Thanks for reading! .

That’s all the news for today.

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.

Thanks for reading! .

In this Week 16 matchup, the 7-7 New York Giants “visit” the 8-6 New York Jets in a game that has playoff implications for both teams. Currently second in their divisions, the Jets are currently holding onto the sixth seed in the AFC playoffs while the Giants are behind the Dallas Cowboys by a game for the NFC East division title. In this game between New York teams with plenty of playoff ramifications, both the Giants and Jets have important players injured that may factor into this game.

New York Jets RB Joe McKnight
Wikimedia Commons

Out for Giants: TE Jake Ballard, LB Mark Herzlich, DE Osi Umenyiora

With Ballard officially ruled out with a knee injury, quarterback Eli Manning will be without his best tight end with an injury to his posterior cruciate ligament. As expected, both Umenyiora and Herzlich will miss another game with ankle injuries.

Out for Jets: None

Doubtful for Giants: WR Mario Manningham

Manning may also be missing his third wide receiver in Manningham on Saturday. When available, Manningham allows Victor Cruz some playing time in the slot in three-receiver sets, which gets him away from the tough coverage of either Darrelle Revis or Antonio Cromartie. A tough pass defense to beat, the Giants may struggle finding any receivers if Manningham is unable to play with his knee problem.

Doubtful for Jets: None

Questionable for Giants: RB D.J. Ware

Ware has practiced sparingly this week with a knee injury and may not be available for this game. However, with Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw running well as of late, Ware’s role as a third-down receiving back is not as important this week.

Questionable for Jets: CB Marquice Cole, RB Joe McKnight

McKnight suffered a separated shoulder against the Philadelphia Eagles last week and is expected to be a game-time decision. As one of the backups to Shonn Greene, his injury could be a tough break both on offense and in the return game, where Cromartie would return kicks in his absence. Cole, a backup defensive back and special-teams contributor, is more likely to miss this game than McKnight with a knee injury.

Probable for Giants: C David Baas, TE Travis Beckum, RB Ahmad Bradshaw, S Derrick Martin, TE Bear Pascoe, WR Devin Thomas

The most crucial Giant listed as probable this week is Bradshaw (foot), who should be ready to go on Saturday. Baas’ availability to start moves Kevin Boothe to left guard. Beckum (chest) and Pascoe (ribs) will be crucial members in the passing and pass-protection game with Ballard out.

Probable for Jets: WR Plaxico Burress, DE Mike DeVito, G Vladimir Ducasse, RB Shonn Greene, LB David Harris, WR Santonio Holmes, WR Jeremy Kerley, G Brandon Moore, DE Ropati Pitoitua, QB Mark Sanchez, G Caleb Schlauderaff, S Eric Smith

Offensive starters listed as probable for the Jets are Burress (illness), Greene (rib, shoulder), Holmes (hip), Moore (hip), and Sanchez (neck). Defensive starters listed as probable for the Jets are DeVito (knee), Harris (non-injury related), and Smith (knee). DeVito, Holmes, and Smith were the only players of this list who were limited participants in the team’s most recent practice but should all be available to play.

Sources:

NFL Injuries, Yahoo! Sports

Giants likely minus 2 key players, ESPN New York

Jets’ Joe McKnight, Marquice Cole listed as questionable for Giants game, nj.com

The NFL Injury Report, NFL

More from this contributor:

Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers Week 16 Injury Report Assessment: Fan’s Preview

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks Week 16 Injury Report Assessment: Fan’s Preview

Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts Week 16 Injury Report: Fan’s Preview

Five 49ers with Great Performances in 20-3 Win Over Steelers: Fan’s Take

Pittsburgh Steelers at San Francisco 49ers Week 15 Injury Report Assessment: Fan’s Preview

Austin Chang is a lifelong football fan, San Francisco 49ers supporter, and a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @_austinchang.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.

The NFL schedule says one thing. But for the New York Giants, reality says something else.

“Our playoffs start now,” guard Chris Snee said this week, according to the New York Daily News. “That’s how we look at it. We know what’s at stake.”

Heading into Sunday night’s game at Dallas, the Giants have lost four in a row, but they’re coming off a confidence-builder against Green Bay, a 38-35 loss to the NFL’s only undefeated team.

“The mind-set is looking ahead,” quarterback Eli Manning said. “It doesn’t matter what you’ve done last week or what your record is. It’s what you’re playing for, who you have this week. And you have Dallas, Sunday night football, that’s a big one.”

If the Giants win, they’re back in first place and control their own destiny. If they lose, Dallas will not only be two games ahead with three to play but will own all of the tiebreakers.

The Cowboys had won four in a row coming into last Sunday’s game against Arizona, and with a win would have been able to clinch the NFC East this weekend. Instead, Dallas lost to the Cardinals, and the division race is still very much up in the air.

NBC’s Cris Collinsworth thinks this situation could be reminiscent of the Giants’ big run four years ago, when they played New England very tough in a season finale — nearly denying the Patriots their undefeated regular season — then caught fire in the playoffs, carrying that all the way through to a Super Bowl victory.

“That Patriots game changed the Giants,” he said. “Whatever it was that they found that day they kept, and they rolled right through to the Super Bowl. You just wonder if that very similar game last week against the Packers — the Giants don’t win it, but here they take this undefeated team right to the wire — is that going to be the one that the Giants look back on?

“If that sort of thing happens, you can almost hear the comparisons.”

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NEW YORK (Reuters) – They have not won a game in a month, but the New York Giants hope their latest loss can fuel a last, desperate push to reach the playoffs.

Coming off a humiliating 49-24 walloping by the New Orleans Saints, the Giants battled the unbeaten Green Bay Packers (12-0) to the last gasp Sunday, falling 38-35 on a field goal kicked with no time left on the clock.

That dropped the Giants to 6-6 for the season with four games left, but the close fight showed the New Yorkers they could at least match it with the best of the NFL.

The Giants must reverse their fortunes starting Sunday night in Dallas against the Cowboys (7-5), who lead them in the NFC East by one game, or forget about the postseason.

No problem, according to one Giants defensive back Antrel Rolle.

“Without a doubt, we will be in that postseason,” he told WFAN radio.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning would not go so far as to guarantee a playoff berth, but both hoped the intensity the club showed would carry over.

“We have four games to go and three of them in our division,” Coughlin said.

“We have to regroup and I think this brings us together even tighter than we have ever been before as a team.

“It can be a positive if you play the way that we played, and if you give the effort that we gave and if you play with the intensity that we played with. Those are the kind of emotional things that bind you together.”

This week’s game is the first of two against the Cowboys. They also meet in the last game of the season on New Year’s Day. In between, the Giants play Washington and the New York Jets. A sweep of the final four games would guarantee the NFC East title for the Giants.

Manning said there was a lot the players could take away from their hard-fought loss.

“They’re playing the best football and we had them tied up with 58 seconds (left),” said Manning, who threw three touchdown passes. “I think we have to try to take something from this game, take some momentum into these next games.”

SPRINGBOARD LOSS

The Giants have used a defeat against an unbeaten team as a springboard before.

In the final game of the 2007 season, New York had already clinched a wildcard berth with no chance to improve their playoff status against the 15-0 New England Patriots.

Yet rather than rest some banged-up regulars, the Giants dedicated themselves to trying to stop the Pats from going undefeated, and fought fiercely before falling by the same 38-35 score they lost to the Packers.

Giving the Patriots such a fight seemed to boost the New Yorkers’ confidence.

New York went on to playoff road wins over Tampa Bay, Dallas and Green Bay to reach the Super Bowl against the Patriots. The Giants beat them 17-14 to deprive New England of a perfect season and claim the NFL title for themselves.

“That game we lost, but I think everybody felt good about the way we played and had a little momentum going into the playoffs,” Manning said in recalling the 2007 title season.

“Obviously it’s going to be a similar feel with these next four games. They’re all going to be playoff-style games where we need to win.”

Coughlin hoped for the same bounce-back effect.

“We have four games to go and every one of these games is critical to our future,” he said. “We will battle. We will battle. We have to find a way to win.”

Manning said the urgency did not add pressure.

“That’s playoff atmosphere. You want to play in must-win games,” explained Manning. “We know if we win, then we’re in the playoffs. That’s exciting. It starts this week.”

(Editing by Julian Linden)

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It’s not hard to pinpoint the key matchup in Monday night’s game between the New Orleans Saints and New York Giants.

Both teams have made a strong emphasis this week on the battle between the Saints’ offensive line and the Giants’ defensive line, the two units that likely will determine both teams’ fates for the remainder of the season.

“Those one-on-one battles will be as challenging, if not more challenging, than any game we’ve played to date,” Saints Coach Sean Payton said of New York’s deep group of pass rushers, who arguably generate more pressure with their front four than any other team in the league.

“It’s always important to set the tone up front, but especially with these guys,” Saints guard Jahri Evans said. “Usually, if you allow a team to get pressure with just their front four guys, it’s going to be a long day.”

Conversely, Giants defensive end Justin Tuck knows the same will be true if they don’t get pressure up front against Saints quarterback Drew Brees.

“If you allow Drew Brees the opportunity to sit back there and go through his progressions, it’s going to be a long night,” Tuck told the New York media this week.

That New York media microscope has been closing in on the Giants’ defensive line this week. Although the Giants entered the week tied for the NFL lead with 31 sacks, 29 of which have come from their linemen or hybrid rusher Mathias Kiwanuka, they had a sluggish performance up front in last week’s 17-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Giants (6-4) only got one hit on Eagles quarterback Vince Young. And now they have just five sacks in the past three games.

That latest performance led to some vocal frustration this week. Defensive tackle Chris Canty described the Giants’ lack of intensity against the Eagles as “embarrassing.” And there is no doubt the guys up front will be determined to change their fortunes Monday night.

“You know they’re going to heat it up this week, because they’re going to take a lot of grief,” ESPN “Monday Night Football” analyst Ron Jaworski said.

That emotion is similar to how the Saints’ offensive linemen felt last month after they had maybe their worst performance in the Payton era during a lackluster loss at St. Louis. The Rams were able to generate consistent pressure with just their front four, while also shutting down the Saints’ running game.

Since then, the Saints’ offensive line has been determined not to let that happen again, as their standout performances against Tampa Bay and Atlanta attested. Brees was sacked six times at St. Louis, but he hasn’t been sacked in the past two games as the Saints have gone to 7-3.

“With all the sacks we gave up in that game, we feel like we can’t give up any more for the rest of the season,” said guard Carl Nicks, who said the Saints’ linemen feel like it’s their responsibility to set the tone.

“It’s absolutely up to the offensive line,” Nicks said. “Games are won in the trenches.”

Nicks admitted, however, that they’ll need some help Monday night against the Giants’ front four, with extra chip blocks from tight ends, tailbacks and fullbacks, as well as a successful running game to keep the defense from rushing the passer full force.

The Giants’ line is deep and versatile. They usually line up four defensive ends on passing downs, and even then they mix and match players.

Second-year end Jason Pierre-Paul has emerged as a dynamic pass rusher. He has 10.5 sacks as a part-time player, filling in as a starter for veterans Tuck and Osi Umenyiora while they battled earlier injuries.

Umenyiora, a two-time Pro Bowler, is back in prime form after having minor knee surgery late in the summer. He has seven sacks. Kiwanuka has 3.5 sacks from the linebacker, end and tackle positions. End Dave Tollefson has three sacks. Tuck has just two sacks while battling injuries and inconsistency.

All of them are a handful, though. Several Saints described the Giants’ pass rushers as “long,” “long-armed” and “strong” athletes who use their size and athleticism as well as their speed.

“I think they’re unique in the kind of guys that they have there,” Saints right tackle Zach Strief said. “They play with their hands well. And they don’t necessarily rush like a lot of teams do. Not just a John Abraham-type that’s going to try to beat you off the ball every snap. They play within the system, and they read and react, which is difficult because it’s unusual for us.”

The Saints handled that matchup quite well in 2009, when they allowed zero sacks while torching the Giants with their passing for a 48-27 rout. They know a repeat performance won’t be easy.

“I think they’re one of the most-talented groups in the NFL,” Brees said of the Giants’ defensive line. “They’re a pretty diverse group, extremely athletic, big, physical. This will be our toughest test of the year, for sure.”

The feeling is mutual.

•••••••

Mike Triplett can be reached at mtriplett@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3405.

Thanks for reading! .

The San Francisco 49ers will host the New York Giants in their biggest game of the 2011 season. This will be a big game for the 49ers and will allow them to prove themselves against a strong opponent. At 7-1 on the season, the 49ers have played outstanding football and been one of the biggest surprises of the 2011 NFL season.

The 49ers will surely look to continue with what has made them successful up until this point in the season. They have dominated games on the ground and have done a great job stopping opponents from running the ball. The Giants have struggled stopping the run this season. Fans should expect to see the 49ers to attempt to control the game on the ground. The Giants have a great pass rush and could provide trouble to Alex Smith and the 49er passing game. If they are able to run successfully, this will take a lot of pressure off Smith and allow them to stay true to their plan.

Running back Frank Gore suffered a minor ankle injury in the 49ers November 6 win over the Washington Redskins. Ankle injuries are usually a big scare for running backs but Gore seems likely to play this week. Gore is one of the most important players to the team not only this week but for the remainder of the season. Fans can let out a deep breath that Gore’s injury was not serious.

The 49ers will need to play very good defense to slow down and stop Eli Manning(notes) and the Giants. Eli has played great this season and has gotten excellent play out of his receivers. Victor Cruz(notes) and Jake Ballard(notes) have emerged this season as major threats. The Giants are also coming off a huge victory on the road over the New England Patriots. This game will provide another tough test for them.

Fans are excited about the 49ers and highly excited about this game. If they are able to win against a good Giants team, the 49ers will silence any doubters remaining. I think the 49ers will be able control the game with their style of play and win the game over the Giants. It’s likely that the game will come down to the fourth quarter but San Francisco should have enough at home to come away with the win.

Prediction: 49ers 24, Giants 21

Kyle Rapoza is a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network and grew up in Northern California rooting for the 49ers teams led by Joe Montana and Steve Young. Follow him on Twitter @kyler11.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

What are your opinions.

Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.

(Sports Network) – When the New York Giants and New England Patriots take the
field Sunday at Gillette Stadium in one of the marquee matchups of this week’s
NFL schedule, the game will serve as an opportunity for one quarterback to back
up a headline-grabbing statement and one team to gain retribution for a
memorable loss it’s waited four years to avenge.

Though this Week 9 showdown certainly carries plenty of significance for the
two participants, both of whom currently sit at the top of their respective
divisions, the stakes still won’t nearly be as high as the last time the Giants
and Patriots squared off in a meaningful contest. That took place at Arizona’s
University of Phoenix Stadium in February of 2008, when New York spoiled New
England’s attempt at an unprecedented 19-0 season by rallying for a thrilling
17-14 victory in Super Bowl XLII.

The Patriots’ chance at revenge still isn’t the primary storyline of this key
clash, however. Instead, most viewers will be focused on the two quarterbacks
that will be leading their offenses on Sunday, thanks to some comments made by
Giants signal-caller Eli Manning during the preseason that drew a flurry of
attention and debate.

Manning created a small controversy by stating in a radio interview over the
summer he considered himself in the same class as New England counterpart Tom
Brady, a player who’s garnered six Pro Bowl citations, three Super Bowl titles
and two NFL Most Valuable Player Awards during his glorious career.

Though New York’s triggerman doesn’t possess that amount of accolades, he was
able to get the better of Brady in their most recent head-to-head encounter.
Manning helped the Giants pull off the upset in Super Bowl XLII by engineering
a long touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter, highlighted by an
unforgettable third-down play in which he eluded a heavy rush and connected
with David Tyree for an improbable 32-yard completion, and was named the game’s
MVP.

Manning has actually compared favorably with Brady through the first eight
weeks of this season. The former No. 1 overall draft pick has produced a
career-best 102.1 passer rating during New York’s 5-2 start, which trails only
the Patriots’ star and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers for tops in the league in that
category.

While that individual battle has brought some additional intrigue to this
already compelling tilt, Manning said his goal this week won’t be to prove he
belongs in the league’s upper echelon of quarterbacks.

“I think when you go against New England, that’s all I’m thinking about,” he
stated this week. “They’re always a talented team, always a team that finds
ways to win games, whether it’s through their offense or defense. We understand
that we have to play solid football.

“I’m focused on this game, this team and what we have to do this week.”

Likewise, the Patriots’ goal this week won’t be getting payback for that
stinging Super Bowl defeat. New England is presently engaged in a three-team
fight for AFC East supremacy, with the defending division champions tied with
surprising Buffalo for the top spot, and returns home off its worst outing of
the season after being stymied by Pittsburgh in a 25-17 loss last Sunday.

“That’s a distant memory,” said Brady of the Patriots’ last skirmish with the
Giants. There’s not much you can take from that. This is an entirely different
team that we have and that they have. There are so many players on our team
that were obviously not a part of that game, or any game against the Giants.”

New England’s powerful offense was held to 213 total yards by the Steelers,
less than half of its season average coming into the game.

Coming back to Gillette Stadium could help the Pats get back on track. New
England owns a 20-game regular-season winning streak at its home venue, and
hasn’t lost there in its last 31 non-playoff tests in which Brady has started.

The Giants have opened up a two-game advantage in the NFC East by winning their
last two games, including this past week’s 20-17 triumph over stumbling Miami
in which Manning threw for 349 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

SERIES HISTORY

The Patriots hold a 5-3 edge in their overall regular-season series with New
York and have bested the Giants four straight times in games not involving the
postseason. The teams also faced one another in the 2007 regular-season finale,
with New England capping a 16-0 campaign with a hard-earned 38-35 victory at
Giants Stadium. New York has left with defeats in its last two trips to
Foxborough, which occurred in 1999 and 2003, and hasn’t topped the Pats in the
regular season since a 13-10 road decision on Dec. 30, 1990.

New York’s comeback win in Super Bowl XLII stands as the only postseason
meeting between the clubs.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who served 12 years as a Giants assistant
from 1979-90, is 2-3 against his former employer for his career and 2-1 during
his tenure in New England. His first two losses to New York came while the head
coach of the Cleveland Browns from 1991-95.

The Giants’ Tom Coughlin has a 2-4 record versus New England as a head coach,
including a 1-3 mark during his time in charge of Jacksonville from 1995-2002
that contains a win over the Pats in a 1998 AFC First-Round Playoff and a loss
in the 1996 AFC Championship. Coughlin is 3-1 lifetime in head-to-head bouts
with Belichick, with the first two victories coming for his Jaguars against the
Browns in 1995.

Belichick and Coughlin also worked together for three years (1988-90) on Bill
Parcells’ staff with the Giants, with the former then the defensive coordinator
and the latter the team’s wide receivers coach.

WHEN THE GIANTS HAVE THE BALL

Manning (2127 passing yards, 13 TD, 5 INT) is in the midst of the best season
of his eight-year career, with the formerly-erratic quarterback having
completed a personal-high 64.7 percent of his throws and ranking second only to
Rodgers in yards per attempt (8.8), and he’s also drastically cut down his
turnovers one year after leading the league with 25 interceptions. The Giants
have needed him to step up and shine as well, since a running game that was
once an integral part of the team’s offense has been close to non-existent this
season. New York has generated the third-fewest rushing yards (85.6 ypg) in the
NFL and was held to just 58 yards on the ground by the Dolphins last week, and
top back Ahmad Bradshaw (440 rushing yards, 24 receptions, 6 total TD) is
dealing with a possible stress fracture in his foot that could sideline him on
Sunday. The Giants do have a two-time 1,000-yard rusher in reserve in Brandon
Jacobs (126 rushing yards, 3 total TD), but the unhappy veteran is averaging a
meager 3.0 yards per carry on the year. Manning’s No. 1 target, wide receiver
Hakeem Nicks (38 receptions, 575 yards, 3 TD), has also been bothered by a
hamstring injury, though he’s tentatively believed to play this week. If he’s
unable to go, New York does have some outside depth in the young combo of
Victor Cruz (28 receptions, 497 yards, 4 TD) and Mario Manningham (24
receptions, 1 TD), who combined for 13 catches, 162 yards and two touchdowns
against Miami, and oversized tight end Jake Ballard (19 receptions, 2 TD) has
also made contributions to the club’s fourth-ranked aerial attack (287.6 ypg).

The Giants figure to take to the air early and often come Sunday, considering
the game has the makings of being high-scoring and the Patriots have been
dreadful in preventing enemy passers from piling up yards at will. A secondary
littered with marginal talents other than cornerback Devin McCourty (49
tackles) and safety Patrick Chung (50 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) has permitted a
league-worst 323.1 passing yards per game, and all but one quarterback the team
has faced this year has eclipsed the 300-yard mark. Pittsburgh’s Ben
Roethlisberger torched the group for 365 yards and two scores a week ago. New
England did register a season-high five sacks in the loss, including two by
veteran end Andre Carter (28 tackles, 4.5 sacks), and both he and situational
rusher Mark Anderson (10 tackles, 4.5 sacks) will be counted on to bring the
heat upon Manning. The Patriots are in the top 10 in run defense (101.0 ypg),
though that’s partly because they’ve been thrown on so much, but do possess
three proven stoppers up front in three-time Pro Bowl tackle Vince Wilfork (19
tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 INT) and linebackers Brandon Spikes (39 tackles) and
Jerod Mayo (27 tackles), who returned last week from a two-game absence caused
by a knee sprain.

WHEN THE PATRIOTS HAVE THE BALL

Despite being held in check by Pittsburgh’s formidable defense last week, the
Patriots still boast one of the NFL’s most potent and dangerous offenses that
tops the league in first downs (25.7 avg.), stands second in passing yards
(324.7 ypg), third in total yards (437.1 ypg) and fourth in third-down
conversions (50.6 pct.). The key to it all is obviously Brady (2361 passing
yards, 18 TD, 8 INT), who’s enjoying another stellar season even though he’s
had twice as many interceptions as he did during his MVP campaign of 2010. The
standout quarterback has four quality options to throw to, led by prolific slot
receiver Wes Welker (57 receptions, 824 yards, 6 TD), the league’s leader in
both catches and receiving yards per game. Former Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch
(30 receptions, 3 TD) provides a reliable outside presence to the mix, while
second-year tight ends Rob Gronkowski (36 receptions, 495 yards, 5 TD) and
Aaron Hernandez (29 receptions, 4 TD) are both lethal inside the red zone and
often Brady’s preferred choices in that area. New England also has an
interesting collection of running backs, with leading rusher BenJarvus Green-
Ellis (400 rushing yards, 5 TD) a physical and sure-handed performer between
the tackles and 13-year vet Kevin Faulk now back from an ACL tear to reprise
his longtime role as the team’s third-down specialist.

Brady and his cast of receivers will be taking on a New York defense that’s
played quite well against the pass in recent weeks, albeit the Pats do
represent a step up in class. The Giants have yielded just four touchdowns
through the air and bagged eight interceptions over their last five games, with
cornerbacks Corey Webster (26 tackles, 3 INT, 9 PD) and Aaron Ross (24 tackles,
3 INT, 8 PD) each recording three picks during that stretch, and allowed a
scant 101 net passing yards to Miami’s anemic offense last Sunday. The duo is
backed by an excellent pass rush that’s amassed a league-best 26 sacks thus far
and is now at full strength now that valued end Justin Tuck (7 tackles, 2
sacks) is over neck and groin injuries that have limited him to three games.
The 2010 All-Pro honoree teams with two-time Pro Bowler Osi Umenyiora (12
tackles, 6 sacks) and second-year phenom Jason Pierre-Paul (35 tackles, 8.5
sacks) to give New York an outstanding collection of pressure-creators.
Umenyiora has racked up six sacks in just four games since returning from
early-season knee surgery. The Giants haven’t fared well in containing the run,
however, having allowed at least 145 yards on the ground in five straight
outings and owning an unwanted 28th overall ranking in rush defense (130.1
ypg).

KEYS TO THE GAME

Control the clock. The Steelers may have revealed the blueprint for keeping New
England’s high-powered offense at bay last week, as Pittsburgh held the ball
for over 39 minutes by mixing Roethlisberger’s efficient passing with an
effective running game. Dallas utilized a similar approach two weeks prior in
its near-upset of the Patriots, with the Cowboys also owning a sizeable edge in
time of possession. New England may actually benefit from employing that
philosophy as well when factoring in New York’s struggles in stopping the run
and its own deficiencies on the defensive side.

Pressuring the quarterbacks. Brady has been sacked 10 times over New England’s
past three games and the offense experienced a noticeable drop-off against both
the Cowboys and Steelers because both teams were able to continually harass the
reigning league MVP. The Giants certainly have the pass rushers in place to
make an impact as well. It’s also important for the Patriots to create pressure
on Manning, as New York isn’t much of a threat running the ball and the durable
field general is capable of shredding New England’s shaky secondary if he isn’t
under duress.

The fourth quarter. This could very well be a game that’s decided by which team
has the ball last. Manning has been marvelous in the final period this season,
having thrown for six touchdowns and earning an NFL-leading 119.3 passer
rating, while Brady has orchestrated 24 fourth-quarter comebacks over his
decorated career and is considered one of the all-time greats with the game on
the line.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

This Super Bowl rematch may turn out more like the 2007 regular-season meeting
between these teams, an all-out shootout in which Brady and Manning combined
for over 600 yards and six touchdowns, as opposed to the defensively-oriented
nail-biter that took place in Arizona. Both quarterbacks will have their
moments, as will a Giants defense that has the potential to disrupt New
England’s aerial assault with its pressure. The offenses should have their say
in the end, however. If that’s indeed the case, the Patriots’ better balance on
that side of the ball and sustained success at home could be the determining
factors in a hard-fought contest that won’t have a shortage of thrills.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Patriots 35, Giants 31

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New York Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw will meet with doctors to determine the extent of a
foot injury that could keep him out of this week’s game against
the New England Patriots, coach Tom Coughlin said.

Coughlin said today he doesn’t know if Bradshaw, the
Giants’ leading rusher with 440 yards and five touchdowns this
season, will need surgery.

“He has had issues in the past and he has played with a
crack or whatever you want to call it in his foot,” Coughlin
told reporters after practice. “He has played that way in the
past and we don’t know what the determination will be just yet.
We will wait and see.”

Bradshaw, who is also fifth on the team with 210 yards
receiving, didn’t participate in today’s practice. The Giants
visit the Patriots on Nov. 6, the first meeting between the
teams since New York’s Super Bowl win after the 2007 season.

“The guys that are practicing are going to go out there
and perform as if the responsibility will be theirs,” Coughlin
said, referring to Brandon Jacobs and Danny Ware.

Bradshaw has told teammates he will miss at least two
weeks, the Star-Ledger reported today, citing a person familiar
with the situation who requested anonymity. Corrective surgery
could keep him out for the rest of the season, the newspaper
said.

“We will have to see,” Coughlin said. “I am not going to
speculate what the doctors are going to decide or say because I
don’t know.”

Jacobs is the Giants’ second-leading rusher, with 126 yards
and two scores on 42 carries this year. Last week, Jacobs told
Men’s Fitness magazine that the Giants have misused him and that
he would like to play somewhere else next season.

“He is working hard and that is the only thing I have
noticed,” Coughlin said when asked whether he’s seen a
difference in Jacobs this week. “He has been good in meetings
and around the players.”

To contact the reporters on this story:
Erik Matuszewski in New York at
matuszewski@bloomberg.net;
Eben Novy-Williams in New York at
enovywilliam@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Michael Sillup at
msillup@bloomberg.net

That’s all for today.

By Ed Valentine

– Regional Editor

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Oct 27, 2011 – Former New York Giants punter Matt Dodge, cut by the team during training camp after a tumultuous 2010 rookie season, reportedly worked out for the New York Jets this week. Dodge, of course, was beaten out for the Giants’ punting job this season by Steve Weatherford, who punted for the Jets the past two seasons.

Dodge, of course, was wildly inconsistent as a rookie for the Giants a season ago. He will always be remember by Giants’ fans for kicking the ball to Philadelphia’s DeSean Jackson last season on the final play of a game, allowing Jackson to return the ball for a game-winning touchdown — the only time that has happened on a punt in NFL history.

Gang Green Nation speculates that Jets special teams coach Mike Westhoff has not been happy with his team’s rookie punter, T.J. Conley, who is averaging 43.5 yards per punt (37.9 net) thus far.

Meanwhile, Weatherford – who was ripped by Westhoff after the Jets let him go as a free agent — has been spectacular for the Giants. He is averaging a career-best 46.4 yards per punt, with a net average of 38.2.

Ah, what a delicious irony it would be if Dodge and Weatherford ended up trading places.

Read More: Steve Weatherford (P – NYG), T.J. Conley (P – NYJ), Matt Dodge (P – NYG), New York Jets, New York Giants

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By Ed Valentine

– Regional Editor

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Oct 19, 2011 – New York Giants’ running back Ahmad Bradshaw has been named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his play in the Giants’ 27-24 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Bradshaw carried 26 times for 104 yards and three touchdowns.

So, who needs Brandon Jacobs, anyway?

With Jacobs out due to a knee injury Bradshaw shouldered most of the load and the Giants had their most effective game of the season running the football on Sunday. The 104-yard game was the team’s first 100+ yard rushing performance of the season. He had four a season ago.

Bradshaw had three one-yard scoring runs and a 30-yard run on the Giants’ final drive that set up the game-winning field goal.

Bradshaw is the second Giant to win Offensive Player of the Week honors this season. Quarterback Eli Manning was honored for his performance in a victory at Philadelphia in Week 3, when he completed 16 of 23 passes for 254 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions in a 29-16 victory.

Read More: Ahmad Bradshaw (RB – NYG), New York Giants

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Oct 12, 2011 – New York Giants’ first-round draft pick Prince Amukamara practiced today for the first time since breaking his foot in August, according to an ESPN New York report.

Coach Tom Coughlin said the cornerback still is not expected to see game action until after the week seven bye.

Reporters got to see Prince do some special teams punt coverage drills. It was the first time we have seen Prince do anything other than some light backpedaling and cornerback-type drills on his own on the side. That was the only work we saw Prince work in a group. Coughlin reiterated that Amukamara likely is out until after the bye week.     

The Giants selected the 6-foot, 206-pound Amukamara out of Nebraska with the 19th pick overall after he was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. He underwent surgery to repair the broken foot in August, after which he said he “let my team down” by getting injured. 

Brandon Jacobs, Chris Snee, Justin Tuck, LS Zak DeOssie and Henry Hynoski were all expected to miss practice due to various ailments, though center David Baas was expected to practice after missing Sunday’s game.

For more Giants coverage, visit our team page, or our blog Big Blue View.

Read More: David Baas (C – NYG), Brandon Jacobs (RB – NYG), Chris Snee (G – NYG), Justin Tuck (DE – NYG), Zak DeOssie (LB – NYG), Henry Hynoski (FB – NYG), Prince Amukamara (CB – NYG), New York Giants, Buffalo Bills at New York Giants, Oct 16, 2011 1:00 PM EDT

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PHILADELPHIA – It’s a game the New York Giants can’t forget, and one the Philadelphia Eagles are trying not to rely upon.

On a practical level, Philadelphia’s 38-31 win late last season in one of the more remarkable comebacks in recent league history sent the Eagles to the playoffs and kept the Giants out.

But the result goes deeper than that for the Giants, whose loss to the rival Eagles was their sixth in a row, and made all the more insufferable because the Eagles scored four touchdowns in the last 71/2 minutes to do it, capped by DeSean Jackson’s game-ending punt return.

“Last year will linger with me until I die,” New York defensive end Justin Tuck said earlier this week.

As the teams get together for the first time this season today at 1 at Lincoln Financial Field (TV-Fox; Radio-WEEU/830 AM), the Eagles are doing their best to distance themselves from that game, aware that talking about it only fuels New York’s fire.

“It may have some effect, but in reality it shouldn’t carry over at all,” said wide receiver Jeremy Maclin. “It’s a new season; it’s a new year. We understand that that’s all in the past.”

That’s what New York coach Tom Coughlin believes, too, quickly moving on when asked if the game is still an issue for his team.

“That was last year and this is this year and we’re trying to be prepared for this year,” said Coughlin.

But several Giants have referenced the game this week, and said they want quarterback Michael Vick to return from his concussion to play for the Eagles.

“I don’t want any excuses at the end of the day,” said New York safety Antrel Rolle.

The Giants will get their wish with Vick, who returned from the concussion he suffered at Atlanta last Sunday to practice Thursday and Friday, and barring a setback will be under center today.

Rolle also said he has “handled” Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson “one-on-one before and I don’t see why I can’t handle him again.”

Jackson didn’t want to get into the back-and-forth between the teams, and said the Eagles aren’t really worried about the Giants’ plans.

“It doesn’t really matter what they do,” said Jackson. “We just kind of focus on what we do here.”

They have been of late against New York, averaging 37.5 points in their last four games against the Giants, whose six-game skid against Philadelphia is their longest since losing a dozen in a row to the Eagles from 1975-81.

“Let them do whatever they want to do,” said Maclin, “but at the end of the day you have to go out there and try to cover us and try to stop our offense.”

Contact Steve Patton: 610-371-5097 or spatton@readingeagle.com.

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