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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. –** Losing a football game always bothers Tom Coughlin, but adding injury to insult makes it a particularly unpleasant night for the Giants' head coach. Three starters – two on offense and one on defense – were hurt in the 20-12 preseason loss to Indianapolis on Sunday night. And uncertainty is attached to the prognosis of all three players: wide receiver Victor Cruz, center David Baas and defensive end Justin Tuck.
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"We'll see where he stands with that as the days go by," said Coughlin, whose team next plays Saturday night against the Jets. "He probably will not practice tomorrow, although I haven't seen him. We'll have to take that one as it comes. … With Victor, I didn't realize that he had had the issue until he was out of the game. What we did see was him run right by a couple of people right away, first series. That was a very good thing to see. We're all sorry that he wasn't able to continue to play."
Baas suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament on the same series. "That's a weekly thing for us," Coughlin said. But how many weeks will remain a mystery. Coughlin was asked if Baas' status is in doubt for the regular-season opener on Sept. 8 in Dallas.
"It's weekly. That's all I can tell you," Coughlin said. "It depends on how fast that whole injury and rehab goes. We say weekly and that's probably the best I can do right now."
Coughlin said Baas was hurt when he got caught in "a bad tangle in there. We'll look at it in a positive way in that it was an MCL and nothing more."
Third-year pro Jim Cordle stepped in for Baas and played most of the game at center. Coughlin would not commit to continuing that deployment. Stephen Goodin played center after Cordle. The Giants could move Kevin Boothe over from left guard.
"We're going to discuss that as we go along," Coughlin said. "There are plenty of opportunities to play going forward, as you know, so whatever decision we make, you'll have Cordle and the other centers all involved."
Tuck, in his first game action of the summer, was scheduled to get limited snaps, but his night was curtailed when he was injured.
"Justin Tuck has a mild hamstring and, again, who knows?" Coughlin said. "Come tomorrow morning, it may be that he can't work at all and hopefully he'll have an opportunity to do some things. That's the word I have now."
In other injury news, Coughlin said he is hopeful safety Antrel Rolle returns to the field this week. Rolle sprained his ankle last Monday.
"The projection is, yes (Rolle will practice), maybe a little bit later in the week," Coughlin said, "but the projection is hopefully that we will have an opportunity to get Antrel on the practice field this week."
Rookie defensive end Damontre Moore hasn't been on the field since suffering a shoulder injury in the preseason opener at Pittsburgh.
"He's getting closer," Coughlin said. "According to the doctors, he's not there yet, but he's getting closer."
Coughlin fielded questions on several other subjects during his conference call:
*Dan Connor and Mark Herzlich have each started a game at middle linebacker. Did Connor take the lead in the job competition with his performance against the Colts?
"They'll both play," Coughlin said. "They'll both play a lot. I don't know the order that we will decide on this week yet. We'll see how the first part of the week in practice goes."
*Coughlin was asked if David Carr took a step toward securing the backup quarterback job. Carr completed seven of 11 passes for 57 yards.
"Obviously, there were some good plays, some good throws, and then there weren't some good plays and good throws," Coughlin said. "That kind of leaves us right where we are. You certainly would hope that there would have been some great evidence on the entire offense's part, but it didn't happen."
Curtis Painter will be the No. 2 quarterback behind Eli Manning against the Jets. Carr will not play.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Losing a football game always bothers Tom Coughlin, but adding injury to insult makes it a particularly unpleasant night for the Giants' head coach. Three starters – two on offense and one on defense – were hurt in the 20-12 preseason loss to Indianapolis on Sunday night. And uncertainty is attached to the prognosis of all three players: wide receiver Victor Cruz, center David Baas and defensive end Justin Tuck.
First, Cruz. The Pro Bowl wideout suffered what Coughlin called a "heel contusion," sustained either on the game's third snap – when he drew a 39-yard pass interference penalty on Greg Toler – or the following play. Cruz left the field, underwent X-rays and did not return.
"We'll see where he stands with that as the days go by," said Coughlin, whose team next plays Saturday night against the Jets. "He probably will not practice tomorrow, although I haven't seen him. We'll have to take that one as it comes. … With Victor, I didn't realize that he had had the issue until he was out of the game. What we did see was him run right by a couple of people right away, first series. That was a very good thing to see. We're all sorry that he wasn't able to continue to play."
Baas suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament on the same series. "That's a weekly thing for us," Coughlin said. But how many weeks will remain a mystery. Coughlin was asked if Baas' status is in doubt for the regular-season opener on Sept. 8 in Dallas.
"It's weekly. That's all I can tell you," Coughlin said. "It depends on how fast that whole injury and rehab goes. We say weekly and that's probably the best I can do right now."
Coughlin said Baas was hurt when he got caught in "a bad tangle in there. We'll look at it in a positive way in that it was an MCL and nothing more."
Third-year pro Jim Cordle stepped in for Baas and played most of the game at center. Coughlin would not commit to continuing that deployment. Stephen Goodin played center after Cordle. The Giants could move Kevin Boothe over from left guard.
"We're going to discuss that as we go along," Coughlin said. "There are plenty of opportunities to play going forward, as you know, so whatever decision we make, you'll have Cordle and the other centers all involved."
Tuck, in his first game action of the summer, was scheduled to get limited snaps, but his night was curtailed when he was injured.
"Justin Tuck has a mild hamstring and, again, who knows?" Coughlin said. "Come tomorrow morning, it may be that he can't work at all and hopefully he'll have an opportunity to do some things. That's the word I have now."
In other injury news, Coughlin said he is hopeful safety Antrel Rolle returns to the field this week. Rolle sprained his ankle last Monday.
"The projection is, yes (Rolle will practice), maybe a little bit later in the week," Coughlin said, "but the projection is hopefully that we will have an opportunity to get Antrel on the practice field this week."
Rookie defensive end Damontre Moore hasn't been on the field since suffering a shoulder injury in the preseason opener at Pittsburgh.
"He's getting closer," Coughlin said. "According to the doctors, he's not there yet, but he's getting closer."
Coughlin fielded questions on several other subjects during his conference call:
*Dan Connor and Mark Herzlich have each started a game at middle linebacker. Did Connor take the lead in the job competition with his performance against the Colts?
"They'll both play," Coughlin said. "They'll both play a lot. I don't know the order that we will decide on this week yet. We'll see how the first part of the week in practice goes."
*Coughlin was asked if David Carr took a step toward securing the backup quarterback job. Carr completed seven of 11 passes for 57 yards.
"Obviously, there were some good plays, some good throws, and then there weren't some good plays and good throws," Coughlin said. "That kind of leaves us right where we are. You certainly would hope that there would have been some great evidence on the entire offense's part, but it didn't happen."
Curtis Painter will be the No. 2 quarterback behind Eli Manning against the Jets. Carr will not play.
