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Injured Players Return to Practice
Umenyiora, Short and Madison return while Strahan participates in drills and 9-on-7.
By Michael Eisen, Giants.com

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November 29, 2006

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The Giants received some much-needed good news on the injury front today when Osi Umenyiora, Brandon Short and Sam Madison returned to practice. Also, Michael Strahan began working in individual drills and participated briefly in the 9-on-7 run defense portion of practice.

Asked what the odds of the injured players retuning to the lineup, Coughlin said, "I'm not going to (speculate) - I wouldn't. I have to watch them practice."

Regarding Strahan's potential availability, Coughlin said, "Let me have a day to see what we do out there before I say anything about that."

Alas, not all the news was positive. Middle linebacker Antonio Pierce didn't practice because of swelling in his knee, though Coughlin said he should be ready tomorrow. Also watching today's workout were cornerback Corey Webster, who missed Sunday's loss at Tennessee with a turf toe ("He's day-to-day," Coughlin said); linebacker Carlos Emmons, who continues to battle a strained groin; and safety Gibril Wilson, who has a sore shoulder.

Pierce is listed on the injury report as probable. Umenyiora, Short, Madison, Webster, Emmons, Wilson and wide receiver Sinorice Moss (quad) are questionable. Strahan is doubtful and tackle Luke Petitgout (fractured fibula) is out.

But the potential returns of Umenyiora, Short and Madison - three defensive starters - would provide much-needed encouragement and improvement to a defense that has allowed 352, 414 and 343 yards during the current three-game losing streak.

"I think it would be a boost to our team," Coughlin said. "Not just our defense, but to our team. To be able to have not only the veteran experience but to have the quality of the players. I think our team will respond to the fact that these guys are ready to go, and hopefully we'll have good days of practice with no setbacks and we'll see how it is."

"You have familiar faces back in the huddle, guys that have been playing together for a while, and it brings some cohesiveness back to the team," Short said.

Umenyiora, a Pro Bowl defensive end last season, suffered a strained hip flexor in the Giants' 36-22 victory in Dallas on Oct. 23. At that time, his five sacks led the team. He is now second behind Fred Robbins, who increased his total to 5.5 with a sack against the Titans.

"It feels okay. It feels alright," Umenyiora said of his hip. "It feels good to get back out there. I'm very excited about getting back out on the field. Hopefully, I'll be able to get back out there and do a couple of things."

Short strained his quad in an Oct. 29 victory over Tampa Bay and missed the last four games. Now in his second tour of duty with the Giants, Short moved into the starting lineup at weakside linebacker on Oct. 8 against Washington. He had 19 tackles (10 solo), two sacks and a forced fumble before he was hurt.

"I feel like I'm ready to play," Short said. "They wouldn't put me out there if I wasn't ready to go, so I'm ready to play."

Short practiced last week, but didn't make the trip to Nashville for the Titans game.

"I wasn't going full speed out there," Short said. "I was getting accustomed to making reads, pass drops and getting my legs back under me after being out for four weeks."

Madison was also hurt in Dallas, where he came up with his second interception of the season. But he also went down with a hamstring injury that caused him to miss the next two games. Madison returned for the Nov. 12 contest against Chicago but re-aggravated the hamstring, forcing him to sit that last two weeks.

Umenyiora was playing well in Dallas, recording four tackles (three solo) and a sack of Drew Bledsoe before being forced to leave the game early in the third quarter.

"I was trying to make a tackle and I just twisted it," Umenyiora said. "I never had an injury like this before, but I knew right away something was wrong. It was very painful. You can't really do anything."

Umenyiora was asked if he targeted the rematch with the Cowboys - the biggest game of the season thus far for the 6-5 Giants - for his return.

"I actually targeted the Chicago game," Umenyiora said. "But that didn't work out."

So he was reduced to standing on the sideline in a sweatsuit at home games and watching his television when the Giants were on the road.

"It's been terrible," Umenyiora said. "It's strange to sit there and watch games on T.V. when you're so used to being out there. I got a good glimpse of retirement right there. I didn't like it at all."

Short was similarly irritated during his idle time.

"It's very frustrating to not be able to help my team," he said. "I see situations where I feel I would be a help to the team and to be on the sideline watching is crushing to a competitor."

Now he and his teammates hope to crush some Cowboys on Sunday.

"Something has to give," Short said. "We haven't been playing very well on both sides of the ball and we have to get better."

If Umenyiora, Short and Madison are all in uniform, the chances of that improvement occurring will increase.

NOTES
 Coughlin praised Dallas quarterback Tony Romo, who replaced Bledsoe in the second half of the Giants game last month. Romo is 4-1 as the starter and his 110.8 passer rating leads the NFL.

"Obviously, his numbers are outstanding and he's given them a great spark," Coughlin said. "He is mobile. He's very athletic, he has a very quick release. He's playing with confidence, and they've responded well to him."

 Under Coughlin, the Giants are 4-1 against Bill Parcells' Dallas Cowboys. Overall, Coughlin is 5-2 in regular season games against Parcells and 5-3 vs. the Cowboys. Ten years ago, they faced each other in the AFC Championship game when Coughlin's Jacksonville Jaguars met Parcells' New England Patriots. Parcells is 4-5 against the Giants, the team he coached from 1983-90, including 3-4 with the Cowboys.

 The Giants, FedEx and New York Cares will host their ninth annual Coat Drive on Sunday when the Giants play the Cowboys. Fans are encouraged to donate their gently worn coats by bringing them to any of the FED EX trucks that will be parked at each entrance to the stadium prior to the game. New York Cares is a non-profit organization that helps warm thousands of men, women and children by providing winter coats to homeless shelters, community organizations, centers for battered women, and agencies serving senior citizens across the metropolitan area.