Kevin Lynch

The 49er who felt the worst for the New York Giants is long snapper and tight end Brian Jennings.

Jennings felt for 20-year NFL veteran Trey Junkin, a 41-year-old whom the Giants signed last week for the injured Dan O'Leary.

Jennings explained that the only time anyone notices the long snapper is when he fails.

"The way those guys fought back, the way those guys played their hearts out,

I can't take that away from them (with a bad snap)," Jennings said. "That's why I work the way I do."

Jennings, one of the best long snappers in the league, will be one of the team's unsigned free agents after the season.

"He was in a real difficult situation," Jennings said of Junkin. "He was at his house all year, and they call him up and tell him to snap in the biggest game to date in the NFL."

INJURIES: The examination of kicker Jeff Chandler proved his ankle was not badly sprained and he's expected to play Sunday in Tampa, Fla.

"I'm aiming for Friday, so I can kick on Friday and Saturday, then be ready for the game Sunday," Chandler said.

Chandler said he needed a pain-blocking injection to kick against the Giants.

Tackle Derrick Deese and guard Ron Stone will be listed as questionable after aggravating ankle sprains on Sunday.

The pain in cornerback Jason Webster's sprained ankle is subsiding and he is out of a cast and off crutches. He still has swelling and coach Steve Mariucci said he would be listed as questionable.

Safety Zack Bronson, who exited in the third quarter with soreness in his broken foot, will be limited in practice but should play, according to Mariucci.

Mariucci also said he hopes to have linebacker Saleem Rasheed available. The rookie has struggled with thigh injuries all season.

TOOMER UNIMPRESSED: If Giants wide receiver and former De La Salle player Amani Toomer were a betting man, he'd take the Buccaneers.

"I don't see (the 49ers) doing much," Toomer said to the New York media. "We exploited them throughout the game. They have a lot of holes (on defense) they filled with spot players."

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