Losing CB Thomas another blow for Big Blue

This is always the hardest part about the preseason, the one thing you can't control in a sport where control is always the operative word.

No matter how your practices are structured, no matter how carefully your players take care of themselves, it's the one thing that leaves you helpless.

Or, as Giants coach Tom Coughlin lamented late Monday night after the Giants' 41-13 win over the Bears, "That's the part of the game that just makes you shake your head."

The injury factor reared its ugly head once again, sending the ever-improving cornerback Terrell Thomas to the sideline for the season and leaving the Giants painfully thin at a vital position. Thomas tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the final minute of the first half after colliding with teammate Jason Pierre-Paul.

With first-round cornerback Prince Amukamara still out several more weeks with a broken foot, Bruce Johnson out for the year with a ruptured Achilles and now with Thomas out, the Giants will turn to cornerback Aaron Ross to return to a starting role opposite Corey Webster. The untested Michael Coe will now be the nickel corner, although the Giants might explore the trade market for cornerbacks or wait for other teams to cut defensive backs who might show some promise. The Giants also lost backup corner Brian Witherspoon (sprained MCL) for an unspecified period.

"It's very, very tough, but as a football team, you have to move on," safety Antrel Rolle said. "We all feel terrible for Terrell, he's worked so hard, and he's done such a great job. But we've got to move forward and hope he makes it back."

Ross, who lost his job to Thomas because of injury, sees his situation come full circle.

"You never want to see your teammate go down with an injury like that," Ross said. "I'm just hoping I can get in there and show what I can do. It's been tough with my injuries, but I've been healthy now for a while, and I feel great. I'm just hoping I can stay healthy."

Thomas' injury brought back unfortunate memories of other Giants defensive players who went down in preseason. Osi Umenyiora suffered a knee injury in 2008 and was lost for the year. And who can forget Jason Sehorn breaking his leg on a kickoff return in 1998 against the Jets.

"There are a lot of veterans in this locker room and we're just going to have to step up," defensive end Justin Tuck said. "You feel terrible for Terrell, and you just hate to see it. But we'll have to carry on and do what we can."

On a night when Coughlin had plenty of reason to celebrate his team's much improved play after a mediocre performance last week against the Panthers, he couldn't escape the dark cloud of injuries. For a team that lost its share of players because of salary-cap considerations, and couldn't sign Plaxico Burress, Steve Smith and Kevin Boss, Thomas' injury couldn't have come at a worse time.

Even with all the defections, the Giants still have a solid core of strong players, particularly on defense. The emergence of Pierre-Paul has somewhat mitigated Umenyiora's most recent knee surgery, which likely will keep him out at least another three weeks. The defensive line remains deep. The linebackers are improving. And the secondary has been solid.

But losing Thomas, who had been having a terrific camp, can't be underestimated. Even if Ross fills in well, he may not be at Thomas' level. And that still leaves questions about depth, especially at nickel.

Another tough break for a team that can't afford many more of them.