Giant relief MRI reveals Manning has bruised shoulder, no tear Posted: Monday September 10, 2007 8:05PM; Updated: Monday September 10, 2007 8:05PM http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/nfl/09/10/giants.injuries.ap/index.html Eli Manning stands as questionable for the Giants' home opener against the Packers. AP EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Eli Manning has a bruised right shoulder and it is uncertain whether the New York Giants quarterback will play against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Manning had an MRI on Monday that revealed a contusion to the acromioclavicular joint, near the collarbone. "They have put it in my hands," Manning said of his playing status. "It's how you heal, and when you start to feel good and when you can make the throws. It's not a certain amount of time. It's how long you take to heal. I hope I'm a fast healer." Manning called his injury a bruised shoulder. Giants coach Tom Coughlin said it was sprained. The Giants public relations staff labeled it a bruised AC joint. Manning's shoulder will be iced and get electrical stimulation over the next two days. The Giants start practicing for the Packers on Wednesday. "Everything is probably as good as it can be from the test results," Manning said of the injury to the top of his shoulder. "It's just a matter of when do you have the strength and when do you feel you can throw it full strength, and you'll be out there playing." The Giants got other good news on Monday. Former Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora irritated the cartilage in his left knee in the first quarter, and his status is day to day. Halfback Brandon Jacobs, who sprained his right knee, will be week to week. Manning, who has started 42 straight regular-season and playoff games for the Giants dating to 2004, said he wasn't in a lot of pain on Monday evening. He even joked with reporters. He said he brushed his teeth with his right hand, started his car with his right hand and then stuck out his right hand and shook hands with one reporter. Walking off the field on Sunday night after the 45-35 loss to the Cowboys in Dallas, Manning only stuck out his left hand to greet opponents. For effect on Monday, Manning even grabbed a pair of shorts hanging in his locker and lifted them three times in a weightlifting move. "I am not in pain or hurting in any way," said Manning, who completed 28 of 41 passes for 312 yards, four touchdowns and one interception in the loss. "When I can throw the ball, I will be out there throwing." Manning and Coughlin denied an ESPN report that the quarterback had a separated shoulder and would be out four weeks. "I don't know where that report came from and I don't know where the information supposedly came from," Coughlin said, adding that if Manning can't play this week "it will be another week." Jared Lorenzen, who finished up in the Giants' final series, will start if Manning can't go Sunday. Manning was hurt on a failed two-point conversion attempt in the fourth quarter when he was hit by linebacker Anthony Spencer. "I knew it didn't feel good," said Manning, who has never missed a game at any level because of an injury. "Sometimes you'll get hit and you'll lose some strength and it will come back. I was just hoping that that's what it was, but I knew it was a little bit more than that." Following Gibril Wilson's interception, Manning went right back out and threw his third touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress. After Dallas scored on a third-down, 51-yard touchdown pass on a play in which officials missed an illegal procedure by Cowboys receiver Patrick Crayton, Coughlin and Manning decided it would be best for him to take the rest of the night off. "I knew there was something wrong," Manning said. "I knew it had gotten a little tighter and I felt more pain, I guess, after sitting a little more time on the sideline. I didn't want to make anything worse. If we had stopped them on the third down and gotten the ball back, my competitive nature, I would have gone back in there and tried to win that game." Notes: Derrick Ward will start for Jacobs with Reuben Droughns getting more time as his backup. ... The Giants are considering moving LB Mathias Kiwanuka back to defensive end if Umenyiora takes a while to heal. ... The Giants signed DT Russell Davis, a nine-year veteran who has played for Chicago, Arizona and Seattle. They have until 4 p.m. Tuesday to make a roster move to clear space for Davis.
Eli's broken shoulder is still twice as strong as Chad's healthy one. Besides - anyone who reads this board knows that a strong shoulder is worthless in the NFL. Look at Ryan Leaf...
