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Injuries to Samari Rolle and Chris McAlister have thrust Washington into extended duty, and he's stepped up in a big way. With McAlister out for the year, Washington will man the vacant cornerback spot, and will have a big test this week against Eli Manning and the potent Giants offense.

I had a chance to talk with the fourth-year corner after practice on Friday, and asked him about his routine on gamedays and how he gets himself mentally prepared for a game.

On a typical gameday, what's your morning schedule like? Do you wake up early, or do you let yourself sleep in a bit?
"I'm an early guy. I probably wake up around 7:45, 8:00. If we got a 1:00 start, yeah, around then. Go eat breakfast, go to the stadium. I'm at the stadium probably about 9:30. You know, you gotta get in the hot tub, an IV, get a little extra treatment if I need it. Just get mentally prepared to play on Sunday."

Is music somewhat of a superstition for you? Is that something that's part of your pregame routine every week?
"I've got to listen to music. I have to. No ifs, ands, buts or maybes."

What type of stuff do you usually go with?
"On the way there, I don't mind listening to a little R&B, a little Anthony Hamilton or something. But once it's about that time to get locked in for the game, I usually switch modes to a little T.I., Young Jeezy, Trick Daddy, stuff like that."

When you head out for pregame warmups, what specifically are you trying to focus on?
"Mentally, I'm going in about as good as I can be. Pregame, I'm just trying to get loose, make sure all my muscles are loose and warmed up so I can try and prevent injury during the game. A lot of that falls on me because only I know my body. Each person knows their own body, so I know what I have to do to loosen up my body. It may be somebody else does something different for them, but I know my usual routine."

Getting ready physically is obviously very important, but how does the mental preparation for a game compare? How important is the mental aspect for you?
"I think football is more mental than physical. Just because, if you're out there and don't know anything about what's going on, you're going to look terrible. I don't care what position you play. Just say, for instance, a quarterback didn't study enough that week. They're not going to be sharp at all. I don't care how many physical tools they have, if they're not mentally prepared to play, it's just not going to happen."

Does the team you're playing or who you're going to match up against change your preparation at all?
"No, not at all. No way."

Same every week?
"Same every week."

A couple of guys have told me that getting that first hit from a teammate, that first pop before a game, really gets them in the zone and gets them ready to play. Is that true for you as well?
"It usually is. I got my guy here, Haloti Ngata, he'll give me a couple hits before I go out to make sure the shoulders are loose. So, yeah, I would have to agree with that statement."

Right before a game, what types of emotions are you feeling?
"I'm just...I'm pretty pumped. I like having a lot of adrenaline. Especially that first drive, because you've got to get a real feel of the game to see how fast it's going to be. In my case, guarding receivers, all receivers aren't the same speed. So I try to get myself pumped up and that can help me judge the other guys better. If I'm laid back, I might not come out and judge their speed as well, just because I'm not going as fast as them and I'm not as pumped up as they are. So I try and match the other team's intensity."

Check out the gameday superstitions and rituals of:
Ray Rice
Jim Leonhard
Adam Terry
Mark Clayton