Giants' Tuck again can put 'D' on his shoulders
Earlier in the week Justin Tuck said the Falcons' offensive line had a reputation for being "dirtbags." (undated file photo) Credit: David Pokress
If Justin Tuck looks different this preseason, it's because he feels different.
"I have two shoulders this year," he said after a two-sack performance against the Ravens on Saturday, which was preceded by a strong effort against the Steelers a week earlier.
Tuck didn't miss any games in 2009, but he did play most of the year in a shoulder harness and had offseason surgery after being tripped by the Cowboys' Flozell Adams in Week 2. He was never quite the same player. Now, even though it's only preseason, he's showing that ability to be in the backfield and be disruptive. Tom Coughlin said he is seeing speed, power and strength from Tuck.
It didn't seem as if Tuck's shoulder had anything to do with his first sack Saturday. He was lined up at left defensive end and swung around behind the two defensive tackles to come up the middle for a clean shot on Joe Flacco. But Tuck said that even though there was no contact, a healthy shoulder still made the play possible.
"When you're running like this, you can't get a burst," he said, dropping his right arm and flopping it limp. "You ever see a duck fly with one wing? That's kind of what it was like last year."
Ones will face Patriots
Expect to see the Giants' starters playing against the Patriots in the final preseason game Thursday night. Punishment for a lackluster performance against the Ravens? No, Coughlin said. Well, not entirely, anyway.
"That will be one of the considerations," he said of the decision, "but it will not be the only consideration."
In fact, Coughlin said he likes to have his starters see one final volley of full-speed play before they take a few days off and then come back to prepare for the opener. "Usually, I don't play them for too long,'' he said, "but I do play them."
Giant steps
Coughlin said the Giants stayed primarily in man coverage against the no-huddle Ravens to get a clearer picture of what the young cornerbacks in the game were capable of. He called it "the opportunity of a lifetime," although the 342 passing yards the Ravens had probably didn't do much for Bruce Johnson and Courtney Brown, who both started . . . QB Jim Sorgi, who had hoped to return to practice this week to compete for the backup job, will not practice Monday. Coughlin said he'll follow the advice of the medical staff on roster decisions regarding the backup, but added that "the closer we get, we're going to have to make some calls." . . . WR Sinorice Moss will have further tests to diagnose an injury that Coughlin described as affecting his groin and pelvis.
