When Kenny Phillips hobbled off the field during the second quarter against the Packers, he did not have positive vibes. His left knee — the one on which he had microfracture knee surgery in 2009 — was hurting again.
“When it first happened you think the worst, ‘It’s over,’” Phillips said yesterday, “but after the MRI [exam] showed what it showed I’m glad it’s nothing serious.’’
Phillips, who has a sprained medial collateral ligament, hasn’t given up hope of playing Sunday night at Dallas, but that’s probably overly optimistic. Instead of practicing, he rode a stationary bike and did some knee strengthening exercises on the side.
“It wasn’t painful or sore or anything,’’ Phillips said. “Thus far I have a positive attitude. I haven’t been told I’m not going to play.’’
* The Giants are trying to get to the bottom of what C David Baas said are “migraine-type headaches’’ that kept him out of the Packers game and continue to bother him. Baas said the headaches are in some way caused by the neck injury he has been dealing with all season. It doesn’t sound like he is coming back any time soon.
“I really want to play football, but my health is very important to me,” Baas said.
Coach Tom Coughlin said the situation is “Much more serious than a headache, obviously.’’
* TE Jake Ballard got a good look at the still pictures that appeared to show his right knee touched inside the end zone on what should have been a touchdown reception against the Packers, but was ruled out of bounds. Coughlin said earlier this week that the picture “made me sick to my stomach.’’
Ballard said he wasn’t deliberately trying to drag his knee in the end zone.
“Any receiver or tight end, the first thing is catch the ball,’’ Ballard said. “Especially where you’re going out of bounds, dragging your feet and knee kind of go out the window when you’re trying to make a catch like that.’’
* OL Stacy Andrews was put on injured reserve with blood clots in both lungs, so the Giants replaced him on the roster with OT Tony Ugoh, who started 27 games for the Colts from 2007 to 2009. He most recently played for Jim Fassel’s Las Vegas Locomotives in the UFL and hasn’t played in the NFL since 2009.
WR Mario Manningham — who missed the past two games with a swollen knee — was on the field and participating in individual drills. … DE Dave Tollefson (knee), RB Brandon Jacobs (hamstring), LB Michael Boley (hamstring), RB Ahmad Bradshaw (foot) did not practice.
