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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Those who use words such as “meaningless’’ and phrases such as “waste of time’’ about the fourth and final preseason game have never been one small but significant step away from securing a place on an NFL roster.
Not many will remember who wins and who loses tonight’s Giants-Patriots game at Gillette Stadium, but there will be winners and losers, with the final tabulations coming through Saturday, when NFL teams must trim rosters from 75 to 53 players. What so many players do in this game will have direct bearing on how much longer they get to stay around, with the regular season beckoning next week.
“The message is this,’’ coach Tom Coughlin said. “There’s … a game, look at the tape and cut to 53. That’s where we are. If you’re going to make a move, if you’re going to show something, someone who is looking to make our team that hasn’t made it before, I’d say that you need to get about the business of doing it.
“It’s time. There’s not a lot of time, but what opportunity you get to step on the field Thursday night, I’m hoping for your benefit that it’s a good one.’’
This game is far more about the bottom half of the roster than the top half. The starters will be on the field for 12-15 plays and Coughlin hopes that means two extended and productive drives from an offense that has stumbled out of the preseason gate. That would allow Eli Manning and Co. to take the rest of the night off knowing they are on the right track heading into the Sept. 8 season opener against the Cowboys.
The bulk of the evening belongs to the backups. Among those hoping this last preseason game is not his swan song:
CB Trumaine McBride: With 48 NFL games under his belt with the Bears, Cardinals and Jaguars, he’s not a youngster. He had a strong training camp, but the comeback of Terrell Thomas makes the numbers at cornerback problematic.
DE Justin Trattou: The Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) product spent the entire 2012 season on injured reserve after getting in six games in 2011 as a rookie. He’s been his usual productive self in the summer (two sacks in the preseason) and appears to have an edge on Adewale Ojomo — last year’s summer sensation — and Matt Broha.
CB Charles James: The rookie from Charleston Southern has caught Coughlin’s attention — “I’ve been impressed by the kid going back to catch punts’’ — and it’s very possible he’s done enough to stick around on the practice squad.
RB Ryan Torain: David Wilson and Andre Brown are set as the 1-2 punch in the running back stable and rookie Michael Cox, helped greatly by his status as the No. 1 kickoff returner, seems to have made the team. Torain has experience with the Broncos and Redskins; a good showing would help dissuade the Giants from searching the waiver wire for another back.
WR Ramses Barden: He believes he’s in no danger of getting cut and based purely on the numbers he’s correct, unless the Giants look to upgrade at receiver from outside the organization. Louis Murphy hasn’t done much, but figure he sticks; Jerrel Jernigan appears safe; and Barden likely rounds out the receiver position, unless the decision is made to go with only five.
C Jim Cordle: He started against the Jets, but the coaching staff was not satisfied with his performance, which is why Kevin Boothe was moved from left guard to center and James Brewer gets an audition at left guard. Now Cordle has a fight on his hands to make it into his third year with the team.
DT Marvin Austin: The 2011 second-round pick came into his third training camp having to prove his worth because even very high draft picks aren’t on scholarship forever. Austin has stayed healthy, which was a prerequisite, and is coming off an impressive showing against the Jets, no doubt tempering any doubts about his job status.
TE Larry Donnell: Coughlin takes notice when a guy gets carted off the field with what looks like a serious knee injury and he’s practicing two days later. That’s what Donnell did, and the Giants like his great size. But unless fullback Henry Hynoski isn’t ready for the opener, Donnell again seems practice squad-bound.
paul.schwartz@nypost.com