The Giants prepare for this Sunday's game in Oakland:

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. –Geno Smith said he felt no different today waking up as the Giants' first new starting quarterback in 13 years.

"I've been a starter before," said Smith, who started 30 games in his four seasons with the Jets. "I'm not surprised by this. I think that when you get the opportunity, you got to go out there and make the best of it. So I'm excited. I'm excited, but I know there's a lot of work to be done, so I don't look at it as anything more than a chance to go out there and prove my worth."

Smith will start Sunday for the 2-9 Giants in Oakland against the 5-6 Raiders. He will replace Eli Manning, whose streak of 210 consecutive regular-season starts will end. Today, Smith practiced with the starters for the first time.

"Geno looked sharp today," McAdoo said. "He's working hard at it. The communication part of things are early and the down when the ball is snapped – he knows where he wants to go with the ball. He's decisive and I'm excited to watch him play.

"I feel we have a game plan in place where we feel Geno can give us a chance to be successful and win the ballgame on Sunday."

Manning, meanwhile, split the scout team snaps with rookie Davis Webb, and said yesterday that he will concentrate his efforts on helping Smith and Webb.

"He's been great," Smith said. "He's a constant professional. Done a great job and I appreciate having a guy like Eli because he's done such a great job. … He's done a tremendous job in this league for so many years. Done a great job with this organization. I can't say that enough. I think you guys all are aware of that and nothing he has done can ever be replaced or forgotten. But I have an opportunity to go out there and play and I look forward to it."

Shepard said Manning has reacted, "the best way he can handle it. Eli's a class act. He's not walking around here pouting about anything. He's kind of embraced that role, being a scout team (quarterback), he's out there throwing dimes against the defense. So he's handling it the best way that I think a person could."

*Shepard said he no longer has the migraine headaches that kept him out of the games last week against Kansas City and Washington.

"It's just kind of crazy how it came about," he said. "A few days after the San Francisco game, it just kind of hit me hard and then I tried practicing all week with it without any contact. I just had to make the decision not to go in during the (Kansas City) game. But I've never really been through something like that."

*Three Giants did not practice today: linebacker Jonathan Casillas (neck/wrist), defensive tackle Damon Harrison (elbow), and offensive lineman Justin Pugh (back)

Linebacker B.J. Goodson (ankle) was limited. Wide receiver Sterling Shepard (illness) and linebacker Calvin Munson (quad) were full participants.