Giants are enjoying Eagles' misery

Make no mistake, there is more than a small case of schadenfreude sweeping through the Giants as they prepare for Sunday night's game at MetLife Stadium that could virtually eliminate the archrival Eagles from playoff contention.

"I always feel [happy] when a team that's in our division is having a down year," Giants running back Brandon Jacobs said. "No doubt about it.''

You can't blame the Giants (6-3) for taking pleasure in the misery of another (schadenfreude), especially when that other is the Eagles (3-6). There's a long history of bad blood between the teams, with the most recent chapters focusing on the Eagles' stunning comeback victory at the Meadowlands last December, the defection of wide receiver Steve Smith to Philadelphia in the summer and the trash-talking between Eagles running back LeSean McCoy and Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora.

Umenyiora said Friday that he hasn't forgiven McCoy for what he said about him during the offseason. While Umenyiora was in the middle of a contract negotiation, McCoy tweeted that he was soft and the third-best defensive lineman on his team.

"What he did was unforgivable," Umenyiora said. "He said some things he shouldn't have said. He made a mistake there . . . He ran his mouth and crossed a line that shouldn't have been crossed. I think he knows that as a professional. I think if he was going to say something, it should have been this week that he said something like that. I'll see him on the football field and we'll go from there."

The Eagles have plenty of problems. The biggest concern seems to be that quarterback Michael Vick, who has two broken ribs, didn't practice for the third straight day and is listed as questionable. Vince Young is expected to start in Vick's place. He is 2-0 against the Giants, including a win last year with the Titans.

"We think that if Vince does start, the offense doesn't change," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "They can continue to feature the quarterback in ways that move the quarterback.''

Umenyiora said if Vick is out, the Giants will pay more attention to McCoy, the No. 2 rusher in the league with 906 yards.

Said Umenyiora: "If Vick doesn't play, our main focus will be to shut him down. He's having a tremendous season so far. You have to do some things to control him, and it's going to be hard because no one has been able to shut him down."

Of course, the Giants wouldn't mind being the first to do that. Nor would they mind being the team that seemingly ends it all for the Eagles.

Chance for rookies

Two of the most high-profile rookies on the Giants' roster seem poised to start contributing to the defense. First-round pick Prince Amukamara and undrafted Mark Herzlich are preparing to take their first snaps Sunday. Herzlich, a linebacker, has been active in every game and has played exclusively on special teams. Amukamara, a cornerback, has been sidelined since breaking a bone in his foot in early August. "The better I play, the better my story gets," said Herzlich, who overcame bone cancer to reach the NFL and who might start in place of injured Michael Boley (hamstring, doubtful) . . . Defensive end Justin Tuck did not practice Friday after he had his foot stepped on during Thursday's practice and rolled his ankle. He is listed as questionable, butCoughlin expects him to play. "There is soreness, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of swelling,'' he said. "I think he'll be fine." . . . Running back Ahmad Bradshaw (foot) was ruled out . . . Left tackle Will Beatty (back) returned to practice and is probable.