Damon downplays notions of rivalry

Damon “Snacks’’ Harrison has seen the Snoopy Bowl from one side and Saturday night, he gets to experience it from the other, as he’s traded green for blue and will start at defensive tackle for the Giants in the annual preseason game against the Jets.

“I wouldn’t call it a rivalry; I think it’s more for the fans,’’ Harrison said Thursday. “And you know, a respect thing around the town, seeing each other out, the Giants and the Jets, but as far as Cowboys-Giants and Jets-Patriots, it’s not that kind of rivalry.’’

Harrison, 27, spent his first four NFL years with the Jets, starting all 48 games the past three seasons. He has gone out of his way not to make comparisons between the two franchises and dodged a question Thursday when asked to evaluate the defensive line he lines up with now with the line he was surrounded by with the Jets.

The lines of communication with his former teammates remain open. Harrison said he speaks “I’m going to say every other day’’ with Muhammad Wilker- son, Sheldon Richardson, Leonard Williams, T.J. Barnes and Stephen Bowen, plus others on the Jets roster.

This weekend, for the first time, Harrison will knock heads with players he practiced against every day.

“I’m excited to see everybody, but the entire O-line … it’ll be fun to have on a different jersey and go up against them,’’ Harrison said. “It’ll be weird at first, but hopefully [center Nick] Mangold gets to play, because we’ve always had some good battles. He’s still one of the better centers in the league.’’

Harrison said there are some Jets “I consider family’’ and he wishes he would face his former team in the regular season. He admits this Giants-Jets summer affair was more of a big deal when Rex Ryan was involved.

“Everything was a big deal,’’ Harrison said. “Everything. He made you believe that every game, every snap, everything mattered, as do a lot of coaches. But it was just a little different with Rex, and he wanted the Snoopy Bowl more than some others.’’