Chris Snee injured his ankle against Pittsburgh last weekend. Photo by Todd Bauders contrastphotography.com

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Kenny Phillips will not play until Nov. 25 at the earliest.

The fifth-year safety won’t practice this week and will miss his sixth consecutive game with a knee injury Sunday when the Giants face the Bengals in Cincinnati.

“We’re going to try and rest him this week and then through the bye, and hopefully we can get him back,” coach Tom Coughlin said.

Phillips hurt his knee at Philadelphia on Sept. 30. He had practiced mostly on a limited basis the last two weeks and even declared he would play against Pittsburgh, but ultimately the decision was made that he was not ready to go. Now he’ll get another two weeks off with an eye toward returning against Green Bay after the bye.

Phillips’ absence could result in a rapid return for Will Hill. The first-year safety returned to practice today after serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. The Giants currently have a one-week roster exemption for Hill, which expires Monday, although he can be added to the 53-man roster any time prior to Monday. The Giants would have to make a move to create a spot for Hill on the active roster.

“(The coaches) want to see how I am right now and if I lost a step or anything,” Hill said. “So I’m just waiting on the coaches to make their call.”

Hill played in the season’s first five games on special teams and as a reserve safety. He was credited with seven tackles (six solo) on defense and four unassisted tackles on defense. Hill said he worked hard to stay in shape during his suspension.

“I didn’t lose a step,” Hill said. “Just because I wasn’t here, I was still working. I was always grinding. I called (former NFL defensive back) Ray Buchanan and the first week I was out, I went down there (to Atlanta) and got with him and then came back home.

“I felt as though this break actually gave my body a little something to rest and everybody out there today was like, ‘I’m jealous, man. You got fresh legs.’ I’m running around everybody right now.”

Time will tell if he gets to use those legs Sunday in Cincinnati.

*Andre Brown leads the team with six rushing touchdowns – five one-yard runs and a two-yard score.

So does Brown prefer burrowing through the line or jumping over it?

“I like jumping over them,” Brown said. “Me and my little brother (Eric) used to play a game back in the day called Over the Top and that’s how it stuck with me. It’s like jumping over the pile. So we’d play it and it would be like the edge of the bed and then we’d try to jump over each other and tackle each other, so my mom would be mad about it. Yeah, I guess that still carries on. I just like jumping over for some reason.”

*In addition to Phillips, six Giants did not practice today: linebackers Chase Blackburn (hamstring) and Jacquian Williams (knee), running back Ahmad Bradshaw (foot), guard Chris Snee (ankle), defensive tackle Chris Canty (groin) and wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (knee).

Nicks’ knee swelled up after the Giants’ 24-20 loss to Pittsburgh.

Snee suffered an ankle injury early in the game vs. Pittsburgh, but stayed on the field. “He played the whole game with it,” Coughlin said. “He’s injured.”

Asked if Bradshaw will work once this week, Coughlin said, “I hope.”

Canty, who has played three games since coming off the reserve/physically unable to perform list, is confident he will play against the Bengals.

“I think everything is very positive for Sunday,” Canty said. “Feeling very good. I don’t feel like there are limitations on it. Again, I have to get used to getting banged around a little bit. We’re talking about three games in and we’re talking about a total of nine practices. So it’s not an excuse. I have to be healthy. I have to be out there. It’s my responsibility to be out there on the field, so we’re going to try to do everything in our power to get me back out there.”

Center David Baas (ankle), tight end Bear Pascoe (ankle) and linebacker Keith Rivers (calf) were limited in practice.

Andre Brown practiced fully.

*The NFL announced that the Giants’ home game against Green Bay on November 25 will remain a Sunday night game with an 8:20 kickoff.

*When the Giants visited the White House on June 8, Coughlin elicited one of the day’s loudest cheers when he said of the Giants and Barak Obama, “We both have a goal to get back here next year.”

Obama was re-elected yesterday, so today, in response to a news conference question, Coughlin said, “He’s there, we need to get there.”