I’m really glad I don’t work in Pittsburgh.

Here are some of the highlights from Tom Coughlin’s seemingly brief conference call with the media out there:

Q: What is it like coaching (Plaxico Burress)?
TC: “Plax is a very, very gifted and talented athlete who can play the vertical game. He is up high; he is a tremendous guy who shows up for you big in the green zone. He just has so much athleticism going for him. He is really an outstanding receiver and an excellent target.”

Q: Is he a challenging player to coach?
TC: “On occasion there are issues, but I am not going down that road.”

Q: Are you worried that a precedent has been set with players openly disrespecting you?
TC: “What is the next question?”

It won’t take long to read any of those stories. Actually, there were a number of topics where Coughlin graciously shared details, but it would’ve been a lot more fun if he needled Burress long distance.

While they were only together for one season, we know that Plaxico Burress thinks highly of Ben Roethlisberger.

Go back a couple of posts if you missed it.

The feeling is mutual. Big Ben went public with his affection during a conference call with Big Ben a little while ago.

“You know what, Plex really kind of helped mold me and make me who I am,” Roethlisberger said. “He made me a better quarterback. It was a privilege and an honor to play with Plex. I’ve always thought he was one of the elites in this league and it was hard for him to leave. I didn’t want him to go, but he had to do what was best for him. He’s doing great now. I love watching him play when I watch the Giants play. It’s just awesome. He’s a great guy and a good friend.”

They are not phone buddies, though.

Roethlisberger expects the fans to get on Burress, who’s not played in Pittsburgh since he was forced to look elsewhere for a hefty contract after the 2004 season.

That’s a long time ago.

“Our fans are pretty ruthless to everybody,” Roethlisberger said. “I think he’ll get a very warm reception from the players, obviously. He had a very good relationship with them. If Bill Cowher went to Cleveland, they’d boo Bill Cowher, and they’re probably going to boo Plex a little bit. You never know.”

Turns out, Plaxico Burress has more than a crooked finger.

We just learned that he’s also got a head and shoulder issue the Giants are keeping an eye on. Right now, it doesn’t sound serious enough to prevent his return to Pittsburgh. A torn tendon in his little finger is not a major concern.

“Plaxico’s got a shoulder and kind of a stiff neck,” Tom Coughlin said. “So we’re going to have to see what he can do.”

Antonio Pierce isn’t likely to do much in practice later today, but he might surprise everyone.

The limited activity might be considered more of a precaution than anything else. I’m guessing there would have to be a setback with the quad to keep him out against the Steelers.

“Antonio’s going to kind of ease his way back in,” Coughlin said. “It may be individual (drills). He may go beyond individual (drills), but we’re making progress.”

David Diehl will not go today because of a stiff back. He’s expected to practice tomorrow. Mathias Kiwanuka (thumb infection) and Ahmad Bradshaw (back) are both ready to go.

It sounds like the Steelers expect to have Troy Polamalu in the lineup on Sunday.

Here’s the latest injury stuff from the Post-Gazette.

We’ll have to see how Antonio Pierce, David Diehl, Amhad Bradshaw and Plaxico Burress are feeling in the morning. Perhaps by then I’ll have learned to spell Roethlisberger. Did we stop comparing Eli Manning to Big Ben after the Super Bowl?

Burress knew right away his former teammate was going to be good.

“No question about it,” Burress said. “He came in the second game of the season when Tommy (Maddox) got hurt and he ran off 13 or 14 games in a row. So that was a pretty good indicator about how good he was going to be. And some of the things that he was capable of doing with his athleticism, making crazy throws, getting out of the pocket, giving receivers the opportunity to make plays down the field, he has continued to do that. Because of that, he is an elite quarterback, a Super Bowl Champion.”

The level of scrutiny increased a week ago when Aaron Ross began to show up on highlight shows.

Needless to say, he wasn’t in the center of the frame.

There goes Braylon Edwards. There goes Josh Morgan. Here comes Kevin Dockery.

Anyway, there were plenty of questions for Ross to answer today. He doesn’t appear to be rattled. And there’s one answer that made a couple of the writers laugh.

“I have been playing corner for a long time now, so I have been beat in high school and college,” he said. “It is going to happen. They are getting paid just as well as I am. So the short memory, that is something that DB’s really have to have.”

Funny.

High school? College? They are getting paid as well as I am?

I wonder if the fun bunch at the NCAA is laughing with me. I know he means the NFL receivers are top shelf, but it’s a long week, so a little comic relief is always welcome, even when it’s unintentional.

With any luck, we’ll get a chance to see what makes Plaxico Burress go this week.

The free-spirited wide receiver is heading back to Pittsburgh for the first time since he signed with the Giants before the 2005 season.

Burress wasn’t deemed a worthy investment by the Steelers at that point.

On some level that’s got to smart.

“It’s a business,” Burress said this afternoon. “It’s not like I signed a scholarship to stay there. They didn’t want my services anymore, I came here and I’m doing pretty good.”

Having a Super Bowl ring to match the one Pittsburgh got after he left probably helps.

“I won’t say it’s going to be emotional,” Burress said. “I’m going to approach the game like I approach every week, relaxed, and let my God given ability show and go out and make plays. It’s not going to be different than any other game. … I’m four years removed from that place. We won a championship last year, and I’m just trying to prove things to myself.”

Still, there must be some kind of added intesnity.

Burress still talks with select former teammates on a weekly basis. It will be interesting to see whether he gives his former employer what for. Burress has caught only seven passes for 82 yards in the last two games. He’s not broken anything longer than 25 yards.

An emotional investment would probably be welcomed, as long as it doesn’t involve any more 15-yard flags.

Oh, what the heck.

Yes, the Giants won, but they needed to get their hands on a trio of turnovers in order to make the San Francisco 49ers go away. Were you impressed? I doubt it.

Maybe expectations are higher.

Check out the numbers … Eli Manning completed 16 0f 31 attempts for 167 yards and one touchdown. How many tips went off the fingertips of defensive linemen? Earth, Wind and Fire combined for 112 yards on 32 carries. Brandon Jacobs did find the end zone twice.

I’m wondering, should they have run the ball more?

Take away three Manning knees, and the Giants ran just 29 times yesterday. Sometimes it pays to be a little dull offensively. It also seemed like Manning was trying awfully hard to keep Plaxico Burress happy.

Or am I just seeing things?

Burress didn’t stop to chat with Tom Coughlin after the unsportsmanlike flag. Heat of the moment? Hard feelings leftover from the bye week? You make the call.

“Hey man, it was the heat of the moment, things aren’t going my way and I said what I had to say,” Burress said. “I never touched the guy. It was one of the worst calls I’ve ever seen. I never touched the guy so I don’t know how they said it was pass interference but it happened, he made the call, I said what I had to say to him, he threw the 15 yard flag and I moved on.”

For the record, Burress did make contact, albeit briefly, with his left hand just before the ball arrived. It was still a questionable call. Is there a chance Burress wanted a few histrionics from Coughlin on the sideline to show there’s no love lost after the suspension?

Give the defense credit for regrouping on the fly. And the offense needs to catch up or the Giants could easily drop three in a row against Pittsburgh, Dallas and Philadelphia.

We’re going to know a lot more about this team in three weeks.

It’s kind of nice walking into a crisp fall morning for a change. The folks in the parking lot are wearing hats and sweatshirts. And the food smells even better.

We’re getting ready to go.

Lawrence Tynes just warmed up and walked off the field. I’m not committing one way or another until a whistle blows or Tom Coughlin tells me to. I can’t afford the fine. According to a couple of internet reports, John Carney is kicking. And the routine Tynes completed is similar to what he does before each appearance on the incative list.

Nothing yet about Antonio Pierce.

We’ll talk more later. In the mean time, does anybody want to see the Giants run the ball more than they did in the first half on Monday in Cleveland? And would you like to see Ahmad Bradshaw get a couple of cracks before the intermission?

Update: Word is circulating in the press box, Pierce is not going to suit up. That means Chase Blackburn is your man in the middle. Bryan Kehl and Danny Clark will be on either side. I’m thinking San Francisco will not be impressed.

Update: The inactives do include Tynes and Pierce. CB R.W. McQuarters, RB Danny Ware, LB Gerris Wilkinson, T Adam Koets, WR Sinorice Moss, De Jerome McDougle.

Update: You’re probably thrilled about the defense right now, but the first series on the offensive side was less than inspiring. Let’s see what happens now, first-and-1o from the Giants’ 46.

Update: Never mind. The offense is back in gear, four plays, 54 yards, touchdown. Brandon Jacobs is in line for a busy day at this rate. And nobody was close to Amani Toomer.

Update: Madison Hedgecock and Plaxico Burress have Nate Clements talking to himself.

Update: Anybody want to second guess the Cowboys’ starting quarterback? It’s 21-7 Rams. Do you supposed a certain wide receiver might have anything to say about what’s going on there?

By the way, this is how the Giants played here two weeks ago. They are knocking people down all over the place, especially Jacobs.

Update: Aaron Ross got beat for the fourth time this week. Don’t forget, Braylon Edwards got by the second-year corner three times on Monday. Wanna bet San Francisco pushes that button a couple more times here?

Update: So is anybody getting nervous? This might be even closer if not for Michael Johnson being Johnny on the Spot. Time for a snack.

Update: Let’s see, that makes 10 points off turnovers, and the Giants lead 24-10.

Update: I’m thinking Eli Manning needs thicker orthodics.  San Francisco is killing itself with mistake after drop after mistake. Let’s see if the Giants show any killer instinct and score here (7:24 left) to lock up the fifth win of the season.

Update: Safety. Justin Tucks credit for the strip. And the Giants seem to be on their way to 5-1. I guess that’s one way to do it. On to the 4 p.m. starts.

I’m knee deep in leaves on a day off, so Brian Heyman is handling practice.

Here’s what he walked into today:

Antonio Pierce didn’t participate today in the Giants’ practice session for the third straight day due to his strained quad.

Coach Tom Coughlin said his middle linebacker would be listed as questionable for Sunday’s game vs. the visiting 49ers, and that it would be a “decision at game time.” But it sounded more like Pierce is doubtful.

A couple of his teammates spoke about having to play the game without him. And Pierce, who had to take himself out of Monday night’s 35-14 loss at Cleveland for one series in the first quarter because of the injury, wouldn’t say whether he would play.

That’s in contrast to the end of last week when he had participated in a practice and said he was sure he would play.

“I don’t have the answer,” Pierce said.

Chase Blackburn would start if Pierce doesn’t. Coughlin said there had been “a little bit of an improvement” with Pierce.

Asked if Pierce set himself back by playing against the Browns, Coughlin said, “Well, it didn’t help, obviously. He was strained and he was trying to go and he was trying to do everything he could, but he was really incapacitated to a certain extent. He just didn’t feel like he could really drive.”

Coughlin said rookie Bryan Kehl would start for the injured Gerris Wilkinson at weak-side linebacker, and that rookie linebacker Jonathan Goff would dress for the game with Wilkinson out. Coughlin also indicated that there would be no announcement until Sunday on whether Lawrence Tynes or John Carney will serve as the kicker.

Receiver/special teamer David Tyree said he wouldn’t be back from his knee injury for this game after finally returning to practice on Wednesday, and that he’s shooting for a week from Sunday at Pittsburgh.

We’ve just been informed by the Giants that Lawrence Tynes probably spoke out of turn.

He’s not officially the kicker this week.

Tynes informed us yesterday he was going to be in uniform against San Francisco, not John Carney. It was part of the plan. He’s been ready to go for at least three weeks after suffering a knee injury in training camp.

And this morning, the Blackberry started buzzing on the way to practice.

“I haven’t decided who will kick this week,” Coughlin says. “This week is like every other week … I am going to let these guys kick all week and I will make a decision at the end of the week.”

So there.

We do know Shaun O’Hara was released from the hospital and is on the practice field. I’m heading that way myself. More on that later.

Update:O’Hara was on the field practicing with the offensive line. Antonio Pierce was spinning away on a stationary bike.

And if you happen to have a couple of extra minutes this afternoon, you can watch a new internet video experiment Faceoff Live at 1 p.m. It’s a lively conversation between Sam Borden and Rick Carpiniello. Honestly, it’s an opportunity to interact with real life Muppets. Click on the link. Check ‘em out.