(Sports Network) – Eli Manning is expected back on the field for the New York Giants on Saturday night, when Manning and the G-Men square off with the homestanding Baltimore Ravens in the third preseason game for each team.
Manning was injured after his un-helmeted head made contact with Jets safety Jim Leonhard’s facemask in the Giants’ 31-16 win on Aug. 16th, and the laceration on his head forced him to miss last Saturday’s 24-17 home loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
With would-be backup Jim Sorgi also sidelined due to a shoulder injury, third- stringer Rhett Bomar was forced to go the entire way against the Steelers. The former Oklahoma and Sam Houston State star completed 13-of-26 passes for 167 yards with an interception in the contest.
With Sorgi still out this week, Bomar figures to take the bulk of the second- half snaps in relief of Manning.
Cornerback Aaron Ross (foot) will not play for the Giants on Saturday, and defensive linemen Jason Pierre-Paul (groin) and Chris Canty (groin) are question marks. Running back Brandon Jacobs (neck), who was sidelined for the Pittsburgh game, could see some time against the Ravens.
Baltimore, meanwhile, will be trying to build on the success of preseason victories over the Panthers (17-12) and Redskins (23-3).
Against Washington last week, three Ravens quarterbacks combined for 253 yards on 28-of-40 passing, while the defense forced four turnovers and knocked quarterback Donovan McNabb out for at least a week with an ankle injury.
Baltimore, which finished the 2009 preseason at 4-0, has won six consecutive warm-up games since a loss to Atlanta on Aug. 28, 2008.
Starting right tackle Jared Gaither (back) will miss the game for the Ravens, and one of his potential replacements, Oniel Cousins (concussion), is a question mark for the contest.
The Ravens have a 6-5 edge in their all-time preseason series with the Giants, but were 13-12 home losers in the last such meeting, prior to the 2007 campaign.
The teams last met in meaningful play during the 2008 regular season, a 30-10 Giants win at the Meadowlands.
The most memorable game played between the franchises was Super Bowl XXXV in Tampa, won by Baltimore, 34-7.