Giants lose to the 49ers 16-13.
Kerry Collins was 28-of-45 for 342 yards, and 3 INT.
Amani Toomer had 9 receptions for 134 yards.
Ike Hilliard had 5 receptions for 65 yards.
Jeremy Shockey caught 3 passes for 44 yards.
Mike Rosenthal blocked a 49er field goal attempt.
Will Allen had one interception.
Rookie Matt Bryant made field goals of 29 and 33 yards.
Giants rushed for only 43 yards.

The final results weren't great, but that was one exciting night.
"Right, the action started in New York early and it never ended. At the stadium, they unfolded a big American flag, and people from the fire department and police and Port Authority and armed forces were there. Everyone around me was having a great time. The players carried the excitement onto the field, and the 49ers didn't seem to know what to make of the Giants. I know they got off to a shaky start, but here was a 7-9 team stopping the 49ers at every turn.
The Giants were in their face, and the Niners couldn't even make an easy field goal. It was so exciting. It was early, but I felt like the Giants could win this one even though they were the underdog. When the Niners quarterback, Jeff Garcia, ran the ball on the first play of their second possession, I felt the Giants had them. There's no way a passing team like this should be stuck doing that. They were in trouble already."

The Giants showed that they can compete with the Niners.
"Both teams were able to move the ball, and both defenses showed they could dig in. The Giants were up against a playoff team and they did well. It's a shame they lost, but none of the fans in the seats left hanging their heads low. We have an exciting team this year. They show a lot of enthusiasm, look fast on the field, and it all rubs off on the fans. I'm really looking forward to the next game, and when's the last time you can say that coming off a Giants loss?"

Did the new rookie tight end, Jeremy Shockey make a significant difference in this game?
"Shockey caught 3 passes for 44 yards, dropped two, and had one penalty called against him, but most important, his mere presence on the field opened things up for the Giants.
Toomer, working off mostly single coverage, came away with 9 receptions for 134 yards, and he would have had 10 for 178 yards except one was called back because of a penalty. Yes, the rookie certainly has a place on this team. He's an big offensive weapon and they need him."

Why did the Giants lose this one?
"There were some mistakes, but this was after all the first regular season game, and the 49ers weren't so sharp either. Maybe you can't hold out so many starters in preseason to avoid injuries and then expect them to play at a high level in the first game.
Aside from the mistakes, the Giants really had no running game. Tiki Barber was likely still feeling the effects of the strained hamstring that almost kept him out of this game. He was held to 29 yards on 15 carries, hardly a Tiki night. Ron Dayne was no better with 6 carries for 10 yards. Kerry Collins comes away with the best rushing average. He ran one time and picked up 4 yards. The quarterback being the star here is not what you're looking for. Along this same line, the Giants couldn't convert a fourth down and inches on the ground.
Last, you also look to the Niners last scoring drive. Someone made a mistake letting Terrell Owens get free for a 33-yard pass after containing him all night, and that's what hurt in the end."

What's up for next week?
"The Giants looked good enough this game to hold their own. They're up against the Rams ten days from now, plenty of time for practice, and for Tiki Barber to come back a hundred percent. That's so important for the Giants, because without him healthy, it looks like they have no running game at all. Remember, Tiki Barber was the only one able to make it into the endzone for the Giants tonight, all on his own, bouncing and spinning for the touchdown."

Kerry Collins has thrown for more than 300 yards in 4 consecutive games for the first time in his career.
That's not always a good thing, as the Giants are 4-7 in regular-season games in which a Giants quarterback throws for more than 300 yards.

Kerry Collins threw 3 interceptions for the first time since he threw 3 at Kansas City last Sept. 23. Two of them in this game came off of tipped balls.

Amani Toomer caught a game-high nine passes for 134 yards. The nine receptions ties his career high, reached five times previously.

Mike Rosenthal blocked Jose Cortez's field goal attempt on San Francisco's first possession.
It was the first such block by a Giant since Christian Peter knocked down a field goal attempt by the Eagles at Philadelphia on Oct. 31, 1999.

Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor, and his former teammates, Carl Banks, Mark Bavaro and Phil McConkey, watched the game from the Giants side of the field. Phil Simms was at the game as well.

Ike Hilliard caught 5 passes and now has at least one reception in 63 consecutive games in which he's played, which is a team record.
In case you're wondering, Amani Toomer has caught at least one pass in 51 consecutive games.

Ike Hilliard now has 237 carrier receptions, and has moved past Lionel Manuel and into 13th place on the Giants all-time list.

Top draft choice Jeremy Shockey caught 3 passes for 44 yards in his debut.

Jose Cortez, who kicked the winning 36-yard field goal with 36 seconds remaining for San Francisco, had missed 8 of his last 15 field-goal attempts last season.

A Thursday night game to begin the NFL season might become an annual event, commissioner Paul Tagliabue said.

The last time the Giants won a prime-time opener was over the 49ers, 16-14, in Ray Handley's debut as coach in 1991.
Fassel made his debut as a pro assistant that night.

The Giants are now 44-29-5 on opening day, including 4-2 under Fassel.
This is only the 22nd time in their 78 years that the Giants have opened at home.

Next Game
Sun, Sept. 15, Giants at St. Louis, 4:00 PM ET

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