Giants coach Tom Coughlin usually plays his starters into the third quarter in the third preseason game of the summer, but in last night’s 20-17 loss to the Bears, he pulled his starters at halftime. It was one play too long for linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka.
On the last play of the first half, Bears running back Matt Forte was stopped for a one-yard gain and Kiwanuka went down and stayed down before slowly getting to his feet and limping off the field. Kiwanuka suffered a strained groin, an injury that can linger, and the Giants are hoping the problem clears up in time for Kiwanuka to be at full strength for the Sept. 5 regular-season opener against the Cowboys.
“I was on the ground and somebody fell on top of me, and legs aren’t made to go that way,’’ Kiwanuka said. “It was just a slight strain. Nothing serious.’’
Kiwanuka promised, “I’ll be ready’’ for the season opener.
He was part of a run defense that limited the Bears to 29 rushing yards in the first half. He dropped Forte for a two-yard loss early in the game.
* When CB Prince Amukamara was carted off with a lower leg injury, Bruce Johnson replaced him with the starting defense. Johnson gave up a touchdown in the third quarter when he missed a tackle on rookie Joe Anderson.
After one series, Michael Coe replaced Johnson with the starters.
* Interestingly, rookie WR David Douglas was given the first shot at punt returns, as the Giants search for ways to possibly keep him on the roster. He showed excellent ball security but didn’t do much with his returns until late in the second quarter when he took one 36 yards.
But that return was called back when two Giants — Ramses Barden and Will Hill — were called for holding penalties.
Douglas couldn’t get a break from another call, as a 35-yard catch on third-and 13 for a first down late in the game was nullified by a holding penalty on Mitch Petrus.
* As he’s done all summer, rookie DT Markus Kuhn immediately made a play, this time entering in the second quarter and getting a quarterback hit on Jay Cutler, nearly dropping him for a safety.
* LB Mark Herzlich made a big play on special teams, forcing a fumble by Eric Weems on a kickoff return that the Giants nearly recovered on the Bears 2-yard line.
* RB Da’Rel Scott, in a huge battle to make the final roster, needs to show something on special teams, and it appears he’s not being viewed as a kick returner any longer.
Scott, though, did come up with a play to make Coughlin take notice, storming in to block Ryan Quigley’s punt to give the Giants the ball on the Chicago 10-yard line.