by PAUL SCHWARTZ , The New York Post

The goal each week for Jeff Feagles is to limit the return game of the opponent by punting the ball out of bounds or as close to the sideline as possible. In last night's 24-17 loss to the Cardinals, Feagles got the ball out of bounds and limited dangerous Steve Breaston to one punt return for only one yard.

But Feagles did not have a good game. He averaged only 34.4 yards per punt and too often left the Cardinals with good field position.

"It's one of those things where sometimes you try a little bit too much to get the ball out of bounds," Feagles said. "It's all about the angles and my angles were just off a little bit."

Feagles mis-hit one kick 28 yards out of bounds and followed with punts of 33, 35 and 30 yards.

"I can put a 45-yard punt out of bounds, you've seen me do it before," Feagles said. "It just didn't happen tonight."

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Will Beatty, a rookie from UConn, started at right tackle for the Giants in place of Kareem McKenzie, who could not make it onto the field after he suffered a strained groin last week in New Orleans. McKenzie was able to practice on a limited basis during the week, and the Giants held out hope he would be able to play, but he did not look good in pre-game warmups and was declared inactive.

It was the first game McKenzie missed since Nov. 5, 2006. It was only the fourth game in five years McKenzie has missed.

It ended an impressive streak, as the same five-man offensive line had strung together 38 consecutive regular-season starts. The last time the group of McKenzie, Chris Snee, Shaun O'Hara, Rich Seubert and David Diehl missed a regular-season game was the finale of the 2006 season. O'Hara missed a playoff game on Jan. 6, 2008, with a knee injury.

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The Cardinals came into the game at the NFL's top-rated defense against the run, allowing only 59.6 yards per game. The Giants rushed for 65 yards in the first half and totaled 107 yards for the game.

Tom Coughlin nearly was too late getting the red challenge flag out of his sock early in the first quarter on a fumble by the Cardinals' Tim Hightower ruled down by contact. Coughlin got it onto the field just in time, and the call was overturned in the Giants' favor.

RB Danny Ware returned after missing the past five games with a dislocated elbow. Ware was injured on the very first play of the season when he returned the opening kickoff.

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