Ryan Nassib assured of backup QB job

Not only has Ryan Nassib pretty much assured himself the backup quarterback job with the Giants, he's saved the team a roster spot.

Because of his play in the last two weeks -- he led two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter against the Colts and engineered four touchdowns in the second half against the Jets Friday night -- the Giants probably won't have to keep three quarterbacks on the roster. That's bad news for Curtis Painter, who was last year's backup while Nassib was an inactive 53rd member of the team. But it should give the Giants more roster flexibility this season.

Nassib completed 8 of 12 passes for 103 yards and three touchdowns against the Jets. In the last two weeks, playing less than three quarters of football, he is a combined 19-for-27 for 261 yards with four touchdowns. More importantly, he has not thrown an interception all preseason.

His favorite play? The two kneel-downs to run out the clock after the Giants had the victory in hand over the Jets.

"That's the best play in football right there," Nassib said. "That's always a great feeling, to be able to kneel knowing you won it."

Harris out, too

Geoff Schwartz wasn't the only serious injury suffered by the Giants on Friday. Wide receiver Marcus Harris sprained the AC joint in a shoulder and Coughlin said both he and Schwartz would be out "a long while."

"There are lots of things that have to go into that with one more preseason game to play," Coughlin said of evaluating Harris' candidacy to make the team. Harris' odds may take a hit with the development of rookie Corey Washington, who caught his fourth touchdown of the preseason on Friday.

"Anytime anybody plays in a superb fashion it gets your attention," Coughlin said of Washington. "He will go up and get the ball. That's very noticeable."

Giant steps

While the Giants continue to get a feel for what constitutes holding and pass interference in the secondary under new stricter enforcement of the rules, there is one penalty Coughlin said needs to be addressed quickly. "We really have to clean up the hands to the face," he said. "The hands to the face is a foul . . . There's no sense in complaining about that one." . . . DT Markus Kuhn (ankle) may miss some time . . . Coughlin said RB Peyton Hillis (ankle) is expected to practice this week and CB Prince Amukamara (groin) will run and perhaps practice.