NFL

Giants guarding against Brown out

The Browns are 0-4, but you wouldn’t know it from listening to the Giants.

Facing a classic trap game Sunday at the Meadowlands, Tom Coughlin and his team practically twisted themselves into a pretzel yesterday trying to paint winless Cleveland — with its rookie quarterback and decimated secondary — as a formidable foe.

“Don’t be misled by Cleveland’s record,” Coughlin said. “They’re a good, young team. They have some 15 players that are rookies, 11 second-year players. But they play hard, they battle hard. They play tough in all of their games.”

Actually, Coughlin has a bit of a point. The Browns’ four losses this season have been by a combined total of 25 points, including a 23-16 setback at Baltimore that went down to the final play, and 28-year-old rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden appears to be getting better by the week.

Coughlin and at least some of the Giants also know from painful experience not to take the Browns lightly. They remember being 4-0 heading into Cleveland in 2008 against the 1-3 Browns and getting embarrassed 35-14.

No wonder Coughlin hammered into his team in meetings this week the importance of not looking past Cleveland and ahead to next week’s NFC Championship Game rematch with the 49ers in San Francisco.

“This is the NFL, and every game is important, every game is tough, every team is good and talented,” Eli Manning said. “If you’re not 100 percent committed, and bought in, then you’re going to lose. Those are the facts.’’

* The Giants’ defensive line depth, already weakened by Chris Canty’s continued absence, will likely be tested further Sunday after tackle Rocky Bernard missed practice yesterday due to a quadriceps injury.

If Bernard can’t go, that would mean more snaps for sixth-round pick Markus Kuhn and Marvin Austin alongside Linval Joseph.

Coughlin’s club also was short-handed in practice along the offensive line yesterday as center David Baas (hand) and guard Chris Snee (hip) were held out, although Baas indicated he expects to play Sunday.

The Giants did get some positive injury news at that spot, though, as tackle David Diehl — out since a Week 2 knee injury — practiced on a limited basis. Coughlin appeared upbeat about Diehl’s chances of playing Sunday.

* Safety Tyler Sash returned from his four-game drug suspension this week, but it appears journeyman Stevie Brown will start at strong safety in place of Kenny Phillips in the wake of Phillips’ knee injury suffered against Philadelphia.

Brown, signed by the Giants in the offseason, is with his fourth team in just three NFL seasons.

* Linebacker Michael Boley remains sidelined by a hip injury and appears unlikely to play Sunday, although he said yesterday he is improving and is optimistic it won’t be a long-term problem.