Nov 13 There will be no Steve Smith tomorrow against the Cowboys, no David Diehl, no Shaun O'Hara. And there will be no panic because the quarterback is in the race to be the NFL's MVP-li. Eli Manning belongs in that conversation with Tom Brady, brother Peyton and Philip Rivers, and when the Cowboys trot out journeyman Jon Kitna under center, the single biggest advantage the Giants will own, aside from head coach, will be at quarterback.

On a warm day in late August, it didn't seem as if the Giants' sudden signing of offensive lineman Shawn Andrews would ever be viewed as a season-saver. Now, however, with the Giants looking to add to a five-game winning streak and pile onto the Cowboys' five-game losing streak tomorrow, Andrews as the starting left tackle is all that stands between fearsome pass rusher DeMarcus Ware and the safety of Eli Manning. No one really could have anticipated this.

It is no surprise that center Shaun O'Hara will not play tomorrow against the Cowboys, but he may not be back in the next few weeks either. O'Hara missed three games earlier in the season with bursitis in his left ankle and Achilles and now will miss his second straight game because of a right mid-foot sprain. O'Hara yesterday revealed that when he hurt his foot Oct. 25 in Dallas he was told "it could be anywhere from 2-8 weeks." He is in his third week of recovery.

Steve Smith won't be grabbing any passes from Eli Manning tomorrow after making a bad grab for a throw during practice Thursday and injuring a pectoral muscle. Smith, the Giants officially announced yesterday, will not play against the Cowboys because of a partially torn pectoral muscle. Coach Tom Coughlin said Smith won't need surgery and won't be out for an extended period, but is on "week-to-week" status and likely will miss next week's contest against the Eagles.
As soon as Steve Smith got his MRI results Thursday night, he was on the phone to Mario Manningham, making sure his replacement was ready. He was quizzing him on formations, explaining some of the coverages he's likely to see from the Cowboys. He wanted to make sure Manningham was up to speed, because Smith could be out for a while.
Mario Manningham takes over for Smith at the flanker position and Ramses Barden becomes the No. 3 receiver, primarily playing in the slot. Smith has 47 receptions this season coming off his Pro Bowl 107-catch season of 2009. He has been especially potent against the Cowboys recently, grabbing 25 passes for 345 yards and two touchdowns in his last three games against Dallas.

Nov 12 If Dallas Cowboys interim head coach Jason Garrett were to call Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell for advice this week, Fewell’s message would be simple. “Have fun,” Fewell said Thursday, reflecting on his seven games as the Buffalo Bills’ interim coach last season. The advice admittedly is difficult to apply amid upheaval for both the coach and the team.

Surprise injury Friday came a day early for the Giants this week when wide receiver Steve Smith injured his pectoral muscle Thursday and was forced to leave practice. Coach Tom Coughlin called the injury a "strain" and said it occurred when Smith reached for a ball over the middle. "He had trouble driving his arms after the injury so he couldn't continue," Coughlin said. "But I don't have anything to tell you about it until they do all the tests.
So far this season, the only thing that has been able to slow down the Giants' offense has been the Giants themselves. Now they hope injuries won't play a role. It appears as if slot receiver Steve Smith could miss at least the Cowboys game Sunday with what the team is calling a strained pectoral muscle sustained while extending for a ball over the middle during Thursday's practice.

On Saturday, Giants center Adam Koets signed a two-year contract extension. On Sunday, he tore his ACL in the fourth quarter of a win over the Seattle Seahawks. On Monday, his contract was announced to the public. It was either good timing or a bad break, depending upon how one looks at it. "I learned a lot about football," Koets said. "It's been an up-and-down year, and up-and-down week. It's a blessing. I love being here, I love being a Giant. It's unfortunate this happened."

Hakeem Nicks was one of three former North Carolina Tar Heels who was accused by his alma mater Thursday of giving improper benefits to football players at the school. Nicks, a receiver now in his second year with the Giants, allegedly gave benefits totaling $3,300, according to a press release issued by UNC. The exact nature of the benefits wasn't made clear, but the release said Nicks and the two other former UNC players "thought they were helping out friends and fellow Tar Heels."

Nov 12 If Dallas Cowboys interim head coach Jason Garrett were to call Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell for advice this week, Fewell’s message would be simple. “Have fun,” Fewell said Thursday, reflecting on his seven games as the Buffalo Bills’ interim coach last season. The advice admittedly is difficult to apply amid upheaval for both the coach and the team.

Surprise injury Friday came a day early for the Giants this week when wide receiver Steve Smith injured his pectoral muscle Thursday and was forced to leave practice. Coach Tom Coughlin called the injury a "strain" and said it occurred when Smith reached for a ball over the middle. "He had trouble driving his arms after the injury so he couldn't continue," Coughlin said. "But I don't have anything to tell you about it until they do all the tests.
So far this season, the only thing that has been able to slow down the Giants' offense has been the Giants themselves. Now they hope injuries won't play a role. It appears as if slot receiver Steve Smith could miss at least the Cowboys game Sunday with what the team is calling a strained pectoral muscle sustained while extending for a ball over the middle during Thursday's practice.

On Saturday, Giants center Adam Koets signed a two-year contract extension. On Sunday, he tore his ACL in the fourth quarter of a win over the Seattle Seahawks. On Monday, his contract was announced to the public. It was either good timing or a bad break, depending upon how one looks at it. "I learned a lot about football," Koets said. "It's been an up-and-down year, and up-and-down week. It's a blessing. I love being here, I love being a Giant. It's unfortunate this happened."

Hakeem Nicks was one of three former North Carolina Tar Heels who was accused by his alma mater Thursday of giving improper benefits to football players at the school. Nicks, a receiver now in his second year with the Giants, allegedly gave benefits totaling $3,300, according to a press release issued by UNC. The exact nature of the benefits wasn't made clear, but the release said Nicks and the two other former UNC players "thought they were helping out friends and fellow Tar Heels."

Nov 11 Tom Coughlin has a tough task in front of him this week: convincing his team the Cowboys are a dangerous opponent. One of his pitches: they were close to pulling within 4 points at the end of the first half against a bad Jaguars team at home. Yeah, it’s not much, but it’s all he has working for him.

Jason Garrett played college football in Princeton, spent part of his pro career with the Giants and visits his parents at Monmouth Beach in the summer. It’s fitting, if not ironic, that the Dallas Cowboys’ interim head coach returns to New Jersey for the first game of his head coaching career as a visitor.
When Jim and Jane Garrett's football family gets together at the Jersey Shore every summer, their 27 grandchildren are drawn to one uncle who organizes the flag football games and the fun. "Jason is the pied piper of the family," Jim Garrett, longtime coach and scout, told the Post yesterday. His son Jason is finally getting the chance to be the pied piper of the Cowboys. Jerry Jones named him interim head coach Monday. Garrett will have his first test Sunday against the Giants as the former Princeton quarterback comes home to Jersey.

With the firing of Wade Phillips and the elevation of Jason Garrett to head coach, the Dallas Cowboys get a spark heading into their meeting with the Giants Sunday at the Meadowlands. "Talking to my dad and other players, whenever a new coach comes in you feel like you have a new season," said quarterback Eli Manning. "Everything has been erased and you can start over. That's the attitude they're going to have."
How much can change in one week? The Giants on Sunday at New Meadowlands Stadium are expecting to see some new wrinkles now that Phillips is out, Garrett is running the show and Paul Pasqualoni has been promoted from defensive line coach to defensive coordinator. Coach Tom Coughlin said his staff already has studied how Pasqualoni ran the defense last season for the Dolphins to get an idea what he might implement with the Cowboys.
Jason Garrett was asked, "Is this the way you thought you'd get your first start as an NFL head coach? His reply was. "I don't think anybody would've predicted this scenario happening this way. It's unfortunate. I'm such a fan of Wade Phillips as a person and as a coach, and his track record as a coach speaks for itself. Having the opportunity to work for him for three and a half years is something I'll never forget."

Shawn Andrews considers his upcoming matchup against Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware a critical battle with a premier pass rusher, but he shrugged off any concern as to whether or not he felt he could handle Ware's assault. "It's all about recovery," Andrews said of manning the left tackle position in David Diehl's absence.
Andrews makes his second start at left tackle across from Cowboys Pro Bowl linebacker DeMarcus Ware, who should provide a much bigger challenge than the Seahawks’ Chris Clemons last week. And that’s not where the challenges will stop for the Giants’ reshuffled offensive line. With Shaun O’Hara still sidelined with a sprained foot, Rich Seubert will likely make another start at center. That means the left guard will be either Kevin Boothe, fresh off the physically-unable-to-perform list, or rookie Mitch Petrus, who has one NFL series under his belt.

There was no sign yesterday of center Shaun O'Hara at practice, and there are no indications he will be available for Sunday's game against the Cowboys. O'Hara has a mid-foot sprain, and coach Tom Coughlin confirmed that Rich Seubert will again move in at center if O'Hara is unable to play. Coughlin did not say who will play left guard, but all indications are it will be Kevin Boothe, who was just activated off the physically unable to perform list. Asked if Boothe is ready, Coughlin, prior to practice, said, "In about 15 minutes it'll be Boothe's time to go. He's got to go."
It appears that Kevin Boothe is the front-runner to start at left guard on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, although nothing is definitive. Regardless, Mitch Petrus could find a role. The Giants have often utilized a lineman as a third tight end. However he’s used, Petrus just wants to blend in. When he sprints on the field, though, he stands out.

Former Giants
Sinorice Moss, despite his appearance, claimed he was not mourning the death of his Giants career as he stepped into the team’s facility for what might have been the last time.

NFC East News
Eagles - Michael Vick is the league's top-rated passer with a 105.3 rating. He's got a streak of 154 consecutive passes without an interception dating back to 2006 with the Falcons.
Redskins - Donovan McNabb is still hampered by sore hamstrings as he prepares for his first start since he was benched late in a game by coach Mike Shanahan.
Cowboys - Jason Garrett's presence might not be welcome by all of his players. For one thing, he said he plans to make lineup changes.

Nov 10 Sometimes a team is not what the raw data and numbers on the paper suggest it is, but that’s not the deal with the Giants. They are exactly what they appear to be. Their dominance on the field is reflected by their command of the weekly NFL stats. Their considerable strengths are illustrated by their statistical superiority.
Remember when offense seemed to be a struggle for the Giants? When Eli Manning took the field in those pre-Super Bowl days, everyone held their breath - even some of his teammates. A field goal was an acceptable result. A touchdown was a bonus. These days, nothing less than six will do. That's how locked in the NFL's No. 2 offense is right now. And the scary part is that reaching the end zone on every drive hardly seems like an unrealistic expectation the way the Giants are playing.

Going from the physically unable to perform list directly into the starting lineup? It could happen for Kevin Boothe. Boothe hasn't played at all this season after tearing a pectoral muscle back in the spring. He has practiced with the Giants for the past two weeks and yesterday was activated. He initially was expected to move into a backup role, but might be needed for much more, as he could be inserted in at left guard for Sunday's game against the Cowboys.

David Diehl has never been injured before. Well, at least not enough for him to miss a game. So perhaps the Giants' offensive tackle and guard is being a bit optimistic when he says he's hoping the hamstring and hip injuries he suffered this past Sunday against the Seahawks will only cause him to miss one game -- this weekend's matchup with the Cowboys. Then again, maybe a guy who started 127 games shouldn’t be doubted.

After sitting out this past weekend's blowout victory over the Seahawks, Shaun O'Hara is trying to return from a sprain to the Lisfranc joint in his right foot. It's an injury that often takes multiple weeks to heal, though O'Hara was hopeful he'd be back for this coming weekend's game against the Cowboys. Right now, he doesn't sound too confident.

Zak DeOssie admitted this summer that, while he would thoroughly prefer being a linebacker in the NFL like his father Steve, long snapping pays the bills. And now, it pays more. The fourth-year veteran signed a two-year extension over the weekend that puts him under contract through the 2012 season. Also signing a two-year deal was offensive lineman Adam Koets, who tore his ACL one day after signing the deal. Both players were scheduled to be unrestricted free agents at the end of the season.

Former Giants
Shaun Williams is back in college learning, coaching. Williams, a nine-year NFL veteran who was the Giants' 1998 first-round pick and started at free safety in Super Bowl XXXV, is now a part-time assistant coach at William Paterson. He's taking classes to finish his degree requirements from UCLA while trying to earn his way in coaching by overseeing the Pioneers' secondary.

NFL News
The NFL wants everyone to know what it told players months ago about illegal hits and how the disciplinary process works. The league released Tuesday an 11-page guide that details some rules and includes black-and-white drawings of players delivering hits that aren't allowed.

Nov 9 David Diehl has started 120 consecutive regular-season games. And apparently that's where the streak is going to end. The Giants' left tackle and left guard has a partially-torn hamstring and has been told by doctors he'll be out several weeks, according to someone informed of the diagnosis given to Diehl.
The Giants aren't willing to concede that just yet, however. They are calling his injury a "sprained hip" and, according to one source, are considering him "week to week." The exact timetable for his recovery will depend on how the hamstring and hip respond to treatment. He is not, however, expected to return in time for the Giants' game against the Cowboys at the Meadowlands this Sunday.
The loss of Diehl is a tough one for the Giants but they do have contingency plans. They played against the Seahawks with Shawn Andrews making his first Giants start at left tackle, a position he’s never before played.More and more, the signing of Andrews on the last day of training camp is proving to be a wise move.
Injury to Giants' David Diehl has financial implications. According to someone who has reviewed the fine print of Diehl's contract, the Giants' left tackle will lose at least $250,000 and the chance to earn even more in future years because of the injury that's expected to sideline him for a few weeks. The person requested anonymity because the details of the contract were to remain private.

Playing the Cowboys for the second time in three games means the Giants will be more familiar than usual with their NFC East rival, having studied up on them not long ago. There’s a new twist to Sunday’s game at New Meadowlands Stadium, though, as Cowboys owner Jerry Jones today fired Wade Phillips as head coach and installed offensive coordinator Jason Garrett as the interim head coach.
Less than 10 months after he was given a two-year contract extension, Wade Phillips is no longer the Cowboys head coach. For the first time in team history, the Cowboys have made an in-season coaching change with owner and general manager Jerry Jones handing the interim job to their assistant head coach Jason Garrett.
Paul Pasqualoni, former head coach at Coughlin’s alma mater Syracuse, will take over the Dallas defense. Phillips had been his own defensive coordinator. Pasqualoni will have to get his unit ready to face a team that put up 41 points against the Cowboys on Oct. 25, and followed that up with the same number in Sunday’s 41-7 win in Seattle.

You can make the argument that Jerry Jones actually did Tom Coughlin a favor of sorts by whacking Wade Phillips now. Because now Coughlin can get his players' attention by warning them of the dangers of a team with nothing to lose rallying around its new leader in time to avenge recent spankings from a hated adversary. "This will all be taken into consideration," Coughlin said. "We'll be focused on this as a divisional game at home."
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said while reading from a prepared statement. "We are grateful for Wade for leading us to two division titles, but we also clearly understand we are not where we want to be. That's an understatement and we all share responsibility." Jones informed Phillips of the firing at 1:45 p.m. in a face-to-face meeting.
Pro Bowl nose tackle Jay Ratliff said the news "was ripping him up inside." "We fought like hell for him," Ratliff said of Phillips. "Things just didn't go our way." Phillips was also the coordinator of the defense, which has failed miserably this season despite having 10 of 11 starters back, including several Pro Bowl players from the 2009 club that finished 11-5 and won the NFC East. The 1-7 Cowboys, currently on a five-game losing streak, have yielded a whopping 179 points in that span.

Stadium News
Train ridership to National Football League games at New Meadowlands Stadium is up 50 percent this year, according to New Jersey Transit ridership figures.

Nov 8 Giants defeat the Seahawks 41-7    |    Photos    |    

Game 8 Preview - Giants (5-2) vs Seattle (4-3)
Last week the Seahawks, and especially quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, were beaten down in a 33-3 loss to the Oakland Raiders. The Seahawks totaled just 162 yards of offense, were 1-of-16 on third downs and they allowed eight sacks on Hasselbeck who was forced out of the game with signs of a concussion.
The Giants are on a roll coming off their recent win over the Cowboys and are rested up after a bye week. Now they head out to the West Coast to take on the Seahawks who don't really need to see another team that excels on putting pressure on a quarterback.

Nov 7 Conventional thinking two weeks ago was that the Giants needed to start fast or else get buried under amid the hostile environs of Cowboys Stadium. They fell behind 10-0 barely six minutes into the game but then scored the next 31 points. "We haven't started fast in any of the games," guard Chris Snee said. "We're aware of that. We have to start fast at some point this season. It's got to start this Sunday."

Charlie Whitehurst isn't a kid anymore. He's 28 years old and this is his fifth season in the NFL. But when the Giants look at Whitehurst, they see green. "Oh, absolutely," said Giants safety Antrel Rolle. "No matter how long he's been in the league, this is his first NFL start. In our eyes, he's definitely a rookie."
Beth Whitehurst will be in the stands at Qwest Field with her 18-year-old daughter Sallie when Seahawks quarterback Charlie Whitehurst, after 4 1/2 years of waiting, gets to realize his childhood dream to follow in the footsteps of his father David, who played quarterback for the Packers from 1977-83.
The Giants can only scan preseason film for a Whitehurst pass, but that was all the Seahawks management needed to see before trading a 2011 third-round pick and swapping 2010 second-round picks with the San Diego Chargers. In addition to the compensation, the Seahawks rewarded Whitehurst with a two-year, $8 million contract.

The Giants defensive line is playing at an extremely high level, and this afternoon it goes against a depleted Seahawks offensive line that is struggling to find enough healthy bodies. The Seahawks defensive line also is hurting.

Shawn Andrews and his brother, Stacy, will reunite at Qwest Field today. Shawn is a backup tackle on the Giants. Stacy is a starting guard on the Seattle Seahawks. Their older brother, Derrick, will watch the first regular-season, head-to-head matchup of the Andrews brothers' teams from the stands.

Nov 6 The Giants have a six-hour flight to Seattle today, which provides cornerback Corey Webster enough time to watch every snap of Seattle Seahawks quarterback Charlie Whitehurst’s career. It won't take long, considering Whitehurst has not attempted a pass in four previous regular seasons. Whitehurst, will make his first NFL start tomorrow against the Giants in place of Matt Hasselbeck, has been limited to passing only in the preseason.
What's he like? While the Seahawks run a variation of the West Coast offense, they allowed Whitehurst to air it out more vertically when he played in the preseason games. His touch on shorter routes is not as accurate as Hasselbeck's and he doesn't have as quick a release. Whitehurst, who threw for four touchdowns with four interceptions in the preseason, is also more mobile than Hasselbeck.

Kick returner Darius Reynaud heard a "pop" in his hamstring while making a move during a return in practice. Reynaud is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Seahawks but believes he'll be ready to play. "Oh yeah, of course," Reynaud said. "Big game back off a bye week. It’s not going to keep me out."
If Reynaud doesn't go, presumably Will Blackmon -- just picked up by the team last week -- could get the nod and make his Giants debut as the kick and punt returner. Blackmon, who tore his ACL last season and hasn't played in over a year, said yesterday that he wasn't sure if he'd be active. Reynaud is averaging 18.4 yards on kick returns and 5.9 on punts.

In Week 1, Kenny Phillips not only returned, he sparkled. In his first game back after left knee surgery, the Giants' safety robbed the Panthers of two touchdowns -- one with a tackle and one with an interception. Phillips has remained healthy since, playing in every game for the 5-2 Giants. Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell credited Big Blue's safety trio of Phillips, Antrel Rolle and Deon Grant for being "the biggest improvement in our defense."
It was nothing personal when the Seattle Seahawks cut safety Deon Grant in March. Just business. That much, Grant definitely understands. And he didn't take it personally, either. That's why, when he returns to Seattle Sunday with his new team, the Giants, he isn't bringing any bitterness at all. Playing essentially a full-time role - Grant has four starts - he has 26 tackles, one sack, five passes defensed and two interceptions.

In Matt Dodge’s locker, there's a picture of former NFL punter Reggie Roby in a follow-through of a kick during his time with the Buccaneers. The late Roby's right knee is almost touching his face mask, putting his legs at a 180-degree angle. "That's the goal right there," Dodge said the other day while looking at the picture. "I'm flexible like that. If I finish my leg like that, it means it's bomb time."

Nov 5 If the Giants are going to add to their knockout list of quarterbacks, it won't be Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck, Seahawks starting QB, is out for Sunday's game against New York with a concussion. Seattle coach Pete Carroll made the announcement Thursday that Hasselbeck had not been cleared to play. Charlie Whitehurst will make the first start of his career.
Whitehurst, 27, is considered to be Seattle’s quarterback of the future. The Seahawks prior to this season traded with the Chargers to get him then signed him to a two-year, $10 million contract. That's a whole lot of money for a backup. "They paid a lot of money to get him this year so obviously they have some confidence in him," Cofield said, adding, "We feel comfortable against almost any quarterback."
What's he like? While the Seahawks run a variation of the West Coast offense, they allowed Whitehurst to air it out more vertically when he played in the preseason games. His touch on shorter routes is not as accurate as Hasselbeck's and he doesn't have as quick a release. Whitehurst, who threw for four touchdowns with four interceptions in the preseason, is also more mobile than Hasselbeck.

Osi Umenyiora is Mr. October. The defensive end was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month after leading a Giants rampage. Umenyiora had 18 tackles (10 solo), seven sacks and six forced fumbles in the Giants' four October wins. He leads the league with seven forced fumbles and is tied for second with eight sacks.

Giants fullback Madison Hedgecock reinjures his hamstring. Asked if this latest strain is as bad as the first one, which occurred when he was covering a punt against Chicago, Hedgecock replied, "I don't know. Both of them are equally bad to me because I'm not playing, I'm not practicing." Asked the same question later, he deadpanned, "I haven't finished medical school yet. But when I do, I'll let you know."

Nov 4 The Giants are headed back to the field for their first full practice following the bye week. And after a weekend off, they'll do so with several players feeling better and seeing more action. Defensive end Justin Tuck, linebacker Keith Bulluck and wide receiver Hakeem Nicks aren't even listed on the pre-practice injury report after making appearances there in recent weeks.

It's been four years since the Giants' last disastrous trip to Seattle, but their ears are still ringing. They don't have fond memories from their trips in 2005 or 2006. But some indelible images remain. "I just remember a lot of mistakes," said guard Chris Snee. "And a lot of noise."
The Giants know what they must do to quiet the fans: don’t commit turnovers on the first two drives like they did in Dallas, have success on first down to get manageable third downs and communicate all the way down the offensive line. And anticipate having to make checks.
Tom Coughlin has challenged the Giants to have "poise in the noise" on Sunday when they face the Seahawks in Seattle. Qwest Field is considered the loudest stadium in the league and the Giants in their history have a history of terrible trouble playing out in the Pacific Northwest.
Tom Coughlin loves numbers. He uses them to make his point about his own team and as a way to introduce the next opponent. "The way we look at them is that they are 3-0 at home," he said yesterday. With that, Coughlin rattled off the numbers. The Seahawks have an "incredible" plus-eight turnover margin at Qwest Field. They average 27 points a game at home. They allow 12 points a game at home.

The Seattle Seahawks let veteran safety Deon Grant go in the offseason after three solid years in which he started every game and picked off eight passes. They barely made any effort to keep him. So now, when he returns on Sunday with the Giants, it's a perfect chance for him to get his revenge. Right? Well, not exactly.

Giants cornerback Terrell Thomas is looking forward to the matchup with Seahawks wide receiver Mike Williams - his teammate for one season at USC. It’s a matchup few could have imagined over the past two years when Williams was out of football. But with former USC coach Pete Carroll hired as Seattle’s new coach, Williams got a shot at redemption. So far, he’s made the most of it, with 33 catches for 375 yards and one touchdown through the team’s first seven games.

Terrell Thomas called the Seahawks "USC North." Thomas and WR Steve Smith are former Pete Carroll recruits. They headline a handful of reunions on Sunday that also includes Deon Grant and Rocky Bernard's return to Seattle. Thomas sees much of his college schemes when watching film of the Seahawks. Smith is excited to see members of the Seahawks coaching staff that he hasn't seen since college.

Nov 3 The Giants head into Sunday's game in Seattle with 21 turnovers -- only the Cardinals and Panthers (combined record of 4-10) have committed more with 23. "We're getting away with some things now because we're explosive on offense, but we got to fix a lot of things if we want to continue to win games," Eli Manning said.

Tom Coughlin's record in games before Nov. 1, including this season, is 37-13, an eye-popping .740 winning percentage. In games after Nov. 1, including playoffs, he is 27-33, a .450 winning clip. If the Giants repeat the latter pace, they'll finish 9-7 and probably will compete for a wild-card playoff spot.

Through seven games, Jason Pierre-Paul has been one of the Giants’ best special-teams players. So good, in fact, opposing kick-return units have resorted to double teams and blind-side chip blocks to slow him down. Now, he must start playing like a savvy veteran on defense.

Six key players on the 2010 Giants are in the last year of their contracts. None of them appears to be in active negotiations for new contracts. And none of them seems to be expecting that to happen anytime soon. It's a dangerous game to let so many key players get so close to the open market.

Former Giants
Amani Toomer will run Sunday's New York City Marathon. Toomer will start last in the Marathon. Timex, a sponsor of both the Giants and the Marathon, will donate one dollar to the New York Road Runners youth programs for every runner Toomer passes. Toomer hopes to pass 20-25,000 people.

Nov 2 Darius Reynaud said he had no idea the Giants signed a new kick returner until he turned around early in yesterday's practice and saw an unfamiliar face wearing No. 30. That's when he learned Will Blackmon was the newest Giant. "What don't kill you makes you stronger," Reynaud said. "Bringing a guy like that probably makes me better, probably makes him better." Blackmon was signed during the bye week not only to return punts and kickoffs but also to fortify a defensive backfield that has lost cornerback Bruce Johnson, who last week underwent arthroscopic knee surgery and yesterday was put on season-ending injured reserve.
Asked whether Reynaud still has a role on the Giants, Coughlin responded, "sure." Asked what that role is, Coughlin said, "the role that he's in right now." The role Reynaud has is the Giants’ kick returner and punt returner, although the team ranks 31st out of 32 teams in both categories. Coughlin said the blame is not entirely on Reynaud, who "hasn't had an awful lot to work with." In 2008, Blackmon's last full season, he was fourth in the NFC with an 11.1-yard average on 36 punt returns, including two touchdowns.

Just as the Giants appeared to be getting healthier on the offensive line, it was revealed yesterday that center Shaun O'Hara has a new injury. After missing three consecutive games with painful bursitis in his left ankle and Achilles, O'Hara was able to return and start the past two games, seemingly putting that problem behind him. He didn't come out of the victory in Dallas last Monday night unscathed, though.
Giants center Shaun O'Hara has already missed three games this season with an injured left foot. Now he may miss a couple more with an injured right foot. The veteran center missed practice Monday and was wearing a walking boot to protect what two sources have confirmed is a sprained Lisfranc ligament in his right foot. The Giants are calling it "mild," which the sources confirmed was accurate.

It's hard to argue with what the Giants' offense has done through the first seven games. They're ranked third in the NFL, producing 388.7 yards and 25 points per game. There have been times when their passing attack looked unstoppable. Yet they have also gotten good at stopping themselves. They have a dismal minus-5 turnover ratio that includes 10 lost fumbles, and an NFL-worst 11 interceptions.

A few weeks ago, Jerry Reese admitted the Giants were close to putting Will Beatty on injured reserve with a broken foot suffered in the season opener. In the end, they decided to wait for Beatty to recover and instead made the difficult decision to cut Bryan Kehl. Beatty is hoping to return to action by the end of the month.

Nov 1 Eli Manning isn’t even halfway through the season and his 11 interceptions put him on pace to break his career high of 20, set in 2007. But what the numbers don’t tell is that seven of those interceptions have bounced off receivers’ hands. Six of those, including one to Hakeem Nicks last week against the Cowboys, were at least reasonably catchable balls. Only one, a high pass to Steve Smith on the first drive against Dallas, was the result of a poor throw by Manning.

At 59, Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride Sr., left, is closer to the conclusion of his NFL career than the beginning. His 30-year-old son, offensive quality control coach Kevin Gilbride Jr., right, is just starting. Gilbride Jr. said his responsibility is to “stay ahead” of his father’s game plans. He breaks down film of upcoming opponents, printing reports of what each team does depending upon down and distance, in short-yardage situations or in the red zone and at the goal line.

NFC East News
Dallas - Jon Kitna took the snap on fourth-and-goal inside the 1 and spun to his right, only to find Marion Barber was coming from his left. There was a handoff, a collision and a goal-line stop. Jaguars 35 Cowboys 17.
Dallas has its first four-game losing streak since 2002, when it went 5-11 under Campo. The Cowboys will need good fortune to win five games this season.
Washington - Donovan McNabb benched late as Matthew Stafford spurs Lions in return. McNabb, a six-time Pro Bowl quarterback, has his lowest rating since 1999 when Philadelphia drafted him No. 2 overall and he started six games. Detroit 37 Washington 25.
Washington's offensive line struggles have been glaring at times, but the Lions took things to another level, sacking starter Donovan McNabb a season-high six times, backup Rex Grossman once and pounding both throughout the game, which Washington led by five points midway into the fourth quarter.

Oct 31 The Giants have scored on two-thirds of their red-zone trips, which is tied for second most in the NFL. Only the Houston Texans score more. With a balanced offense ranked No. 3 in the NFL in yards per game, opponents cannot key on the run or pass.

Despite injury concerns, the NFL's leading rusher Ahmad Bradshaw just keeps on going for the New York Giants. Ahmad Bradshaw leads the NFL in rushing yards with a violent, angry running style that's made up of hard stops, sharp cuts and lots of power.

Defense has fueled the Giants 5-2 record and Umenyiora has fueled the defense. As the Giants eased into their bye week, Umenyiora was tied for second in the league in sacks with eight, first in the NFL in forced fumbles with seven -- leading the way for Justin Tuck to lead the league with four recoveries..

Since it has knocked out five quarterbacks in its first seven games, the Giants' defense has earned that reputation as a physical bunch. Yet Barry Cofield knows the quarterback count is a product of an overlooked part of this Giants' defense: its ability to stop the run. "It took Peyton Manning and the Colts to teach us that the run defense has to come first," the Giants' defensive tackle said. "We've learned that lesson and taken it to heart."

Oct 30 More than a year ago, the New York Giants were 5-0 and on top of the NFC with a highly ranked defense that stifled opponents. Deep down, the Giants realized they weren't as good as their record indicated. They ran through a cream-puff schedule early against the likes of the Buccaneers, Chiefs and Raiders. Injuries began to mount. And the defense had issues that soon would be exposed. "Everything was going in the wrong direction," Barry Cofield said of how he felt after the Giants' 5-0 start last season. "Last year we peaked early. We were first in defense early in the season, but you could just tell it wasn't the same defense that we are playing right now."

That Ahmad Bradshaw emerges as the NFL's leading rusher is almost incomprehensible. That his 708 rushing yards vault him ahead of luminaries such as Adrian Peterson of the Vikings (684) and Chris Johnson of the Titans (662) -- and that Bradshaw has done it in six fewer carries than Peterson and 29 fewer than Johnson -- is not merely a statistical anomaly. Bradshaw, in his first season as a starting running back, is averaging 5.3 yards per carry and, unlike Peterson and Johnson, Bradshaw shares the workload with erstwhile starter Brandon Jacobs.

There is no denying that Bear Pascoe's contributions have been a huge part in helping the Giants running game land in the top-five league wide, where they were ranked the fourth best prior to Week 8 games. What makes the success of Pascoe even more amazing is that how quickly he’s learned the intricacies of the position, which is not as easy as it looks, according to running backs coach Jerald Ingram.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning is to become a dad, Page Six has learned. His wife, Abby, is expecting their first child, and sources say they are "so happy and excited." Eli, 29, and Abby, 26, who have been married for 2 1/2 years and live in Hoboken, are now preparing for the spring birth. College sweethearts Eli and Abby, who met in the spring of his junior year at Ole Miss, married on the beach at the One&Only Palmilla in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, in April 2008.

Giants WR Victor Cruz staying positive despite season-ending hamstring injury. The line began at the door of the Pro Image store and extended down the hallway along the railing on the upper level of Freehold’s Raceway Mall the other night. It was a line of Giants fans in their team’s gear waiting to get an autograph and take a picture with a player. That player, a wide receiver who didn’t register a catch this regular season, will not suit up again this year after being placed on injured reserve. But as that line of fans proved, Victor Cruz will not soon be forgotten because of a memorable preseason in which he caught four TD passes.

Oct 29 Mathias Kiwanuka has been feeling no pain in his neck for a few weeks now, the symptoms of a herniated cervical disk having long since subsided. Thursday, the Giants felt his emotional pain when, for the second time in three years, they were forced to end his season prematurely.
Mathias Kiwanuka's season - and possibly his Giants career - is over. In what GM Jerry Reese described as a "painful" move, the Giants placed Kiwanuka, their 27-year-old defensive end, on season-ending injured reserve Thursday. Kiwanuka has been out since Week 3 with a herniated disc in his neck. He was still hopeful of returning at some point this season, but apparently that return wasn't going to be fast enough.
That same injury ended the career of Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce last season and could mean that Kiwanuka will need neck surgery if he wants to return to the field. "I want to avoid surgery," Kiwanuka said. "The consensus is that if I take the proper amount of time off, there is a very good chance that it'll heal on its own. That's what the goal is right now. If it doesn't happen, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."
To fill the roster spot, the Giants signed free agent defensive back/kick returner Will Blackmon, who was Kiwanuka's roommate at Boston College. "Like I said before, I felt like, given enough time, I could've made it back this season," Kiwanuka said Thursday after learning of his fate. "But it's the nature of the business. The Giants had to move on, and I had to be OK with it."

Oct 28 Though Giants special teams coach Tom Quinn told reporters Wednesday kick returner Darius Reynaud "regressed" in Monday's game against the Cowboys, he indicated the team would be sticking with Reynaud moving forward. However, there's a fly in the ointment for Reynaud. And that fly's name is Will Blackmon. The former Packers defensive back and returner worked out for the Giants Wednesday, according to the NFL's daily transaction wire.

The Giants are playing a dangerous game through the first seven games of the season. The Giants have the third-ranked offense in the NFL and the ninth-ranked passing attack, and those are two reasons why they have a 5-2 record and look so dangerous. But they also have a turnover ratio of minus-5 and their quarterback, Eli Manning, leads the NFL with 11 interceptions. Some teams can get away with numbers like that, enjoying the high rewards and overcoming the high risks. But can it continue? Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride doubts that it can.

Ahmad Bradshaw had shared carries with Brandon Jacobs last year, and was considered the change-of-pace guy to the bigger back. He also had off-season foot and ankle surgeries and was held back by the medical staff until the start of training camp. That’s when it became apparent he was going to be the featured runner. He took the first snap in all team sessions, a sign he would be the starter. Bradshaw, who had 253 carries in three previous seasons, conceded he was venturing into unknown waters. Bradshaw has 134 carries this season, but says he feels fine physically and should be even better after getting the weekend off.

Linebackers coach Jim Herrmann talked about some of the things he likes about Jonathan Goff. One of those: his voice. "I wish you could be on the sideline with us. He's very vocal, he has a great 'Mike' linebacker voice," Herrmann said Michael Boley, who serves as the middle linebacker in dime and nickel packages, had to learn how to talk loudly and forcefully - i.e. the way the Goff speaks naturally. Herrmann said. "If you’re a guy who has your hand in the dirt and you're lining up against a 300-pounder, you want to hear the call. There can't be any mistake about it. 'That's the call and that's what I’m doing."

The Giants' second-ranked defense has relied upon stellar play from its front four, solid performances from its linebackers and very good coverage from its cornerbacks. But the biggest additions to the unit from last season have been the signings of Deon Grant and Antrel Rolle, as well as the return of Phillips. It's a far cry from the days of C.C. Brown, Aaron Rouse and Michael Johnson. Last year, they also didn't play three safeties on the field at once. That's what they're doing this season, with Grant often serving as a pseudo-linebacker.
As the Giants parted ways for a few days for their bye week, there's no question spirits are soaring with a team riding a four-game winning streak. "Midseason, we're at the top of our division," safety Deon Grant said. "Can't ask for anything more." Those who have contributed to a mighty defensive surge are asking for more. Even though the Giants are No. 2 in the league in total defense, there's a growing sense that the best is yet to come.

Despite battling through pain in both knees and ongoing issues with his hip, Umenyiora hasn't missed any games and is tied for second in the NFL with eight sacks. He's on a reduced-workload schedule during the week, not doing much on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday and then participating in practice on a limited basis on Thursday and Friday. So far, that approach has paid off. He's felt so good that he hasn’t needed a cortisone injection in his knees in about three weeks and he's looking forward to staying off his feet for the next few days.

Oct 27 Anyone who listens to Giants coach Tom Coughlin understands the long-time coach has a disdain for turnovers. The Giants committed five in a 41-35 win over the Dallas Cowboys, dampening an otherwise impressive victory that advanced the Giants to 5-2. "There are some axioms that we believe in that the number one thing being the turnovers. We did not follow last night," Coughlin said on Tuesday.
The Giants may have won five straight, but they have left a trail of sloppiness. They had five more turnovers against the Cowboys and are at minus-five for the season. No quarterback has thrown more than Eli Manning's 11 interceptions. The Giants were great and awful in the same game as they squeezed whatever life was left in the Cowboys' season with a 41-35 win. The likelihood of a team winning when it has five turnovers, allows a 93-yard punt return for a touchdown and gives up 15 points in the final 3:17 is the same as Wade Phillips getting named Coach of the Year.

The way the Giants defense is going, it seems no opposing quarterback is safe. The Cowboys' Tony Romo became just the latest victim of the Giants' dangerous defense when he was knocked out of Big Blue's wild 41-35 win Monday night with a broken clavicle in his left shoulder. Injured on a big hit by blitzing linebacker Michael Boley, Romo was the fifth quarterback the Giants (5-2) have knocked out with an injury in seven games.
After beating the Cowboys on national television with Monday’s 41-35 victory, the Giants took control of the NFC East heading into their bye. In the hours following their biggest triumph yet, not only did Antrel Rolle declare the Giants the NFL's best team, he also tweaked the Jets - with their AFC-best 5-1 record -- by reiterating his point when the New Meadowlands Stadium co-resident was mentioned. "I don't think it; I know it," Rolle said Tuesday during his weekly radio spot on WFAN. (See WFAN replay links at top).

Winners of four straight, the Giants vaulted themselves into being the smart-money choice to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLV, where Las Vegas says they’ll meet up with none other than the Jets in the first-ever Subway Super Bowl. Jay Kornegay, executive director of Las Vegas Hilton Sports Book, yesterday posted each team as 5-2 favorites to win their respective conference championships. The Jets are 5-1 favorites to win the Super Bowl, best in the AFC, and the Giants are 7-1 to win the Super Bowl, best in the NFC.
The Giants vs. Jets argument is the talk of New York this week, and will be the talk of the NFL if the Giants and Jets should both make it to Super Bowl XLV. So, who is the better team? Right now, the Jets are 5-1, on a five-game winning streak and tied with the Patriots and Steelers for the best record in the NFL. The Giants are at 5-2, on a four-game winning streak and are tied with the Falcons for the best record in the NFC. It doesn't get much better for New York football fans.
The head coaches: The Jets would run through a brick wall for Ryan. The Giants have bought into Tom Coughlin’s never-ending emphasis on team. The quarterbacks: Eli Manning has won a Super Bowl. Mark Sanchez has learned how not to cost your team the chance of getting to one. The running backs: LaDainian Tomlinson is forever young. Ahmad Bradshaw is forever churning. Shonn Greene puts the Pound in the Ground & Pound. Brandon Jacobs is again a sadistic merchant of pain.

The team is practicing today and was given Thursday off. Had the Giants lost Monday's game, Coughlin likely would have required his players to come to the facility Thursday. But he nonetheless expects his players to stay conditioned and fit for Monday, when preparations begin for a Nov. 7 game against the Seattle Seahawks. "When we do get back obviously we do have a difficult road ahead of us and one that we certainly need all hands on deck," Coughlin said.

Oct 26 Giants defeat the Cowboys 41-35    |    Photos    |    

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On The Game: Game 7 Gamegirl "...What a bad start. The Giants were three-and-out on their first two possessions with two straight interceptions off the hands of Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks. When did the ball get so hard to catch?...." Mikefan. "...The same players who made the mistakes also turned in some good numbers which led to 41 points. Eli Manning threw four touchdowns. The receivers who batted the ball to the other team, Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith, each caught 9 passes for over 100 yards and pulled in three of Manning's touchdown passes...."

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ESPN - Giants put away Cowboys after Tony Romo breaks collarbone.
Giants.com - FINAL: Giants 41, Cowboys 35.
StarLedger - Another game, another injured QB: Cowboys' Tony Romo fifth to be injured by Giants defense.
StarLedger - Despite five turnovers, Giants handle rival Cowboys, 41-35, dropping Dallas to a 1-5 start.
StarLedger - Giants claim first place with 41-35 win over Cowboys.
StarLedger - Despite another win, Giants coach Tom Coughlin not pleased with tipped passes by his WRs.
NYDailyNews - Giants bounce back against Dallas Cowboys for NFC East win, knock out Tony Romo in process.
NYDaily News - Cowboys lose Tony Romo to broken collarbone; Tony Dorsett calls Dallas 'underachievers.
NYDailyNews - Time to 'celebrate' a big, strange win.
NYDailyNews - Eli Manning's signature still on wall at Cowboys Stadium; Tom Coughlin on right end of 4 challenges.
NYPost - First-place Giants deliver Doomsday.
NYPost - Giants devastate Cowboys, Romo.
NYPost - Putting the nail in Dallas' coffin.
NYPost - Giants' Jacobs gets happy feat: Dancin' on the star.
NYPost - Hit by Giants LB puts Romo on ice.
NYPost - Giants menacing opposing QBs.
Record - Giants knock out Tony Romo, Cowboys with 41-35 victory.
Record - Giants overcome mistakes, deal Dallas a death blow.
DallasNews - Without Tony Romo, Cowboys season is officially over.
DallasNews - Roy Williams: Jon Kitna "just as good" as Tony Romo.
DallasNews - Forget Romo, Cowboys' defense a "historic embarrassment".
DallasNews - Cowboys defense gave up; how to start rebuilding this team.

Game 7 Preview - Giants (4-2) vs Cowboys (1-4)
The Cowboys are struggling for wins this season. They are coming off a tough 24-21 loss to the Vikings and now will face the Giants. The Cowboys are looking down the barrel of possibly being a 1-5 team, allowing the Giants to be 5-2 and off to their bye week. Meanwhile the Cowboys will play two straight before traveling to the Meadowlands to meet with a better rested Giants team coming off just one game.
Poke fun at the Eagles for having never won a Super Bowl, but there is another team in the NFC East that hadn't even won a playoff game in 13 years. That's right, the Cowboys 34-14 wildcard game victory over Philadelphia last season gave them their fist taste of playoff euphoria in a long time before they were one and done the following week (Minnesota 34, Dallas 3).

Oct 25 How can the Cowboys gain so much yardage, play such good defense -- and have just one win in five outings? Will they continue to self-destruct as they have this season? Will they have a breakout game that will turn around their season? Will they pretty much knock themselves out of things by playing another sloppy, undisciplined game? Oh, and yes: will they do any of the above against the Giants, who are not treating this game like they are here to fill out the guest list.
The sky has been falling in Dallas; the panic buttons have been pushed. Jones has given the team a "put up or shut up" pep talk. Zebras have been monitoring practice. But if the Giants don't bury the 'Boys, they don't get to feel good about any four-game winning streak heading into their bye week. They don't stay atop the division. They leave Jones' palace with a worse division record than the Cowboys. So let's see what kind of killer instinct we get from these Giants tonight.

The Cowboys haven't lost a game by more than a touchdown this year. "We're not looking at them as, 'Oh, they're 1-4,'" said center Shaun O'Hara. "Anybody that's seen any of those games, they were winnable. They didn't get blown out four times. They've found a way to lose some games, but that doesn't mean that they're not a good team." What's killed the Cowboys are penalties and turnovers - something that should be familiar to anyone who remembers the Giants' 1-2 start.
Talent alone hasn't gotten it done for the Cowboys, who despite the preseason hype about owning the division and the entire NFC are easily the NFL's greatest underachievers. At 1-4, they are in a win-or-else mode and the Giants (4-2), riding a three-game winning streak, can come close to putting a team away before the midpoint of the season.

This is a single-elimination game for the Cowboys. Just five teams out of the 97 who started the season 1-4 have rebounded to make the playoffs since the NFL went to the current format of six playoff teams per conference in 1990. What about 1-5 teams? None. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, 70 teams have started 1-5 since 1990 and none has made the playoffs. If the Giants can beat Dallas Monday, they will virtually assure Dallas' season is over before Halloween. Dallas has never made the playoffs after starting 1-4. So the Cowboys are already trying to defy their own history.

Heading into tonight's match-up with the Cowboys, the Giants are more confident in giving the ball to Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs than they've been in a while. With an average of 136.3 yards on the ground through the first six games, the Giants entered the weekend with the fifth-ranked rushing attack in the NFL. That's a standing more befitting of a team that had ranked sixth, seventh, fourth and first, respectively, from 2005-08 before dropping to 17th in 2009.

Through 10 NFL seasons, Deon Grant has learned it's not always fun when playing well as a safety. "You might go three, four series and all you're doing is backpedaling and getting guys lined up," the Giants' safety said the other day. "Sometimes that works because you're playing your position perfect and the quarterback is scared to come in your zone. "But it doesn't feel that way when you're out there."

Oct 24 Osi Umenyiora has forced fumbles on a remarkable 11 of his last 15 sacks since the start of the 2009 season. For his career, he's forced fumbles on an incredible 44.2% of his sacks - 25 of 56 1/2. That's resulted in nine turnovers for the Giants, including three fumble recoveries for touchdowns - two that Umenyiora picked up and ran in himself.

Keith Bulluck, signed a week before training camp after 10 years with the Titans, has played in just three games, and it took until the third game for him to flash a bit of his past form. He had six tackles in a loss to his former team and helped keep dangerous Chris Johnson in check for more than three quarters.

Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw thought no one could fill the huge void in his life after his older brother Ronell died of heart failure when Ahmad was just 10 years old. Then came Brandon Jacobs. Bradshaw's eyes practically mist up when he talks about Jacobs, who has become his mate in more than just the Big Blue backfield in just three short years together.

Former Giants
Bill Ard, the left guard on the erudite line that led the Giants to a Super Bowl title in 1986, has become a successful VP in the financial services industry. Mostly, though, he's a dad. Ard and his wife Martha have raised five children in the bedroom community of Watchung, N.J., where Ard grew up himself.

NFL News
The NFL schedule, right now, is perfect. It is an immaculate blend of numbers and logic, a product of 32 teams broken up into eight four-team divisions and two 16-team conferences. Every team plays a schedule that can therefore be as close to symmetrical as possible

Oct 23 Not yet 30, Eli Manning has won a Super Bowl MVP, earned a Pro Bowl invitation, eclipsed 4,000 passing yards in a season and started every game during five consecutive years while leading the Giants to four playoff appearances. Yet Manning's name continues to appear in Sports Illustrated's annual poll of the NFL's most overrated players. "I don't know how a Super Bowl MVP could ever be overrated," O'Hara said. "I'll put that one to rest."
Heading into Monday night's game against the Cowboys in Arlington, Texas, Manning is 19-4 as a starter in games played in October, for an .826 winning percentage. That's better than any quarterback who began their career in the Super Bowl era with at least 20 starts. It's better than Tom Brady (25-8, .757), better than Philip Rivers (8-10, .444), better than Ben Roethlisberger (17-5, .772), better than Brett Favre (37-29, .560), and better than his older brother Peyton Manning (33-14, .702). Eli Manning -- New York's other Mr. October.

Less than a full season removed from being demoted to second team, demanding a trade and talking about retirement, Osi Umenyiora has reclaimed his spot among the league's top defensive playmakers heading into Monday night's NFC East matchup at the rival Cowboys. Talk about a comeback: Umenyiora is second in the NFL with eight sacks (just one-half sack behind leader Clay Matthews of the Packers) and six forced fumbles in just six games.

Maybe the Dallas Cowboys are in the wrong sport. They can put an impressive starting five on the court with 6-foot-6 Marcellus Bennett, 6-6 Jason Witten, 6-3 Roy Williams, 6-2 Miles Austin and 6-2 Dez Bryant. And they can bring 6-7 Scott Chandler and 6-3 Sam Hurd off the bench. Those would-be cagers are the members of the Cowboys' receiving corps, which has been extremely effective this season catching passes from quarterback Tony Romo. Unfortunately for Dallas their production has resulted in just one victory in five games heading into Monday night's meeting with the Giants at Cowboys Stadium.

Keith Bulluck is ready to return to the lineup for the Giants on Monday night in Dallas, but he's not sure how much of his old spot in the lineup remains. While Bulluck was out, the Giants had a run of success playing a three-safety alignment on defense, using mostly only two linebackers on the field at a time. Would using the 6-3, 235-pound Bulluck more and safety Deon Grant less make the Giants better? Maybe. But even Bulluck concedes that remains to be seen. "I'm a small piece of the puzzle right now," Bulluck said."But if we can keep shutting teams down with a three-safety package, so be it. It's all about getting wins at the end of the day."

Oct 22 Kenny Phillips is a safety with the Giants. "We had some trouble closing out the Lions but this was a different Lions team from the old one. They're playing better and they refused to give up. They've been in every game this season and they played the entire 60 minutes. That's a team that's coming along and could make some noise very soon. Now we go to Dallas for Monday Night Football. This is a big game because it's a division rival and Dallas is desperate for a win. They know they can get back on track with a win against us."
The quality of the Giants secondary will be stretched in this game more than any other played thus far, as Tony Romo has four legitimate go-to weapons that can erupt at any given time. Even the Colts aren't as deep in pass-catchers as the array of talent the Giants will see Monday night against the Cowboys, the league's fourth-ranked passing offense.

Linebacker Mathius Kiwanuka believes that, although the league's intentions are good, the method by which Goodell wants to eliminate any perceived problems is flawed. "I think it's a step, but I don't know how you take violence out of a violent game," Kiwanuka said. Goodell seems determined to make the games safer; whether the threat of increased punishment will serve as much of a deterrent remains to be seen. "It's not going to affect my play," Antrel Rolle said. "I do see their point of view, the safety issues and everything, but this is not something you can pinpoint and say, 'You give 'em a head shot and you're suspended.'
John Mara conceded that because of the speed of the game, there will be invariably be incidental helmet-to-helmet hits (Jason Pierre-Paul on Zack Follett). "I think the message the commissioner and the league are trying to send is you're going to have to lower your strike zone a little bit and stay away from the head and neck area," Mara said. But both Grant and special teams captain Chase Blackburn worry the league will be trading concussions for career-ending ACL injuries.

Mathias Kiwanuka learned at least something from his trip to Los Angeles to see noted neck specialist Robert Watkins. Kiwanuka gave full details on the injury in his neck. And for the first time, the word "herniated" was used in reference to his cervical disk. How much time? Kiwanuka has no idea. He honestly says his time on the sidelines is "indefinite" at this point.
Kiwanuka held out hope he'd be cleared to play sometime soon. Now he's saying what was revealed to be a bulging disk is in fact a herniated disk, which is a bit more serious, as it is actually a rupture of the disk. No one has ruled Kiwanuka out for the remainder of the season but the more time goes by it appears that is a likely scenario.
Whether the Giants can keep him on the roster while they wait is another story. That will depend on what other injuries they sustain. "Everybody's body reacts differently. The main thing now is we're waiting for the herniation to subside and they're optimistic it will happen on its own," he said.

Tom Coughlin - "We're excited about preparing for our first game within the division. As far as our team is concerned, we are 0-0 going into the division and Dallas is 0-1 and that's the way we look at it. It's early in the season. They're a good football team. We're a good football team. We're excited about playing in the division.

The question in many people's minds when the Giants placed Victor Cruz on injured reserve last week was how could a team IR a guy who was planning to return to action this week? The NFL apparently had the same question. And in the end, they concurred with the Giants' decision.

Giants center Shaun O'Hara first met Eric LeGrand at a high school all-star game between New Jersey and New York players. O'Hara, a Rutgers product, saw LeGrand grow through the years at Rutgers. Wearing a scarlet shirt in the Giants' locker room on Thursday, O'Hara expressed his feelings about LeGrand, a Rutgers defensive tackle who suffered a spinal cord injury in last Saturday's game."

Oct 21 The Giants' position atop the NFC East after six weeks carries prestige, considering the division has the highest profile of any in the NFL and was considered among the league's finest before the season began. Yet first place carries limited influence because the Giants have not yet played a division rival.
The longest they had gone in the past without meeting a divisional foe was four games: in 1991 before playing Dallas; in 1993 before playing Washington; in 2002 before meeting Dallas; and most recently, in 2005 before facing the Cowboys. The current non-divisional stretch comes to an end Monday night in Cowboys Stadium, the Giants' first NFC East matchup of the season.

A few days ago, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was asked why he's optimistic that his 1-4 team can turn things around and he responded "I'm not." That is not the message Jones imparted to the Cowboys this week, as he addressed the team in hopes his words spark something to make a difference. "He actually talked to the team and was real positive," Phillips said. "But he knows like we all know we had high expectations and we haven't reached that but we still have a chance.
Dallas entered the season the favorite to win the NFC East and a strong contender to become the first team to play a Super Bowl in its own stadium. But the Cowboys' chances for qualifying for Super Bowl XLV have taken immeasurable hits in the early part of the season, even though their overall numbers better fit a 4-1 team than a 1-4 outfit.

Tony Romo said. "You need to keep plugging away but you also have to find a way to do things a little bit better, you need to think about it a little bit more, work a little harder, study a little more tape. I stress this with each one of the guys, they've done a great job of responding to that. Now we just have to go out there and see the result of wins."
There is no "little bit" when assessing the importance of Monday's game for Dallas. Lose, and they're 3 1/2games back of the Giants (4-2). Win, and they'll close the gap to 1 1/2 games. Both the Eagles (4-2) and Giants have a bye in Week 8, so the Cowboys would have a chance to pull within another half-game of whichever team is atop the NFC East at that point. (The Redskins, at 3-3 currently, have back-to-back road games against the Bears and Lions the next two weeks.)

After the Giants last season christened brand-new Cowboys Stadium with a 33-31 victory, spoiling the grand opening of Jerry Jones's extravagant football palace, Eli Manning marked the achievement by signing his name, the date and the fact the Giants indeed won the first game there on the wall inside the visitors locker room.
Apparently they haven't quite gotten over that down in Dallas, and Manning was quizzed about the signature moment on his conference call with the Texas media Wednesday. Not surprisingly, Manning was "a little bit" surprised at all the attention his signature got.

Oct 20 Eli Manning is apparently the fifth-most overrated player in the NFL, according to a poll of his peers in the Sports Illustrated that hits the newsstands Wednesday. He got 4% of the vote - which, to be fair, is just 10 of the 239 players polled, but enough to rank him behind only Bengals receiver Terrell Owens (14%), Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (7%), Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez (5%), and Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth (5%).

All anyone needs to know about the Cowboys is that amid a terrible start to what was supposed to be a season draped in glory, they have more excessive celebration penalties (two) than wins (one). On Monday night, this dog of a team will have to show some snarl or else go whimpering off into a corner.

Osi Umenyiora swears nothing has changed. He says his left knee feels just as good as it did last season following surgery in 2008. In fact, physically, Umenyiora might be more banged up than last season with a lingering hip issue and swelling in his knee that needs to be managed. Otherwise, Umenyiora says he is the same quarterback-chasing defensive end he has always been. Still, his gaudy numbers this season say something has changed.

The NFL is ready to crack down on dangerous helmet-to-helmet hits. But Antrel Rolle thinks that's "absolutely ridiculous." Rolle, the Giants' 27-year old safety who has already amassed more than $30,000 in fines in his six-year career, said the NFL is already doing more than enough to protect offensive players during his weekly interview Monday afternoon on WFAN. Anything more, he said, will result in "a very, very tentative" game, which he obviously doesn't want.
Intent, Rolle said, should be taken into consideration when doling out suspensions. "I've had a couple of head-to-head shots, and under no circumstances have I ever intentionally went for someone's head, nor do I think any player intentionally goes for someone's head. A lot of times it's receivers or offensive guys, maybe they're ducking their head or maybe they're running up high. Nothing's intentional. You suspend someone for doing wrong or misbehavior or things of that nature, detriment to team conduct or something like that. But now you're just suspending people for playing the game. No one tries to hurt anyone, no one tries to injure anyone, but sometimes in the game of football it's gonna happen."
As the Giants' NFL Players Association representative, Shaun O'Hara is conflicted. He prioritizes a player's well-being, but also acknowledges that football is a physical game. And with the league threatening to suspend players for vicious hits, O'Hara sees the issue from both sides. "There are going to be collisions and people are going to get hurt." Not surprisingly, the players getting hit feel differently about the threat of suspensions than those delivering the hits. In fact, two Giants on either side of one particularly violent hit - Kevin Boss and Antrel Rolle - were on different sides of the issue.

NFL News
The NFL will immediately begin suspending players for dangerous and flagrant hits that violate rules, particularly those involving helmets. Suspensions will be in place for this weekend's games and could be handed out for hits that took place last Sunday, vice president of football operations Ray Anderson said today.

Oct 19 Osi Umenyiora's season highlights are almost all of the same variety. He lines up wide on the right side of the defensive line. He rushes past -- and sometimes through -- an overmatched left tackle. He encounters an unsuspecting quarterback, ably knocking the ball out of the passer's grip while hitting him from behind. Umenyiora is second in the NFL with eight sacks, although his 2010 season is distinguished by what he does besides simply sacking opposing quarterbacks. Umenyiora has forced seven fumbles, three more than anyone else in the NFL. He has stripped the ball on 11 of his last 15 sacks.
A few days before the Giants went out and beat the Lions 28-20 Sunday, Barry Cofield theorized why every time Osi Umenyiora gets a sack he adds some spice to it by separating the quarterback of the ball. "We've been on Osi, because we finally figured out why he always strips the ball, so he never has to share a sack," Cofield said. "You can never get half a sack when you force a fumble. We figured out Osi's plan and we got to find out a way to combat that. Selfishness is the key to pass rushing." If that's the case, consider Umenyiora the most selfish player the Giants have on their roster.

That would have been the most succinct reaction from the Giants if at the start of the season it was suggested that the Cowboys would be wallowing at 1-4 and in last place in the division when the teams met for the first time. "Oh, man, I'd be very surprised," tight end Kevin Boss said yesterday. "I still can't believe they're 1-4 with all the talent they got on that team. Something's not right there, but we definitely know they're still a very good football team."
What would it be like for the Giants to win a Super Bowl championship at Cowboys Stadium, the site of the 2011 Super Bowl? Here is Jerry Jones' worst nightmare: Giants and Jets in a Super Bowl at Cowboys Stadium. Currently the Giants are tied for the best record in the NFC and the Jets are the top team in the AFC. Jones already is living a nightmare scenario as his team is tanking badly.

Bear Pascoe was so effective in Sunday's victory over the Lions, he even made blocks while nearly getting knocked off his feet. The Giants' converted tight end, starting his second straight game at fullback for the injured Madison Hedgecock, opened holes all day for Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs -- even on one play when former Giants safety C.C. Brown hit him as he was sizing up linebacker Ashlee Palmer.

Giants call for harsh penalties on head hunters. What needs to be done, according to Kevin Boss - - and later echoed by Giants coach Tom Coughlin - - is that the NFL needs to start suspending players for helmet-to-helmet hits. There was a rash of them on Sunday, including two in one game by remorseless Steelers linebacker James Harrison and another by Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather that even seemed to repulse his own coach. Three of those four hits left the victimized players with concussions.

Oct 18 Giants defeat the Lions 28-20    |    Photos    |    

The Lions, even with DT Ndamukong Suh, have been gashed for 100-yard games by LeSean McCoy, Adrian Peterson, and Steven Jackson, and watch Ahmad Bradshaw be the fourth.
As the second-overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, Suh is expected to be a difference-maker, and there's no reason to believe he won't be. RG Chris Snee is tough and strong and will try to lean on his experience to show Suh some stuff he has never seen before.

Tom Coughlin has been doing his best to keep his players focused on the task at hand, trying to build up an opponent that for years has been a downtrodden franchise. The Lions' 44-6 win over St. Louis last week gave Coughlin a good jump-off point. Because the Detroit defense is tied for the NFL lead in takeaways may be a more pertinent matter. That's because the Giants, even during their two-game surge back to respectability, continue to turn over the ball.

Coaching in the NFL is a real grind, and nobody knows that more than Tom Coughlin, who has weathered his storms in Jacksonville and New York. The pitchforks and torches were back when the Giants got off to a 1-2 start this year. But Coughlin is weathering another assault by doing what he does best - rallying his team.

Big-hitting Jonathan Goff has been given the simple nickname of 'Him' by some Giants teammates because of his blandness. Middle linebackers are often the most savvy, verbose and revered players on their side of the line of scrimmage. Think Ray Lewis, Mike Singletary, Brian Urlacher or Antonio Pierce. Not Goff.

It was in February, more than a month after last season, when Barry Cofield looked back and realized how bad 2009 had really been for him. That's when he finally admitted to himself that "I wasn't right," playing at 75%, maybe even less, thanks to his surgically repaired left knee. Not long after that, the fifth-year defensive tackle started to "feel like a new man," practicing without pain, doing some things in drills that he hadn't done since early in the 2008 season.

Oct 16 Lawrence Tynes sprained his left (non-kicking) ankle while planting and had to leave the team's workout. He's listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Lions. Caught In the parking lot on Friday afternoon, Tynes said his ankle is fine and he should play ready to play on Sunday. His cleat got caught in the turf to cause the injury. Coughlin said Tynes sprained the same ankle this past summer and "within a short amount of time he was ready to go back."
Coughlin acknowledged that punter Matt Dodge is an option for kickoffs, although never mentioned him regarding field goals and PATs. The rookie with the booming leg said he practices kickoffs once a week, albeit very briefly. For his part, Dodge professed confidence Tynes would be fit for duty Sunday. "I don't think I've hit a long field goal since probably high school," said Dodge, who said he was confident he could kick a 35-yarder if needed. "I would hope so."

Giants have ultimate Rolle player in Antrel. Rolle's moving closer to the line allows Fewell to use Deon Grant and Kenny Phillips as his safeties and in effect get his best 11 players onto the field. This figures to be the base set at least until Keith Bulluck gets back from his toe injury, which doesn't appear very likely for Sunday's game against the Lions.

C.C. Brown, now a starting safety with the Detroit Lions, told the Detroit media this week that Manning is erratic and prone to "bad decisions." And the implication was that could be an advantage for Brown and the Lions when they face Manning and the Giants Sunday. "You never know what you're going to get with that guy," Brown said on Thursday. "You never know if he's going to come in and make bad decisions. You don't know if he's just going to have one of them Peyton Manning games where he lights you up."
Now, first things first: did Brown say anything right there any of us haven't said before? Absolutely not. But - and here's the real key - should Brown be yapping at all after the season he had as a Giant last year? Absolutely not. Last season, Brown was much more consistent than Manning. And by that, I mean he was consistently bad. The mistakes have apparently continued for Brown in Detroit.

Oct 15 The Giants added safeties Antrel Rolle and Deon Grant during the offseason to complement Kenny Phillips, who returned from injury. The defensive line is healthier and a handful of young players have experienced spikes in development. But it's clear the team's defensive players benefited from a system that coordinator Perry Fewell terms "player-friendly" and a coordinator that reminds Tuck "so much of Spags."

Ndamukong Suh, a 6-4, 307-pound rock, is the cornerstone of the Lions' efforts to rebuild their woeful defense and so far, it's working. They are the 25th-ranked defense this year, and while that may not sound like much, it's better than their No. 32 ranking of a year ago. They're still susceptible to the big play but they've been getting better the last two weeks.
Most often, Chris Snee stays under the radar but Sunday he squares off with Ndamukong Suh, one of the best defensive tackle prospects to hit the league in years. It was no surprise the Lions selected Suh with the second overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. The former Nebraska star has done nothing to disappoint, leading the team (and all rookies) with three sacks.

After setting Giants receiving records last season, Steve Smith has been watching Hakeem Nicks haul in most of Eli Manning's passes this season. Smith's loss has been Nicks' gain. The extra defender lurking near Smith means Nicks more often than not is singled up and he's shredding that strategy in a big way. Nicks leads the Giants with 33 receptions for 409 yards and six touchdowns.

There are two ways the Giants, who are 10-point favorites, can lose this game. One is turnovers. The other is special teams. Those are two Giant flaws and two Lion strengths. Stefan Logan returned a kickoff 105 yards against the Rams last week and the Giants' coverage teams have been spotty at times. Spotty won't do.

In his past three games, Brandon Jacobs has rushed 20 times for 120 yards and two touchdowns, mostly because he's been running straight ahead, not side to side. Though Jacobs declined to go into specifics, it's clear to everyone, including offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, he's been much better on the field since his blowup against the Colts, which came after a cutback run that didn't please Tom Coughlin.

The Giants could get a starter back on both sides of the ball this week. Center Shaun O'Hara and linebacker Keith Bulluck, out since Week 2 and Week 3, respectively, both returned to the practice field Friday. Tom Coughlin said Bulluck (toe) was "running around a lot better" and O'Hara (ankle, Achilles) "did better" as they worked through the team's practice in shells Friday.

Bear Pascoe believes he's making progress as a fullback. "Getting smarter every day," the converted tight end said Thursday. Really? Because most fullbacks aren't perceived as the brightest bulbs in the locker room, especially considering the jobs they willfully accept, so maybe he's going in the wrong direction. "Tremendous contribution for us," offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said of Pascoe."

Oct 14 Some of Eli Manning's interceptions are explainable, such as those that bounce off Hakeem Nicks' hands. In five full seasons as a starter, Manning averaged 15.8 interceptions. Only 24 of the 79 occurred during the past two seasons, an indication that his decision-making has improved. That makes this year's elevated rate either an anomaly or a concern.

Shaun O'Hara has missed the Giants' last three games because of ongoing issues with bursitis in his left ankle and Achilles. Last week, he felt a cortisone injection would do the trick, but he was shut down after running agitated the problem.
Shaun O'Hara participated in individual drills on Wednesday and said the team is trying not to rush into his recovery. He said he feels "pretty good" and that the ankle/Achilles injury that has sidelined him the last three weeks feels better this week than last week..

This is not the worst stretch of Mathias Kiwanuka's career. Far from it, actually. Though he's sidelined with a serious neck injury and has watched his fellow defensive linemen catch and pass him in the sack column the past two weeks, Kiwanuka recalls being out with a broken leg three seasons ago while his teammates made a memorable championship run.
In his absence, almost all of his teammates have stepped up. The Giants have had 13 sacks in the last two games - a 17-3win over Chicago and a 34-10 win in Houston. They have held opponents to just 83 rushing yards, 305 total yards, and 13points - all of which were gift-wrapped by turnovers.
For the first time since Oct. 1, when he was diagnosed with the bulging cervical disk, Kiwanuka yesterday was seen on the field. He worked on some agility drills off on the side while his teammates began to practice. "I had my jersey on, so that felt good," he said. If feeling good was the only criteria, Kiwanuka would be back today. Getting medical clearance is the tricky part.

Since Kenny Phillips returned to the field following his knee surgery and rehabilitation, the Giants seemed to have an arithmetic problem at safety: how do you fit three players into two jobs? The first answer seemed to be removing one player from the equation and designate Deon Grant as the odd man out. Turns out it was a trick question, because the correct response is you play all three.

NFC East News
The Cowboys and Vikings, both 1-3, are playing what amounts to an elimination game Sunday at the Metrodome, where Minnesota beat Dallas, 34-3, in the divisional round of the playoffs in January. The team that loses this game can turn its full attention to preparing for the lockout in 2011 because it is not going to make the playoffs.

Oct 13 After the best offensive performance of the season, Giants tackle David Diehl could only marvel at the young talent that surrounds him in the huddle. The Giants' entire receiving corps is 25 and under. Ahmad Bradshaw, the featured rusher, is 24. Tight ends Kevin Boss and Travis Beckum are 26 and 23, respectively. Outside of an aging offensive line, the elder members of the offense are quarterback Eli Manning (29) and running back Brandon Jacobs (28). All contributed in Sunday's win against the Houston Texans, when the Giants totaled 414 yards.

Through five games with the Giants, Antrel Rolle has been credited with making 31 stops, many of them down low near the line of scrimmage -- tackles that mean something, tackles that stop a play before it gets going. The Colts (160 yards on 43 attempts) surprised the Giants with their run attack; the Texans didn't, and Rolle was there to help contain the previously top-ranked rush offense to just 24 yards on 15 carries by making tackles on cutback runs by Arian Foster.
The safety's harsh words about leadership and the organization in a radio interview three weeks ago sure seem to be the flashpoint for the Giants' first two-game winning streak in almost a year. "I don't know if the Antrel thing had as much to do with it as people are saying," Justin Tuck said Tuesday. "But I think the fact that he said some of that, it actually brought us closer. It got us to talk about situations on and off the field. And we started to play better.

Coming in on Tuesdays provides an opportunity for players to focus on individual needs rather than being immersed in practice and meetings. They can study film specific to them, with a wide receiver focusing on a defensive back or an offensive tackle examining a defensive end.

The team from Detroit doesn't travel well. The Lions arrive Sunday at New Meadowlands Stadium to face the Giants carting in 23 consecutive road losses, one shy of the NFL record ignominiously set by, of course, themselves during an earlier three-year span of ineptitude (2001-03).

Former Giants
George Martin walks to aid 9/11 recovery workers. Two years ago, George Martin walked across the country -- from New York to San Diego -- to raise money and awareness for rescue and recovery workers from Sept. 11. Martin, a former Giants standout defensive end, is holding a similar walk for the third consecutive year, albeit at a distance far shorter than the 3,020 miles in 2008. Martin is holding his second annual "Giant Steps for 9/11" Walk and Family Fun Day on Sunday to benefit the rescue and recovery workers.