Blackburn, Tuck, Manning voted captains

Chase Blackburn was the last man added to the Giants' training-camp roster in the summer of 2005. Now he's a captain. That's quite the career arc.

The linebacker Thursday was voted by his teammates to represent the special teams this season. He, Justin Tuck and Eli Manning will wear patches on their uniforms designating them as captains.

"My number-one thing is to continue what I've been doing," said Blackburn, who has been sidelined most of the preseason with a sprained right MCL but has led the Giants in special-teams tackles each of the last five years. "Secondly, I feel like I have a responsibility and a position where now I can kind of get on people if they're not doing the right thing a little bit. Before, you kind of sit back and you don't feel like it's your place to say things. Now we have to make sure. I'm in charge of a unit now, so I have to make sure we're performing. If we're not, we've got to get it together."

Like Blackburn, Tuck is a first-time captain. His selection comes as no surprise, considering the entire team has been trying to get him to be more of a vocal influence in the locker room since the end of last season.

"You've got to be a leader, unfortunately with your mouth, but definitely also with your actions, more with your actions," Tuck said of the role. "I'm still going to be the same old Justin. I'm just trying my best to get everybody to understand what we need to do to win this football game."

Giant steps

Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said LB Jonathan Goff will wear the radio helmet that receives calls from the sideline Sunday. He also said the Giants showed "10, maybe 20 percent" of their defense in the preseason . . . C Shaun O'Hara (left ankle / Achilles) and LB Gerris Wilkinson (groin) participated fully after being limited Wednesday. CB Aaron Ross (right foot) still was limited, but Coughlin said he looked better and took scrimmage snaps.