Giants notebook: Injury report uncertain

[DBoys]

Tuesday, December 13, 2005
BY MIKE GARAFOLO
Star-Ledger Staff

The Giants' walking wounded made their way to the MRI and X-ray machines yesterday.

Linebacker Antonio Pierce (ankle), defensive tackle William Joseph (leg) and offensive linemen Luke Petitgout (back) and Kareem McKenzie (hamstring) underwent tests on the injuries they suffered in Sunday's victory over the Eagles.

Coach Tom Coughlin wasn't certain how much time any of the players would miss.

"They are sore, they're gimpy, they're limping around today," Coughlin said. "I don't know what the final statement is going to be."

Pierce admitted after the game there was a chance he could miss Saturday's matchup against the Chiefs.

"This guy is a guy that has fought his way back from things before," Coughlin said. "I am not expecting anything miraculous here, but I'd rather state exactly what the doctor tells me."

Petitgout has had back issues in the past, but Coughlin said there weren't any "warning signals" he was about to suffer any tightness on Sunday.

Coughlin said Petitgout improved as the game moved along, but he felt there was little chance he could have returned.

Though Coughlin said he was "worried long term on all four of them," he was hopeful McKenzie would return in a short amount of time. With the two tackles out of the game, if another lineman would have been injured, Coughlin said one of the team's defensive linemen would have entered the game. He refused to name the player but then, an hour later on his radio show, said that player would have been Fred Robbins.

Of all the players injured, Joseph would be the most replaceable. Robbins played well for the three games Joseph missed with an elbow injury. Robbins had 1 1/2 sacks on Sunday.WR Jamaar Taylor will probably miss at least some practice time because of a knee injury suffered in practice last Thursday.

Taylor, who has been active for just five games this year, collided with another player and experienced swelling in the same knee that has troubled him since he tore his ACL in October 2003.Coughlin said he was not concerned with RB Brandon Jacobs inability to score on two plays from the Eagles' 1-yard line.

"No, because I think he was in the end zone both times," Coughlin said. "Once he was for sure."

Coughlin challenged Jacobs' run on third-and-1, but lost for the fifth time in six replay challenges this year.The Giants might not be scoring at the same rate as they were earlier in the season, but they are controlling the clock.

On Sunday, they won the time of possession battle for the seventh straight game after losing it in their first six.

[CrazyCowboy]

No, because I think he was in the end zone both times," Coughlin said. "Once he was for sure."

I don't think sooooooooo!