EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Eli
Manning got under the center and everything looked normal, for the most
part.
He identified the middle linebacker,
barked out a few signals and took the snap from Shaun O'Hara. The only
thing out of the ordinary was this: Manning was wearing a blue Giants
baseball cap to cover his head and the meding 3-inch wound on the left
side of his forehead.
Different? Absolutely. But the Giants
had their quarterback back at practice and getting ready to start
Saturday's next-to-last preseason game against the Ravens in Baltimore.
"I liked his tempo right away," coach
Tom Coughlin said after practice. "He got the ball out of his hand quick
and made some real good decisions. So we're glad to have him back on
the practice field."
Manning, who intends to wear his
helmet at practice Wednesday, left no doubt before practice that he will
play against the Ravens.
"If everything goes according to plan,
yes," Coughlin said.
Manning was held out of the Giants'
game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday. The team was concerned
the gash would reopen if he were hit or would become irritated or
infected by wearing a helmet.
The 12 stitches that closed the wound
were removed Friday, four days after he was bloodied in the game against
the Jets. Manning's helmet was knocked off and he was hit by safety Jim
Leonhard.
"It's no fun sitting out, sitting out
practice last week," Manning said. "At least it was a short week and I
didn't miss too much. I like being out there for the games. It is
preseason and I was trying to be smart and make sure I get everything
healed now where you have a little time."
Manning, who led the Giants to a
Super Bowl in February 2008, has started a franchise-record 87
consecutive regular-season games.
"I'm feeling great," Manning said
before practice. "Ready, excited about getting out to practice today and
getting back into the action."
Manning said the gash is healing and
the scar is not too bad. The team plans to add extra padding to his
helmet and has talked to the helmet manufacturer, Schutt Sports, about
adjustments.
The third preseason game is usually
the most important for NFL teams. It's the one that the starters play at
least a half.
The Giants' offense needs the work.
The unit has been limited in the preseason with starting guards Chris
Snee (knee) and Rich Seubert (hand) out The team also was forced to use
third-string quarterback Rhett Bomar the whole game against the Steelers
because of injuries to Manning and backup Jim Sorgi (shoulder), which
meant the game plan had to be reduced.
Snee and Seubert are due back this
week and the Giants have most of their tight ends back, too. They have
played short-handed most of training camp with Kevin Boss (hamstring),
Travis Beckum (hamstring) and Scott Chandler (hip) bothered by injuries.
"It's just something that happens at
training camp," Manning said. "You get a few guys banged up, and if it's
time to get everybody back, this is kind of the time you want everybody
back when you're getting close to the start of the season.
"We've got a long week, a full week
between games. So I'm looking forward to a great week of practice and
getting everybody kind of back healthy, back into sync of what we're
doing."