September 8, 2011 New York Injury Report – Justin Tuck May Miss Opener

by | Sep 8, 2011 | News and Notes

September 8, 2011 New York Injury Report – Justin Tuck May Miss Opener: Not practicing today were DE Justin Tuck (stinger), DE Osi Umenyiora (knee), LB Jonathan Goff (knee), CB Prince Amukamara (foot), WR Ramses Barden (PUP – ankle), and OC Adam Koets (PUP – knee).

When asked about Tuck, Head Coach Tom Coughlin responded, “Says he’s better every day, but at this point he hasn’t practiced the way we would like him to. Tomorrow is another day…We’re trying to get it absolutely pain-free and it’s not quite that way. That’s the obvious reason. A setback and we have some issues.”

“(It is) not (getting better) as fast as we want it to, but it is getting better,” said Tuck. “It is not (structural)…I am concerned but I am not panicked. Like I said, it has not healed as fast as I would want it to, but like I said I am not panicked by it. It is getting better just not as fast as I want it to.”

“We are going to do what’s best,” said Tuck. “You don’t want to go out there and lose a season off of one game.”

“If Tuck plays, that’s a bonus for us,” said Defensive Coordinator Perry Fewell.

Coach Media Q&As: The transcripts and video of yesterday’s media sessions with the following coaches are available at Giants.com:

Player Media Q&As: The transcripts and video of yesterday’s media Q&A sessions with the following players are available at Giants.com:

Article on HB Brandon Jacobs: Giants’ Brandon Jacobs Says He’s ‘Never, Ever’ Felt So Good Entering a Season by Mike Garafolo of The Star-Ledger

Notes and Quotes: The Giants players elected three of their teammates as captains for the 2011 season: QB Eli Manning (offense), DE Justin Tuck (defense) and long snapper Zak DeOssie (special teams). Manning and Tuck were captains last season. Chase Blackburn was the special teams captain in 2010. “I’m honored that my teammates elected me and I’m excited to take on the role as captain,” DeOssie said. “I know I can contribute to this team as a leader on the special teams and I look forward to the challenge.”

Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride on TE Jake Ballard: “I think he’ll be the guy that starts when we’re not two-back and in our two-tight end offense. Right from the beginning we saw a guy that could block very well, or had the potential to be a good blocker. He was physical, he’s big, he’s strong. I think he’s continued to get better technique-wise and an understanding of what we’re trying to do with each play. As you would anticipate with a guy that’s smart and has the physical ingredients to play the position, he’s getting better and better. I always thought he would be a decent blocker and he’s proven to be very much so. Where he’s surprised me a little bit, he’s doing a little bit more catching the ball. I always knew he could catch it, but he’s actually getting himself open and we’ve thrown the ball to him a few times in the preseason and I can’t honestly say that I saw that necessarily happening, but it’s been happening with regularity both in practice and in the preseason. We feel good about the progress he’s made and I’m looking forward to seeing how good he’s going to become.”

Defensive Coordinator Perry Fewell on S Kenny Phillips: “(I have not seen) the leaps that I wanted to see. I am hoping that he will grow and continue to grow for us but I looked for more than what we saw in the preseason.”