Giants RB Jacobs ruled out for Sunday

Dec 12, 2008 - 7:35 PM EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs missed his third straight practice Friday and was ruled out of Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin announced Jacobs would be sidelined following Friday's practice.

"He hasn't practiced all week, so we just don't think that he will be ready," Coughlin said.

Jacobs injured his left knee in last weekend's 20-14 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Derrick Ward will start and Ahmad Bradshaw also will see plenty of time against the Cowboys.

Coughlin said Jacobs' absence will not affect the game plan.

"The scheme is the scheme and we have always utilized whichever back was in there in the way that they could be - as if all of them were going to play depending on who happened to be in the game at time," he said. "So in the fourth quarter many times when Bradshaw is in there, we are running the same plays that we run when it is the first quarter."

An MRI exam earlier this week revealed no structural damage in the knee, but Jacobs continues to deal with soreness. It is not the same injury that forced him to miss the Week 12 win over Arizona.

Jacobs is fourth in the league with 12 touchdowns, and his 1,002 yards are good for eighth-best in the NFL.

Owners of the best record in the NFC at 11-2, the Giants wrapped up the NFC East title Sunday when the Cowboys (8-5) lost to Pittsburgh.

New York can clinch a first-round bye in the playoffs with a win Sunday.