EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The rookie cornerback Terrell Thomas and the veteran quarterback David Carr play on opposite sides of the line of scrimmage and are at different stages of their football careers. But the two may have increased roles Sunday at Minnesota, when the Giants finish their regular season against the Vikings.
Minnesota (9-6) would clinch a playoff berth with a victory. The Giants (12-3) have already won the National Football Conference East title and have qualified for a bye week and home-field advantage throughout the conference playoffs. They have little at stake as they try to stay sharp, heal current injuries and avoid new ones.

Thomas, who made a key play on punt coverage in Sunday’s 34-28 overtime victory against Carolina, is likely to play more on defense than in the nickel and dime packages he has manned so far. The starter Aaron Ross sustained a concussion against the Panthers, so Thomas and the veteran Kevin Dockery may share more of Ross’s playing time.

“They’re trusting me a lot more,” Thomas, 23, said of his coaches and teammates. “I’m still a rookie. I’m still making mistakes. They’re letting me know, ‘It’s O.K., just keep doing what you’ve been doing.’ ”

Carr, a seven-year veteran, joined the team this season as a backup to Eli Manning. He has appeared in only two games and has thrown one pass, a completion for a touchdown on a 5-yard play.

But it is not out of the question that Carr, 29, could play at least part of the game Sunday in the Metrodome so that Manning is not exposed unnecessarily to danger and so that Carr can sharpen his skills. At the very least, Carr is fit and ready.

“Physically, I feel as good as I have since I was, like, 12,” Carr said. But Carr has not played since Oct. 5. When someone asked if he had ever gone this long without playing, Carr said, “No, not since I was 4.”

Like the vice president of the United States, whose primary job, it has been said, is to inquire daily as to the health of the president, Carr monitors the well-being of Manning.

“I always make sure every time he comes in limping or sore, I just kind of look at him like, Don’t do that right now,” Carr said.

Coach Tom Coughlin has been vague about how he intends to use his personnel Sunday. The Giants will not play again until Jan. 10 or 11.

“We will do the best thing for our football team,” he said. “And all of the individual questions and all of that stuff, you are going to have to wait on that. We will do the right thing and the smart thing.”

Thomas, a second-round draft choice, was part of a key play Sunday when the Giants trailed, 28-20, early in the fourth quarter. Jeff Feagles punted from the Carolina 38-yard line, and Thomas reached the bouncing ball in time to knock it out of bounds at the Panthers’ 1. After three Carolina plays failed to gain a first down, the Panthers punted.

The Giants took over at the Carolina 44, drove for a touchdown and tied the game with a 2-point conversion. “It was a key point in the game,” Thomas said. “It got the momentum swinging in our direction.”

Thomas said the defensive backs had been discussing such a moment just before it happened. “We were talking on the sideline that somebody in the secondary has to make a play to get the offense back into it,” Thomas said. “They were struggling a little bit.”

Steve Spagnuolo, the defensive coordinator of the Giants, said Thomas earned a game ball for his efforts on Sunday, but was mad at himself for missing a pass he thought he should have intercepted.

“He has come along real well,” Spagnuolo said. “He has a good feel for that nickel position. Hopefully, we will get him some other reps in the base defense, too.”

Thomas injured a hamstring before the season and did not dress for the first four games, but his workload has grown. On defense, he has 19 solo tackles, 13 assists and 1 interception. On special teams, he has 15 tackles, including five against Carolina.

When asked about his role, Thomas said, “I’m never satisfied.”

That could also apply to Carr, who was the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2002 and a starter with expansion Houston for five seasons before starting four games with Carolina last season.

But if a quarterback has to be a backup, one of the better jobs is with a defending champion. Carr said that his relationship with Manning was professional and that they “get along great,” although neither is a big talker.

“We go out there and try to push each other,” Carr said. “It’s been good to be around him. I’m happy it is like that. You never know when you go into a situation with quarterbacks. Some guys have egos. I know that for sure.”

EXTRA POINTS

The only surprise on the injury list after Wednesday’s practice was tight end Kevin Boss, who was out with a concussion and an ankle injury. Also out were defensive tackle Barry Cofield (knee), cornerback Aaron Ross (concussion) and linebacker Gerris Wilkinson (knee). Practicing but limited were running back Brandon Jacobs (knee), offensive tackle Kareem McKenzie (back), defensive tackle Fred Robbins (shoulder) and defensive end Justin Tuck (lower leg).