NFL

Stiff neck keeps Jacobs out of action

The injury, said Giants coach Tom Coughlin, “came out of nowhere.”

Running back Brandon Jacobs was supposed to play in last night’s 24-17 preseason loss to the Steelers, but he was a late scratch because of what the Giants are calling a stiff neck.

“The original word I got is, he hurt himself doing shrugs in the weight room,” Coughlin said.

Coughlin said an MRI was taken. A neck problem never can be taken lightly, but general manager Jerry Reese said, “He was doing some lifting in the weight room and felt something, his neck was stiff, we didn’t want to put him out there with a stiff neck, when you can’t move your neck that good. It’s nothing serious at all. No disk.”

BOX SCORE

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It was a lost night for wide receiver Hakeem Nicks. He was ejected along with Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor after the two exchanged punches less than two minutes into the game.

“I’ve never been ejected from a game in my life until tonight,” Nicks said. “I was blocking downfield and trying to finish my block, and the next thing I knew, he was throwing punches, so I tried to defend myself. I’m disappointed, because I let my coaches and teammates down.”

Coughlin said, “It’s easy to be provoked. It’s not easy to walk away.”

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Safety Antrel Rolle and RB Ahmad Bradshaw did not start as scheduled. Both arrived late for a team meeting and were punished by Coughlin.

“I was in the hotel and I read my schedule wrong, so I was late for a special-teams meeting,” Rolle said. “I’ve been around long enough to understand there are consequences, so I took it like a man. There is no issue. We’ll move on.”

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Sha’reff Rashad started in place of Rolle. and DJ Ware was in for Bradshaw. Ironically, both Rashad and Ware were later forced out of the game with concussions. … RB Andre Brown (13-61) ran hard and did a decent job on kickoff returns. … Aaron Ross broke off a 45-yard return.

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Last week’s revelation, rookie WR Victor Cruz, had two catches for 30 yards but muffed a punt on his own 4-yard line. Cruz caught three touchdown passes last week vs. the Jets, and the Paterson, N.J., native heard his name chanted.

“I thought they were booing at first, then I took a listen, I was like, ‘Wow, they’re really yelling Cruz,’ ” he said. “It was definitely a phenomenal moment. I guess I’m a little bit of a fan favorite.”

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WR Ramses Barden said the back injury that kept him on the sideline “is not chronic. When it heals, it heals. Hopefully it won’t be too much time. Hopefully, I’ll be in uniform this week.”