EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Coming off one of their best defensive efforts, the New York Giants seemingly are getting another piece back for their NFC East showdown with the Dallas Cowboys.

Two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora practised on a limited basis Wednesday after being sidelined for the month with a high ankle sprain and continuing problems with his knee.

Expect him on the field Sunday night when the Giants (8-7) face the Cowboys (8-7) for the division title and a first-round home game against either Atlanta or Detroit.

“Hey, this is it,” backup defensive end Dave Tollefson said. “Win, you’re in. Lose, you go home.

“So you might as well pull all the stops and get everybody rolling.”

Umenyiora hurt the ankle — the team has not said which one — in a loss in New Orleans on Nov. 28. He has missed the last four games and many wondered whether he would be back on the field this season.

However, the nine-year veteran looked nimble running with the defensive linemen early in practice.

“He’s tested everything, lots of times,” coach Tom Coughlin said. “That’s what he’s been doing. He’s been working his tail off.

“He just hasn’t been able to get right.”

Umenyiora did not immediately return an email from The Associated Press seeking comment. He usually talks to reporters on Fridays.

The Giants have not been hurt by Umenyiora’s absence because second-year pro and recent Pro Bowl selection Jason Pierre-Paul has been outstanding starting for him at right end, twice winning NFC defensive player of the week honours.

However, Umenyiora’s addition also comes at a time when fellow two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Justin Tuck is playing his best football after a season marked by neck, groin and toe injuries.

With Umenyiora, Pierre-Paul, Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka, the Giants will finally have all the part of the third-down pass quartet they envisioned using all season. And some depth.

Pierre-Paul was forced to play more than 100 plays in the Giants’ 29-14 win over the rival Jets at MetLife Stadium.

“That rest will help me a lot and it will get me going,” said Pierre-Paul, who was selected the NFC defensive player of the week Wednesday for the second time in three weeks. “I was playing like 80 snaps a game and that is a lot.

“You don’t really think about it, you just have to go.”

Pierre-Paul also won the honour in the Giants 37-34 win over Dallas on Dec. 11. He had eight tackles, two sacks, one of which resulted in a safety, a forced fumble that led to a field goal and blocked Dan Bailey’s tying field goal attempt on the final play of the game.

If the Giants do have everybody back that could make things a little tougher for Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who intends to play this weekend despite suffering a bruised right hand in 20-7 loss to Philadelphia this past weekend.

“I think that Osi is a good player, so anytime they get another pass rusher it presents more of a challenge,” Romo said in a conference call with New York media. “We have to prepare for that. I think that group up front is an outstanding group and they have three or four guys that you really have to account for.

“It is going to be a great challenge for our guys up front and for me to see different things and you just have to know that going into the week. We will be prepared for it.”

The Giants’ defence, which ranks 28th in the league, played an outstanding game against the Jets, particularly after yielding a touchdown on the opening drive. It forced three turnovers and held the Jets to 4-of-21 on third-down conversions. The only Jets touchdown in the second half came on an 11-yard drive after an Eli Manning pass was intercepted.

Safety Antrel Rolle said the Giants are willing to pay the price to make the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Nicked players are practising and the tempo has picked up.

Having Umenyiora back on the field is just another example of that.

“All on deck. We’re all fighting,” Rolle said. “We’re all trying to get better. It means everything to have Osi out there. I know he’s probably not 100 per cent, but he’s fighting.

“He’s fighting. He’s fighting for himself. He’s fighting for this team. He’s fighting for what we have at stake.”

Tackle Chris Canty said having Umenyiora and his seven sacks back just gives the defence another talented player.

“It would be pretty impeccable timing, to get everyone healthy and running,” Tollefson said.

NOTES: WR Hakeem Nicks did not practise because of a recurring hamstring injury. He said he would play Sunday. …WR Mario Manningham, who missed the Jets game with a nagging season-long knee injury, worked on a limited basis. …TE Jake Ballard, who sprained a knee against Washington on Dec. 18 and did not play last week, did some running and light cutting away from the team. He did practise. ….Coughlin, who injured his left leg Saturday when slammed into by running back D.J. Ware, got a message from Saints coach Sean Payton, who broke his left leg when tight end Jimmy Graham slammed into him Oct. 16 in a game at Tampa, Fla. “You look like you’re a better athlete than me, you didn’t go down,” Coughlin said Payton told him.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP)—Coming off one of their best defensive efforts,
the New York Giants seemingly are getting another piece back for their NFC East
showdown with the Dallas Cowboys.

Two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora practiced on a limited basis
Wednesday after being sidelined for the month with a high ankle sprain and
continuing problems with his knee.

Expect him on the field Sunday night when the Giants (8-7) face the Cowboys
(8-7) for the division title and a first-round home game against either Atlanta
or Detroit.

“Hey, this is it,” backup defensive end Dave Tollefson said. “Win, you’re
in. Lose, you go home. So you might as well pull all the stops and get
everybody rolling,”

Umenyiora hurt the ankle—the team has not said which one—in a loss in
New Orleans on Nov. 28. He has missed the last four games and many wondered
whether he would be back on the field this season.

However, the nine-year veteran looked nimble running with the defensive
linemen early in practice.

“He’s tested everything, lots of times,” coach Tom Coughlin said. “That’s
what he’s been doing. He’s been working his tail off. He just hasn’t been able
to get right.”

Umenyiora did not immediately return an email from The Associated Press
seeking comment. He usually talks to reporters on Fridays.

The Giants have not been hurt by Umenyiora’s absence because second-year pro
and recent Pro Bowl selection Jason Pierre-Paul has been outstanding starting
for him at right end, twice winning NFC defensive player of the week honors.

However, Umenyiora’s addition also comes at a time when fellow two-time Pro
Bowl defensive end Justin Tuck is playing his best football after a season
marked by neck, groin and toe injuries.

With Umenyiora, Pierre-Paul, Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka, the Giants will
finally have all the part of the third-down pass quartet they envisioned using
all season. And some depth.

Pierre-Paul was forced to play more than 100 plays in the Giants’ 29-14 win
over the rival Jets at MetLife Stadium.

“That rest will help me a lot and it will get me going,” said Pierre-Paul,
who was selected the NFC defensive player of the week on Wednesday for the
second time in three weeks. “I was playing like 80 snaps a game and that is a
lot. You don’t really think about it, you just have to go.”

Pierre-Paul also won the honor in the Giants 37-34 win over Dallas on Dec.
11. He had eight tackles, two sacks, one of which resulted in a safety, a forced
fumble that led to a field goal and blocked Dan Bailey’s tying field goal
attempt on the final play of the game.

If the Giants do have everybody back that could make things a little tougher
for Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who intends to play this weekend despite
suffering a bruised right hand in 20-7 loss to Philadelphia this past weekend.

“I think that Osi is a good player, so anytime they get another pass rusher
it presents more of a challenge,” Romo said in a conference call with New York
media. “We have to prepare for that. I think that group up front is an
outstanding group and they have three or four guys that you really have to
account for. It is going to be a great challenge for our guys up front and for
me to see different things and you just have to know that going into the week.
We will be prepared for it.”

The Giants’ defense, which ranks 28th in the league, played an outstanding
game against the Jets, particularly after yielding a touchdown on the opening
drive. It forced three turnovers and held the Jets to 4 of 21 on third-down
conversions. The only Jets touchdown in the second half came on an 11-yard drive
after an Eli Manning pass was intercepted.

Safety Antrel Rolle said the Giants are willing to pay the price to make the
playoffs for the first time since 2008. Nicked players are practicing and the
tempo has picked up.

Having Umenyiora back on the field is just another example of that.

“All on deck. We’re all fighting,” Rolle said. “We’re all trying to get
better. It means everything to have Osi out there. I know he’s probably not 100
percent, but he’s fighting. He’s fighting. He’s fighting for himself. He’s
fighting for this team. He’s fighting for what we have at stake.”

Tackle Chris Canty said having Umenyiora and his seven sacks back just gives
the defense another talented player.

“It would be pretty impeccable timing, to get everyone healthy and
running,” Tollefson said.

NOTES: WR Hakeem Nicks did not practice because of a recurring hamstring
injury. He said he would play Sunday. …WR Mario Manningham, who missed the
Jets game with a nagging season-long knee injury, worked on a limited basis.
…TE Jake Ballard, who sprained a knee against Washington on Dec. 18 and did
not play last week, did some running and light cutting away from the team. He
did practice. ….Coughlin, who injured his left leg on Saturday when slammed
into by running back D.J. Ware, got a message from Saints coach Sean Payton, who
broke his left leg when tight end Jimmy Graham slammed into him on Oct. 16 in a
game at Tampa, Fla. “You look like you’re a better athlete than me, you didn’t
go down,” Coughlin said Payton told him.

The New York Giants are in the midst of a losing streak and still have plenty of tough games left. The Giants face the Green Bay Packers on December 4. They also have a couple of games against the Dallas Cowboys, the team currently sitting one game in front of them in the NFC East standings. At 6-5, the Giants don’t have a lot of room for error if they want to reach the playoffs and save Tom Coughlin’s job. Unfortunately, the Giants will have to try and win games without Osi Umenyiora(notes) again. The defensive end is slated to miss at least two weeks with a sprained ankle.

Umenyiora went down early during the 49-24 loss his team suffered against the New Orleans Saints. He did not return in the second half. There is a possibility that Umenyiora could miss up to a month because of the bad sprain. However, the hope is that he can return to the field on December 18 when the Giants face the Washington Redskins. By then, the season could be lost for New York. Umenyiora has already missed three games this season. He didn’t play the first three games because of a knee issue. These injuries are unrelated and that is good for his long term prognosis. But any time a player has multiple injuries in a season, a team and its fans have to be concerned.

Despite missing three starts, Umenyiora has had a pretty solid season. He has seven sacks and has helped the defensive line perform at a pretty decent level for much of the season. However, his loss could be damaging for the Giants. New York still has Jason Peirre-Paul, a sack machine that has thrived while filling in for several players on the defensive line. However, the loss of Umenyiora severely drains the depth on the defense. The Giants are coming off of one of the worst defensive performance in recent memory. Without Umenyiora, it is hard to imagine things looking better against the Green Bay Packers.

New York is fortunate to be 6-5 considering all of the injuries. Key players on both sides of the ball have really hurt the Giants. That has been evident during this three game slide. The Giants are in the midst of the toughest part of their schedule. This isn’t the ideal time to lose a player like Umenyiora.

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Read More: new york giants injury report, Michael Boley (LB – NYG), D.J. Ware (RB – NYG), Derrick Martin (S – NYG), Kareem McKenzie (OT – NYG), Justin Tuck (DE – NYG), Osi Umenyiora (DE – NYG), Ahmad Bradshaw (RB – NYG), Turk McBride (DE – NOS), Mario Manningham (WR – NYG), Will Beatty (OT – NYG), Patrick Robinson (CB – NOS), Cameron Jordan (DE – NOS), New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, New York Giants at New Orleans Saints, Nov 28, 2011 8:30 PM EST

The 6-4 New York Giants will travel to New Orleans on Monday night as they look to keep pace with the first place Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East with a win against the 7-3 New Orleans Saints. The Giants are once again banged up – as they have been all season long.

Here is Saturday’s complete Giants-New Orleans Saints injury report:

New York Giants

T Will Beatty, Eye/Back…Out

LB Michael Boley, Hamstring…Doubtful

RB Ahmad Bradshaw, Foot…Out

WR Mario Manningham, Knee…Questionable

WR Michael Clayton, Knee…Questionable

DB Derrick Martin, Hamstring…Out

T Kareem McKenzie, Toe…Probable

DE Justin Tuck, Ankle/Shoulder…Probable

DE Osi Umenyiora, Knee…Probable

RB D.J. Ware, Concussion…Probable

New Orleans Saints

DE Turk McBride … Ankle … Out

LB Jon Vilma … Knee … Questionable

DE Cameron Jordan … Hand … Probable

CB Patrick Robinson … Stomach … Probable

– For the latest Giants news, follow the comprehensive Giants vs. Saints 2011 StoryStream on SB Nation New York and visit our Giants blog Big Blue View.

“Hello, Osi. Fancy meeting you here.”

OK, so the exchange Sunday between Philadelphia running back LeSean McCoy and New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora probably won’t be that cordial. The two have quite a history.

McCoy, who rushed for a combined 174 yards in 24 carries in two games against the Giants last season, tweeted in June that Umenyiora, who was in a contract dispute at the time, was “Overrated n soft 3rd best d-line on his team honestly.”

In an interview with the Newark Star-Ledger, Umenyiora referred to McCoy as “Lady Gaga” and questioned his manhood.

“I mean, he’s a girl, man. Who does stuff like that?” Umenyiora told the newspaper. “If he has more of these things to say, he can say ‘em to my face. Don’t be no Twitter gangster man.”

When the teams met in Week 3, a game the Giants came back to win, 29-16, McCoy had 128 yards in 24 carries and scored a touchdown. Umenyiora was inactive because of a knee injury.

This week, Umenyiora said McCoy’s summer putdown was “unforgivable,” considering the contract situation in which the Giants star was embroiled.

“Whenever you see a man in a contract dispute, a fellow NFL player, you don’t take that opportunity to take your shots at him,” said Umenyiora, who has seven sacks. “You wait until you’re about to play him. Then you take your shots. We’ve had our problems. I’ve moved past it. I just have to focus on winning right now.

“He said some things he shouldn’t have said. He made a mistake there. At the end of the day, there’s no extra motivation. I know for a fact that we have to win this game to get to where we need to go.”