TALKING BIG: Justin Tuck, rushing the quarterback during Sunday’s preseason game against the Colts, said the Giants defense has a “chance to do something special this year.” (Paul J. Bereswill)
Weren’t the Jets supposed to be the big-talking team in town?
Two days before the Giants and Jets meet in their annual preseason clash, Giants defensive lineman Justin Tuck said his team has the potential to have the top defense in the NFL.
“The ceiling is the No. 1 defense,” he said Thursday after practice. “That has to be in your thought process. We have the talent to do it. I don’t think anybody in that defensive meeting room can allow themselves to think that we can’t do that.”
Tuck wasn’t necessarily predicting it would happen, but the veteran said he sees tons of promise in the unit, even if it has been nicked up much of the preseason and didn’t perform well in last Sunday’s 20-12 preseason loss to the Colts. The Giants were 31st in the NFL in defense in 2012.
Also, the defense is hurting. Star defensive lineman Jason Pierre-Paul (back) has missed all of training camp, safety Antrel Rolle (ankle) has been held out of practice of late, cornerback Corey Webster (MCL strain, groin) hasn’t practiced in a few weeks and even rookie defensive lineman Damontre Moore (shoulder) has missed time.
“I’m looking at some of the guys we picked up and the new faces in the draft and free agency, we have a chance to do something special this year,” Tuck said. “I’m excited about it.”
* Coach Tom Coughlin said the starters will “play basically a half,’’ and he would like the first team to stay on the field for 30 snaps. … Coughlin said the two remaining players on the physically unable to perform list, Pierre-Paul (back) and DT Markus Kuhn (knee) are “getting close, according to what I hear.’’
* All those offensive line machinations? Eli Manning isn’t exactly following the bouncing ball.
“A lot of times I don’t even look at the offensive line,” Manning said. “I mean, I know they’re there and I trust that they’re going to protect me.’’
* Rolle (ankle) looked spry partaking in individual drills. … After Manning, Curtis Painter and rookie Ryan Nassib will move in at quarterback, but not necessarily in that order.
“We’ve got some maneuvering thoughts on that one, too, but they’re both going to play,’’ Coughlin said.
CB Corey Webster remains out with knee and groin issues, and Coughlin said he hopes Webster will be ready for the regular season.
“Next week and the week after, we should be in good shape,’’ he said.
* The Giants reached the 90-player roster limit by signing rookie tackle Austin Holtz, who was recently waived by the Lions. Holtz was undrafted out of Ball State and played a few snaps for the Lions against the Jets in the preseason opener.
zbraziller@nypost.com