I’ll believe Derrick Ward will play Sunday when I see it. But he was talking with high hopes today after participating in individual drills.

He didn’t exactly explode through the line in the limited time the media got to view him. And he still has to get into some hard cutting. But he was optimistic that tomorrow will bring an increased workload, and that by Sunday, providing he doesn’t have a setback in his ankle and groin injuries, he’ll be able to get out there against the Vikings.

In fact, he said it would be very likely.

Again, I’ll believe it when I see it. But at least the kid is back on the practice field.

Steve Smith can’t say the same. The rookie wide receiver had to quit practice early when his hamstring tightened up. It’s not official yet, but you may assume him out for his ninth straight game unless the hamstring fairy heals him tomorrow.

Like Smith, this blog will be shut down tomorrow as its author slips blissfully into a tryptophan-induced coma. Don’t make pigs of yourselves now. And may all your turkey dreams be yummy.

Happy Thanksgiving, Charlie Brown!!!!!!!

Ciao for now.

The news on Brandon Jacobs was as gloomy as the weather today, at least for the short run. He’s basically out for Sunday with that strained left hamstring, and it sounded like he might be out for a while.

"If he’s not day—to—day, he’s week—to—week," Tom Coughlin said.

That sounds like multiple games to me, probably two or three. Which means Reuben Droughns will get the start this week. The good news is that Derrick Ward was getting back to individual work after missing three games with groin and ankle problems, but his status for Sunday remains iffy depending on how he comes out of the next couple of days.

My guess is we won’t see Ward for another week, despite reports to the contrary. Don’t count on WR Steve Smith, either, as the Giants try to push him to the next level of work.

Be back later.

Ciao for now.

That brilliant play on words by yours truly will become clear in the next sentence. The Giants placed Mathias Kiwanuka on injured reserve a few minutes ago and filled his roster spot with running back Patrick Pass.

Ah, you say. Who’s Patrick Pass?

Actually, he used to be a pretty good running back/kick returner for the Patriots. Good enough, anyway, to stick around long enough to collect three Super Bowl rings.

The 5-foot-11, 235-pound Pass used to be a pretty physical runner in his limited useage behind guys like Antowain Smith and Corey Dillon. Good third-down blocker, as I remember, and could catch the ball out of the backfield. Just have to wonder if the guy’s got anything left at age 29, and not having been able to stick with the Texans past training camp after a hamstring injury put him on IR after three games last year with the Pats.

Don’t think he’s going to start as long as Reuben Droughns is healthy. But the shrinking backfield does need an extra body, since it’ll probably be another week before Derrick Ward gets back to practicing. So he’s not a horrible pickup in that respect.

Also, as we say farewell to Anthony Mix, say hello again to Todd Lowber, the former practice squader who was re-signed today to take Mix’s spot.

Ciao for now.

The Redskins apparently needed Giants practice squad wide receiver Anthony Mix a lot more than the Giants did. They just signed him to the 53-man roster today.

That’s understandable. Washington has already lost Brandon Lloyd to the IR, and Santana Moss inactive last week because of an ankle injury they were running short on receivers. So they picked up a 6-foot-5, 235-pound Plaxico Burress-type who can get downfield and outleap defenders to give Jason Campbell a younger target than 88-year-old Keenan McCardell.

At least the kid’s got a job. Burress isn’t coming out of the lineup anytime soon, even though his sprained right ankle now keeps him from separating from cornerbacks. Sinorice Moss has gained a little bit more confidence, and Amani Toomer remains a steady possession-type receiver. So there really wasn’t room for Mix, unless the Giants suddenly changed course on Burress. And that wasn’t likely to happen.

Can’t wait to see if the former training camp longshot makes any significant catches when their teams meet Dec. 16 in Giants Stadium.

Ciao for now.

Giants come off a big win in a big game. They’re hurting injury-wise. The offense isn’t producing, but the defense is playing lights-out. And they’re basically two wins from at least a wildcard playoff spot. In other words, they can go 2-4 down the stretch and still make the postseason.

Give me a final record. Tell me why, and who they’ll beat.

Ciao for now.

It happened with the defensive line last year. Now it’s happening in the backfield.

It’s shrinking. Once a deep, strong position, the Giants’ corps of four tailbacks is now down to Reuben Droughns and rookie Ahmad Bradshaw for the time being because it is unlikely Brandon Jacobs will make it back in time for the Vikings game from a strained left hamstring.

Tom Coughlin said Jacobs was sore today, and was undergoing all the usual tests to determine his status. Jacobs initially said after the game Sunday that he’d be fine, but you know how those things go. Funny things happen during a night of sleep. Muscles tighten and bleed and start hurting, and what feels like a tweak when the injury is incurred turns into a problem.

So don’t count on Jacobs for this week, maybe longer. With Derrick Ward believed to be a week away from practicing, that leaves Droughns—a serviceable and experienced tailback—and the unpredictable Bradshaw as the backfield duo. Coughlin had better hope Bradshaw has cured his fumbling problems. But if he has, he could lend the Giants that clear change-of-pace runner they haven’t really had this year. Doesn’t help that Bradshaw flat-out dropped a screen pass Eli Manning threw right on the button yesterday.

Also, Mathias Kiwanuka, that pass-rusher everyone wondered why Ernie Accorsi drafted last year because the Giants were so deep there, was scheduled to undergo surgery to stabilize his fractured left fibula and ankle. He’s done for the year, to be replaced by Reggie Torbor at linebacker and Fred Robbins up front in that pass rush alignment that worked so well from Week 3 on. Robbins can pressure the passer, but Torbor is suspect in coverage. Coughlin said others like Chase Blackburn and Gerris Wilkinson are also options there.

Any opinions? Who sees an even bigger bite from the injury bug coming? Who thinks the Giants will survive it?

Ciao for now.

Fasten your seatbelts, gang. It’s going to be an interesting final six games.

No Mathias Kiwanuka—broken fibula on the second play from scrimmage ended his season.

Maybe no Brandon Jacobs for a week or two with a bad hamstring, even though he declared he’d be fine and there’s nothing to worry about. We’ve heard that before from more than one guy, only to find them on the sidelines the next game. So as things stand, don’t count on him for Minnesota.

That leaves Reuben Droughns heading up a running attack that was basically shut down yesterday by the Lions. And with Eli Manning going short most of the time now that Plaxico Burress can’t get downfield, the Giants are going to have to sustain long drives to get into the end zone. They couldn’t do that today. Manning, in fact, has engineered just four touchdown drives in his last three games, and Jacobs had to stretch every inch of his body to get that one in the second quarter.

They can move the ball. It’s just that when they get into opponents territory, things go wrong. Jacobs lost a fumble at the 26. Sinorice Moss lost one before that at the 32. Those are two good opportunities for at least field goals that went splat. Not good.

Can’t fault the defense, though. Even while allowing some long passes, they turned the Lions one-dimensional and Michael Strahan was able to sack Jon Kitna three times. They forced four turnovers, going plus-2 in the all-important takeaway differential. And give props to James Butler for wrestling one away from Shaun McDonald in the end zone that would have put the Lions in the lead with just over two minutes remaining. Sam Madison made the final interception, allowing Manning to kneel out the rest of the clock.

Which brings us back to the offense again. Bad enough they continued to go three-and-out on the first series of the second half for the third straight game. But when you’ve got a 16-3 lead with 6:10 to go, you’ve got to be able to get a couple of first downs to put the opponent in panic mode. Instead, the Giants had to punt. The Lions scored, and then the Giants went three-and-out twice more to create the dramatic finish.

Gotta agree with a disgusted Chris Snee when he said the defense “bailed us out again. We should have been able to run the clock out, but we didn’t do our job again.” It’s troubling if you’re a Giants fan to see scoring opportunities go bye-bye. Gotta wonder when this is all going to start hurting this team.

In the meantime, they’re 7-3 and in good shape in the wildcard hunt. That, ultimately, is the important fact of the game.

Somebody out there tell me how to make up for Kiwanuka.

Ciao for now.

Giants got an answer to Hanson’s field goal with Lawrence Tynes’ kick, but they took another loss when Brandon Jacobs went off for good with a hamstring strain. This could be a while for him, so get ready for a healthy serving of Reuben Droughns unless Jacobs makes a miracle recovery in the next week or two.

The offense isn’t playing particularly well, but the defense is making some stops when it needs it. Giants have the ball thanks to Gibril Wilson’s interception. They’re driving, and could use a touchdown to just about seal up the game here.

Ciao for now.

It’s a good thing the Giants punched it in during the two-minute period. But we’re seeing exactly how Plaxico Burress is no longer a deep threat. When Manning went to him from the Detroit 45, Burress not only mistimed his leap for an incompletion, but looked pained doing it.

Sinorice Moss continues to test the Giants’ patience with him after a fumble following a seven-yard completion. Moss gained a little bit of his confidence back on the touchdown drive, though, grabbing one for 11 yards. Brandon Jacobs caught a 10-yarder that he stretched over the goal line for the touchdown with 23 seconds remaining in the half. In a bit of a surprise, Jacobs is also leading the Giants in receiving with four catches for 49 yards.

And who said they don’t have a pass-catching threat out of the backfield?

Defense is playing well and getting some pressure. Michael Strahan has both sacks on Kitna, with Osi Umenyiora adding more pressure.

Lions have just five first downs compared to the Giants’ 12. But the defense still needs to lock down those long-gainers to keep any comeback attempts at bay.

Ciao for now.

No matter what happens, the Giants come out of this game with a major loss. Mathias Kiwanuka broke his left fibula when Osi Umenyiora rolled on his ankle on the second play from scrimmage and will no doubt miss the rest of the season.

Reggie Torbor has taken his place on the strong side, but the pass rush is definitely going to suffer the rest of today. Justin Tuck has put the only real pressure on Jon Kitna so far, but they’re going to have to start hitting him regularly if they expect to keep him from hitting the 20-plus-yard throws he made to Roy Williams and Shaun McDonald on back-to-back plays.

Brandon Jacobs looks good, but Eli Manning is shaky. And somebody on the Giants’ sideline isn’t awake, considering they’ve already been penalized once for too many men in the huddle and once for an illegal formation.

Basically, Giants are lucky to be out in front right now.

Ciao for now.