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Starting QB for Sunday still up in the air
QB Manning did not practice again today, but Coughlin continues to be upbeat about the quarterback's recovery.
By Michael Eisen, Giants.com

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September 13, 2007

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The first question Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride was asked in an interview session today was, "Who is playing quarterback on Sunday?"

"I was going to ask you that question," Gilbride said. "I have no idea."

Well, that's not entirely true, because it will be either Eli Manning or Jared Lorenzen. Manning's status remained uncertain today because of the shoulder injury he suffered last week in Dallas. Head coach Tom Coughlin said today that Manning's availability for Sunday's home opener against the Green Bay Packers "probably" will be determined shortly before kickoff.

Coughlin has until 90 minutes before the 1 p.m. kickoff to decide if Manning will start, back up Jared Lorenzen, or be designated the third quarterback (with Anthony Wright as No. 2).

Manning did not practice again today, but Coughlin continues to be upbeat about the quarterback's recovery. Manning sustained a contusion of the AC joint in his right (throwing) shoulder when he was hit by Dallas rookie Anthony Spencer in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys' 45-35 victory Sunday night.

If Manning can't play, Lorenzen will make his first NFL start. But Coughlin is hoping Manning will make his 41st consecutive regular season start, the fourth-longest streak among active quarterbacks.

Asked if Manning will play, Coughlin said, "I don't know. He has to get better. The doctors have to clear him."

Manning conducted his normal Thursday interview session after practice, his first public comments since Monday.
He admitted he keeps telling himself, "I'm playing on Sunday," while understanding the possibility exists that his shoulder injury will make that impossible.

"That is kind of how you have to go - just have the mind-set, 'I have to get better, I have to improve,'" Manning said. "I have to do everything I can in the
treatment room and everything I can to rehab it to get this going and have the mentality of playing and that mind-set and hopefully it works out for me.

"I know my body better than anybody. We'll just make a decision the next couple of days. Hopefully, I can keep improving and get better. If I feel I can make all of the throws and help out this team and put us in a situation to win, then I will play."

He can play, he said, even if he doesn't take one snap in practice.

"I know our offense, I know what we are doing," Manning said. "I go through the mental reps and so I can definitely be mentally ready to play."

Gilbride was asked the same question: Can Manning play if he doesn't practice?

"It is not the preferred method of preparation," Gilbride conceded. "But I think he is so into it mentally and he has thrown all of the routes so many times that if physically he was able to do it, I think he could go and perform. I don't know if he would be at his best obviously, but I think he could perform well enough. It is really going to come down to how sore it is, how much strength he has, and not only can he make the throws but can it withstand the potential contact: the contact with players and the contact with falling on the ground."

Manning said he was in no pain and emphasized that he feels better than he did Monday and Tuesday. At the same time, he acknowledged, "I still have some work to do."

It's likely Manning will arrive at the stadium Sunday morning, throw a series of passes, then decide if he is fit to play.

"Talking to the doctors - it is all based on how I feel and what I think I can do," he said. "If I can make all of the throws and am not going to make anything worse, we'll take it from there.

"It's everybody (involved in the decision) - he (team physician Russell Warren) doesn't know how I feel or what I can do or what it feels like when I am going through my workouts and my routines and rehab. So it's just a matter of whether he thinks I can make all of the throws and do everything and be in a position to be successful in playing on Sunday."

While Manning rehabs, Lorenzen continues to direct the first-team offense in practice. The left-hander played the final series in Dallas and threw 37 passes (completing 20) in the preseason.

"I am a little bit more comfortable," Lorenzen said. "We put in some new stuff today, a lot of third down stuff. I just need to sit here and watch more film and start spitting it out, understanding, and watching more film of them and what they do. Tomorrow, it will be green zone, so it will be more new plays. The confidence comes. There are definitely a lot more plays today that I was more confident in than yesterday."

Manning and Lorenzen spend a lot of time together, but thus far this week their roles have been reversed.

"The practice is what is different," Lorenzen said. "Yesterday, he was out there helping me. He was always in my ear a little bit. When he is out there and when he is starting he goes with the ones the whole time so I don't get a lot of chances to talk with him. It was good. It is a lot of fun. It is encouraging to get in there and have the guys you are with look at you in the huddle. It is awesome."

Coughlin said, "He had a pretty good day today. I was pleased."

Lorenzen's teammates are confident he can lead the Giants to a victory on Sunday.

"Jared will be fine," Manning said. "He knows what he is doing. He has been here long enough. But we will see how it goes on Sunday."

"I think the big guy can handle it," cornerback Sam Madison said. "He has been doing very well in the preseason. He and (Anthony) Wright had to battle it out in preseason and he is the second string quarterback. We have all the faith and all the confidence in him. We have been giving him some good looks over this week. He has been going against us and he has been doing a very good job since camp and the last few weeks in camp. I think he will do very well and he is very focused as well."

Lorenzen might very well walk off the field a winner on Sunday. But that doesn't change the fact that the Giants would prefer that Manning walk on the field to start their first home game of the 2007 season.

"It's not the fact that it is the home opener - you just want to be out there for every game," Manning said. "You only get so many of these and every game is important and you have to try to get a win. So I want to be out there to try to help this team and get a victory."

NOTES

*Manning's potential absence has also served to highlight what an incredible streak the quarterback on the opposing team has. Green Bay's Brett Favre will start his 239th consecutive regular season game (plus 20 postseason games), a streak that began on Sept. 20, 1992 - almost exactly 15 years ago.

"I think it is just an incredible run that he has had," Coughlin said. "It just goes to, again, the quality of the player and the idea that he has been able to play through some things. I know he has been injured and he has played with the injuries. You have to take you hat off to him."

"Growing up I think the one guy that I tried to model myself after was Brett Favre," Lorenzen said. "Out there gun-slinging, throwing the ball, and making plays - that is what I want to be, that is what I want to do, and if I could have half the career he did that is incredible. He has won a Super Bowl and a whole bunch of MVPs so it is a definite mystique to play against them. But you are playing against their defense, not Brett Favre."

*Lorenzen would not be the first left-handed quarterback to start a game for the Giants, but he could be the first southpaw to win as a starter.

Jim Del Gaizo started three games - all losses - for Bill Arnsparger's 2-12 Giants in 1974. Del Gaizo was the starting quarterback against three NFC East rivals: at Philadelphia and at Washington on Oct. 13 and 20, and vs. Dallas on Oct. 27. The Giants lost all three games by a combined 80-17. In those three games, Del Gaizo completed 10 of 22 passes for 136 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions. He suffered a broken nose in the first quarter against Washington and left the game without throwing a pass.

Del Gaizo's chief claim to fame is that he was a reserve on the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins. He completed five of nine passes that season playing behind Bob Griese and Earl Morrall

*Safety Gibril Wilson was added to the injury list today. He practiced on a limited basis with a quad injury. Linebacker Gerris Wilkinson, who missed the entire preseason with a knee injury, had limited participation for the second day.

Manning was one of four players who did not practice. The others were defensive end Osi Umenyiora (knee), kicker Lawrence Tynes (calf) and cornerback Kevin Dockery (ankle). Coughlin said Tynes is scheduled to kick tomorrow. Two players have been declared out of the Green Bay game: running back Brandon Jacobs (knee) and wide receiver David Tyree (wrist).