Giants getting "encouraging signs" on Nicks, Bradshaw

The Giants won on Sunday without Hakeem Nicks, Ahmad Bradshaw and David Baas. They’d like to not have to try and do that again. But today was too early for Tom Coughlin to be able to tell if the three starters will be available for the 49ers game on Sunday.

“I know that they’re improving,” Coughlin said. “It’s going to end up being how they feel tomorrow and to what extent they can do something tomorrow with the trainers. The trainers will report to us with what they think, if anything, they can do on Wednesday. We’re hopeful. We have encouraging signs coming out of the training room but I wouldn’t go as far as to say what could be expected.”

Coughlin said the team will follow doctors’ orders when it comes to Bradshaw and the possibility of resting him for several weeks in order to get his feet in as good of shape as they can be for the stretch run.

“We’ll do whatever the doctors recommend, and that’ll be based on how he feels and whether or not he’s been able to control some of the soreness and if he is able to run and do the things that are necessary during the course of the week to prepare himself to play,” Coughlin said. “We’ll have to wait and see exactly how he feels to put together some sort of a plan.”

The other missing piece on Sunday – and through the first eight games of the season – was Prince Amukamara. The cornerback seemed to be close to playing this week, and he traveled with the team to New England. But he was inactive on gameday.

“There has to be, in everyone’s opinion, the proof how he’s performed on the practice field before we can just say ‘Well, he’s ready to go,’” Coughlin said. “He gets better each week and everyone is thinking that the time is approaching. There are still some things that have to be cleared up on the practice field, and when that happens then we will welcome him.”