Eli Manning listed as questionable for Sunday’s game

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning returned to practice Friday and showed no ill effects from the injured right heel that kept him out the previous two days.

Yet the team is still being cautious about his status for Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders.

Manning is listed as questionable, and Coach Tom Coughlin said it will more than likely be a game-time decision whether he will play.

“If the medical people think he can play, then he will play,” Coughlin said. “We’ll evaluate him every day. I know he wants to play in the worst way, but we’re not going to go against the medical people. We’re not going to pencil him in and say he’s playing.”

Coughlin said that he was “encouraged” by the way Manning looked at practice.

“He did fine,” Coughlin said. “You want someone who can make the exchanges on handoffs and drop back to plant and throw. He did all of that.”

No word on Stafford

Detroit Lions Coach Jim Schwartz has made one thing clear from the start of his short tenure: He isn’t going to help the opposition write its game plan.

This week, that means a complete shutdown on news about rookie quarterback Matt Stafford’s injured right knee and his status for Sunday’s game against Pittsburgh.

“I’ll announce a starting quarterback on Sunday,” Schwartz said after Friday’s practice.

Stafford injured his knee in last weekend’s lopsided loss to Chicago, but neither he nor the team will confirm reports he suffered a dislocated kneecap that quickly returned into place.

Taylor optimistic

New England Patriots running back Fred Taylor is hopeful his ankle surgery Thursday isn’t season-ending.

Taylor underwent surgery to repair ligament damage in his right ankle at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston on Thursday.

Taylor told the Florida Times-Union on Thursday night that the surgery was “more serious than a scope,” but doesn’t expect it to sideline him the entire season. Taylor told the newspaper he suffered a high ankle sprain and tore “a couple of ligaments.”

Hasselbeck to play

Matt Hasselbeck has gone from excruciating pain to probable in four days.

Seattle Seahawks Coach Jim Mora said after Hasselbeck completed his third consecutive practice that he expects his three-time Pro Bowl passer to start Sunday against Jacksonville.

It will be his first game since he broke a rib on a dive for the goal line Sept. 20 at San Francisco.

Polamalu not ready

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu practiced only lightly for the third day in a row and is not expected to play Sunday in Detroit.

Polamalu, a five-time Pro Bowl player, has not played since tearing the medial collateral ligament in his left knee Sept. 10 against Tennessee. He was on the field Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, but did not take part in a full practice.

Etc.

Denver running back Correll Buckhalter sat out a third consecutive practice because of an ankle injury. It appears rookie Knowshon Moreno will start in his place Sunday when the Broncos host New England. . . . New York Jets wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery sat out practice Friday because of a hamstring injury, and Coach Rex Ryan said he could miss the game against the Miami Dolphins on Monday night. . . . Tennessee defensive lineman Tony Brown was fined $10,000 for making helmet-to-helmet contact with Jaguars quarterback David Garrard.