Giants vs Skins Pregame Thread

[over the mountain]

EAST RUTHERFORD -- When free safety Stevie Brown allowed Texans speedster Damaris Johnson to slip behind him in Sunday's Giants victory, he also may have lost his grip on the starting job. It was the final defensive snap Brown saw in the contest, and may be the last time he's viewed as the starter at that position this year.

Quintin Demps appears set to start for the Giants opposite Antrel Rolle on Thursday night in Washington after taking snaps with the first team during practice. Rookie Nat Berhe finished the game against Houston at free safety and is the Giants' other option, even if coach Tom Coughlin said Brown remains in the safety mix.

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The veteran is stepping into a difficult spot. He'll have to keep a close eye on speedy Redskins wide receiver DeSean Jackson. It's a player Demps knows well. Jackson was his road roommate during his first two years in the league with Philadelphia.

"It's obvious. You have to keep the deep ball off you," Demps said. "Everybody in the league knows DeSean is going deep. Everybody knows that."

For that reason, Demps might be playing in Virginia when the ball is snapped from Maryland. His No. 1 job on Thursday night will be making sure none of the Redskins receivers -- particularly Jackson -- get behind him.

"Absolutely. Keep everything in front of you," Demps said. "Deep is the deepest. ... You have to play a little bit deeper with that dude. Four [steps back]. Four. It's DeSean Jackson now. All he does is run. Fast."

Even though Jackson is banged up, the Giants have made sure to plan for him on Thursday night.

"We make a special adjustment [for Jackson]," Fewell said. "You can announce that one. We'll keep our safeties a little bit deeper for that guy."

One of those safeties is expected to be Demps.


Giants: Quintin Demps appears set to start at free safety | NJ.com