With the Giants' fate hanging in the balance after Manning took himself out of Sunday night's 45-35 loss to the Cowboys, the sense of dread was palpable throughout the organization. Had the injury been severe enough, the Giants could have said goodbye to this season, and perhaps Tom Coughlin's tenure as coach. But once the results came in from Monday's MRI, the relief was immediate: a bruise to the A-C joint and a slightly separated shoulder. It probably sounds worse than it really is, but the bottom line is that Manning is day-to-day and will not -- I repeat, will not -- be out for a prolonged period. He might even play Sunday against the Packers; if not then, then .almost certainly the following week at Washington. It's a lot better news than what he feared after being injured midway through the fourth quarter Sunday near the end of a transcendent performance that made you believe that Manning's time is here.