PLAYER NOTES

--WR Plaxico Burress, who is in and out of the coaches' doghouse, didn't start last week but is expected to do so against the Cowboys. "It's out of my hands," he said. "If the team is going to line up and take me out of the game, then those are things I have no control over. I control what I control."

--CB Kevin Dockery, a valuable nickel back and special teams performer, suffered a transverse fracture of his back and may miss the game Sunday. He has not yet been ruled out but did not participate in practice.

--OLB Bryan Kehl (toe), DT Fred Robbins (hand) and OLB Gerris Wilkinson (knee) missed practice Wednesday. All but Wilkinson are expected to play, however. "Kehl almost ran me over leaving the locker room (for practice)," joked head coach Tom Coughlin. "He looked fine to me."

--If Steelers' DE Brett Keisel was right when he claimed to read Manning's lips and learn that the goal-line play was "32," which is translated into RB Brandon Jacobs over right guard (Chris Snee), not many of the players believed him. "Eli is yelling stuff all game," said guard Rich Seubert. "He could have yelled that number and six others."

GAME PLAN: With Tony Romo out of the game and Brad Johnson scheduled to start at QB for the Cowboys, the Giants will attempt to stop RB Marion Barber and force the 40-year-old Johnson to pass. He is relatively immobile and should be a "sitting duck" for the Giants' frightening pass rush. Offensively, with the Cowboys boasting a strong front seven, the O-line wants to keep Manning as safe as he was in Pittsburgh - he wasn't sacked -- and let him operate on a wounded Dallas secondary.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH: Giants LG Rich Seubert, LT David Diehl and C Shaun O'Hara vs. Cowboys WLB DeMarcus Ware: Seubert, Diehl and O'Hara are going to have to play tag-team against Ware, who leads the team with nine sacks and is one of the best in the NFL. This will, by definition, put more pressure on the right side of the Giants' offensive line, but the other side of the Dallas defense isn't as threatening.

Giants WRs Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer vs. Cowboys CBs Anthony Henry and rookies Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick: Dallas starters Adam Jones and Terence Newman are out. Jones was suspended and is now in alcohol rehab. Newman underwent surgery for a sports hernia. Henry, a veteran, is battling a thigh injury but hopes to start.

Giants DE Mathias Kiwanuka vs. Cowboys RT Marc Colombo: Last week's NFC Defensive Player of the Week will face the huge (6-8, 318) but slow Colombo. Ironically, both are Boston College products.

INJURY IMPACT: WLB Gerris Wilkinson (knee) might miss his third consecutive game.

--CB Kevin Dockery (fractured transverse process) will probably not play.