Ross may start

[Lughead]

Aaron Ross might start at corner for Giants at Redskins

BY RALPH VACCHIANO

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

 

Tuesday, September 18th 2007, 4:00 AM

 

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Desperate for playmakers in a weak secondary, the Giants drafted cornerback Aaron Ross in the first round in April. Maybe Sunday in Washington, they will get a chance to see what he can do.

 

Tom Coughlin yesterday said Ross had played "decently" in the Giants' 35-13 loss to Green Bay on Sunday, and then added, "We'd certainly like to see more of him." He has already beaten out R.W. McQuarters for the nickel-back job. He could next leapfrog over Corey Webster into the starting lineup.

 

However, he hurt his own cause against the Packers when he left after the first half with cramps and did not return. Had he stayed in the game and continue to impress Coughlin, the depth chart already might have been changed.

 

"This was a perfect game for the role that he had and he missed the whole second half," Coughlin said. "I'd like to see him play more, yeah, but he did have a role that would've allowed him to do that because of the way they played."

 

OLD TWIST: WR Plaxico Burress has a sprained right ankle, but Coughlin sounded optimistic yesterday that he won't miss much, if any, time. "Well, he's had this ankle (problem)," Coughlin said. "Hopefully he knows how to work with it and we can get him back."

 

Burress sprained his right ankle early in training camp. As a result, he missed most of camp and sat out all four preseason games.

 

BROKEN UP: Rookie WR Steve Smith is out at least two weeks with a fractured shoulder blade. After those two weeks are up, according to Coughlin, Smith will be "week to week." Fractured shoulder blades usually take 3-4 weeks to heal. Coughlin said Smith will not need surgery.

 

BACK OUT: Backup DE Adrian Awasom broke a bone in his back in Sunday's game. He might be headed for season-ending injured reserve. ... QB Jared Lorenzen (sprained left ankle), LB Reggie Torbor (bruised left elbow) and RB Ahmad Bradshaw (sprained right elbow) were the other casualties from Sunday's game.

 

MAKING PRACTICE: LB Gerris Wilkinson (knee) is expected to practice fully this week. ... RB Brandon Jacobs (knee) is not expected to practice, but he didn't rule it out. "If I feel better, I'll try," he said. "If I don't, I won't." ... The Giants signed TE Jerome Collins and FB Robert Douglas to the practice squad.