp, still hasn't made up his mind.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo wasn't as chipper Monday as he had been the first two weeks of camp, when his defense was flying through the offensive line in practice. "Disappointed, like the rest of us," defensive end Justin Tuck said. But, according to his players, he wasn't down on his crew, and has been fortifying his message with positive reinforcement.
Mathias Kiwanuka was on the field for 25 plays in the Giants' 24-21 preseason loss Saturday night to the Panthers, 13 of those plays with the starters and the rest with the second-unit defense. He preferred yesterday to keep to himself how he graded out in those plays after watching film of his debut at strong-side linebacker. No doubt, he did not ace his first real test. "You got to be real critical of yourself, especially in preseason games, because you got to know what kind of things you need to work on," Kiwanuka said.
Considering Kiwanuka was a defensive end all his life until the coaches handed him a linebacker's playbook six months ago, the 24-year-old has come a long way in a short time. But with the season opener just 27 days away, time is running short for the Giants' starting short-side linebacker. And despite the positives, Kiwanuka knows there were a slew of negatives, too.
He was too aggressive at times, especially when defending the run. He would over-pursue, which allowed the Carolina Panthers to take advantage with cut-backs. On two first-quarter runs in particular, the Panthers' DeShaun Foster and Nick Goings combined for 52 yards. Both rushes - and many of the others during the 25 snaps Kiwanuka played - were to his side.

Sixteen plays. That's how long most members of the Giants' starting defense were on the field Saturday night. Barely enough time to break a sweat. Or get into the flow of the game. Or recognize a new offense they hadn't seen nor prepared for. The defense has been subjected to some criticism for giving up big plays, particularly on cutback runs, in the 24-21 loss to the Carolina Panthers. But when the Giants resumed training camp today at the University at Albany, several of those defenders essentially said, "Chill out, it's far too early to worry."
The defense gave up three long scoring drives in the first half, and it opened the second by surrendering an 85-yard scoring pass in a 24-21 loss to the Carolina Panthers. More than a few fans had to think the defense was horrible. "That's just crazy for anyone to say we're horrible right now," defensive end Osi Umenyiora said yesterday before the Giants practiced at the University at Albany.
"After the game I was like, 'Wow, that doesn't bode too well for what we are trying to accomplish,' " Umenyiora said. "But after watching the tape and seeing what happened, it was just little, little mistakes that you have to correct. A little mistake will cost you 50 or 60 yards." Umenyiora predicted that the Giants would get things fixed before the season opener against the Cowboys at Dallas on Sept. 9.

Yesterday, Justin Tuck practiced in Strahan's left end spot after two weeks of William Joseph filling the role. Coach Tom Coughlin said the move isn't permanent and is designed to get Joseph more reps at tackle. Still, aside from moving linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka back to end, Tuck is probably the best long-term option to replace Strahan once he fully recovers from his foot injury. Because he's not Strahan, Tuck has been labeled by some as a surefire sign the Giants are cooked if Strahan doesn't end his holdout and report to camp.
Coughlin knows what Tuck can do, he just didn't expect him to be doing it so quickly as he recovers from his foot injury. Power and speed. The two things needed to be a successful NFL end. One other necessity is opportunity -- something Tuck hasn't gotten in two years of sitting behind Strahan and Osi Umenyiora. If Strahan retires, that will change.
For Justin Tuck, his performance in Saturday's preseason opener was secondary to the fact he was on the field at all. That's because Tuck has spent the off-season recovering from a foot injury he suffered on Oct. 23 at Dallas. The Lisfranc sprain required surgery and caused him to miss the final 10 games of the 2006 season. The third-year pro, who is expected to be part of the rotation at defensive end, had two tackles in a dozen plays in the Giants' 24-21 loss to Carolina in Giants Stadium.

Aug 13 Tom Coughlin said yesterday there were "no excuses, no explanations" for the performance of the Giants' run defense Saturday night. He also vowed to "get it cleaned up." Unfortunately, the quickest way to fix the problem is still 2,500 miles away.
As the Giants return to training camp at the University at Albany this morning, Michael Strahan, their best run-stopper, will remain home in Hermosa Beach, Calif. His holdout hits 18 days today and his fines total $257,184. And according to sources who have spoken to the defensive end, he is no closer to making a decision on his future with the team.
As one of the top run-stuffing defensive ends of his generation, Strahan rarely put himself out of position. This exhibition showed just how much the Giants miss their erstwhile former Pro Bowler, who remains out of sight and contemplating retirement. Did thoughts of luring Strahan back creep into Coughlin's consciousness as he surveyed the damage?
"That didn't cross my mind at the time," he said. "I think you have to get the situation corrected with the team that's here on the field. Obviously just one guy is not going to completely answer any type of question. The group that's here has got to address this."

The first team defense allowed Jake Delhomme and the Panthers to go 81 yards in 13 plays for a touchdown on their opening series. The drive featured runs of 7, 9 and 15 yards by DeShaun Foster and a 21-yarder by Nick Goings. Both runners made good use to the cutback. Giants coach Tom Coughlin said the defense either overpursued the runner, didn't stay at home or got knocked down on cut blocks on the big plays.
While it's not always possible to determine the culprit on any play, it appeared new linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka contributed to two of the three big cutback gains the Panthers collected on their 81-yard opening drive. He lined up on the right side on the first, a 7-yard run by Foster, and just took off to the middle of the field when he thought the play was going in that direction. On Goings' 21-yard run, Kiwanuka, lined up on the left, took a few steps inside, then appeared to lose sight of the runner, who was cutting back to the outside.
Gibril Wilson cracked a wry smile Saturday night when he was asked about the Giants' run defense. Specifically, the first unit's lack of a run defense - the Panthers racked up 89 rushing yards in the first quarter of the Giants' preseason opener, including three runs of at least 15 yards. "If we'd held them to zero yards," Wilson said, "I think that would have been worse. Because we would have had some false sense of security that we were doing the right thing. Now we can see on film what we have to correct."

Rushing for 124 yards would have been considered a good game for Tiki Barber. That's the total the Giants managed from the running back spot Saturday night -- although it took five men to reach that number. "As a group, with the exception of the fumble at the end of the game, we got a strong performance out of the runners," coach Tom Coughlin said of his stable of backs looking to replace the retired Pro Bowler.
In the locker room after Saturday night's preseason loss to the Panthers, Derrick Ward let his time with the Giants do the talking. "The coaches know what I can do. They have to know if they kept me around this long," the longest-tenured member of the Giants' backfield said after rushing for 29 yards and a touchdown in addition to a 67-yard kickoff return. "Going on four years now. That's saying something."
In their first game since franchise rushing leader Tiki Barber's retirement, the Giants were expecting Brandon Jacobs and Reuben Droughns to power the team's rushing attack. At least for one game, it was two different backs shared the spotlight. Derrick Ward and Ryan Grant combined for 73 yards on just 10 carries and each broke big runs to lead the Giants.
Giants head coach Tom Coughlin was impressed with the effort from his young backs. "Ryan Grant did a nice job," Coughlin said. "Derrick Ward did a nice job and again showed some more quickness when he was in the game." Both players know still have a long way to go in their battle for a roster spot.

Coughlin also praised fullback Robert Douglas, who made a couple of nice blocks and had a 10-yard catch. Ward, a 5-11, 230-pounder, and Grant, who is 6-1 and 218 pounds, are both trying to rebound from injuries to make the team. Ward, who played 27 games for the Giants in the previous three seasons, fractured his foot in training camp prior to last season, then aggravated the injury vs. Philadelphia on Dec. 17 and was placed on injured reserve.
He played in eight games and did not have a rushing attempt. Grant spent the entire 2005 season on the Giants’ practice squad, but missed the 2006 campaign with a non-football injury. He has pushed the other running back contenders throughout training camp.
What they see in Derrick Ward is the player who will probably be their kick returner, and perhaps part of a committee of players to replace Barber, who retired after last season as the franchise's top career rusher. Jacobs will probably start at running back, but the Giants worry about his propensity for bulldozing defenders - he is 6 feet 4 inches and 265 pounds - rather than avoiding them. Droughns arrived this spring as veteran insurance, but the Giants are his third team in four seasons.
Ward is certainly not dainty at 5-11 and 228 pounds, but he is seen as more elusive than the others, and an adept receiver. The Jets picked Ward in the seventh round of the 2004 N.F.L. draft. The Giants then plucked him from the Jets' practice squad that fall to return kicks. He ran one back for 92 yards, still the only touchdown of his N.F.L. career. Coughlin mentioned that return yesterday when asked about Ward's potential.

Tom Coughlin was asked if he was comfortable with the left tackle situation. "I don't know about the word ("comfortable"). I think I am very, very comfortable with the fact that David Diehl is working as hard as he can at that position. As we move forward, the challenges will get greater and we want them that way." Coughlin said, "There were some flashes last night with (Guy) Whimper who got to the second level and made some plays. He made a nice block on the screen, on Droughns' screen."
David Diehl got a short crack at left tackle Saturday night and on the surface, things weren't that pretty: Panthers right defensive end Stanley McClover, playing in place of veteran Mike Rucker, had a sack and a QB hit in the first quarter. Upon further review, though, Diehl held his own. The sack was a pure coverage sack, with Eli Manning holding the ball for six seconds before McClover got him. McClover got in the backfield the second time on a stunt, bouncing inside past where Chris Snee would have been. Good move by a good defense.

Aug 12 Giants drop their 2007 preseason opener to the Panthers - 24-21.

---

On The Game: Preseason Game 1 Recap Gamegirl... "......it's great to get back into the football season. It felt good to see Jeremy Shockey catch a touchdown pass from Eli Manning, but they weren't in the game for very long. l was hoping to see Brandon Jacobs play more than he actually did but Reuben Droughns and Derrick Ward were effective in their roles. Jared Lorenzen threw some hot passes, but seemed like he was hurrying things too much...." Mikefan.... ".....New defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is willing to let the players be more aggressive. Unfortunately, they don't all have the skill to do that so well, and can be easily fooled. The defense has had it too easy in training camp practice and this game allowed the players to see just how far they can take things....."

---

ESPN - Giants defense has a lot of work to do.
Giants.com - Panthers Defeat Giants 24-21.
StarLedger - Giants struggle sans Strahan.
StarLedger - Lewis makes return.
StarLedger - Ruegamer, rookies among Giants' long snapper options.
Newsday - Giants defense struggles without Strahan.
Newsday - Many changes for Spagnuolo's first game.
DailyNews - No defense for Big Blue.
DailyNews - Kiwanuka's position: I'll get better.
DailyNews - The wisdom of LT.
JournalNews - Manning, Lorenzen both solid in Giants' preseason opener.
JournalNews - Giants could have used Strahan in opening loss to Panthers.
NYPost - No stop in 'em.
NYPost - Mathias tries to master a new position.
Record - Preseason loss shows Giants' weakness.
Record - Tailgate ban ruins the party for fans.

Aug 11- Questions facing the Giants
1. How will the defense look without Strahan?
2. Will Eli Manning continue to show improvement?
3. How will RBs Brandon Jacobs and Reuben Droughns be used tonight?
4. How will Mathias Kiwanuka do in his first game at linebacker?
5. Will any DBs give (Panthers) Tim Lewis a "welcome back" gift?

The defense is decidedly more aggressive (in theory) from the Tim Lewis scheme of the past few years and, predictably, more popular with the participants. "I think the biggest thing that Steve's tried to emphasize for these guys is really have a downhill, attacking mentality," said linebackers coach Bill Sheridan, a holdover from Lewis' regime. "I know it might sound very trite, but he really just pounds 'em every day when we watch the practice film." Lewis spent the game calling the defense up in the press box. Spagnuolo is expected to be down on the sideline.

Mathias Kiwanuka has been prepping for this ever since the stunning revelation last winter, the moment he found he no longer would play defensive end. The Giants' first-round draft pick from a year ago debuts tonight at linebacker against the Carolina Panthers in the opening exhibition game at Giants Stadium. Kiwanuka and the other regulars will play about one quarter, during which he and the revamped linebacking trio will be the focus of attention. New defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will unveil his more aggressive style against Carolina, and the linebackers will be charged with supplying a lot of that aggression. Kiwanuka's size, speed, range and wingspan could make him a swooping force in Spagnuolo's plan.
With Strahan absent from training camp and mulling retirement since the July 28 reporting date, the Giants have been forced to go with a line composed of Umenyiora at right end, Fred Robbins and Barry Cofield at the tackles, and - wait for it - struggling first-rounder William Joseph in Strahan's spot on the left side. That might sound less than ideal, especially since a perfectly good Mathias Kiwanuka has been turned into a strong-side linebacker. But Joseph has had a decent camp. As he goes tonight against Jordan Gross, the Panthers' 6-foot-4, 300-pound right tackle, fans will get a first, quick idea of the altered line's effectiveness.

---