With starter Eli Manning straining his elbow in the win over Carolina last week ? in which Pierce made seven tackles in the second quarter ? Hasselbeck, a former team-mate of Pierce?s at the Redskins, is expected to start.

?Everybody on the defence wanted him to start for the Redskins, I can tell you that much,? said the $33m linebacker Pierce, a member of the 2003 Redskins.

?Tim is a gamer. I don?t care what you say. He gets in the game, the guy makes plays.?

Pierce said the defence preferred Hasselbeck over then-starter Patrick Ramsey because of his scrambling ability and the way he managed a game. The linebacker, who has been home twice to Bermuda this summer, called him ?exciting? and said it was ?fun to watch him play?.

?He may not have the strongest arm, but he knows how to get the job done,? Pierce added. ?And this thing is all about managing the game and getting the job done.?