Sept. 12 (Bloomberg) -- New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin said the swelling in Eli Manning's injured shoulder has diminished and he is encouraged by the quarterback's recovery.

Coughlin wouldn't say if Manning will play in this weekend's game against the Green Bay Packers, after injuring his throwing shoulder in the fourth quarter of the team's National Football League season-opening loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

``I'm encouraged by his progress,'' Coughlin said in the transcript of a news conference distributed by the team. ``He is less sore than he was the day before -- that kind of thing. The swelling is way down.''

Manning injured his shoulder when he was sacked attempting a two-point conversion late in the game, won by the Cowboys 45- 35. The Giants said he had a bruised shoulder joint and that they would evaluate him daily. ESPN, citing unidentified people, reported two days ago that Manning has a separated shoulder and would miss several weeks.

Manning completed 28 of 41 passes for 312 yards, threw four touchdowns and had an interception last week. He has started the last 42 regular-season and playoff games for the Giants.

Coughlin said quarterback Jared Lorenzen would take snaps with the first-team offense in practice and that the Giants will give Manning ``every opportunity'' to practice and play.

``It depends how he feels,'' Coughlin said. ``The doctors come to me, they tell me how he feels.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Aaron Kuriloff in New York at akuriloff@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: September 12, 2007 14:06 EDT