It was always known or at least suspected that a younger Eli Manning was either intimidated or at least stressed out dealing with the demands and emotional highs and lows of Plaxico Burress and Jeremy Shockey. Manning never has really addressed that situation, until now.
Although he did not name names, Manning yesterday got into a discussion about the democratic way he deals with his receivers, telling them, “I’m not going to force it to one guy … if you’re my first read, it’s your job to get open and if you’re not, then I’m going on to the next guy.’’
Manning then admitted this wasn’t always the case.
“I think early on we probably had receivers in practice you’d try to force them to get balls so they don’t get down or you keep them happy and I think you create bad habits doing that,’’ Manning said. “As I got older and we got younger, we got new guys in it evolved to doing it the correct way, going through the reads, saying you got to earn the right to get open, it’s all on the reads to make sure I’m doing the right thing.’’
* WR Victor Cruz, who has stated he would like a new contract before the end of the season, responded to some Twitter speculation that he should hold out until he gets a new deal.
“Never happen,’’ Cruz said. “If I’m going to do that I might as well do it at the beginning of the season, not wait until I’m doing well.’’ … C David Baas (ankle) did not practice and coach Tom Coughlin said as a result LG Kevin Boothe would fill in at center and David Diehl would slide in at left guard if Baas is unable to play Sunday. Baas hurt his ankle early against the Redskins but was able to finish the game.
* Ahmad Bradshaw did not practice because of his ongoing issue with his foot. Last week, Coughlin said he hoped the situation with Bradshaw did not become a repeat of last season, when Bradshaw practiced only once a week to save wear and tear on his feet.
“This is the second week and he clenches his teeth and goes and does it,’’ Coughlin said, “but the fact of the matter is if we have to adjust, we have to adjust.’’
* TE Travis Beckum, on the PUP list after tearing his ACL during the Super Bowl, participated in some aspects of practice for the first time. Now that Beckum is on the field, the Giants have a three-week window to either activate him or else put him on season-ending injured reserve. … In addition to Bradshaw and Baas, three other players did not practice: DT Rocky Bernard (quad), S Kenny Phillips (knee) and LB Jacquian Williams (knee).