EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin tried to set the tone this morning with regard to the weather.
“Our team is not going to entertain a whole lot of questions or spend a lot of time talking about the weather,” Coughlin said.
That didn’t work.
With temperatures for Sunday’s NFC championship game at Lambeau Field expected to reach no more than 4 degrees and lows expected below zero, the Giants were barraged with questions about how they plan to deal with the elements.
Coughlin took his team outside to practice at 11:40 a.m., although the mid-day temperate here was near 40 degrees, so it’s debatable how much that could have helped the Giants prepare for the cold.
Coughlin’s approach was in contract to Packers coach Mike McCarthy’s philosophy of practicing indoors late in the season. Coughlin wouldn’t say whether he planned to practice outside the rest of the week, but the Giants have practiced inside their bubble almost exclusively late in the season.
The Giants’ offensive linemen have made a pact not to wear anything under their jerseys, so expect to see them in short sleeves on Sunday.
“You can’t wear sleeves,” said former Packers offensive lineman Grey Ruegamer, who is in his second season with the Giants. “That’s for skill-(position) people.”
Giants left guard Rich Seubert, a Marshfield native, believes it’s possible to put even extremely cold temperatures out of his mind during a game.
“The benches are heated, and they’ve got heaters on the sidelines,” Seubert said. “When you’re playing, you don’t care. I grew up there. I know how cold it gets. I heard them saying it’s going to be 7 degrees. That’s pretty warm. I went home last year (in February), and it was like minus-20 for a week straight.”
Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes said he heard Seahawks kicker Josh Brown wore heated pants during Saturday’s snow-filled NFC divisional playoff game at Lambeau Field but had no plans to do the same.
“I’m not a big hunter, so I don’t have that kind of apparel,” Tynes said. “It was a smart idea though. I think with the heated benches, I’ll be fine. I may put on an extra undershirt but on my legs, I’ll wear what I would normally wear if it was 85 degrees.”
Tynes admitted that today’s practice outdoors probably won’t help much come Sunday, especially considering he worked out comfortably in shorts.
A homecoming of sorts
Seubert grew up 140 miles from Green Bay, regularly attended games at Lambeau Field and knows many of his family and friends are Packers fans.
However, he believes all of them will be rooting for the Giants on Sunday.
“Family is a lot thicker than where you live,” Seubert said. “They’ll be supporting the Giants.”
It will be the first game at Lambeau in his seven-year NFL career. He did not play in the Giants’ 14-7 win in Green Bay on Oct. 3, 2004. Seubert missed the entire 2004 season to recover from the broken leg he sustained in 2003.
“It will be fun to have some of my family there – parents, uncles, sisters and stuff,” Seubert said. “It’s going to be fun, but it’s going to be a tough game.”
The 6-foot-3, 310-pound Seubert, who played at Western Illinois, has started all 16 games this season.
Injury report
The Giants’ secondary looks like it will be in better shape this week than it was at the end of Sunday’s divisional playoff game at Dallas.
Cornerback Aaron Ross, a rookie first-round draft pick, returned to practice on a limited basis and said he expects to play on Sunday but will have to wear a brace. He left the Cowboys’ game twice after his right shoulder popped out of place.
“I really don’t know (if it will pop out again),” Ross said after practice. “All I’m going to do is go out there and play the same way I’ve been playing. If a tackle comes up where I have to hit him with my right shoulder, I’m going to do it.”
Cornerback Sam Madison (abdominal strain) was expected to take part in individual drills, but the Giants listed as a non-participant. Kevin Dockery, the Giants’ top nickel corner, also didn’t practice due to a hip flexor.
Receiver Plaxico Burress (ankle) and tackle Kareem McKenzie (ankle) were limited.
Looking back
Coughlin was the Packers receivers coach in 1986 and 1987 under Forrest Gregg, but his career was in limbo after Gregg left to become the coach at SMU in 1987.
Coughlin confirmed that Gregg left the Packers without even telling his own coaching staff that he was taking the SMU job.
“He just left,” Coughlin said. “(That conversation) is for another time. The way it ended in Green Bay, that’s a pretty boring story really. The great thing about it is that I ended up here (as an assistant coach).”
Odds and ends
Of Williams, Jacobs said: “That’s one guy who I can say I’m really happy for. He didn’t get a scholarship coming out of high school, and it took him until this year to really get an opportunity to play. I wish him a lot of luck from here on out.”
The New York Herald Sun 