Tom Coughlin met the media yesterday, the difficult task of carving out a 53-man roster behind him. He can now focus on the Dallas Cowboys, who are just three days away from visiting MetLife for the NFL Kickoff opener…

“We’re exited about the start of the regular season, excited to begin our practice preparation for the Dallas Cowboys.  Dallas had a very good preseason; they were 3-1.  They averaged 355 yards per game, their first defense gave up six points.  They rushed the ball for 119 yards per game and passed for 233.  They have outstanding special teams personnel, so we have a solid week of preparation here in front of us.  We have been eagerly awaiting upstairs the word on putting our practice squad together.  It just started coming in when I came downstairs, so I don’t really have anything of that nature to share with you at this time.  The whole emphasis, of course, for the last couple days has been with regard to our roster and our practice squad.  We spent an awful lot of time on this subject and really, quite frankly, are ready to get to the practice field and move on.  No one has any questions?  I’ll go to practice.”

The practice squad names came shortly after, all of them familiar: DEs Matt Broha and Craig Marshall; WR David Douglas; OLs Stephen Goodin, Matt McCants and Selvish Capers; TE Larry Donnell and DB Laron Scott.

The Giants waived OL Mitch Petrus and claimed OT DJ Jones off waivers from Philadelphia.

The Giants have chosen not to use their short-term IR designation. Coughlin said he did not know if they would at this time. He explained why the team did not use it on CB Terrell Thomas or DT Shaun Rogers, opting to place them on season-ending IR instead.

“I’m just going to make a simple statement, which is not an answer to something as complex as this.  Medically speaking, I don’t feel like I’m qualified to give all the information that has been shared.  We felt that in the best interest of the player and the team that this was the direction that we should go with both Shaun Rogers and Terrell Thomas.  It certainly is a difficult thing.  You’re looking at a team that, again, started the season off looking pretty good in terms of the number of defensive wings that we had on the field, and then all of a sudden, boom, boom, boom, we start having this type of circumstance confront us.  Nevertheless, we have to think in the best long-term interest of not only the player but also the club and exactly where we’re at.”

Coughlin said CB Prince Amukamara and DT Marvin Austin would not play against Dallas but could play in Week Two vs Tampa Bay.

“They feel like it started to be in the positive, that he was stronger this morning upon his examination than he was, for example, last week,” Coughlin said of Austin. “We’re just trying to see on a day-by-day basis where he’s at, and if not this week, can we hope for next week.  That’s where we’re at, nothing solid.”

LB Michael Boley and OT Will Beatty practiced yesterday. CB Jayron Hosley and DE Jason Pierre-Paul also practiced.

“I feel like I’ll be ready,” said Boley. “As a competitor, I don’t like to miss games, period. I’m hoping I’ll be out there and I look forward to it. “

Coughlin was asked  if Justin Tuck would be used at defensive tackle:

“Not necessarily. He comes down in there in certain substituted defensive situations. Not much against regular people.”

Coughlin was also asked how much pain and soreness WR Hakeem Nicks (foot) might have to manage this week:

“There’s some, but I’m hoping that it’s not an awful lot. I think there’s going to be discomfort as anybody that works their way back from an injury that has to do with their feet or whatever that makes their living running is probably going to fight their way through some issues and I think he’s fully intent on doing that.”