Plaxico Burress is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game with the Cardinals because of a hamstring injury. Brandon Jacobs is probable after an MRI on his knee showed no damage. Whatever their physical condition, however, it is their mental state that will decide whether they play this weekend.

Tom Coughlin told reporters that each player would be lineup if “they are in the right frame of mind.”When asked to define such a mindset, Coughlin said “anxious and obviously excited about the opportunity and all that goes into play a game - playing with your heart.”

According to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News, that generated even more questions from assembled reporters wondering if that was a particular problem with either player.

“Don’t make a big deal out of that,” Coughlin said. “I’m not commenting on that. All I’m saying is if the medical people say that the guys can play, OK, then there will be some strong consideration that they would play.”

Coughlin’s initial comments call to mind the philosophy he espoused when he first took over the Giants job in 2004. He guaranteed the Giants would miss fewer games to injuries, presumably because his players would play through pain that would sideline lesser men.

For his part, Burress, who played through injury throughout last year’s playoffs, said that “as of right now, I’ll play.”