NFL

Shoulder is likely to keep Tuck out

There’s a time to force the issue and a time to use better judgment, and it sounds as if Justin Tuck is more inclined to sit out than to rush forward for Sunday’s game in Tampa.

Tuck has a history of playing through pain and illness, and at the moment he’s dealing with an apparent injury to the labrum in his left shoulder, sustained when Cowboys left tackle Flozell Adams tripped him in the second quarter of the Giants 33-32 win. Adams was fined $12,500 by the league.

“I’ve played sick, but that was to clinch playoffs,” Tuck said yesterday. “Every game’s important, don’t get me wrong, we just got to be smart of it. We’ve got to make sure an act of bravery doesn’t cost us a year.”

GIANTS BLOG

Tuck sat out practice and the only way he could consider playing is with a protective shoulder harness. He wore such a device on the same shoulder as a sophomore and junior at Notre Dame, and while wearing the harness as a junior, Tuck had the best season of his college career. More likely, he won’t play this weekend.

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Given the poor run defense against the Cowboys, some adjustments are needed on defense, and Tom Coughlin didn’t scoff at the suggestion that perhaps Chase Blackburn will get more reps at weak side linebacker. Michael Boley started at that spot in Dallas and Coughlin praised the way he played in his Giants debut, but Boley missed all of training camp following hip surgery and clearly was a bit rusty. … Hakeem Nicks has been running in straight lines and said his sprained foot “feels fine.” He might be on pace to return for next week’s game in Kansas City.