Janoris Jenkins might be held out of Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Redskins, but if he is, it will be purely for precautionary reasons. The Pro Bowl cornerback has practiced in some capacity every day this week and says he is feeling much better after experiencing a scare with a severely bruised back Dec. 11 against the Cowboys.
Jenkins did not play in last week’s loss to the Eagles in Philadelphia.
“I feel better than I did last week,’’ Jenkins said Thursday. “Coach made the decision not to play me and I went with it. I feel better this week.’’
Jenkins was inadvertently drilled in the back by teammate Trevin Wade and needed an MRI exam to make sure he did not suffer any damage to his organs.
“It was scary,’’ he said. “A situation like that is always scary. The results I got, I was satisfied and happy that it wasn’t serious. Just continue to do treatment.’’
Asked if he could have played against the Eagles if it was a playoff game, Jenkins said “I don’t know. Last week is last week. I’m onto this week. I might be out there this week if you look for me.’’
The Giants are hoping Eli Manning reverts to the form he showed in Super Bowl runs following the 2007 and 2011 seasons and shakes off his 2016 regular-season struggles.
“I certainly have wonderful, happy memories of postseason Eli, two times, two specific postseasons,’’ offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan said. “Can he raise the level of the other players or is it a situation where he’s going to really depend on them to get his game going? I think it really is a combination of both.’’
Does Sullivan think Manning is a different player in the playoffs?
“Do I believe there’s a difference?’’ Sullivan said. “I believe he’s a great football player, he’s someone we depend upon and we have all the confidence in the world in him.’’
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo described the regular-season finale as “a big game,’’ though it holds no playoff ramifications for the Giants.
“Because you want to win football games in the NFL,’’ Spagnuolo said. “It is game 16, get to 11-5. There are a lot of reasons. If you aren’t going out there to win a football game, then you probably ought to not go out there.’’
Victor Cruz became the first two-time winner of the George Young Good Guy Award, given annually by the Giants chapter of the Pro Football Writers Association to the player who best cooperates with media members who cover the team.
Cruz also won the award in 2011. Landon Collins finished second in the voting and Manning was third. Also receiving votes: Justin Pugh, Jonathan Casillas, Odell Beckham Jr., Will Tye and Brad Wing.