Sept 2 Giants feel they have shot at winning the wide open NFC East. Giants players, such as receiver Victor Cruz, echo the sentiment that the division is wide open and it can be theirs as long as Eli Manning is their quarterback.
Here's a position-by-position look at the New York Giants' 53-man roster, which of course is likely to change tonight, tomorrow or at some point in the next few days as the team looks over the waiver wire.

Linebacker Kyle Bosworth, one of the more surprising cuts by the Giants on Saturday, was claimed off waivers on Sunday by the Dallas Cowboys. Bosworth, nephew of "The Boz" (Brian Bosworth), excelled on special teams for the Giants over the summer and was in a battle with veteran Aaron Curry for the sixth linebacker spot.

The Giants signed to their practice squad defensive ends Adewale Ojomo of Miami and Matt Broha of Louisiana Tech; offensive linemen Stephen Goodin of Nebraska-Kearney and Eric Herman of Ohio University; wide receivers Marcus Harris of Murray State and Julian Talley of Massachusetts; and defensive back Charles James of Charleston Southern. The Giants can sign one more player to their practice squad.

We are reminded again, as the Jets still haven't decided who they want as their starting quarterback this season, how lucky the Giants are to have Eli. There are so many reasons why the Giants are bigger than they have ever been around here: The smart, classy way the organization is run, the coaching of Tom Coughlin, the drafting of Jerry Reese, the way the defense smacked around Tom Brady in two Super Bowls. But it doesn't happen this way without No. 10.

In time, Tom Coughlin has begun to see things differently. And why not? Two Super Bowl victories ought to breed serenity and fulfillment. But those closest to him say it was not the second championship, in 2012, that changed him; it was the birth of a third generation of Coughlins. "Grandkids have softened him," Judy Coughlin said. "People think it's winning two Super Bowls, but that's not it.

Sept 1 A few weeks ago, Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride told The Post that Curtis Painter is a "legitimate" NFL quarterback who had a real shot at taking David Carr's roster spot. As it turns out, he did.
David Carr, Eli Manning's backup for four of the five previous seasons, was among the cuts. Carr, 34, had his contract terminated. The Giants will keep three quarterbacks this season: Manning, Curtis Painter and rookie fourth-round draft pick Ryan Nassib.

In a mild surprise, the Giants kept just five linebackers, with veteran free agent Kyle Bosworth being the old man out. The team kept - Spencer Paysinger, Dan Connor, Keith Rivers, Jacquian Williams and Mark Herzlich. The quintet is mostly interchangeable and each can play a specific role.

Justin Trattou never got a call, which meant the former Don Bosco star defensive end got a spot. The Giants announced their initial 53-man roster shortly after the 6 p.m. deadline and Trattou's name was on it, having beaten out Adrian Tracy, Adewale Ojomo and Matt Broha as the team's fifth defensive end behind Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka and Damontre Moore.

Michael Cox was the next-to-last player selected in the 2013 NFL draft, which meant he had to wait through 252 other picks and didn't even get that cool "Mr. Irrelevant" jersey that went to the guy who was taken last. Cox will get a strong consolation prize, though: a Giants jersey.

Aug 31- UPDATE
Giants announce 53-man roster.
New York Giants cut-down analysis.
Giants Roster Moves.
Coach Coughlin discusses 53-man roster.

Aug 31 He stands 5 feet, 10 inches tall, but David Wilson said he is plenty big and strong enough to carry a heavy load as the Giants' starting running back. "Don't get confused by my size," the 205-pound Wilson said. "I'm a physical guy. I'm from the country, so I grew up chopping wood and building houses with my dad, all that. I'm well put together."
Short-yardage work hardly seems an ideal role for Wilson's darting, deking style. At 205 pounds, he often runs around defenders, not through them. And he loves to bounce the ball outside, looking for big plays. But Tom Coughlin said he's not worried about Wilson handling short-yardage duties.

Coughlin did say they wanted to monitor Wilson's snaps this year, and that there is a number they have in mind for him that won't change just because of Andre Brown's injury. But it's possible the Giants could move more toward a "bell cow" running back scheme, with Wilson getting the vast majority of the significant carries while backups such as Ryan Torain, Da'Rel Scott and Michael Cox contribute when he needs a rest.
Giants roster decisions - Assuming Brown and his fractured left leg aren't on the 53, there's no reason they can't keep all five from the group of David Wilson, Henry Hynoski, Ryan Torain, Da'Rel Scott and Michael Cox. Torain is a guy they like as a pass protector, and Cox may well be the new kickoff returner. If they cut someone from the Scott/Torain/Cox group, it's likely because they decided they needed a sixth wide receiver or a fourth tight end.

The tedium of training camp and vagaries of preseason personnel evaluation are over. The hated Cowboys and Tony Romo await the Giants eight days from now in Arlington, Texas.
Tom Coughlin would love to know precisely who will be on the practice field on Monday, when the Giants begin preparation for the Sept. 8 regular-season opener against the Cowboys. But with so many banged-up regulars, that may not be possible.

Tom Coughlin said the practices that begin in the middle of next week would be the key barometers for the Giants' injured players, and that includes fullback Henry Hynoski and defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul along with Victor Cruz, enter David Baas and others.
As far as Victor Cruz is concerned, he's "on schedule" to be ready to play in the Giants' opener, next Sunday in Dallas. But he's not there yet. And it's not necessarily his call. The star receiver still has not been cleared to practice on Monday, although he's hoping he will be after two more days of treatment this weekend.

General manager Jerry Reese wasn't exactly in a chatty mood after the Giants lost to the Patriots 28-20, "Got a lot of decisions to make," he said. One could hardly blame him for not wanting to talk about the upcoming roster cuts the Giants will need to make which have potentially been altered by three injuries suffered in the preseason finale.

Aug 30 Special Report - The fact that the Giants lost their third straight game of the summer and finished the exhibition season with a 1-3 record is not the most significant fact coming from Thursday night's 28-20 loss to the New England Patriots. Neither is the fact that their offense finally managed to break out just a little as quarterback Eli Manning led the first-team offense on a 91-yard drive that actually produced a touchdown.

Tebow throws 2 TDs as Patriots beat Giants 28-20.
Giants Running Back Andre Brown Suffers a Fractured Leg.
Andre Brown fractured his left leg in the second quarter.
Backup safety Tyler Sash suffered a concussion.
Senseless to risk Giants starters in preseason finale.
Marvin Austin said Tebow was an ideal quarterback for him to face.

Tom Coughlin said the "quick appraisal" he got from the medical staff was it is not a season-ending injury for Andre Brown, who took a decidedly optimistic view of yet another setback to curtail his time on the field.
The Giants will need to keep a few running backs behind David Wilson. Da'Rel Scott. and Ryan Torain hope they will be able to stick. Seventh-round pick Michael Cox has impressed the coaching staff in camp and has been returning kickoffs.
There was a bit of good news though to come from the game, and that is the starting offense, led by quarterback Eli Manning, finally converted inside of the red zone when Manning connected with receiver Hakeem Nicks on a three-yard touchdown pass to give the Giants a 7-0 lead with a minute to go in the first quarter.

NFL News
The NFL has agreed to pay $765 million to settle a lawsuit brought by more than 4,500 players and their families, largely closing the legal front in the league's battle against accusations that it concealed what it knew about the dangers of repeated hits to the head.
Many legal experts had predicted the NFL would be forced to settle for several billion dollars or risk losing at least that amount if the suit ever went to trial, but the lead attorney for the retired players said speedy conclusion was paramount.

Aug 29 The final preseason game is upon us. Take a look at some positions where there are roster spots still up for grabs and potentially on the line on Thursday against New England. The Giants have to cut their roster down to 53 on Saturday and figure out who to place on IR and the practice squad.
Those who use words such as "meaningless" and phrases such as "waste of time" about the fourth and final preseason game have never been one small but significant step away from securing a place on an NFL roster.

Although Tom Coughlin said he intended to limit Manning and the rest of the first-team offense to 12 to 15 snaps, he is pushing for results. "I'd like to see some continuity and some execution, some performance," he said. "I would like to see us get the ball in the end zone."
But is there cause for concern? Based on the proven talent, beginning with Manning and including his potent big-play receivers, Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks, there shouldn't be much alarm. Based, too, on the fact the Giants have not had their full cast on offense together because of injuries, their inconsistency can be somewhat excused.

Charles James was sporting a new shirt after practice Tuesday, a gift from one of the NFL's best undrafted free agent success stories to a humbled rookie cornerback still harboring the dream of authoring his own. The Victor Cruz-inspired tee - 'UFA' on the front, 'Undrafted' with Cruz's training camp number '3' on the back.

Aaron Curry Tweeted that he has retired from the NFL after a short stint with the Giants. Curry was hoping to regenerate his career with the Giants, but after a preseason of diminishing reps, he was released following the team's third preseason game.

Former Giants
Lawrence Tynes, who signed with the Bucs before training camp, is home in Kansas City battling the infection that prompted Tampa to sanitize One Buc Place, the team's training facility, twice over the last week.

Aug 28 Tim Tebow , 26, is preparing for Thursday's preseason game against the Giants, which could be his last in the NFL. If Tebow gets released by the only team willing to sign him in the off-season, he may not get another chance.

Coach Tom Coughlin said that Ryan Nassib, the rookie from Syracuse, will follow Eli Manning in the quarterback rotation when the Giants conclude their preseason schedule Thursday night in New England. The fourth-round draft choice did not play last week against the Jets. He was the third quarterback in each of the first two games.
If all goes according to the best-laid plan of the Giants, the snaps Nassib gets will be the last ones he gets, as the hope, as spelled out rather succinctly on draft day by general manager Jerry Reese, is that Nassib never sees the field.

Before the Giants take the field on Thursday night for their preseason final against the Patriots, head coach Tom Coughlin has a very stern message for those players who are on the bubble. "The message is this: there's two practices, a game, look at the tape, and cut to 53," he said on Monday afternoon. "If you're going to make a move, if you're going to show something, there's not a lot of time."

The Giants' starting left guard Thursday against the Patriots has never started an NFL game. And before Monday, he had never played left guard. Sounds a little crazy, but James Brewer can't wait to get out there.
James Brewer knows he may be a little inexperienced at left guard. "Yeah, they told me yesterday that I was going to be playing left guard before practice," he said. "So then, obviously, you just have to go with it."

One week ago , he was hobbling about on crutches, his heavily scrutinized left heel in a walking boot. But on Tuesday, Victor Cruz walked only with swagger. The Giants' star receiver, who suffered a left heel bruise last Sunday, continues to make a swift recovery.
Victor Cruz said his injured heel is improving and he believes he will be ready to play when the Giants open their regular season on Sept. 8 in Dallas. Cruz missed last week's game vs. the Jets and will not play in the preseason finale Thursday night in New England. He hopes to rejoin his teammates on the practice field on Monday.

Once upon a time, Eli Manning was Eli The Terrible. No, really. It's true, even though some of his fans are probably too young to remember. But it was all right there on the back page of the Daily News on Nov. 26, 2007. He had just thrown four interceptions in a 41-17 home loss to the Minnesota Vikings -- an inexcusable performance late in his fourth NFL season. Fans were burning his jersey in the parking lot.

Aug 27 Special Report - Giants and Jets: A tale of two coaches, two quarterbacks and two very different teams. The Giants fell behind late in the third preseason game against the Jets on Saturday night, and Coughlin stuck with quarterback Curtis Painter because he's trying to evaluate the young veteran. The Jets were also trying to evaluate the quarterbacks.
Rookie Geno Smith was awful during his playing time, so bad that head coach Rex Ryan seemingly had his answer, at least for the week. Instead of Matt Simms (Phil Simms' second son) or Greg McElroy seeing playing time, Ryan instead threw No. 1 quarterback Mark Sanchez to the wolves, putting him out on the field with 11 minutes remaining in a meaningless game.

On a night when cornerback Terrell Thomas, who just a tad over two years to the day was last on a NFL playing field, had returned after recovering from back-to-back ACL surgeries, his teammate and friend, Stevie Brown, the Giants starting safety, picked off a pass and returned it 22 yards, only to get his foot stuck in the MetLife Stadium turf. The Giants feared the worst as Brown underwent tests. Their worst fears had been confirmed: Brown had suffered a torn ACL and will miss the 2013 season.

Antrel Rolle won't have good friend and fellow safety Stevie Brown on the field with him for the first time this preseason. And that's going to be hard for Rolle. In the past year Rolle and Brown have become very close, as the two worked to form the kind of bond and chemistry Rolle had with former Giant Kenny Phillips in the defensive backfield. They hung out after offseason practices, watching basketball games and playing billiards.
Once Brown went down, Rolle's idle time ended. "I told them today I want to go out there and test it and see what I can do," Rolle said. "I'll be smart about it. I'll make sure I relay back to them and let them know how it's feeling, if it's still sore, if it's good, if I can keep going or if I need to shut it down. We're all on the same page as far as the training staff and coaches.

Tyler Sash said at the beginning of training camp that his time would come. He thought it may have come on Saturday night. It didn't. When starting safety Stevie Brown went down in the first quarter, the Giants needed somebody to step in and play with the starters. A perfect opportunity for Sash. Instead, the Giants put Will Hill on the field. The same Will Hill who will serve a four-game suspension at the start of the regular season for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
Ryan Mundy, in his first season with the Giants, has been thrust into a starting safety spot after Stevie Brown's season-ending knee injury. Mundy said this situation is not foreign territory for him. He started five games for the Steelers last year and also played in every game each of the last four seasons. Still, what's different is Mundy is now being counted as more than a spot-starter.

Tom Coughlin is trying out another new offensive line. On Monday, the Giants trotted out Kevin Boothe at center in place of Jim Cordle. James Brewer moved to left guard and rookie Justin Pugh remained at right tackle. Chris Snee remains at right guard and Will Beatty remains at left tackle.

Running back David Wilson is as perplexed as anyone. He sees the field position. He sees the talent at the skill positions. He sees the fact the Giants first-team offense has scored just two touchdowns this preseason and is 0-for-8 in the red zone. "That's definitely an alarm," Wilson said.

As soon as it became clear Monday morning that Jason Pierre-Paul was coming off the physically unable to perform list, a wave of optimism started to flow through Giants camp. It was left to JPP himself to remind everyone that he can't carry the Giants on his back yet. Not when Monday was his first practice since offseason back surgery. And don't even ask Pierre-Paul if he thinks he'll be able to play in the season opener in Dallas on Sept. 8.

Aug 26 The Giants reached the NFL roster limit of 75 players 48 hours early by placing safety Stevie Brown on season-ending injured reserve and releasing 14 players, including veteran linebacker Aaron Curry. The most significant move was the loss of Brown, the team's starting free safety.
Based on his resume, Aaron Curry seemed to have a leg up on gaining a Giants roster spot, considering the need the team has for linebackers and the fact they had a very high grade on Curry when he was entering the NFL Draft. It didn't work out that way.

In 2012, safety Stevie Brown was one of the few feel-good stories in an otherwise lackluster Giants season. Let go five times by three teams, he came to the Giants last year almost as an afterthought. Now Coughlin has to go about finding a replacement.
Brown was a playmaker on a defense that needs playmakers in the secondary. Last year, he led the team with eight interceptions and had 307 yards off those interceptions. The Giants felt Brown was good enough to be their starter full time and let Kenny Phillips and his troublesome knee walk in free agency in the first place.
Suddenly, the safety position is an issue. Will Hill is a promising and very athletic second-year player, but he will be suspended for the first four games for violating the NFL's drug policy, so forget about him until October. Coughlin was impressed with Terrell Thomas' comeback game, but said Thomas remains a cornerback and there are no plans to move him to safety.

Jets 24 - Giants 21 (OT): Hits, Misses and Musings - David Wilson: His 84-yard touchdown run was a thing of beauty, but even more impressive in his showing was his performance in pass protection against a Jets defense, which is not the easiest in the league to manage.
Starting in place of David Baas at center, Jim Cordle appeared to be at the center of several obvious miscommunication breakdowns that resulted in hits on Manning and a sack. "They had some unique looks, so we were trying to get it communicated fast," Cordle said. I wasn't sure what to do and that's my fault. I've got to correct that. We had that big play, and we were up and down from there."
It would be valid to say the Giants were without two starters along the offensive line in center David Baas and tackle David Diehl. Also out were the touchdown machine, wide receiver Victor Cruz, and battering fullback Henry Hynoski. But that's not going to help Tom Coughlin sleep any easier this week.

The Giants have less than two weeks until they take the field against the Cowboys and open the regular season, and what Coughlin has seen - and not seen - from his team is most concerning. "There isn't anything that I'm not concerned with," Coughlin said.

Aug 25 Jets win in overtime over the Giants 24-21.
Giants.com Instant Analysis: Giants fall in OT, 24-21
It was an ugly game for the Giants outside of David Wilson's 84-yard touchdown run and the defense taking advantage of a mistake-prone Jets offense with five turnovers.
Issues included third down efficiency, of which the Giants were just three of 18 (17%), and red zone efficiency, in which the Giants went zero for two this week to bring their 2013 preseason red zone success rate to zero conversions on eight attempts.
On a night when it all should have been coming together, against a Jets team that seemed ripe to be dismantled, the Giants left their preseason rivalry game with a 24-21 loss.
David Wilson ran for an 84-yard touchdown on the Giants' first play from scrimmage. On their other 31 first-half snaps they gained a total of 97 yards, an average of 3.1 yards a snap.
Without two starters on the offensive line - David Diehl (wrist) and David Baas (MCL) - there was little protection against an ever-changing barrage of defensive fronts from the Jets. Communication between the new group still had to come a long way. Game Photos

Eli Manning and Giants offense have ugly showing against NY Jets, but no time to panic for Big Blue History suggests they'll find a way to improve by Week 1.
Tom Coughlin's offense is sputtering, his patience is beginning to run out and there isn't much time left to get things fixed.
While the Giants' offense struggled, the defense kept giving it opportunities, with three interceptions in the first half off rookie Geno Smith. The Giants converted those into three points.
After Stevie Brown picked off Jets quarterback Geno Smith late in the first quarter, Ryan Mundy was on his way to congratulating his fellow Giants safety. "He just stayed down," Mundy said.
Tom Coughlin threw Terrell Thomas right into the mix on the very first series of the game. Thomas was excited to be back. "I feel great. It's a long time coming."
Marvin Austin got to Mark Sanchez twice. Austin is literally playing for his job right now. He's currently listed as a third-stringer, and the Giants arguably have more depth at defensive tackle than any other position.
It was a game that will not bolster the confidence of either team. Nor will either coaching staff likely feel like they have fewer questions to answer.

Aug 24 There's this notion that Saturday's Jets-Giants exhibition game has some sizzle. Those selling this particular line say it's the renewal of a rivalry and summer's third preseason game. NFL exhibitions are disasters waiting to happen. The results are meaningless. Yet in the combat zone, preseason after preseason, teams lose players, even stars, through injuries.
Forget about bragging rights. (It's the preseason, after all; who brags about a preseason win?) This is pretty much about the last real rehearsal for the starters, guys trying to win jobs and other players just trying to either keep or win a roster spot. What to watch.
The backup quarterback battle. After failing to do much of anything with his second team snaps last week. David Carr will take a seat, as already planned, and Curtis Painter will get his chance. Interestingly, however, head coach Tom Coughlin has sad that he's not sure if it will be Painter or rookie Ryan Nassib who comes in after Eli Manning leaves.

Preseason or not, Tom Coughlin is clearly dissatisfied with the Giants' performance in their first two games (including a victory over Pittsburgh in the opener). The Giants have scored one touchdown (none on six trips inside their opponents' 20-yard line), they're averaging 3.1 yards a carry, completing 49.2 percent of their passes and their four quarterbacks have absorbed 10 sacks.
The Giants are aware that the game might have more to do with the immediate future of the Jets, who are auditioning rookie Geno Smith against them. Tuck laughed at the idea that the Giants might have a large say about the identity of the Jets' Week 1 quarterback. "Maybe I'll get a call from Sanchez," he joked.

As recently as last week, the Giants' offensive line was veteran-filled and deep, but that was before center David Baas sprained his knee and versatile David Diehl needed thumb surgery. On Saturday, Eli Manning will operate behind a line that's far less experienced. First-round pick Justin Pugh, who saw his first action as a pro last week, will work at right tackle, and career backup Jim Cordle will make his first start at center.
Eli's OK with the line. Manning said. "You want guys who are very versatile and can play different spots. Through the course of the season you're going to have guys in and out a little bit. You're going to have some injuries and guys are going to have to step in and fill those roles. We're going to get a lot of work and I think it will be a great test for these guys."

Tonight, with Victor Cruz (bruised heel) sitting out as the Giants face the Jets, Jerrel Jernigan gets moved into a place of prominence, as he'll be the slot receiver between Hakeem Nicks and Rueben Randle, looking to catch the attention of Eli Manning and show some of those moves the Giants are waiting to see.
Jerrel Jernigan will likely get the first nod for slot receiver when the Giants go three wide, but right behind him will be Kevin Hardy. Despite catching just four passes for 53 yards in his senior year at The Citadel and not playing pro football last season after being cut by the Saints in the preseason, Hardy has skyrocketed up the depth chart.

Special teams coach Tom Quinn marvels at Josh Brown's consistency. Brown has big shoes to fill. Tynes, who spent six seasons with the Giants, kicked them into two Super Bowls by nailing two game-winning overtime kicks in 2007 and 2011. Tynes is the only kicker in NFL history with two overtime game-winning playoff field goals.

Former Giants
Lawrence Taylor called greatest defensive player ever in new documentary. For those interested, it's entertaining to hear Belichick talk about Bill Parcells re-arranging the defense to suit Taylor's strengths.

Aug 23 On Aug. 22, 2011, Terrell Thomas was a starting cornerback for the New York Giants, entering his fourth NFL season, playing in the team's second preseason game against the Chicago Bears. Little did he know, it would be his last game for more than two years.
The next key for Thomas will be getting through the game healthy enough to practice on Monday. That may be a bigger obstacle than actually playing tomorrow night. Coughlin wouldn't say how much Thomas will play Saturday night.
The Giants aren't sure how Thomas, 28, fits into their defense and they need to know how physically reliable he is. Thomas started every game in 2009 and 2010, amassed 10 interceptions and was on his way to potential stardom -- and a lucrative long-term contract -- before tearing his ACL.

The Giants defense was ranked 31st in the NFL last season, but Justin Tuck believes they can do better. About 30 spots better. "The ceiling is the No. 1 defense," Tuck said Thursday. "That has to be the ceiling. That has to be your thought process."

The third preseason game is supposed to be the final warmup act before the real games begin, but for Giants lineman Jim Cordle, Saturday night's game against the Jets may as well be the Super Bowl. It will be a big opportunity for Cordle, the chance to show his wares against a blitz-happy defense."

Quarterback Curtis Painter has impressed Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride enough to turn his battle with veteran David Carr into a "legitimate competition," as Gilbride has said. In Saturday night's preseason game against the Jets he's hoping to impress the rest of the league as well.

Henry Hynoski did not take any reps as the Giants went through their final practice Thursday in preparation for Saturday's preseason game against the Jets. He won't play then and likely will sit out next Thursday's preseason finale against the Patriots as well. But Hynoski, 24, promised all along he would be ready to go when the Giants travel to play the Cowboys in prime time Sept. 8.
Considering the position he plays and the way he plays it, fullback Henry Hynoski's value to the Giants cannot be understated or underrated. "When you look around in the league, there are not many guys that are 265 [pounds] and have the skill-set that Henry has as well," coach Tom Coughlin said yesterday.

Aug 22 When Tom Coughlin shuffled his offensive line on Tuesday to make up for the loss of center David Baas, he didn't expect that one day later he'd have to shuffle it again.
David Diehl visited the Hospital for Special Surgery on Wednesday morning after practicing the previous day with a cast on his right hand. He underwent an MRI that revealed instability in the thumb and Dr. Robert Hotchkiss determined a procedure was necessary.
David Diehl underwent surgery to repair his unstable right thumb. The expected timeframe for recovering from the surgery is approximately six weeks.

For a decade Diehl has been the ultimate team player, ignoring injuries and even sacrificing his own money for the greater good. Yet all his critics seem to see are missed blocks, as if they happen on every play.
If you're wondering, David Diehl is not eligible for PUP; the Giants' options are to carry him on the final 53-man roster and deactivate him every week until he's ready (the most likely scenario); place him on permanent IR; use the temporary IR designation; or release him with an injury settlement (unlikely).
David Diehl had thumb surgery and will be sidelined six weeks. The overarching result is that Justin Pugh, the team's No. 1 draft pick, has been penciled in as the starter at right tackle when the season opens Sept. 8 in Dallas.

Considering the knee injury to starting center David Baas and the preseason struggles at right tackle for David Diehl against the Colts, Pugh's presence as a starter beginning Saturday against the Jets is a likely sign that the team's future in that spot is now.

The Giants will likely open the regular season on Sept. 8 against the Cowboys with two of their five linemen making their first NFL starts. Coughlin said. "We have two games to play and hopefully they can have a lot of things occur on the field that we can take care of and learn while doing it right instead of causing problems for other areas. ''Such as not getting Eli Manning killed in the next two preseason games.

With Victor Cruz out this Saturday, Jerrel Jernigan finally has a chance to prove he has staying power. After just three catches for 22 yards last season, Jernigan has two catches for 28 yards this preseason. He missed the Colts game due to injury.

It had only been nine days since Antrel Rolle was carted off the practice field with a badly sprained ankle, but there he was on Wednesday, the final day of training camp, backpedaling, leaping and seemingly going full-speed through some drills.

Terrell Thomas will make his season debut on Saturday against the Jets. Head coach Tom Coughlin has been impressed with Thomas in the last couple of practices. Working largely against slot receivers, Thomas had an interception in practice on Wednesday and has been moving well.

For every Russell Wilson who found instant success in the NFL, there is a David Carr, who proved starting at quarterback as a rookie can be detrimental to your career. Surrounded by little talent and a new coaching staff, Carr was sacked 76 times in his first year. He was sacked 249 times during his five seasons in Houston, where he was beaten down physically and mentally.

Aug 21 The Giants shuffled their offensive line on Tuesday and are ready to accelerate the progress of first-round pick Justin Pugh. Pugh joined the starting line at right tackle with David Diehl moving to left guard and Kevin Boothe sliding to center.
That configuration will remain intact for...well, nobody knows. David Baas is listed as week-to-week, though he did say today he hopes to play in the regular-season opener in Dallas on Sept. 8.
Pugh's versatility will serve the Giants well as their aging and ailing offensive line prepares for the season. Center David Baas (knee) is out at least a couple of weeks. Veteran guard Chris Snee is recovering from off-season hip surgery and Diehl has a giant cast over his right hand and wrist.
Diehl said his thumb was not broken. Coughlin did not specify what the injury was but acted as if it did not have any influence on the shake-up of the offensive line. It is more likely that the Giants wanted Boothe to play center and that they also saw an opportunity over the next two weeks to evaluate Pugh at right tackle with the starting unit.

Victor Cruz hobbled through the doors before leaning a set of crutches against the wall and taking his place in front of reporters and television cameras Tuesday morning. A protective walking boot on his injured left foot, Cruz stepped to the microphone stand and joked: "Why does everybody look so sad?"
He will likely miss the remainder of the preseason (he wouldn't play in the fourth game, anyway), but thinks he'll be healthy enough to go against Dallas Week 1.Cruz says the main issue with his injury is the swelling, and that he doesn't expect it to be something that lingers. The Giants are a team that knows well what a lingering foot injury can do to a wideout.

This is a big year for Hakeem Nicks. The wide receiver has the potential to clean up in free agency next March. But first, Nicks must prove that he's the same playmaker he was before foot and knee injuries derailed his 2012 season.

There already have been enough days during training camp when Tuck has felt older than his years. A back issue kept him out of the first preseason game and a hamstring tweak curtailed some of his playing time in the Giants' 20-12 preseason loss to the Colts on Sunday. The nagging injuries could be signs of an aging player starting to break down, though Tuck doesn't see it that way.

The Giants shouldn't focus on bragging rights as they prepare for Jets. Tom Coughlin called the 2013 Jets "a physical football team" that would provide "a very good matchup for us." But the Giants third preseason game isn't about the Jets. It's more about the Giants working on their own issues.

Terrell Thomas is expected to see his first game action in two years Saturday night. Thomas led the Giants in tackles, interceptions and passes defended in the 2009 and 2010 seasons. But the 28-year-old cornerback has not played in an NFL game since he tore his ACL for the second time in a preseason game against the Bears two years ago.

Aug 20 Victor Cruz diagnosed with heel contusion; might be done for preseason. Don't expect to see Victor Cruz on the field in a game until the Giants open the regular season against Dallas on Sept. 8, a source told The Record.
Tom Coughlin confirmed that center David Baas has an MCL injury and that the Giants will evaluate it on a weekly basis. The season opener could be in jeopardy for Baas.
Baas underwent several surgical procedures during the offseason but was able to practice once training camp began. Once he went out last night, Jim Cordle replaced him at center, but the Giants have other options for the regular season.
The back tightness that plagued Justin Tuck early in training camp is gone, but the aging defensive end now has another issue. Tuck has a "mild hamstring strain," according to Coughlin, and it's unknown whether Tuck will practice Tuesday.
So it goes for the Giants, who have battled the injury bug all pre-season. Depth has been a strong suit in the past and something the team may have to search for again.

Hakeem Nicks is in the final year of the five-year, $12.5 million deal he signed as a rookie in 2009. He'll make $2.725 million, which isn't insignificant. But a healthy season could mean a franchise tag salary of $11 million for him next year, or a Mike Wallace-type contract (five years, $60 million with half guaranteed). One serious injury, though, and that could all disappear.

Injuries, poor play and a lack of production along the offensive line has Giants coach Tom Coughlin undecided about who to plug in where with the season-opener at Dallas fast approaching.
Tom Coughlin was agitated with the team's 10 penalties. Also, the Giants failed to score a touchdown despite being at the Colts' 12-yard line or better on four occasions.
Tom Coughlin likes to call the area inside the 20 the "green zone," but based on the color of his face when the Giants get there he may want to join the rest of us in calling it the red zone.
In two games, the Giants have only five field goals to show for six trips inside the green zone. "It's something we've got to get better at," quarterback Eli Manning said."
In two games, Manning is 10-for-22 for 164 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He's completing 45.5 percent of his passes, which is not good.
Time to panic? Eh, not quite. Because of those pesky injuries, the starting offense really hasn't had much time to practice or play together in live action this summer, so there is bound to be a little rust and a few rough patches.

Aug 19 Andrew Luck threw for 107 yards and two touchdowns and the Colts responded to criticism by their owner with a 20-12 exhibition victory over the New York Giants on Sunday night.
Giants.com breaks down the Giants' 20-12 defeat by the Colts. Football is a game of inches, and Aaron Ross learned that on his would-be interception that ended up as a Colts' touchdown.
Aaron Ross knows he hasn't heard the last of his blunder, one that'll likely go viral on You Tube and land him on the Not Top 10 list.
Aaron Ross can't haul in the ball as seemingly throws it behind him where Colts receiver Reggie Wayne is standing in the end zone.
The most memorable play of Sunday night's New York Giants-Indianapolis Colts game was actually a gaffe, destined to appear on NFL blooper reels for years to come.
Tom Coughlin got hit with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty late in the second quarter for leaving the bench area during a play. That's a point of emphasis this season. "Too many penalties tonight, starting with mine, which was foolish," Coughlin said. Game Photos

Justin Tuck played Sunday night after missing the team's first preseason game because of tightness in his back, but now Tuck has another problem area.
The Giants lost to the Indianapolis Colts but the injuries to Victor Cruz and David Baas were much more concerning.
The good news, at least where Cruz was concerned, is that he was seen on the sideline in street clothes without any sort of walking boot or crutches.
If Cruz doesn't bounce back, the prognosis for the offense doesn't look good. Baas' MCL injury could keep him out for the opener, once again depleting the offensive line.
The most dangerous part of the Giants' offense remains the passing game, orchestrated by Manning. To get the most out of it, the Giants need a healthy Cruz and a healthy Nicks.

Helmet on and jersey hanging out, Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, working his way back from a groin injury, made his preseason debut under the lights at MetLife Stadium Sunday against the Colts.
The Giants needed a spark, and Jayron Hosley gave it to them. The second-year cornerback intercepted Matt Hasselbeck late in the first half, returning it 37 yards the other way.
Leading the team in rushing a week ago, rookie running back Michael Cox showed his skill as a receiver out of the backfield on Sunday night against the Indianapolis Colts.

With starting center David Baas reportedly sidelined for the next 3-6 weeks, Justin Pugh might get a chance this week in camp to see even more time on the field, perhaps with the starters.
One of the few bright spots for the New York Giants on an ugly night at MetLife Stadium was rookie offensive lineman Justin Pugh.
Pugh started at left tackle all 34 games in which he played at Syracuse before the Giants selected him with the 19th overall pick of the 2013 draft. Now he's getting accustomed to a part-time role.

The Giants' red zone woes continued this week as they managed to score just three field goals in four first-half trips inside of the 20 against the Indianapolis Colts in a 20-12 loss at MetLife Stadium.
In roughly three preseason quarters populated by the team's starting offense, they have scored one touchdown, and 13 total points. "We did some good things, and we did some things we need to do a lot better," Manning said.

Although all six linebackers competing for spots will eventually find niche roles in the defense, Dan Connor's battle with Mark Herzlich has been one of the most watched during training camp.
Mark Herzlich, who played last season behind Chase Blackburn, came into this camp knowing more than Dan Connor, who signed as a free agent from the Cowboys.

Justin Tuck was one of the bright spots on a defensive unit that was taken apart with surgeonlike precision by Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck during the first half of the Giants' 20-12 preseason loss to the Colts at MetLife Stadium.
Andrew Luck, the No. 1 overall choice in 2012, picked up right where he left off from his record-setting rookie year by manhandling the Giants' No. 1 unit with his arm and even showing them up with his legs on a 14-yard scramble.

The Giants defense had all sorts of problems in their 20-12 preseason loss to the Colts at MetLife Stadium, delivering an uninspiring performance that prompts concern. The starters allowed two touchdowns on Luck's four first-half drives, not a promising ratio.
Unfortunately for Fewell, he has a complement of average-at-best linebackers, an aging front line and a top safety with a sprained ankle, and he may have to start the season without his best player, defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.

Aug 18 Giants are working to perfect the no-huddle offense. Last year, the Giants took just 968 snaps on offense, which was the second-lowest number in the NFL. The Patriots, by comparison, took 1,191 snaps - a difference that equates to almost three games' worth of plays. Teams around the league are looking to increase their snap counts to mimic New England's rapid-fire no-huddle attack inspired by now-Eagles coach Chip Kelly's system at the University of Oregon.

Last Saturday night wasn't an easy one for first-round pick Justin Pugh. What should've been his preseason debut against Pittsburgh was instead a spectator event for Pugh as he had to miss the game due to the concussion he suffered in practice. On Sunday, Pugh won't have to sit and watch.
Justin Pugh said he will have six seats occupied with family and friends - his parents, brother, sister and two of his "buddies" - for his NFL preseason debut against the Colts. Interestingly, since returning Pugh has practiced at both tackle spots, perhaps an indication he is initially being groomed as a swing tackle in the jumbo packages when an extra lineman is used.

Marvin Austin enters Sunday night's preseason tilt against the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium with his roster spot in jeopardy. He's spent the last few weeks working with the third-team defense and last week in Pittsburgh, he didn't even show up in the box score.

Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride has never been stingy with his words, so imagine how many eyebrows he caused to raise when he revealed that the battle at quarterback isn't so much between David Carr and rookie Ryan Nassib, but rather between Carr, and Curtis Painter.

While most of the fuss coming out of the Giants' preseason debut last week was centered on the chemistry between Eli Manning and Victor Cruz and how they connected on a 57-yard touchdown pass on their first connection of the year, Randle was left to learn the lesson of lost opportunity. Earlier in the drive that led to Cruz's touchdown, Randle had a chance to break a big one.

Two Giants named Justin, Tuck and Pugh, will make their 2013 preseason debuts Sunday night, but the similarities between them pretty much end there. Tuck is a nine-year veteran who has played in approximately 25 of these August affairs. Pugh is still trying to get a grip on his toolbox.

Sunday will be another chapter in the Giants' linebacker competition. The team turned a page on Friday when Dan Connor began practice with the first team at middle linebacker, where he was playing behind Mark Herzlich.
Dan Connor - Poke and prod him all you want, but he won't relent and say he's anxious to beat out Mark Herzlich and take command of the Giants' starting job at middle linebacker. "There are so many guys who can do it. By the time the opener starts each guy will have his role."

Justin Tuck on preseason play - "The longer you play the less preseason you need but yeah, you need some snaps. I remember Strahan one year came out, we actually played Dallas the first game, he sucked it up, he played but he had no preseason and he could tell. I remember on the plane back he was like 'man, that was the worst game of my life'.

In the preseason opener, the Giants' tandem of David Wilson and Andre Brown gained 39 yards on nine carries. But Tom Coughlin wants to see the running game be more consistent and productive.

The last time Rueben Randle suited up for a game at MetLife Stadium, he gave the Giants a glimpse into his potential. In the 2012 season finale, Randle burned the Eagles for two touchdowns on four catches for 58 yards, showing why the Giants used a second-round pick on him.
As big a deal as the return of Victor Cruz and the health of Hakeem Nicks is to the Giants' receiving corps, the emergence of the 22-year-old Randle this summer seems to have most people in the organization excited.

Aug 17 Special Report - This is going to be one interesting weekend and week following, Giants fans. There are plenty of little things going on now, each a part of the sum that will become the regular season. To simplify things and easy to cover, we're going to break it all down into categories, beginning with one key factor to the success (or failure) of this year's Giants.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin said the starters will play approximately 20 snaps when the Giants play host to the Colts on Sunday, while the second string will get about 25 snaps. Curtis Painter won't take any snaps against Indy; David Carr and Eli Manning will.
The battle for the bottom roster is what's really at stake here. With training camp dwindling down and practice reps now becoming a premium, the best way for the young player to make his name is on a game film. This week could make or break it for a few of them.
Hakeem Nicks is ready to return to the Giants' starting lineup. Coach Tom Coughlin said Friday the veteran wideout will play in Sunday night's Week 2 preseason game against the Colts.

Three years ago, Stevie Brown was the fifth-to-last pick in the NFL draft. On Sunday, Brown will be the top safety for the New York Giants, when they take on the Indianapolis Colts.
When Brown signed with the Giants last spring, they were his fourth organization, and he had already been waived four times. There was no expectation Brown would play much.

David Wilson has watched the videotape, and has spent a few days scrutinizing the ugly stats. He knows that he averaged just 3.2 yards per carry in last Saturday's preseason opener in Pittsburgh, and that the Giants' first-team offense looked nightmarish until Victor Cruz swooped in to save the day with a 57-yard TD catch.
Wilson looks like the whole package, and the Giants apparently agreed because he was impressive enough as a rookie to make Bradshaw -- a beloved figure in the locker room and cornerstone of their two recent Super Bowl runs -- expendable. Wilson said he had "mixed feelings" when it became obvious the Giants weren't bringing back Bradshaw and planned to hand him the starting job.

Rueben Randle finally broke out as a rookie. And then just like that, the season was over. The big-game potential flashed against the Eagles has translated into predictions for a breakout season from Randle, who has seized the spotlight by raising the level of his game to match the Pro Bowl profile of teammates Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks.

Ramses Barden has an edge to him, and thinks he knows why. "I am me. ... I am Ramses," he says. Here he is, five years after the Giants selected him in the third round out of Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, hoping he could be The Next Plaxico Burress or some facsimile, at least in the red zone. Barden has caught 29 NFL passes, for 394 yards, and his next NFL touchdown will be his first NFL touchdown, which means the Giants are still waiting for him to be The First Ramses Barden.

Just two training camp practices remain open to the public, and Friday was a preparation day for the Giants leading up to their second preseason game against the Colts. Players wore shorts and shells and worked off scout team cards for a good portion of practice.

Larry Donnell crumpled to the turf after making a catch during team drills. Coughlin said the big TE injured his knee and will "have all the tests." Donnell was seen leaving the practice facility on crutches.
Tight end Larry Donnell missed the entire spring recovering from a broken foot only to come back, make significant progress and then have it all come crashing down due to a knee injury.

Victor Cruz needed new cleats this week at Giants training camp, so he asked Joe Skiba, the team's equipment director, for a pair. There were 3,500 pairs of shoes to choose from, but somewhere there were 15 pairs specifically made for Cruz.

Aug 16 Terrell Thomas is on the comeback trail for the third time, and insists that there's no hangups with the torn ACL, his third, or the hamstring issue that landed him on the physically unable to perform list to start the season. His status for Sunday is still up in the air, with the Giants likely opting to be cautious and wait another week.