If you want to keep track of who’s in and who’s out for the Giants, here is a tip: When Mario Manningham speaks, don’t always listen.
Manningham, more than once this season, has said not to worry though he missed practice, assuring everyone he was going to play that weekend. It doesn’t always work out that way, as a troublesome sore and swollen knee has kept him off the field and will likely do so again today against the Jets.
On Wednesday, Manningham said he would be able to play, but he missed the entire week of practice and yesterday was listed as doubtful to face the Jets. When the Giants list a player as doubtful, it is a 95 percent certainty that he is not going to play.
Though Manningham has been supplanted in Eli Manning’s pecking order by Victor Cruz, he is a vital part of the passing game. He has 39 receptions for 523 yards and four touchdowns, despite already missing two previous games with his knee problem.
* The Giants will go without another important option for Manning, because tight end Jake Ballard is also out with a knee injury that he hopes does not sideline him for the regular-season finale against the Cowboys.
* The absence of Manningham opens the door for Ramses Barden, the 6-foot-6 receiver who hasn’t done much since returning from a broken ankle. Barden has eight catches for 90 yards this season. The Giants are also counting on Travis Beckum and, to a lesser extent, Bear Pascoe, to help fill the void left behind by the loss of Ballard.
* RB D.J. Ware was able to participate yesterday on a limited basis after missing two practices and is listed as questionable. RB Ahmad Bradshaw, C David Baas, TE Travis Beckum, S Derrick Martin, WR Devin Thomas and Pascoe are probable. DE Osi Umenyiora, LB Mark Herzlich and Ballard are out. … The Giants always stay in a New Jersey hotel near MetLife Stadium the night before a home game. They had to stay in a different hotel last night because the Jets took all the rooms in the hotel the Giants usually use.
DE Jason Pierre-Paul was fined $10,000 for his hit to the head on Rex Grossman last week. Safety Kenny Phillips was fined $7,500 for unnecessary roughness on a facemask penalty against the Redskins. … For the first time since 1995, the Giants have gone eight straight games without a run of 20 or more yards. They have an NFL-low two rushing attempts of 20 or more yards.