Coughlin: All I think about is the injuries

ALBANY - It's gotten to the point that Tom Coughlin doesn't want to talk about the players who aren't injured, for fear of pressing his luck.

When asked about cornerback Aaron Ross, who limped through the 2009 season with a series of hamstring injuries but appears to be healthy in this camp, Coughlin shivered a little.

"Do not speak about that, please," he said. He was only half-kidding.

The Giants have concerns about two starting players after the last two practices, the latest being Pro Bowl wide receiver Steve Smith, who appeared to strain his groin while running a route in a one-on-one drill Friday. On Thursday, starting guard Rich Seubert broke a bone in his left hand while pass protecting; he spent Friday's practice standing on the sideline with a cast from his fingers to his elbow.

There are other physical difficulties to add to that list. First is center Shaun O'Hara's ankle injury, which has not allowed him to practice in training camp. Next there's receiver Hakeem Nicks' hyperextended knee, which caused concern but ultimately was overcome (he has been on the field for the last two practices). Then add a group of players coming off offseason injuries and surgeries who are limited to one workout a day.

All of that, and Coughlin might want to bury his head in his forearms and try not to think about it.

"That's all I think about," he said. "That's the only thing I think about."

Smith's injury did not appear to be a bad one. He was lined up in a one-on-one drill against Corey Webster, who was in press coverage. As Smith tried to release from the line of scrimmage, he went about three yards and pulled up, grabbing his groin.

He said he "made a normal move and kind of heard it grab." He had an MRI Friday night and is scheduled to be evaluated Saturday morning. He did not think it was a serious injury and never left the field, spending the rest of the workout either stretching or standing with teammates watching the action.

Seubert, meanwhile, will be evaluated by team physician Russell Warren on Saturday. Coughlin would not put a timeline or definition on the guard's injury, but he dismissed the idea that an offensive lineman can just put a cast on a broken hand and play with it.

"That's one of the biggest fallacies in the world," Coughlin said. "There was a time when I thought the same thing you did. 'Oh, yeah, broken hand, you just tape it up, put a cast on and you go play with it.' But they don't do that today. If the metacarpal twists, they have to do surgery and put a pin in it and then you could be out for six weeks."

Coughlin wasn't saying that was a description of Seubert's injury, but clearly he is preparing himself for the possibility of bad news.

"I'm going to wait, as I said, for the doctor to tell me," he said.

Tight end Jake Ballard also had to leave practice with what appeared to be a hamstring injury suffered in the same drill that Smith was running. Receiver Duke Calhoun also had to leave the field with an injury, although he came back to finish the practice.

Injuries played a big role in monkey-wrenching the 2009 season, and they already are starting to interfere with preseason progress in 2010.

Asked if he will change his plans to work around those injuries, Coughlin implied that the work schedule can't get any lighter than it already is.

Besides, the goal is not to be healthy for the preseason opener but the regular-season opener, which still is more than a month away.