Osi Umenyiora Wins “NFC Defensive Player of the Week” Again

October 23, 2007 New York Giants Injury Report:  SS James Butler (ankle/hamstring) and WR Plaxico Burress (ankle) did not practice yesterday.

“(HB) Derrick Ward came out of the (49ers) game actually more nicked that he has been in previous weeks,” said Head Coach Tom Coughlin.  It is not clear if Ward practiced or not though The Journal News is reporting that he did not.

WR Steve Smith (shoulder) was more “advanced” in practice according to Coughlin.

DE Osi Umenyiora Wins “NFC Defensive Player of the Week” Again:  DE Osi Umenyiora has been awarded the “NFC Defensive Player of the Week” award for his performance against the 49ers last Sunday.  Umenyiora won the award largely due to one play where he sacked QB Trent Dilfer, forced a fumble, and then returned that fumble 75 yards for a touchdown.

This is Umenyiora’s second “NFC Defensive Player of the Week” award.  He earned his first for his 6-sack game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4. Umenyiora is the first Giants’ defender to win two “NFC Player of the Week” awards in the same season since DE Michael Strahan in 2001.

Articles on the Giants Not Missing Tiki Barber: Giants Are Motivated in Absence of Barber by John Branch of The New York Times

Quotes:  DE Justin Tuck on playing the 0-7 Miami Dolphins in London: “I think what’s dangerous about them is they are 0-7 and they lost their best player (HB Ronnie Brown) – their backs are against the wall.  What better situation to get their first win than to be in the limelight in London against a team that’s on a roll right now? It could be a trap game if we don’t go over there and have that mentality we need to have.”