8/26 Practice Notes

[jranieli]

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2009/08/post_8.html

 

Defensive tackle Chris Canty 'very hopeful' to play in season opener after platelet-rich plasma therapy

 

You'd have to figure a few teammates would have been squeamish upon hearing the details of Chris Canty's platelet-rich plasma therapy session from Monday in which his blood was withdrawn, centrifuged and reinjected to aid in the recovery of his torn hamstring.

 

"I'll tell you what -- I was a little squeamish when I saw the tube of blood they took out of me. That thing was huge," the Giants' defensive tackle said Wednesday in the locker room after practice. "That was the worst part. It wasn't too painful and it was very quick."

 

And it might have shown some immediate results.

 

Canty said he felt less tightness and soreness in his hamstring Wednesday and he was able to jog a bit on the side while the team practiced. It was the most work he's done since going down with the injury early in camp.

 

"I felt pretty good moving around a little bit today, so hopefully we can build on that and continue to move forward," Canty said, though he admitted the big test will be Thursday morning. "You want to see how it feels -- if it's sore in the morning. But I'm not anticipating that. I'm thinking only the best and hopefully we'll be able to build off today."

 

Tom Coughlin said Canty will not play on Saturday against the Jets, but that was expected after the coach admitted early this week his injury is "serious" and is taking longer than expected to heal. As for the start of the regular season, Canty said he's "very hopeful" he'll be out there in Week 1. That's obviously the big goal for his return, but Canty realizes he's missing valuable time right now, especially since he's making the transition to a 4-3 defense (at tackle) after playing the last nine seasons in a 3-4 (at end) with the Cowboys and in college at Virginia.

 

"I got a few practices there in the beginning, but I really need some work on it to be where I want to be, to be where this ball club wants me to be in order to be able to contribute," Canty said, later adding this about the switch to a 4-3: "It's a completely new defense. It's the first time I've had to learn a new defense in nine years -- since high school. I've been playing 3-4 for the last decade. So playing a 4-3 is a little bit different so far as the philosophy, terminology and techniques. It's an adjustment, but at the end of the day football is football and I'm a football player."

 

Said Coughlin, "It's a good thing he had the OTAs and our mandatory camp last spring. You're right, it's a lot different. It's a one-gap defense."

 

* * *

 

CB Aaron Ross was out Wednesday after aggravating a hamstring injury Tuesday. (No platelet process for him yet.) Someone informed of his injury status said Ross' injury hasn't worsened to the point where the start of the regular season is in doubt. It's just a matter of time and how quickly he'll recover, though as he showed Tuesday, it's tough to tell how long that process will be.

 

Asked what the tests showed, Coughlin said, "He's limping."

 

Thanks, but my eyes saw that. Any worse?

 

"Obviously, a little worse than it was," Coughlin said. "As he tried to accelerate, down he went."

 

* * *

 

LBs Antonio Pierce (foot) and Michael Boley (hip), CB Stoney Woodson (ankle) and OL Terrance Pennington (unknown) did not practice. Woodson did have pads on, but he apparently didn't practice fully. DT Jay Alford (knee) was out and wasn't at practice.

 

LB Danny Clark (chin) was back in action.

 

* * *

 

It was a "cards" practice, meaning a scout-team session for both sides of the ball, so there wasn't much to report. But there was some live action, including a great catch by WR Derek Hagan to close the two-minute drill and practice.

 

DE Justin Tuck batted down a pair of passes at the line earlier.

 

WR Hakeem Nicks caught a deep on on a great ball by QB David Carr, who also delivered a strike to WR Taye Biddle on a deep in.

 

S Michael Johnson picked off a deep flag from Carr.

 

And WR Shaun Bodiford made a terrific catch of a deflection by LB Chase Blackburn.

 

 

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/giants/t-rock-s-take-on-the-giants-1.811990/hagan-caps-practice-with-a-bang-canty-and-boley-progressing-1.1396327

 

Hagan caps practice with a bang; Canty and Boley progressing

 

At the end of practice the Giants ran a hurry-up drill. Here's one way to hurry up: David Carr threw a bomb down the right sideline for Derek Hagan, who made a great catch while safety Sha'reff Rashad came over trying to cut him off.

 

Plenty of high-fives on offense for that one and Hagan was all smiles in the locker room.

 

So this was the first practice on the outdoor fields at the Watch Tower (are we all on board with that nickname? Email me at tom.rock@newsday.com if you have better suggestions). Eli Manning said it was a bit of a tease in teh spring to see those fields and not be able to play on them. Tom Couglin said he loved it and thought it was a faster track for the players.

 

Even the injured players looked faster. Chris Canty, who has been sidelined since the first week in August with a hamstring injury and has been unable to do anything, did some running on the sidelines today. This two days after receiving a new procedure called platelet-rich plasma therapy. He said the effects of that treatment were almost immediate, although he did feel a little queasy when they drew a big tube of his blood for the therapy. Canty said he's hopeful he'll be able to play in Week 1. As I've noted here before, he's REALLY hopeful he gets to play in Week 2.

 

And Michael Boley, who underwent hip surgery nine weeks ago yesterday with an expected recovery time of 8-10 weeks, was running on the sideline as well and doing some agility work. He's still on PUP -- and he'll miss the first game with a suspension -- but he appears to be close to returning to the field with the team. "I think I'm getting real close, closer every day," Boley said. He said it would be nice to get into the last preseason game and get his timing down. "A quarterback can't just hop in there with the offense and expect everything to be clicking," he said. "I think when I do get back it might take me a little while to get adjusted. It's going to be tough to get that chemistry going."

 

Aaron Ross was limping on the sidelines after re-injuring his hamstring yesterday. Antonio Pierce did not practice with a foot injury but Danny Clark did return with a nice scab on his chinny chin chin. Orrin Thomspon returned but Terrance Pennington missed practice.

 

As for practice, most of the work was off cards so it was the Giants against the Jets. There was at least one series of no-huddle plays in which the starters faced each other. Eli Manning completed five of six passes on that dirve, including a TD pass to Kevin Boss. The one pass that was incomplete was batted down by Justin Tuck. Steve Smith and Domenik Hixon each caught two passes in the series.

 

Gerris Wilkinson was working with the first unit for the third straight practice, but Coughlin said he's still rotating that position. Kevin Dockery took Ross' spot with the starters.

 

And at the end of practice, Sinorice Moss sprinted off the field while the rest of the team remained for a cool-down period. He had the same "injury" as Michael Matthews had earlier in practice. If you were following me on Twitter, you'd know what I was talking about! So there's your incentive.

[so-cal dub]

Nady had the same type thing done for his elbow...look where it got him. I dont want to be Debby Downer, just sayin...

[jranieli]

I think the whole Mets team decided to do this also.

[hlb37]

It is looking like our whole free agent class will be a bust this year between torn labrums, ripped hammy's, suspensions for wife beatings etc.

 

Have any of the 3, Bernard, Canty, Boley, even seen the practice field yet?? Not good.

 

Add to that, Ross' ongoing hammy problem and it could be a long year.

[NightFire]

Asked what the tests showed, Coughlin said, "He's limping."

 

Thanks, but my eyes saw that. Any worse?

 

"Obviously, a little worse than it was," Coughlin said. "As he tried to accelerate, down he went."

 

:lol: