Giants' CB Prince Amukamara ready to make return vs. Redskins

After missing five games due to a pectoral injury, New York Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara hopes there will be "no hesitation" when he has to make a tackle.

"Anytime I step on the field I just trick myself that I'm 100 percent so going up to tackle, I think, would just be instinctive," Amukamara said. "I hope there's no hesitation."

Jayron Hosley has done an adequate job subbing for Amukamara, but his coverage, run support and tackling skills are not nearly equal to those of the 2011 first-round pick.

Amukamara admits there is really no way to know exactly what will happen when he needs to make a tackle.

"There's some drills where you could throw like a medicine ball against the wall and absorb the weight as it comes back or you hit dummies, but, like you said, it's not even close to realistic as hitting a 230-pound human going full speed," Amukamara said. "I'm sure I'm going to be in a brace to protect myself a little bit, but if I had any doubt that I would injure it more or if the doctors did I don't think I'd be out there."

The 26-year-old is returning to the Giants in time for their stretch run toward what they hope will be a playoff berth. For Amukamara, it is also a final chance to prove his value before he hits free agency in the offseason.

"I think it's great to control our own destiny. We know that this game, Coach Coughlin says, is worth two points because it's in the division and we know that if we take care of what we have to take care of I think we'll be good," Amukamara said. "We're in the driver's seat and if we win out then we will be happy at the end. We definitely don't want to be in a position where we're paying attention to like Minnesota or other teams to lose and stuff like that because that's not a fun way to look at it."