Eli Manning practiced this week wearing a glove on his left (non-throwing) hand, experimenting with the feel as he prepares for the sub-zero temperatures tomorrow night in Green Bay.
“The main purpose is securing the snap if it does get cold or the ball gets slick,” Manning said. “You have a little extra grip on your left hand so you don’t drop any snaps.”
Manning caught the attention of some of the Packer defensive backs with this comment: “You just got to know they are going to be physical, they are going to get their hands on you, they’ve been called for a lot of defensive penalties also.”
The part about the penalties was of particular interest to the Packers.
“Thank you, Eli, for the heads up,” cornerback Al Harris said.
Unlike the Giants, the Packers (who work indoors) did practice this week with frozen footballs. Asked if that will help, Brett Favre just smiled and shrugged. Some of the Packers did not even realize the balls had been put in the deep-freeze.
“Is that what was going on?” Harris said. “That was pretty smart, whoever came up with that.”
*
The Giants locked up a key player for their future when they secured the services of DE Justin Tuck with a five-year contract extension worth $30 million, with $16 million in guaranteed money. Tuck’s original deal was set to end after the 2008 season and he’s now signed through 2013. It’s a mega-deal for Tuck, 24, considering he does not start, although he is on the field a great deal as a major part of the line rotation. Tuck had 10 sacks this season, second on the team behind Osi Umenyiora.
“Let’s not turn our focus on anything other than the Packers right now,” Tuck said. “It’s good to get that deal done but we’ll celebrate that later. We got a game to play. [The Giants] love their players and they like to keep their players here. They really stepped up as far as keeping me here.”
*
Tom Coughlin is holding out hope CB Sam Madison (strained abdominal muscle) might be able to make it back for this game even though Madison missed the past two playoff games and hasn’t practiced all week.
“That’s the way the medical people wanted it,” Coughlin said. “I still remain optimistic about him.”
Madison is listed as questionable, a step up from the doubtful designation he had last week. WR Plaxico Burress (ankle) and CB Aaron Ross (shoulder) are also questionable but both will play. Ross, who dislocated his right shoulder last week vs. the Cowboys, tested his injury with “some bag work” according to Coughlin. “He tackled and he felt pretty good about it,” Coughlin said.
Manning said big brother Peyton will not be in Green Bay; he’ll be watching on TV.