September 26, 2007 New York Giants Injury Report: WR Plaxico Burress (ankle) did not practice yesterday. Burress and Vice President of Medical Services Ronnie Barnes were in Charlotte yesterday with a renowned foot and ankle specialist. Burress originally sprained his right ankle on August 2 and missed most of training camp and all of the preseason. He re-injured the ankle and sprained a finger against the Packers in Week Two. Burress did have arthroscopic surgery on the left ankle in the offseason, but it is the right ankle that is bothering him.
“He really didn’t practice a whole lot last week,” said Head Coach Tom Coughlin. “And then, of course, when he plays, it gets sore again, and it has been a kind of a continuous nagging thing. So he is going to have it evaluated by (the specialist). Hopefully (we will get) some further recommendation as to what can be done to relieve the issue. Plaxico actually the other day said to us that he has to practice. He has got to practice. He is not practicing and he is coming into the games. To his credit he knows his assignments, but obviously he is not as sharp as he could be.”
“I don’t want to miss practice, because when I practice that’s when I see myself getting better,” said Burress on Monday. “When I practice I feel comfortable going into the game. But my body hasn’t been able to practice.”
Plaxico added ominously, “I really didn’t think I was going to make it through the whole game (last Sunday).”
When asked if Burress would play against the Eagles on Sunday, Coughlin responded, “There is no more to say until we hear what the doctor says. I don’t know what to tell you. He is going to have a further evaluation and they are going to try to tell him how to manage it better. But who knows what will happen?”
HB Derrick Ward (ankle) did not practice and is listed as “day-to-day”. “I’ll be good,” Ward said. “I know my body. I know I’ll be able to play the whole game if they need me to on Sunday.”
HB Brandon Jacobs (knee) increased his “non-practice” activity but did not practice. WR Steve Smith (scapula) did not practice and will not play this weekend against the Eagles.
QB Jared Lorenzen (ankle) is improving, but was limited in practice. FB Robert Douglas (knee) did not practice.
Another Practice Squad Move: According to The Daily News, the Giants have added DE Marquies Gunn back to the Practice Squad. Gunn started the season on the Practice Squad, but was signed to the 53-man roster last Wednesday, then waived on Saturday. Who was waived to make room for Gunn is not clear, but the Giants.com roster page is no longer showing WR Todd Lowber on the Practice Squad.
Notes: Anthony Mix and David Tyree shared snaps at split end with the first team in practice yesterday with Plaxico Burress out.
CB Aaron Ross practiced with the first-team defense in place of CB Corey Webster.
QB Eli Manning has been sacked 74 times in his career – 22 of those have been by the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles are currently leading the NFL in sacks.