Sun Nov 24, 4:00 pm (FOX) - Giants at Houston
The Houston Texans.
The Texans got off to a great start, beating the Cowboys to became just the second expansion team to win their opening game. They even scored on their first
opening drive when rookie David Carr zipped a pass over the middle to Billy Miller for a 19-yard touchdown, sending the 69,604 fans at Reliant Stadium into a frenzy. That game was one of the
big highlights of the season for the Texans.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said, "We didn't expect to leave with a loss. I'm sure this will be with us for a long time.'' Texan pride aside, the sting seems to have lasted on the Giants'
division rivals and the Cowboys sit with a 3-7 losing record.
The Houston Texans weren't able to extend their opening day success for very long. Their record is 2-8, and quarterback David Carr has become the most sacked quarterback in the league. They've
allowed 53 sacks, and the Texans have the NFL's worst total offense and passing offense. In case you're wondering, the 1986 Philadelphia Eagles set the NFL
record with 104 sacks, and currently, the NFL average is 22.4.
All the records.
One disadvantage of playing on an expansion team is that you tend to lose a lot of football games. One advantage though is that you get to set a
lot of team records, at least for a little while. Last week, David Carr completed 22 of 30 pass attempts for 228 yards and a touchdown for a 92.1 passer rating, and he rushed 7 times for a
team-high 33 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Texans' 24-21 loss to Jacksonville. Carr became the first player in Texans history to record two rushing touchdowns in a game, and he leads the team
with three rushing touchdowns this season.
Some shocking numbers.
The Texans had probably seen enough of Jeremy Shockey in the Hall of Fame Game against the Giants in preseason. Shockey had four catches for 80 yards,
and the Giants won that game in August, 34-17. Last week against the Redskins, Shockey caught a game, and career high 11 passes for 111 yards in the Giants' 19-17 win over Washington. Shockey's
11 catches were the most by a New York Giants tight end since Mark Bavaro caught 12 passes on October 13, 1985.
Currently, Shockey leads all NFC rookies and NFC tight ends with 38 receptions. He is second among all NFL rookies, trailing only New England wide receiver Dion Branch, who has 41 catches.
In case you're wondering, the Giants team record for receptions by a rookie is 48, set by Bobby Johnson in 1984, and the record for receptions by a tight end is 66, set by Mark Bavaro in 1986.
Tiki's numbers.
This season, Tiki has averaged 4.1 yards per carry, and also has 433 yards receiving. He needs 129 yards to surpass last season's total of 865. Tiki has 2,985 career receiving yards, and needs
15 yards to become the 15th player in franchise history with 3,000. When that happens, Barber joins Frank Gifford as the only players in franchise history with both 3,000 rushing yards and
3,000 receiving yards. So far, Tiki Barber has rushed for 3,542 yards. Gifford gained 3,609 yards on the ground and 5,434 yards on receptions. Also, Tiki Barber is on pace to catch 79 passes
this season, and Amani Toomer's team record is 79, set in 1999.
Herman Moore.
Veteran free agent, 33 year old Herman Moore, was recently signed by the Giants and should see action this game. He played with the Detroit Lions for 11 years, and at 6-4, 218 pounds, he's
a big target for Kerry Collins. His numbers are grand. Moore reached 600 receptions faster than anyone in NFL history. He had caught 100-plus passes in three consecutive seasons, with his
123 catches in 1995 setting the NFL record for receptions in a season. To put that in perspective, you read above that Toomer holds the all time record for the Giants with 79.
Moore says his age is not a factor because his style never relied on blazing speed, "I gained my reputation being physical and making plays in traffic," Most of his routes are in the 15- to
20-yard range. If that reminds you of Ike Hilliard, lost to the Giants for the rest of the season, you're right.
Coach Dom Capers.
This is Dom Capers second go-around with an expansion team. He coached the Carolina Panthers in their first season in 1995, when they lost their first five games. They recovered to go 7-9
and set the record for victories by a first-year team. Capers has his work cut out for him. If the Texans lose to the Giants, they will have to win all the rest of their games to match that
record.
Kerry Collins.
Collins won 7 of the 13 games he started with the Panthers in their first season, and 10 of 14 in 1996 when he led the Panthers into the NFC title game. The next season didn't start off very
well, and Kerry Collins and Dom Capers haven't spoken since midseason 1998 when Capers released Collins, claiming that Collins quit his quarterback job
after an 0-4 start. Collins was not pleased with Capers version of what happened, but has not been outspoken in the two times he played against
him, including a preseason game Aug. 5 in Capers' debut as the Texans coach. In 2000, when Capers was the Jaguars' defensive coordinator, Collins threw for 321 yards and two TDs in a 28-25
victory that clinched the top NFC playoff seed.
NFC East.
The 6-4 Giants are only a game behind the division-leading Eagles, and they lost quarterback Donovan McNabb, by far their most valuable player. The Giants are on a three game winning streak
and face the expansion Texans (2-8), while the Eagles have a Monday night football game with the San Francisco 49ers.
The Giants distanced themselves from the Redskins (4-6) by beating them last week, and the Cowboys (3-7) are on a three
game losing streak.
The kicking game.
It's back. Giants kicker Matt Bryant, in rainy, windy conditions, connected on all four of his field-goal attempts (43, 34, 33, and 19 yards) and an extra point
in the Giants’ 19-17 victory over Washington. Matt was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time this season. He won it in Week 3 when his three field goals gave the Giants
a 9-7 win over Seattle.
In the Redskins game, Matt Allen, Bryant's original holder, handled the placements from long snapper Chris Bober. Allen and Bober replaced Tom Rouen and Bob Jones after Bryant was 1-for-4
on field goals over the previous two games. "It was good to have Matt back there," Bryant said. "We were 11-of-11 [on field goals before the switch]. Everything went fine, although we may
have been a little slow getting off the first field goal. But they all went through and that's all you care about."
Giants run defense.
With Keith Hamilton playing in the first six games, the Giants allowed just 509 rushing yards. In the next three with out him, they gave up 645. Last week, Keith Hamilton, lost for the season
with a torn Achilles tendon and hobbling on crutches, was watching from the sideline and the run defense yielded only 60 yards to the Redskins. Hamilton said he does "not want to overstate
my importance" to the defense, but he certainly seems to inspire them.
Hamilton plans to spend the rest of the season around the team, but he said it is too soon to focus on the long rehabilitation road ahead. Even though he watched linebacker Lawrence Taylor
bounce back from a torn Achilles to have an effective season in 1993, he knows there are no guarantees. "He revolutionized the game, but I'm 50 or 60 pounds heavier," Hamilton said. "My body's
been through a whole lot more. I've been banging in the trenches for 12 years."
Next Game
Dec 1, Tennessee at Giants 1:00 PM.
Notes:
The last two times the Giants played expansion teams they lost, to Carolina in 1996 and Jacksonville in 1997.
Herman Moore will make his Giants debut this week and should help them as a big target.
Kerry Collins leads the NFC with 2,552 passing yards, 12 yards ahead of Brett Favre.
Amani Toomer's touchdown reception against Washington was the 27th of his career, tying him with Chris Calloway and Earnest Gray for ninth on the Giants career list. Bavaro is eighth with
28.
Michael Strahan has at least a half-sack in each of the last eight games.
The NFL record for most consecutive games with a half-sack or more in a single season is 10.
Giants are up against three former members of the New York Jets. They are starting cornerbacks Aaron Glenn, Marcus Coleman and offensive tackle Ryan Young.
Last Week's review, game 10 - Giants 19 - Washington 17
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