By PAUL SCHWARTZ

This is sure to help ease the fears of Giants fans wondering and worrying if Plaxico Burress was going to be able to play Sunday against his former team when the Giants face the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Burress was out on the field this morning, in pads and practicing.

That was not the case on Thursday, when Burress was not at practice and instead paid a visit to the Hospital for Special Surgery to have his sore neck examined. Multiple tests revealed no structural damage and Burress is no doubt receiving treatments to help decrease the soreness and stiffness.

The Giants unquestionably need Burress going against the NFL’s top-ranked defense and it appears he will be running routes at Heinz Field, which is expected to be wet and possibly muddy from a weekend filled with rain.