Giants' Osi Umenyiora tells Eagles RB LeSean McCoy, he doesn't wear a tutu in a war of words between the two players . (US Presswire)

The Giants know enough to be careful with neck injuries. Former linebacker Antonio Pierce had his career cut short by a bulging disk and the same injury cost Mathias Kiwanuka the bulk of the 2010 season.

But Ahmad Bradshaw appears to be in a different situation. The veteran back is set to return to his starting role, just two games after injuring his neck in the Week 2 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“I feel great,” he said Thursday. “No symptoms at all, nothing. Lets me know that I’m going to be prepared for this week.”

Bradshaw described the neck issue as both a “bulge” and “an inflamed disc,” which is “sitting right on my spinal cord.” He appeared to be wearing larger shoulder pads during practice, but denied that when asked (maybe his head shrunk?).

Whatever the case may be, Bradshaw has been cleared to play against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night.

Bradshaw is particularly excited about Sunday because of the way the offensive line performed in the Week 3 win over the Carolina Panthers (backup Andre Brown registered 113 rushing yards in his first career start) and Bradshaw thinks Brown and rookie David Wilson will complement him well.

When asked about his playing time on Thursday, Wilson said he was supposed to split carries with Brown when Bradshaw went down in Week 2. But, since Brown reeled off 71 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries, Wilson said the coaches just stayed with the hot hand.

“And if I was the coach, I probably would have done the same thing,” Wilson said.

Osi doesn’t wear a tutu: After hearing that Eagles running back LeSean McCoy referred to him as a “ballerina” Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora took the high road on Thursday, much to the dismay of the inquiring media.

While he refused to answer questions about McCoy, he did emphatically declare that he will not wear a tutu on Sunday night.

“They fine you,” Umenyiora said, referring to the league’s rules regarding uniforms. “No tutu, no nothing. Just a regular Giants uniform.”

Umenyiora said he’ll use cleats on Sunday as opposed to ballet slippers because the grass tends to be slick at Lincoln Financial Field.

What’s going on with Michael Vick? The Eagles’ quarterback has been sacked nine times and hit a total of 28 times this season, but the Giants defenders don’t necessarily blame the Eagles’ offensive line.

“There’s a lot of blitzing going on,” Umenyiora said. “They’re not really getting beat with a lot of four-man rushes. I wouldn’t say it’s the offensive line’s fault. Tight ends, the running backs, maybe sometimes the quarterback is holding onto the ball longer than he’s supposed to. I wouldn’t completely blame it on the offensive line. I think they’ve done a pretty good job.”

Defensive tackle Rocky Bernard agreed.

In addition to holding the ball too long, Bernard suspects Vick has contributed to the hits by trying to make the big play instead of “taking what the defense gives you.”

Perry Fewell thinks Antrel Rolle will play: Rolle missed Thursday’s practice with a sore knee, but the Giants defensive coordinator said there’s “no doubt” in his mind that Rolle will be active against the Eagles on Sunday.

As for Rolle, he’s just annoyed to have missed a practice.

“Hopefully everything goes as planned and I’ll be okay come Sunday,” he said. “I don’t like missing practice. I think that bothered me more than anything.”

Who didn’t practice? RT David Diehl (knee), CB Jayron Hosley (hamstring), LB Keith Rivers (hamstring) and Rolle all missed practice Thursday. CB Michael Coe (hamstring) and WR Hakeem Nicks (foot) were both limited) and CB Corey Webster practiced with a cast on his broken right hand.

Fewell said Webster still managed to make a few nice catches with his left hand, and has been impressed with just how little the cast seems to be effecting the veteran corner.

Coughlin said Diehl is making progress (he did some work along the sideline on Sunday), but he is less optimistic about Hosley, saying that the rookie sat on “doctor’s orders.”

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