Osi's return could boost Giants' defense

The news couldn't have come at a better time for the Giants. With a win-and-you're-in game against the Cowboys set for Sunday night, it looks as if the Giants will have their full complement of pass rushers for the first time in more than a month.

Defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who has missed the last four games with a sprained ankle, practiced yesterday for the first time since suffering the injury. Barring any setbacks, he'll assume his position at right defensive end and get after Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.

"It means everything to have Osi out there," safety Antrel Rolle said. "I know he's probably not going to be 100 percent, but he's fighting, he's fighting for himself, he's fighting for this team and he's fighting for what we have at stake."

And what's at stake? Everything. A win over the Cowboys and the Giants are NFC East champions and in the playoffs. A loss and their season is over. And possibly Tom Coughlin's run as the team's coach.

With Justin Tuck feeling as good as he has all season after dealing with neck, groin and toe injuries, with Umenyiora back in the lineup and with second-year defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul emerging as one of the league's top pass rushers, the Giants come into the game with a formidable lineup. Don't think Romo hasn't noticed.

"Osi is a good player, so anytime they get another pass rusher it presents more of a challenge," Romo said Wednesday. "We have to prepare for that. I think that group up front is an outstanding group, and they have three or four guys that you really have to account for."

The Giants scored a stunning 37-34 comeback win over Romo and the Cowboys Dec. 11, rallying from a 34-22 deficit behind Eli Manning's brilliant late-game performance. Pierre-Paul starred for the defense, registering two sacks -- one for a safety -- forcing a fumble, and blocking the tying field-goal attempt in the final seconds.

The Giants' defense surrendered four Romo touchdown passes, due mostly to problems in the secondary. But after last Saturday's 29-14 win over the Jets, the Giants feel confident they can put together a more complete game on defense. The addition of Umenyiora, who did not address reporters Wednesday, only bolsters that contention.

An unstoppable pass rush?

"Yeah, with all the guys back," said Pierre-Paul, who was voted to the Pro Bowl on Tuesday and has won NFC Defensive Player of the Week after two of his last three games.

Pierre-Paul has had a breakout season with 15 1/2 sacks, and has an outside chance of winning NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors. He has clearly taken over as the dominant force from the defensive right side, where Umenyiora also lines up. Umenyiora is ordinarily the starter when he's healthy, but Pierre-Paul thinks he should get the nod on Sunday. Not for the reasons you might think, though.

"It's up to the coaches, but it should be me," he said. "It's my birthday." Pierre-Paul turns 23 on Sunday.

"Whatever happens happens," Pierre-Paul said. "Whenever I'm in there, I'll be giving 120 percent. Not 100 percent, 120 percent."

Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell will have some decisions to make about his personnel packages up front, although he has typically played Pierre-Paul inside and Umenyiora outside on passing downs. There's a chance, however, that Pierre-Paul may be used more outside, especially if Umenyiora can play only on a limited basis.

Whatever the case, the Cowboys will have their hands full dealing with the Giants' pass rush, which also includes linebacker/lineman Mathias Kiwanuka.

"If we're playing at our top speed, if everyone's clicking and ready to go, we'll be tough to stop," Kiwanuka said. "When we want to be unstoppable as a group, when we decide to do it, then we can do it."

So why not decide to do it every week?

"It's a collective effort," Kiwanuka said. "It's about every single play, having everybody have the exact right mindset. In those games when we're all on, we're hard to beat."

If they're all on Sunday night, that will almost certainly be the case. If the Giants' defensive line dominates in the trenches, they're going to the playoffs.

It says here they will.