Long snapper DeOssie feels for Junkin

Zak DeOssie's words were clipped, his demeanor standoffish.

In a locker room full of big names and quotable players, the Giants' long snapper knows he's one of the last guys on the media's interview list.

That is, until memories of errant snaps from Giants past are conjured just days before the biggest game of the season.

DeOssie initially wanted no part of discussing the bad snap by Trey Junkin, which effectively sealed the Giants' fate in their 2003 wild-card loss to the 49ers at Candlestick Park.

Seemingly irritated by the inquiries about Junkin just days before their rematch with the 49ers in Sunday's NFC Championship Game, DeOssie said he didn't watch the 2003 wild-card matchup because he was in high school at the time.

"Bad snap?" he asked, pretending he didn't know.

Junkin, who played his last NFL game that day in San Francisco, made a bad snap that thwarted a potential game-winning field goal by Matt Bryant in the Giants' 39-38 loss, a game in which they had a 24-point lead in the third quarter.

When told Junkin remarked to the Daily News that he still feels haunted by the play, DeOssie felt for his fellow long snapper. "Is he? That's unfortunate," said DeOssie, who was only 18 when Junkin made two low-and-away snaps during the Giants' meltdown in San Francisco. "He's a great long snapper, and to have one play define you . . . my heart goes out to Trey."

The perils of long snapping certainly are not lost on DeOssie, whose father, Steve, was a linebacker and long snapper for the Giants, Cowboys, Jets and Patriots. He's well aware that one play can determine an entire career.

"That's the nature of our position," said DeOssie, now in his fifth season with the Giants. "We don't have room for error."

The intricate dance between long snappers, holders and kickers is rooted in repetition and reliability, he said.

"There's no nuances. The position hasn't changed since the start of football," he said. "It's 8 yards. Put it right in his hands and he puts it down. Put it right in his hands, preferably laces forward.

"So there's no X-factor, there's no secret. It's all about consistency, and that's how guys stay in this league a long time."

DeOssie feels comfortable with his unit. "The fact of the matter is, I have a great holder, a great kicker and two great guards protecting me, so just keep doing what we've been doing all year long and focus on making field goals," he said.

While kickers bear the brunt of game-day pressure, it seems most fans forget the importance of the snap and the hold.

"I don't forget about it," DeOssie said. "It's just like every other snap. You've got to approach it like that. Tune everything out. And that's what makes the difference between a college snapper and a pro snapper. You have a short-term memory and you forget about things."