Tom Coughlin said yesterday the MRI exam on the right leg of kicker Lawrence Tynes confirmed what the Giants suspected Saturday night — the kicker has a bruised thigh.
“We’ll take it as best we can; I’m not going to predict how long he’ll be out, but he certainly will be full-time in the training room, that’s for sure,” the coach said.
Given that Tynes could barely walk leaving the locker room at Bank of America Stadium after a 20-10 preseason loss to the Panthers, it is unlikely he will be able to do much this week.
Tynes was injured early in the fourth quarter when linebacker Sean Ware slammed his helmet into Tynes’ right thigh after blocking a 44-yard field-goal attempt. Tynes was livid afterward, believing he fit the definition of a “defenseless player” and thus there should have been a penalty called.
Coughlin did not agree. “The ball was blocked,” he said, which mitigates the roughing penalty.
It appeared rookie tackle James Brewer missed an assignment on the play and did not block Ware, allowing him easy access to the kicker.
“That’s a technique mistake by a young player,” said Coughlin, who would not say whether Brewer was at fault. “We’re all responsible for that. It just ticks me off something like that happens.”
The Giants do not play again for seven days until a Monday night meeting with the Bears, giving Tynes some time to heal. Coughlin said there have been no discussions about signing another kicker, but did say, “We have one solid option if we decide to.”
Shayne Graham, who was signed last season but never kicked for the Giants, is available after being cut recently by the Redskins. Veteran kickers John Kasay and Joe Nedney also are available.
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WR Domenik Hixon played for the first time since suffering a torn ACL last spring.
“The return of Domenik Hixon was a very positive thing for our team,” Coughlin said. “I thought Dom had a nice night catching the ball, taking a pounding and reassuring for himself that he’s healthy and ready to go.”
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Even though David Baas is a five-year veteran and played extensively with the 49ers, there is an adjustment for him with his move to the Giants. On one play, Baas missed an assignment on a screen pass to Mario Manningham, resulting in Panthers rookie DT Sione Fua barreling into Eli Manning.
“David Baas is going to be a good football player here for us, there’s no doubt in my mind,” Coughlin said. “We do have some growing pains to experience there.”
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Coughlin mentioned rookie LB Greg Jones doing a good job in his pro debut. He also singled out DE Ayanga Okpokowuruk and CB Brian Witherspoon.
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Coughlin said WR Ramses Barden (ankle) and C Adam Koets (knee) are not close to returning from injuries. “That’s frustrating for me,” he said.