updated 6:55 p.m. ET Jan. 7, 2009

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - New York Giants leading rusher Brandon Jacobs returned to practice Wednesday and pronounced himself ready to go for the NFC semifinal against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Jacobs missed the regular-season finale against the Minnesota Vikings because of season-long problems with his left knee. He hurt it early in the season and aggravated it against the Eagles in a loss on Dec. 7.

“The difference today is that I can go out and run full speed and I can make harder cuts,” said Jacobs, who rushed for 1,089 yards this season despite missing three games. “I’m ready to go. I feel real good. I feel real good about our situation and where we are right now. I am just going to wait for the game to begin.”

Pro Bowl guard Chris Snee knew the big, bruising Jacobs was ready to go on Monday.

“You can hear him,” Snee said. “He’s very vocal and he’s enthusiastic. He came in Monday in here and he was rip-roaring and yelling. I said to Brandon, ’We don’t play until Sunday at one,’ and he looked at me like I was crazy. He’s fired up and I love it.”

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Jacobs has been the key to the Giants’ running attack this season. He has pounded opposing front lines with his 265-pound frame and has worn down defenses in the second half when Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw have come in to provide a change of pace.

“He’s excited, man,” said Ward, who rushed for 1,025 yards. “He hasn’t practiced in two, three weeks leaving me and Ahmad out there by ourselves, but it’s good to have him back energized and ready to go. In the meetings he can’t even sit still, he’s ready to go, so we had a nice practice today and we’ll continue to work on that for the rest of the week and be ready for the Eagles.”

Defensive end Justin Tuck (lower leg injury) and linebacker-long snapper Zak DeOssie (back) both did not practice on Wednesday, although coach Tom Coughlin was optimistic they would work out on Thursday.

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