Giant Football Blog

Barrett eases in

It has been a very long time since Barrett Green has been on a football field 100% healthy and feeling like his old self. That's not going to happen tomorrow night either. But at least he'll be on the field. At this point, that's huge progress in Green's recovery from the left knee injury that ruined the linebacker's first season with the Giants. He is expected to play at least a little when the Giants wrap up their preseason schedule in New England, just seven months after he had surgery to repair a partially torn ACL. Continue

Jones gets fair catch on punts

Mark Jones was no sure thing to stick on the roster as the Giants' main punt-return option. Not after averaging a mere 6.7 yards in that role last year as a rookie. And certainly not after going down with a sprained right foot on Aug. 10 and missing the next three weeks with the injury. "When I got hurt I was trying to come back as quick as possible because I knew they're trying guys out," Jones said. "For a punt returner, knowing that's your position, you don't like to see that." Continue

Eli remains on target for opener

Eli Manning continued his throwing program yesterday and there is reason to be hopeful that his sprained right elbow will be healthy enough for him to play in the Giants' opener Sept. 11 against the Arizona Cardinals.

Though Manning did not take part in team drills yesterday, he did throw passes on the sideline. According to Tom Coughlin, Manning "threw for a greater distance" than he did on Sunday, his first time throwing since injuring the elbow in a preseason game against the Panthers Aug.20. Most importantly, Manning didn't report any soreness in his arm. "He didn't have any discomfort today at all after throwing (Sunday), so that was good," Coughlin said. Continue

Job up for grabs

To Giants wide receiver David Tyree, Thursday's final preseason game against the Patriots will be "just another day of work." He insists he isn't putting any special emphasis on the game just because it will be his final chance to impress Tom Coughlin before the opener against the Arizona Cardinals Sept. 11. "There's no tension toward it because every day I go out to compete anyway," Tyree said. "I'll show up just like I do every other day."

Still, Thursday's game will be important for him and fellow receiver Tim Carter. Though both are likely to see significant action this season, Thursday's game could determine who gets the bulk of playing time as the team's third receiver, beside longtime Giant Amani Toomer and newcomer Plaxico Burress. Continue

Eli throws are Giant progress

There was a special teams drill happening on the field in front of him, which is usually enough to hold Tom Coughlin's attention. But yesterday the coach was admittedly distracted by the more important drill happening on the side of the field.

For the first time since spraining his right elbow on Aug. 20, Eli Manning tested his right arm yesterday afternoon at the Meadowlands by throwing 21 passes along the sidelines to injured receiver Mark Jones. He threw 10 passes from 10 yards away and 11 more from 20 yards. Best of all, when he was finished, he said, "It went well. I had no pain." Continue

Giants can swoop in to nab ex-Eagle Simon

Can the Giants, who need help at defensive tackle, and Corey Simon, who unexpectedly needs a new team, be a perfect match two weeks before the season opener? The Eagles announced last night they dropped the franchise tag on Simon, a training camp holdout who had not signed the $5.13 million tender offer. Philly's move makes Simon an unrestricted free agent. Continue

Peterson promises cornerback comeback

Eli Manning may not be ready to guarantee that he'll be in the Giants' opening day lineup, but cornerback Will Peterson was ready to guarantee that he will. Peterson said his rehab on the sprained left MCL he suffered on Aug. 20 "is going exactly as planned" and he even began some light running yesterday afternoon during practice. He added that it's possible he might even play a few plays at New England on Thursday night. "I might play, I might not," Peterson said. "But I'll definitely be ready for Arizona." The Giants open the regular season on Sept. 11 at home against the Cardinals. Continue

Eli to Mann the bench

The sight of Eli Manning standing on the sidelines in street clothes instead of a uniform, and wearing a visor instead of a helmet, is not one the Giants want to see very often. But hopefully they had a chance to get used to it Friday night, because they're going to see it again this week, too.

Tom Coughlin confirmed yesterday what most people expected: that Manning is not going to play Thursday night vs. New England in Foxboro in the Giants' preseason finale. That means the franchise quarterback's summer is now over, with him having completed nine of 17 passes for 203 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in three quarters of work. Continue

Boys in Blue

Never before have the Giants owned a mere four selections in any NFL Draft, but that's what they were left with this year after the mega-trade that landed them Eli Manning. To make matters worse, of the four picks, none was a prize first-rounder. What could the Giants expect out of the 2005 draft class, a small and unheralded group?

It remains too early to tell for sure, but the Giants hope this preseason is an indication of what's in store for the rookies. In three games this summer, cornerback Corey Webster (second round out of LSU), defensive end Justin Tuck (third round out of Notre Dame) and running back Brandon Jacobs (fourth round out of Southern Illinois) have all made eye-catching moves and plays. The only downer so far is the absence of Eric Moore, a defensive end from Florida State taken in the sixth round, who has yet to play because of a knee injury. Continue

Jones' injury doesn't hurt his chances

The Giants spent the offseason searching for someone better than Mark Jones to handle their punt return duties. Now they would give anything to have a healthy Jones back on the field. Despite being out since Aug. 10 with a sprained foot, Jones seems to be the favorite again to win his old job back. Michael Jennings probably blew his chance with two fumbles and a bobble Friday night. And after he came out, Ataveus Cash threw his chance away with a fumble, too.

"That ball has got to be caught," Tom Coughlin said yesterday. "Don't put us in a position where every time we have to return a punt we have to hold our breath. We're at square one on that, there's no question about it. Mark Jones' return would certainly give us a better feeling at this point in time." Continue

Eli, where are you?

The Giants' offense with Tim Hasselbeck at the helm is rough - and that's being kind. With Jesse Palmer, the offense is even worse. But their defense is starting to show that the turnover threat is very real, with two interceptions and a fumble recovery against the Jets Friday night after taking six turnovers a week ago. The stars of Friday night's 15-14 win over the Jets were not found on offense. Michael Strahan, who was iffy because of a strained rib-cage muscle, played the entire first half and showed flashes of brilliance. He sacked Chad Pennington to force a fumble that Antonio Pierce recovered, then picked off Pennington in the end zone.

Rookie Corey Webster also intercepted Pennington in the end zone, leaping in front of Laveranues Coles. Webster, who got significant time with the first-unit defense, has two interceptions and a fumble recovery in his last two games. Continue

Giants will jockey for positions

There is no doubt that tonight's game between the Giants and Jets is going to feature some very intense battles. But assuming the two clubs can manage to get through two plays without an actual fight, the battles that interest the Giants most are the ones on their own team.

Despite the hype brought on by their scrimmage skirmish on Aug.6, the Giants' rematch with their rivals is important for only one reason: The starters will play about three quarters, and first cuts are due on Tuesday, so this is Tom Coughlin's last chance to answer some key questions about his team. Continue

Hasselbeck can earn big blue boost

When Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce was with the Redskins in 2003, he had a definite opinion who Washington's quarterback ought to be. Pierce wanted Tim Hasselbeck on the field, running the show. "The defense wanted him to start, I can tell you that much," Pierce recalled recently, "because Tim is a gamer. I don't care what you say, he gets in a game, the guy will make plays."

Hasselbeck will do more than get in the game tonight for the Giants. He will start the annual preseason tussle against the Jets in place of injured Eli Manning, whose status is week-to-week because of a sprained right elbow. Hasselbeck and the first-team offense will play three quarters, giving him an exceptional chance to nail down the job as Manning's backup. Continue

Snee: line woes no Giant problem

It's not a big problem. That's the assuring word from right guard Chris Snee, who insisted the breakdowns in protecting the quarterback the Giants experienced last weekend are not ominous signs for the upcoming season. That sentiment will be put to the test tonight when the Jets' aggressive defensive front attacks the Giants' offensive line in the annual preseason meeting.

Some of the Giants line's gaffes last week against the Panthers were physical, such as the sack, strip and fumble recovery for a touchdown by Carolina's Julius Peppers, who powered past right tackle Kareem McKenzie on the play that sprained Eli Manning's right elbow. Others were assignment errors that need to be corrected. "Just find the guys we're supposed to be picking up," Snee said. Continue

Hasselbeck, in Giants' View

The big questions the Giants wanted to answer in training camp revolved around Eli Manning: How much better is he this season? Is he ready for the next step? Can he lead the Giants into playoff contention? But Manning wasn't around long enough to give any definitive answers before he sprained his right elbow Saturday night. So instead, the Giants left the University at Albany yesterday looking for an answer to a question they hoped they'd never have to ask: Can they win anything at all if Manning's not there?

A week ago, when Giants coach Tom Coughlin was asked that question, he said, "That's pretty much still up in the air." He might have a better answer late tomorrow night after Tim Hasselbeck leads the Giants' first-team offense into a preseason game against the Jets. Continue

Special Tyree catching on

Some players rise, some fall during the demanding month of training camp. As the Giants bid adieu yesterday to this phase of preparation, there's no doubt David Tyree's stock never has been higher. His work on special teams, always exemplary, is better than ever. His prowess as a receiver, usually dismissed, now commands attention. His value to the Giants, often overlooked, is unquestioned. "He's made out of the right stuff," Tom Coughlin said. Continue

Sore Strahan may skip Jets game

Giants defensive end Michael Strahan missed his second practice with strained rib cartilage Wednesday, putting his status in doubt for Friday's preseason game against the New York Jets. Strahan experienced tightness in his rib cage after doing drills Tuesday and sat out the evening practice.

He said Wednesday he still hoped to play against the Jets. "I plan to. But it's preseason," he said. "If I'm not right, I won't play. If I'm right, I'll play." The six-time Pro Bowler missed the final eight games of the 2004 season with a torn pectoral muscle and has seen limited action in the Giants' first two preseason games. He was scheduled to get more playing time Friday night. Continue

QB has a backer in Pierce

When Tim Hasselbeck signed with the Redskins two years ago it took him only three weeks to win a job as the starting quarterback. He won over his new teammates much quicker than that. "Everybody on the defense wanted him to start, I can tell you that much," said Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce, a member of those 2003 Redskins. "Tim is a gamer. I don't care what you say. He gets in the game, the guy makes plays."

Pierce said the defense preferred Hasselbeck - who will start for the Giants against the Jets in place of the injured Eli Manning on Friday night - over then-starter Patrick Ramsey because of his scrambling ability and the way he managed a game. Pierce called him "exciting" and said it was "fun to watch him play." Continue

Shockey: Give peace a chance

What happens if, on the first play Friday night, three of the Jets come charging at Jeremy Shockey, pushing, shoving, instigating, hoping to start a brawl with the Giants' rambunctious tight end?

Couldn't happen? That exact scenario played out three weeks ago when the Jets visited for a day of practice and their defensive unit started pounding on the unsuspecting Giants, using Shockey as the initial punching bag. "If they do, they're gonna have a big fine," a bemused Shockey said yesterday. "They can do whatever they want to." Continue

Past tells us this might yet be Giant sore spot

The Giants' season now is all about Eli Manning's sprained and bruised right elbow. If the vague prognosis of week-to-week doesn't change for a couple of week-to-weeks and extends into the regular season, the Giants can start studying early for the 2006 draft. They think they have a chance to be pretty good this year, but the sight of Tim Hasselbeck, Jesse Palmer and Jared Lorenzen taking the reps at practice yesterday with Manning standing around holding his helmet is not going to make any instructional videos. This is the year the Giants really could have used Kurt Warner, but he wasn't sticking around, even if the only starting job he could find was in Arizona. Continue

Passing grade on Eli's elbow

While the Giants' organization was holding its breath Sunday night, Eli Manning was home sleeping comfortably. He didn't feel much pain in his prized and sprained right elbow, and he wasn't worried that the injury would turn out to be something worse.

"Just the way it felt I didn't think there'd be anything wrong," Manning said yesterday after returning to the University at Albany. "Obviously there was a little discomfort and a little pain here and there. But I could still move it and do things with it. I just thought that it wasn't something that could be that wrong if it doesn't hurt that bad." Continue

Peterson will be ready for season opener

Will Peterson knows there was nothing illegal about the cut block by Carolina receiver Steve Smith that led to an injured left knee, but that doesn't mean there are no hard feelings from the Giants cornerback. "Plays like that, in general, you just don't do them," Peterson said yesterday. "There are things I don't do just because in general I don't do them. You can hurt people."

Peterson is hurt, sidelined with a sprained medial collateral ligament, and is listed as week-to-week. He'll miss Friday night's preseason game against the Jets and wants to believe he'll be ready for a few snaps in the Sept. 1 preseason finale with the Patriots. He has no doubt about his availability for the Sept. 11 regular-season opener against the Cardinals. "I feel I'll miss this week due to soreness in that area," Peterson said. "Next week, depending on how I feel maybe I'll be able to get out on the field for the last preseason game." Continue

Mann, that hurts

The signs on Saturday night were all good for Eli Manning's elbow. The X-rays were negative. He wasn't icing it on the sidelines. Two plays after he hurt it, he even threw a 41-yard touchdown pass. But yesterday the mood darkened at the University at Albany when Manning woke up and his elbow still was sore. Then he spent the day "going through a series of tests," including an MRI, according to Tom Coughlin, who admitted he is suddenly "very concerned.

"Anytime you have a quarterback who has soreness in an elbow, there is concern there about what is the injury," the Giants' coach said. "It's not like you woke up the next morning and he was out there throwing or you were getting all kinds of reports that there was nothing to it. I don't know any of that stuff." Continue

Peterson out on wounded knee

As if life without their starting quarterback won't be tough enough, the Giants may have to deal without one of their starting cornerbacks, too. Will Peterson suffered a sprained left MCL in the first quarter of the Giants' win over Carolina on Saturday, and Tom Coughlin said, "We don't know the real seriousness of it" yet. Peterson was able to ride an exercise bike yesterday afternoon. "I'm not in a position to say anything about that until we see how well he does with his preliminary exercises and strengthening," Coughlin said.

Coughlin also wouldn't say how he'd replace Peterson in the starting lineup. "I haven't made that decision just yet," he said. "We'll discuss that later." Curtis DeLoatch replaced Peterson on the right side against the Panthers. But rookie Corey Webster, the Giants' second-round pick, could also be a contender after his two-turnover performance Saturday night. Continue

Manning to have further tests on sprained elbow

Acknowledging that the team is "very concerned" about the sprained elbow suffered by Eli Manning on Saturday night, New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin said Sunday that the starting quarterback will require further tests to settle on a definitive opinion about the extent of the injury.

Manning awakened Sunday with soreness and pain in the elbow, which was injured in the second quarter of Saturday's preseason game, when the New York quarterback was hit by Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers as he was about to throw a pass. Manning underwent an MRI on Sunday and, while Coughlin described the injury as a "sprain," he allowed that a full analysis will not be available until Monday, when team physician Dr. Russell Warren examines the elbow. Continue

Why not the Giants?

Quietly, far from the dope opera unfolding in Philadelphia, the Giants are getting off the canvas. "We've got a lot of talent on this team," outside linebacker Carlos Emmons said after the Giants beat the Panthers 27-21 last night in a preseason game. "I like the fact that no one's giving us a chance." Every year there are several surprise teams in the NFL and the 2005 Giants will be one of them. Here's why: Continue

Jint DBs turnover new leaf

One point of emphasis for the Giants this summer has been getting their defensive backs to find the ball and take it away for turnovers. The message hit home last night in a 27-21 preseason victory over the Panthers. The Giants forced six turnovers, including two by rookie cornerback Corey Webster, and intercepted four passes.

Cornerback Will Allen got the first interception off Jake Delhomme. In the second quarter, Webster made a fine play when he stripped receiver Steve Smith after a two-yard completion, wrestling the ball away and returning it 11 yards. That set up Jay Feely's 35-yard field goal for a 10-7 Giants lead. Another rookie, defensive end Justin Tuck, took advantage of a rare Delhomme misfire. The Panthers quarterback threw behind Rod Smart, the ball deflected off Smart's hands and into Tuck's for another interception. Continue

Giants make right turn

There is nothing Tom Coughlin has harped on more during training camp this summer than the importance of his defense creating turnovers. Finally, all his preaching paid off. The usually butterfingered Giants' defense forced six turnovers last night in a 27-21 preseason win over the Carolina Panthers at Giants Stadium. The much-maligned secondary even came up with four interceptions, including one by safety Curry Burns in the last minute that preserved the win.

That was the good news on a night when there was little else for the Giants (1-1) to be excited about. The first-team offense, aside from two big plays, struggled against the Carolina pass rush, and the first-team defense was pushed up and down the field. Continue

Giant strides

here was a time when Osi Umenyiora took a look across the line, spotted Luke Petitgout and thought to himself: "How am I ever going to beat this guy?" It was two years ago, when Umenyiora was a raw rookie defensive end and Petitgout was an established starter at left tackle. The two would take the field for practice, Umenyiora would make what he thought was a good move and go nowhere. Outside rush, no progress. Inside rush, no chance. It was as if he was stuck in the mud, spinning his wheels. Continue

Plax: Take it to max

Three weeks at a placid Giants training camp have not knocked the chip off Plaxico Burress' shoulder. If anything, it's grown, the way Burress talked yesterday about showing everyone - the Steelers, the NFL, the world - what he will do this season. "I definitely have something to get off my chest," Burress said between practices. "For me, it's nothing contract-based. It's about proving something to myself ... I am going to have the type of season I think I can. I get to take the shackles off, run around a bit and have some fun.

"Burress was slowed out of the gate by a couple of minor injuries, but he seems to be getting more in sync with Eli Manning every day. The two connected Saturday in Cleveland for a 20-yard touchdown, the jump-ball type pass that the Giants envisioned the 6-5 Burress hauling in over shorter cornerbacks. Continue

Giants Ponder change

Michael Jennings has fielded just one punt in a game since he played high school ball in Florida eight years ago. Yet tomorrow night, when the Giants face the Carolina Panthers, he'll get a chance to win Big Blue's punt returning job. Jennings, who never played college football and spent three years bouncing around NFL practice squads before starring in NFL Europe this spring, got the opportunity because of the foot injury to incumbent Mark Jones and the muff by Willie Ponder in Cleveland Saturday night. Continue

Giants Ponder change

Michael Jennings has fielded just one punt in a game since he played high school ball in Florida eight years ago. Yet tomorrow night, when the Giants face the Carolina Panthers, he'll get a chance to win Big Blue's punt returning job. Jennings, who never played college football and spent three years bouncing around NFL practice squads before starring in NFL Europe this spring, got the opportunity because of the foot injury to incumbent Mark Jones and the muff by Willie Ponder in Cleveland Saturday night.

Pierce has Giant chip on shoulder

Antonio Pierce sat in front of his TV for two straight days, four years ago, watching linebacker after linebacker get selected in the NFL draft. The longer he sat there, the harder it was for him to believe some of the players who were chosen. So the University of Arizona product decided to kill some time by making a list of every name that passed by him.

"I had nothing else to do on draft day for seven, eight hours, so I said, 'You know what? I'm going to sit here and write everybody's name down,'" Pierce said. "I kept it. And every year I go and check NFL.com and see who's in the league and who ain't in the league. "Half are already gone." Continue

Torbor moves up, in

With Barrett Green still iffy for the regular-season opener, Giants coach Tom Coughlin has shaken up his linebacking corps by moving Carlos Emmons to the weak side and promoting second-year pro Reggie Torbor to Emmons' old strong-side spot. "We have to move on," Coughlin said. "And I think everybody understands that."

Green, who is recovering from ACL surgery, still thinks he'll be ready for the Sept. 11 opener. But Coughlin isn't so sure, especially since it's likely Green won't play at all during the preseason. Meanwhile, the 6-foot-2, 254-pound Torbor has had a very good camp, and the coaches have been looking for ways to get him on the field. (Daily News)

Does this Couch come in blue?

After nearly three weeks of training camp and one preseason game, the Giants have come to the conclusion that they need to bolster their depth at the quarterback position and, The Post has learned, have shown interest in Tim Couch, an unemployed former No. 1 pick.

Eli Manning is set as the starter and, although no announcement has been made, Tim Hasselbeck has all but won the backup job. Based on what the team believes to be inconsistent showings in practice and one horrendous interception thrown last Saturday night in Cleveland, it appears Jesse Palmer's days with the Giants are numbered. Continue

Return quartet in battle

With Mark Jones sidelined with an injured foot and Willie Ponder in the doghouse after his muffed punt Saturday night, the Giants' punt return job remains a wide open "experimentation process," Tom Coughlin said. Jones, who has been out for a week with a foot injury, and Ponder remain candidates for the job and might even still be 1-2 on the depth chart. But a door remains slightly ajar for receivers Michael Jennings and Ataveus Cash. Coughlin has yet to say who'll return punts Saturday night against the Carolina Panthers. Continue

Shockey's not foolin' around

The other day while running the two-minute drill, Jeremy Shockey caught a pass over the middle, was tagged by the defense and proceeded to flip the ball down to the grass. "Don't do that!" shouted offensive coordinator John Hufnagel. "Give the ball to the referee!" This was supposed to mimic a game situation, and Shockey's move wasted precious seconds. The oversight was about the only issue anyone can have with the fourth-year tight end, who is putting together the most complete training camp of his career. No injuries, no controversy, no headaches.

"In the past couple years, if I dropped a pass in practice, I'd literally try to bite my tongue off," Shockey said yesterday. "I'd be so bent out of shape. If I make a mistake, if I miss an assignment, if I drop a ball, I don't want to keep beating myself up over it. I'm going to be 25 soon. I'm getting to be an old man. I've only got a couple years left in the game." Continue

Strahan sacks latest hurdle to comeback

When Michael Strahan looks back on his career someday, the sack he had Saturday night won't be one to remember. For the moment, though, it was definitely worth noting as another step in the Giants' best defensive player's long road back.

The last sack for Strahan had come more than nine months ago, Nov. 7, 2004, just two quarters before the fateful play when he reached out with his right arm to try and tackle Bears running back Anthony Thomas. The pain from the resulting torn pectoral muscle was excruciating. So was his long wait to return to the field. Continue

Silent . . . but deadly

It was hardly a ringing endorsement. Prior to training camp, Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis was asked what he thought of defensive tackle William Joseph, the former first-round pick who in his first two seasons had been remarkably invisible for someone standing 6-5 and weighing 315.

How was it that Joseph had been such a non-factor, considering he was the 25th overall selection in the 2003 NFL Draft? "That would force me to answer a question about what another staff saw from him," Lewis said. The implication seemed to be this coaching staff was not in agreement with the previous regime when it came to evaluating Joseph's potential. Continue

Ponder knows blaming him is only 'fair'

Next time, he'll listen to himself the first time. Willie Ponder led the NFL in kickoff-return average last season and is trying to add punt return duties to his resume. His debut Saturday night in Cleveland was not a good one. His first return went for an uneventful six yards, which was a lot better than what happened next. In the fourth quarter, Ponder muffed a Derrick Frost punt that was recovered by the Browns' Frisman Jackson on the Giants' 32-yard line. From there, the Browns embarked on a game-winning field goal drive in their 17-14 victory. Continue

Brandon big for Blue

It could have been the most spectacular debut for a Giants rookie since Jeremy Shockey ran over half of the Houston Texans in the Hall of Fame Game three years ago. But even though the sloppiness of his teammates hurt him, running back Brandon Jacobs' first game was pretty good.

The 6-4, 266-pound rookie out of Southern Illinois rushed 12 times for 73 yards in the Giants' 17-14 loss in Cleveland on Saturday night. He could have gone over 100 yards, but penalties wiped out 56 yards on three of Jacobs' runs. Continue

Bungling bachelor

Not even the illumination created by repeated flashes of lightning in Cleveland shed much light on the Giants' backup quarterback situation. At the moment, it looks as if the season will plunge into darkness should Eli Manning go down to injury. What was put into greater clarity after Saturday night's stormy 17-14 preseason loss to the Browns is the pecking order behind Manning. Tim Hasselbeck, signed this offseason to assume the No. 2 role, moved ahead of Jesse Palmer, who may now have to battle rookie Jared Lorenzen to remain on the roster. Continue

Coughlin temper strikes

It took nearly 90 minutes for the Giants' offense to put together a good drive last night. But it turned out to be worth the wait. After waiting out a first-quarter weather delay of one hour and 19 minutes, Eli Manning completed what likely was the longest touchdown drive in team history. He finished it with a 20-yard touchdown pass to new receiver Plaxico Burress, one of the few highlights in the Giants' 17-14 loss to the Cleveland Browns in the preseason opener.

The drive only took nine plays and went just 69 yards, but it lasted nearly an hour and half thanks to a wild thunder and lightning storm that chased both teams from the field just 3:04 into the game. The game was suspended, and the crowd at Cleveland Browns Stadium was told to take cover, with the Giants about to run a first-down play from the Cleveland 43. Continue

Jacobs makes splash

The Giants couldn't wait to see Brandon Jacobs in action. They got their first look last night, and now can't wait to see more. Jacobs, the 266-pound rookie running back from Southern Illinois, has been a standout in training camp, but sometimes those appearances can be deceiving. The Giants wanted to take a look at him in a real game — and if the preseason-opening 17-14 loss to the Browns is a true indication, the Giants have a steal, as they took Jacobs in the fourth round of the NFL draft.

The first time he touched the ball, Jacobs galloped 11 yards, but the play was called back by a holding penalty on right tackle Kareem McKenzie. That was big news, considering McKenzie had been called for only three penalties in the past three years playing for the Jets. McKenzie did not have a holding penalty all of last season. Continue

Boy to Manning

A year ago, it was big news when Eli Manning was told he wouldn't be starting and would instead be working with the second team in his preseason debut. It was another step in a month-long summer battle for the Giants' No. 1 quarterback job. Manning gets the ball first in tonight's preseason opener against the Browns — and this year his goal is to refine his game, not define his role.

"It's a different situation than it was last year," Manning said. "Last year I didn't know what to expect, who was gonna play, who was gonna start, how much playing time I was gonna get with the ones or twos." Continue

Rookie sounds confident

Rookie Corey Webster missed the first five practices of training camp before he signed and reported. In his estimation, however, "I never thought I was really far behind." The cornerback makes his NFL debut tonight against the Browns, and the Giants have big plans for their highest pick (second round) of the 2005 NFL Draft.

"This will be a good chance for me to go against another team and showcase my talent," said Webster, who is playing behind Will Allen and Frank Walker at left CB but will probably figure into the special pass defense packages. "You're gonna be anxious and a little nervous, but after the ball snaps it's all about football." Continue

Super size

The black Mercedes S-500 pulled into a prime spot closest to the cafeteria and out of the driver's seat popped Tiki Barber, who one morning in training camp was playing chauffer for Brandon Jacobs. A rookie getting such treatment from a Pro Bowler? Barber wasn't worried about appearance; he was more concerned about suspension.

"When Jacobs gets in the car you can feel the whole thing just drop," Barber said.  The two resemble Mutt and Jeff as they walk side-by-side, and the disparity looks even greater when both are in uniform and on the field. Barber at 5-10 is short for a running back; Jacobs, at 6-4 and a ridiculously sculpted 266 pounds, is nice-sized for a defensive end. That he plays the same position as Barber is, well, unheard of. Continue

First to second

The first crack at winning the backup quarterback job goes to Jesse Palmer, who will be first in line replacing starter Eli Manning tomorrow night when the Giants face the Browns in the preseason opener in Cleveland.

Manning will play take the first 12-15 snaps, Tom Coughlin said yesterday, before reserves are mixed in. Palmer will likely take the Giants into halftime. Tim Hasselbeck, in his first year with the team, will take over at quarterback in the second half. Palmer and Hasselbeck are competing for the backup job. If possible, No. 4 Jared Lorenzen will get some action in the fourth quarter. Coughlin said Tiki Barber and Michael Strahan will start but receive limited work. Continue

Gibril turns on afterburners

Jeremy Shockey was wide open in practice yesterday morning and Eli Manning saw him every step of the way. When the quarterback threw the pass, it looked like it would be a very easy completion. Then out of nowhere came a flash of blue, and before anyone knew it, safety Gibril Wilson had the football and was running the other way.

Plays like that - displays of speed, hands and instincts - had everyone so excited about Wilson last season, before an injury ruined his rookie year. And now that he's healthy, he believes he can get people excited about him again. Continue

Green: I'll be ready for opener

Tom Coughlin cast some doubt on whether linebacker Barrett Green will be ready for the start of the regular season. But Green doesn't seem to have any doubt at all. "Yeah, I'll be ready for opening day," Green said yesterday. That was a bold pronouncement considering that it's been less than seven months since Green had surgery to repair a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Sometimes it can take up to a year to recover from that surgery, which is one reason Green has been playing it safe in training camp, practicing only once a day. Continue

Giant defense 'Picks' up pace

After stressing all summer the need to create more turnovers, the Giants yesterday morning on defense finally showed some ball-hawking prowess, intercepting three passes, including two off of Eli Manning. The first was a poor Manning throw. On a play-fake, he made a reverse pivot and zeroed in on Jeremy Shockey over the middle. Manning never saw safety Gibril Wilson, who stepped in front of the pass for an easy pick. Cornerback Curtis Deloatch intercepted a Jesse Palmer throw.

Later, Manning fired deep downfield to Plaxico Burress, but Deloatch deflected the ball and safety Shaun Williams plucked it out of the air for another INT. "There were some nice plays back there," Tom Coughlin said. "We have some guys who have really good hands, but we are still in the process of trying to do a better job of ball location, being in the right position and then playing the ball in the air." Continue

Amani rebounds

Amani Toomer no longer has the unquestioned status of being the Giants' most dangerous receiver. What he does have, however, are two healthy hamstrings - something he didn't have last season.

He's been showing it here in training camp, catching deep outs, medium-range ins and seemingly everything else thrown his way. Of course, there's more attention now on the receiver on the opposite side: Plaxico Burress, who signed a six-year, $25 million free agent contract in the offseason. So Toomer has something else he hasn't had in the past: some serious competition. Continue

A Great lineage

He's considered extremely studious and instinctive, and so it comes as no surprise that Antonio Pierce was well aware of the Giants' linebacker legacy when he signed with the team.

He was assigned uniform No. 53, and Pierce immediately balked. He figured he had no business taking Harry Carson's number, not before making a single tackle in blue. He wore No. 58 with the Redskins, and even though he knew Carl Banks was a tough act to follow, he opted to keep his familiar number as he tried to carve his own niche into the Giants' defensive lore. Continue

Tom takes Giants to task

Right or wrong, the Jets came up here Saturday and rang Big Blue's bell. The Giants' offense, however, has yet to wake up. In their first practice since Saturday's fight-filled one with the Jets, the Giants stumbled through the start of their morning session yesterday. False starts and incomplete passes abounded. Tom Coughlin said his patience for this kind of practice was "wearing very thin."

He didn't go so far as to say it stunk, but Tiki Barber did. "We stunk today, I'll give you that," the star running back said. As for the Jets, who stunned the Giants Saturday with their physical play, linebacker Barrett Green had a few choice words. Several, actually. Continue

Willie Ponders Jets' hard-hitting tactics

Giants receiver Willie Ponder felt fine yesterday, even though he suffered a lung bruise in Saturday's practice with the Jets. And even though he said the hit he took was out of line. "In our coaches' eyes? In players' eyes? Yes, he was out of line," Ponder said of the shot to the chest he took from Jets rookie safety Kerry Rhodes. "In his coaches' eyes, probably not. He's doing his job. He's probably trying to make their team." Essentially, that's what the Jets' defense was trying to do as a group, Ponder said: make a name for itself. That was his impression of Saturday's unexpectedly physical practice. Continue

Big Blue rage

If there is one preseason game to tune in this summer, it's Giants-Jets on Aug. 26. "There's going to be plenty of animosity out there, believe me," Giants linebacker Barrett Green promised.

On the surface, the ill feelings created by the big, bad Jets laying into the Giants during last Saturday's combined practices have dissipated. One doesn't have to dig too deeply, though, to unearth the bitterness that developed after the Jets insinuated that they practice harder and are the more physical of New York's football teams. Continue

Giants still fuming about rough scrimmage with Jets

The New York Giants' first preseason game is at Cleveland this weekend, but after last Saturday's brawl with the New York Jets they may be looking ahead to the teams' preseason game on Aug. 26 at Giants Stadium to settle some grievances."There's going to be a lot of animosity, you can count on that," Giants linebacker Barrett Green said Monday. "In the preseason game, there's no question about the rules, there's no question about hitting people. They're going to get hit, hard."

Saturday's joint practice with the Jets turned into a free-for-all when three Jets jumped Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey on the second play of a 9-on-7 drill pitting the Giants' offense against the Jets' defense. Later, Giants coach Tom Coughlin and Jets defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson had a heated argument on the field over some hard hits made by Jets defenders. Continue

Giants ready to rumble

The Giants weren't at all happy with the behavior of the Jets' players and coaches at the University at Albany on Saturday, but that doesn't mean the Jets won't be invited back again next year. In fact, both teams might welcome a continuation of this miniseries despite the chaos that erupted during what was supposed to be a couple of friendly practices between the teams. There were two sideline-clearing brawls, a dozen shoving matches and a heated exchange between Jets defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson and Giants coach Tom Coughlin. Continue

Out of practice

After the bruises to their bodies and their pride heal, the Giants may look back on their turbulent Saturday with the Jets as a necessary and well-timed reminder that there's far more work to be done. Surely the Giants, after only one week of training camp, knew they were no finished product. But what they learned after tussling — literally — with the Jets is that the improvement they expect is not an automatic byproduct of an influx of talent.

For the Jets, this was all about establishing a physical presence, which is fine and dandy, but don't believe for a moment that the way they practice back home in Hempstead is any more violent than how the Giants operate upstate. The Giants say they tap their receivers to signal the end of the play, then try to strip the ball away as a way to foster ball-hawking habits. Continue

Jacobs gets his hits in

The Jets may have done most of the hitting during yesterday's morning practice, but at least one Giant hit them back pretty hard. Brandon Jacobs, the Giants' 6-4, 266-pound rookie running back, flattened several Jets - most notably cornerback Ray Mickens (5-8, 180) in the backfield and cornerback Pete Hunter (6-2, 212) down the sidelines.

When Mickens tried to stop Jacobs' run before it got started, he bounced off him like a tennis ball hitting a wall. When Hunter tried to tackle Jacobs as he streaked down the sidelines, it was if he were being run over by a train. "I could have run around him, but it was cut and dried for me right there," Jacobs explained. "It was a nice little run so I didn't want to devote too much energy to going around him." Continue

Green makes Blue see red

There was Jeremy Shockey, taking a swing at virtually anyone at arm's length wearing Jets green. There was Tom Coughlin, trash-talking with Donnie Henderson, the Jets' emotive defensive coordinator. There was Amani Toomer, all but calling the Jets a bunch of cheap-shot artists.

From the very first play of yesterday's combined practice sessions at the University at Albany, the Giants and Jets went at each other like neighborhood gangs fighting over the same turf. A morning workout under bright blue skies — with thousands of fans rimming the many fields in use — turned into a battle royal that produced a rather remarkable reaction: Coughlin complaining about the Jets playing too rough. Continue

Kareem getting comfy in Blue

There definitely are benefits to Kareem McKenzie's move from the Jets to the Giants. For one thing, he's closer to his New Jersey home. For another, he'll get to practice and play in the same place during the season. But maybe the best benefit of all was to come early this morning while his former Jets teammates were waking up before dawn to begin a three-hour bus ride at 5 a.m. McKenzie, the Giants' new starting right tackle, didn't have to join them. Instead, unlike last year, he could sleep in.

"Yeah, getting up at 4:30 and riding the bus for (three) hours was a good challenge," McKenzie said. "It was a long, inconvenient day." Today, though, that's somebody else's problem. For McKenzie, the second annual Jets-Giants joint practices at the University at Albany are a mere two minutes away from his campus dorm room. Continue

Dual workout hit with teams

Any break in the numbing routine of training camp is welcomed by coaches and especially players, which is why today's dual practice sessions with the Jets is something the Giants are looking forward to. "It's cool for the fans and cool for us to hit someone else," Tiki Barber said. As was the case the first time these teams came together a year ago, there will be no live scrimmaging in either the morning or afternoon session.

"It's always good to have the players look forward to something challenging and competitive at the end of the week," Tom Coughlin said. "You get game speed, you get to work against somebody else, you get to point toward something. I think it's good, solid work." The Giants will not have their full assortment of players, but they will have receiver Plaxico Burress (hip flexor) and right guard Chris Snee (strained neck). Both returned to practice yesterday and should be available to work against the Jets. Continue

Jacobs in it for short run

On the first short-yardage drill of the summer, the offensive line cleared a huge hole for running back Brandon Jacobs. And once Jacobs got through the line of scrimmage, cornerback Corey Webster was all that stood between him and a first down. Webster, the Giants' second-round draft pick, is 5-11 and 204 pounds. Jacobs, the Giants' fourth-rounder, is 6-4, 266. "No," Jacobs said with a smile, "it was not really a fair fight."

Nothing against Webster, who's "got a lot of heart," according to Jacobs, but it's hardly fair for anyone once Jacobs gets through the defensive line. He has a combination of size and speed (he says he's been clocked at 4.39 in the 40) that has rarely been seen anywhere. Giants running back Tiki Barber called him "a monster of a man." Continue

Troy: Eli shortchanged

Former Cowboy QB and lead FOX football analyst Troy Aikman does not think the Giant coaching staff gave Eli Manning every chance to be successful last season. Aikman, in an interview with MSG Network yesterday in midtown Manhattan, said Manning as a rookie could have used more help from Tom Coughlin and his offensive braintrust. "You talk about quarterbacks in general, it's important to have good players around you; it's equally important to have good coaching and be in a system that allows you to excel with the skills you have," Aikman said. Continue

Passing the test

Before yesterday, Tim Hasselbeck was not comfortable or confident enough with the Giants' offense to unleash the deep ball, but isn't that what all this practicing is for? The Giants want to learn more about themselves each time they step on the field in training camp and yesterday they received another education, uncovering some tidbits about Hasselbeck and others up and down the depth chart.

Predictably, Hasselbeck is not as attuned to the offense as Jesse Palmer, the man he is battling for the backup quarterback spot behind Eli Manning. Palmer was in this offense last season; Hasselbeck was with the Redskins. Yesterday's morning session was Hasselbeck's best showing to date. Continue

Giants' Carter attempting to outrun injuries

Tim Carter wasn't surprised or upset in March when the Giants signed Plaxico Burress, even though it guaranteed he wouldn't be competing for a starting job this season. Carter believes he's good enough to be a starting receiver for the Giants. He also knows he has to give the Giants a reason to believe he can stay on the field long enough to earn the job. Continue

Plaxico hits pine this time

Plaxico Burress impressed his new teammates and coaches by not missing a single workout after hyper-extending his knee during his very first training camp practice with the Giants. Burress, though, will not be able to defy the medical odds a second time. The towering receiver suffered a strained hip flexor Tuesday night, was unable to work yesterday and will definitely miss time with this injury. "It will be more than day-to-day, it will be a couple of days whether we can get a feel for if there's any improvement there," Tom Coughlin said.

Burress does not seem overly concerned. He said the hip feels tender and sore and is likely feeling that way because of too much running. "The training staff is holding me out, I don't want to go out and do something stupid," Burress said. "It's nothing real serious to worry about. I didn't pull it or tear it, it just feels uncomfortable." Continue

Something to ponder

Two Giants last season led the league in something positive. Tiki Barber's 2,096 yards from scrimmage was a well-documented achievement. Willie Ponder's NFL-high 26.9-yard kickoff return average was not. "You know what?" Ponder asked. "I thought it would be a big deal, but it's not to people."

It was a big deal to the Giants, as the thought not long ago that any of the participants on their desultory special teams would lead the league in anything was preposterous. But there was Ponder, mixing in a 91-yard touchdown with many other solid, unspectacular returns, providing the Giants with acceptable field position in his second year out of Southeast Missouri State. Continue