EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- If there's a player in the New York Giants' locker room who knows Sunday's opponent better than anyone, it's running back Shane Vereen, who played for the New England Patriots as recently as February.

"I'm not going to say it's just another game," Vereen said Wednesday. "Obviously, for those guys who were on the team last year, I'm sure it's a little more special. I know for me, it is. But we've got to prepare. We've got to get ready to go this week more than ever. We're going up against the best team we've played so far this season."

Shane Vereen knows the Patriots well, but he also knows Bill Belichick switches things up constantly. Seth Wenig/AP Photo

Vereen spent the first four years of his career with the Patriots, including last year's Super Bowl championship season, before signing with the Giants as a free agent in March. As the Giants' primary third-down and two-minute-drill back, he has 34 catches for 309 yards and three touchdowns to go with his 174 rushing yards. Hes habeen a solid player for the Giants, even if he's still seeking the same kind of chemistry with Eli Manning that he developed over four years in New England with Tom Brady.

"Getting there, getting there," Vereen said. "I had the same quarterback for four years. Haven't even gotten through one year here in this system. So I'm definitely learning, definitely getting to that point. We'll get there."

In the meantime, he gets an up-close look at his former team and hopes that some of what he learned during his time in New England can benefit him and the Giants for at least one day.

"I'm sure it's completely different -- different words, everything," Vereen said. "So my information is probably only good up to a certain point. At some point, their new stuff takes over."

And if there's one thing Vereen learned playing for Bill Belichick, is that he's constantly changing things around to give the Patriots the best advantage.

"Yes, I have practiced against [the Patriots' defense], but at the same time, Coach Belichick is known for switching things up on Sundays," Vereen said. "So, keep my eyes open and just play the way I feel, see what I see and play off of that."