Giants are banged up heading into Eagles game

The Giants are getting ready for the biggest game of the season, a battle for first place in the NFC East with the Eagles. They're trying to shake off the memory of a bad game against the Cowboys just a few days ago and avoid being rattled by the memory of watching Philadelphia dominate the Redskins on Monday night.

So how discomforting must it have been when the second offensive line unit was participating in drills and there were only two bodies there - one a rookie and the other a practice-squadder?

The first unit wasn't exactly carved from granite either, although at least they had enough bodies to stretch all the way across the line of scrimmage. Will Beatty and Kevin Boothe formed a left side of the line that has seen a combined three games of action this year, and neither of them has yet to play a full game.

Meanwhile, the team's best coverage cornerback was pushing pedals on an exercise bike, the starting tight end had the hood on his sweatshirt pulled down low over his head while watching practice from the sideline, and three Pro Bowl players from a year ago weren't anywhere near the field.

This isn't the way the Giants were hoping to go into such a significant contest.

"Guys just have to step up," receiver Hakeem Nicks said. "It's that time of the year now, injuries start happening. It's when you know what your team is made of."

Tom Coughlin, for one, sounded upbeat, optimistic - and at one point nearly apathetic - about the two newest and most pressing injury situations on the Giants right now: Shawn Andrews' back and Corey Webster's toe. He said he's hopeful that both will be able to practice today.

Coughlin said left tackle Andrews tried to give it a go Wednesday, but "the smarter move prevailed and we didn't push him." Coughlin said Andrews has had stiffness and soreness in his back during his time with the Giants, but when asked if this injury is connected to Andrews' history of back problems - which includes two surgeries that cost him the previous two seasons - Coughlin gave a definitive "whatever."

He did say that even though Andrews is relatively new to the Giants and still learning a new position, his not practicing during the week will not necessarily rule him out for the game against the Eagles. In fact, with Andrews having an opportunity to play against his former team, opposite bookend tackle Kareem McKenzie said it is "farcical" to think he will not play Sunday.

Webster was fitted for a special shoe yesterday, but Coughlin said he did not feel comfortable in it after injuring his toe in practice Wednesday. "So instead of pushing it and creating an issue, hopefully he'll try to go [Friday],'' Coughlin said.

Another issue could be Kevin Boss, who injured his back Sunday against the Cowboys, practiced fully on Wednesday, then did not work yesterday. Normally, the Giants would have Bear Pascoe as Boss' backup, but Pascoe already is replacing fullback Madison Hedgecock, who has been out for more than a month with a hamstring injury. Hedgecock was limited in yesterday's practice.

The biggest obstacle, though, remains the offensive line without Andrews, Shaun O'Hara and David Diehl. Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said he wishes he could simply trim the complexity of the playbook to make things easier for Boothe and Beatty, who not only have had limited playing time but limited practice time because of injuries. The way the Eagles attack on defense, using different groupings to mask blitzes and pressures, won't allow him to do that, he said.

"Unquestionably you wish you had your full complement of players," Gilbride said. "It's not the ideal situation, but hopefully they'll be ready to go and you just do the best you can under the circumstances."