EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Jeremy Shockey’s swollen left ankle has improved considerably and there is a good chance the Pro Bowl tight end will play for the Giants on Sunday in the NFC wild card game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

“I want to play every Sunday,” Shockey said yesterday. “I felt bad I couldn’t play last (week). It’s the nature of this sport, being hurt. You have to deal with the injuries. It’s the one thing I don’t deal with very well. It’s getting better every day and hopefully I’ll be able to do something this week.”

Giants coach Tom Coughlin said that Shockey, who had a team-high 66 catches for 623 yards and seven touchdowns, would do some individual work Wednesday and possibly practice today.

Shockey was hurt late in the fourth quarter against New Orleans on December 24 when Saints safety Jay Bellamy dove into his ankles before a pass by Eli Manning reached him.

There was no penalty on the play and Saints cornerback Fred Thomas intercepted the ball.

Shockey yelled at Bellamy after the play but he refused to say it was a cheap shot when asked about it yesterday.

“It’s football,” Shockey, who added that his ankle was still sore, said.

When asked if referee Bill Carollo’s crew should have called pass interference on the play, Shockey had a prediction.

“They probably won’t be calling the Super Bowl game,” he said.

Visanthe Shiancoe started for Shockey last weekend and had one catch for 8 yards in the 34–28 win over Washington that helped the Giants (8–8) nail a playoff berth.

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All the Patriots were back at practice yesterday except for one important player. Not having Rodney Harrison there is becoming painfully familiar.

Even worse for New England, it won’t have its hard-hitting safety for Sunday’s wild-card playoff game against the Jets.

“It’s always a big blow for a guy like that that brings so much intensity and leadership to the team,” cornerback Asante Samuel said, “but coaches do a great job preparing the backups to be ready.”

They’ve had to, at least at Harrison’s position.

He missed the last 15 games last season, including both playoff contests, after tearing three ligaments in his left knee. He was back in time to start the first eight games this season, and then missed the next six with a broken right shoulder blade.

He returned for the next to last regular-season game and made three tackles in a 24–21 win at Jacksonville.