The New York Giants will welcome the Dallas Cowboys to town on Sunday with an IR-bound defensive leader (Antonio Pierce), a sore-footed quarterback (Eli Manning) and a depleted stable of running backs; these are not ideal conditions for what many around the area are calling a "must-win."
Ahmad Bradshaw and Danny Ware both missed practice on Wednesday, and are looking increasingly doubtful for Sunday's division showdown with Dallas at the Meadowlands.
Bradshaw is struggling to return from a foot and ankle injury that kept him out of Thursday's Thanksgiving Day loss to the Denver Broncos. Ware, a rookie, suffered a concussion during that loss and, given the NFL's newly adopted, suddenly strict policy concerning injuries of this sort, a weekend return seems unlikely.
"I know they're going to go very cautiously here," head coach Tom Coughlin said of Ware. "We'll just have to see."
If both are held out Sunday, the rushing attack will consist solely of Brandon Jacobs, fullback Madison Hedgecock, and rookie Gartrell Johnson. Jacobs, who had just 58 yards on 16 attempts in the teams' first meeting, has yet to post a 100-yard rushing performance this season.
Johnson, a Colorado State product, has just 39 carries on 11 attempts for his young career.
