Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (bone bruise in knee) returned to practice on a limited basis as he performed individual drills. He remains hopeful of facing the Rams.

"I went out there today, did some stuff," Nicks said. "It was kind of like a light day so I didn't get to do too much, but I felt normal out there for what I did do.

"They decided they're not letting me jump out there yet. They want to get a full week of heeling underneath my belt, but still look forward to playing Monday night."

Nicks said yesterday the decision whether or not to pay will be his.

"He will have an opinion because he has to say what he feels like, but the doctors inevitably will make that call," Coughlin said.

*Defensive end Justin Tuck (neck) was also limited, but he participated in the team portions of practice.

"He has worked every day, so we will see how it goes," Coughlin said. "Hopefully, the doctors will go on with it."

*The Giants' other starting defensive end, Osi Umenyiora, hasn't practiced and will not will not play Monday but has been making progress in  his recovery from Aug. 19 arthroscopic knee surgery.

"He looked pretty good," Coughlin said. "That is a good thing. It hadn't been that way for a couple days, it's a good thing."

*Brandon Stokley, the slot receiver signed on Wednesday, has worked hard to learn the Giants' offense.

"I am not the brightest guy and I will be the first to admit that, but football-wise, I would say that I am pretty intelligent," Stokley said. "I think I pick up on things pretty quick. Football is football and routes are routes. At some point you just have to go out there and play and I learned that at some point. You can go out there and think, you have to let your ability take over and that is what I am trying to do if I play on Monday.

"I am just trying to get comfortable and trying to work with Eli (Manning) as much as possible. I'm just trying to get on the same page as him and trying to work at learning the system, working with Eli and learning the offense."

Coughlin has been impressed with several of Stokley's attributes.

"His maneuverability," Coughlin said. "His ability to put his body in the right position and once he gets real sharp, he catches pretty much everything. He is something a quarterback can count on."

*The Giants are hosting a Monday night game for the first time in the eight-year Coughlin era (not counting the 2005 game against New Orleans in Giants Stadium in which the Saints were the home team). They have been the visitors in their last nine Monday night games (including that Saints game), most recently in a 21-3 victory over Minnesota in Detroit last Dec. 13, a game that was changed from a Sunday afternoon affair in Minneapolis after the Metrodome roof collapsed in a blizzard.

The last time the Giants were the home team on a Monday night was Sept. 15, 2003, when they lost to the Dallas Cowboys in overtime, 35-32. They lost their last two Monday night home games, including a 10-9 defeat to Philadelphia in 2001. The Giants' last Monday night home victory was a 13-10 triumph over the Cowboys on Oct. 18, 1999. That is the Giants' only home victory on a Monday night since 1991.

*The Giants won the last four games against the Rams, in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2008, a streak that immediately followed a five-game St. Louis winning streak in the series. The Giants are 13-25 in regular season game games vs. the Rams, which includes a 5-6 mark in Giants Stadium.

*Members of the Giants 1986 Super Bowl team will sign autographs for fans prior to Monday night's game in MetLife Stadium. The autograph session will take place from 7-8 p.m. and will be located at the stadium's four main entrances: MetLife, Verizon, Budweiser, and Pepsi Gates. All fans in line will receive a commemorative 25th anniversary 5"x7" autograph card. Fans are requested not to bring personal items to get autographed.

Several members from the '86 team will participate in a fan Q&A session on the MetLife stage, located on the West Plaza. Hosted by NBC-4's Bruce Beck, the Q&A will take place in concurrence with the autograph session.

The 1986 champions will be honored with a special halftime ceremony on Monday night. Fans can also relive and celebrate the unforgettable year throughout the season. The Giants have produced and will host a series of events, activities, memorabilia and programming, commemorating the 1986 Super Bowl winning team.

*The Giants encourage fans to arrive early and be patient about entering the stadium on Monday night. The enhanced security procedures at the stadium gates recommended by the NFL will increase the comfort and safety of fans at the game, but will require some additional time for inspections at the gates. Fans are asked to come early, enjoy the best tailgating tradition in the NFL, and take advantage of the video boards and other new amenities outside MetLife Stadium.

In order to accommodate this security enhancement, guests are asked to arrive earlier than normal to avoid longer security lines at the checkpoints. Guests may refuse inspections; however, stadium management reserves the right to refuse entry.