Koets misses practice, shuffling Giants' O-line

The Giants spent yesterday's practice with a Pro Bowl center on the sideline, a Pro Bowl tackle at guard and a Pro Bowl guard at tackle.

The shuffling was required when Adam Koets, who has been backing up injured Shaun O'Hara at center, missed practice with an MCL injury. That meant Rich Seubert moved to center, David Diehl from tackle to left guard, and Shawn Andrews to left tackle. Tom Coughlin said that Diehl and Andrews would flip-flop Thursday, but if Koets can return to work that won't be necessary.

"I'll be back at tackle," Diehl said. "I just went out there and practiced [at guard]. I haven't pulled at guard for seven or eight weeks. I did it today, got it over with, and I'll be back at tackle [today]."

O'Hara has setback

When he spoke Monday, O'Hara sounded optimistic about practicing this week and perhaps even playing Sunday. But when he tried to run on Tuesday for the first time since being sidelined with his ankle/Achilles injury, that optimism was shattered. "He led all of us to be very optimistic," Tom Coughlin said, pointing to O'Hara's positive attitude. "He walked very well and looked as if he might be able to get up on his toes and run. I was not out there, but that was not the case."

Giant steps

It's always unsettling for Giants fans to see the words "Kenny Phillips" and "knee" on an injury report, but the safety who had microfracture surgery just more than a year ago to correct an arthritic condition in his left knee said he's feeling fine. "We're just trying to be safe and make sure I don't go out there and hurt it in practice or anything like that," Phillips said. Coughlin said Phillips said he was feeling "tired and sore" in his knee . . . The Giants had eight players miss practice with injuries Wednesday, including LB Keith Bulluck (toe), DE Osi Umenyiora (knee) and FB Madison Hedgecock (hamstring). Coughlin said he expects Umenyiora to practice Thursday.