INJURIES KEEP MOUNTING

Injuries continue to mount for the Giants. The fears are that rookie receiver Steve Smith sustained a fractured shoulder blade after he made a 10-yard catch in the first quarter of yesterday's 35-13 loss to the Packers.

Smith would be out for several weeks and most likely months if the scapula is indeed broken.

Plaxico Burress sustained an ankle injury and appeared to have difficulty pulling his shirt over his shoulders. The Giants' first-round pick, cornerback Aaron Ross, could not make it out of the third quarter because of cramps.

Rookie running back Ahmad Bradshaw got the first reception of his career, an 11-yarder in the third quarter, but also fumbled away a kickoff early in the fourth quarter, giving the ball to the Packers on the Giants 22-yard line. He was forced out with an injured right elbow and exited the locker room wearing a sling.

Eli Manning - playing despite a bruised right shoulder - took a heavy hit from linebacker A.J. Hawk and landed hard on his left shoulder after throwing an interception in the fourth quarter. Manning said he was fine, but as a precaution he was removed. His replacement, Jared Lorenzen, was forced out with a sprained left ankle.

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Once again, a familiar lack of composure and smarts cost the Giants.

In the second quarter, TE Jeremy Shockey made a 14-yard reception to the Green Bay 16-yard line, then punching the ball out of his own hands, resulting in a delay-of-game penalty. The Giants had to settle for a field goal.

"Other people do it and they don't call it," said Shockey, who mentioned Packers QB Brett Favre . "I'm not making any excuses for it."

In the second quarter, usually mild-mannered WR Amani Toomer got tangled up with LB Nick Barnett and got in the Packer's after Barnett held him on the turf. The result:a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty with the Giants on the Green Bay 8, forcing another field goal.

"I really apologize to the whole team for that, that was very out of character," Toomer said. "Out there you definitely have to defend yourself when people are holding you down. I didn't want to hurt the team at all, but that's kind of what happens out there when you lose your head a little bit."

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