Will he or won’t he?
History says Brett Favre will.
Either way, the Giants this week will have to prepare for two quarterbacks leading into Sunday’s game against the Vikings.
Favre suffered a sprained sternoclavicular joint in his right shoulder on his first pass in Sunday’s 38-14 victory over the Bills. Favre, after only three plays from scrimmage, was replaced by Tavaris Jackson and his status to face the Giants is uncertain.
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Favre has started a record 297 consecutive games, but he admitted following the game on Sunday that he could not throw the ball if he had to.
“It will probably be a day-to-day thing I would assume as we are going through this,” Vikings interim coach Leslie Frazier said. “We will go through the week just seeing how his throwing motion is and what he can and can’t tolerate.”
Asked if he expects Favre to play, Frazier said: “No question. There’s nobody tougher than Brett Favre to ever play the quarterback position. I’d be surprised if he’s not able to play this weekend.”
Jackson replaced Favre and threw two touchdown passes and three interceptions in beating the Bills. He is much more of a threat as a scrambler than Favre.
“That will cause some time to be spent in preparation and in practice time preparing for both quarterbacks,” coach Tom Coughlin said. “As the week unfolds we’ll have to do some things which will be more specific as to which player we anticipate starting.”
Defensive tackle Barry Cofield said: “We have actually played against Tavaris Jackson in the past, most of us. He’s a different animal with his athleticism and his ability to create plays with his feet and prolong plays with his feet. They definitely do pose two different types of offense that you’d want to prepare for.”
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OL David Diehl
(hamstring) and WR Steve Smith
(pectoral) are both expected to practice tomorrow. Both did some work last week. Smith says he has “a good sense” he will be able to play vs. the Vikings.
“I know I’m going to have to deal with pain so I’m just going to have to deal with it,” Smith said.
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WR Hakeem Nicks
has missed the past two games with a lower leg injury (compartment syndrome) that required a surgical procedure. Coughlin said Nicks will resume running this week even if the stitches have not been removed from Nicks’ left leg.
“The doctor wasn’t concerned about that,” Coughlin said. “The kind of stitching that was done, he can go ahead and run with them.”
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OL Shawn Andrews
has missed the last two games with a recurrence of his back problems. “There has been improvement. I’m not sure what the status will be Wednesday,” said Coughlin, who added Andrews has not yet been cleared to resume practicing. . . . Coughlin offered no update on C Shaun O’Hara
(mid-foot sprain)
.