Sun Sept 7, 1:00 pm (FOX) - Rams at Giants
The Rams for the opener.
The Giants faced the Rams early last year on the road in game two, and they came away with a 26-21 win.
Some of the highlights were:
Kerry Collins completed 14 of his first 15 passes. He was 22-for-26 for 307 yards yards. Jeremy Shockey scored his 1st career touchdown. Kenny Holmes logged the Giants first sack of the season.
Will Peterson had one interception. Matt Bryant made field goals of 20, 32, 34, and 25 yards. Ike Hilliard had 4 catches for 97 yards. Amani Toomer had 4 catches for 92 yards, and Jason Sehorn
scored his 5th career TD on a 31-yard INT.
Jason Sehorn.
Sehorn signed in the off season with the Rams after he was cut by the Giants. One anticipated attraction for this opening game was to see how Jason Sehorn would do covering Jeremy Shockey.
Sehorn was slated to start at free safety but a broken left foot will sideline him for at least the first month of the season.
Jeremy Shockey.
Last year Shockey had 74 catches for 894 yards and 2 TDs, certainly not bad for a rookie. Unfortunately, Shockey was hurt in a preseason game and will be wearing a flak jacket when he takes
the field. That's not the best information for your hard hitting opponents to know. Also, Shockey may not be as effective this game having missed a lot of preseason game practice.
Don't worry about the Giants offense though. If it comes to it, even if only used as a blocker and decoy, Shockey will be effective.
Some other guys to deal with.
The Rams will still have to account for running back Tiki Barber who got the Giants Offensive Player of the Year trophy for 2002. His efforts alone accounted for 1,984 total yards, and wide
receiver Amani Toomer set franchise records for a wide receiver with 82 catches for 1,343 yards and 8 touchdowns.
Ike Hilliard, who missed nine games with a shoulder injury last year, had a great preseason game against the Jets when he caught seven catches for 150 yards and had a touchdown. Also back
is the Giants' second-year wide receiver Tim Carter who now holds the No. 3 receiver spot.
Giants on Defense.
Lack of depth along the defensive line did in the Giants in their 39-38 playoff loss at San Francisco. End Kenny Holmes separated his shoulder in the third quarter, tackle Cornelius Griffin
was playing hurt on a bad ankle and experienced tackle Keith Hamilton was on injured reserve. Michael Strahan wasn't at hundred percent and there was no one to send in to relieve him.
That's what you remember from last year. None of that comes into play in this first game of the season, although Strahan missed a lot of the preseason with a broken toe.
The Giants have fixed the depth problem with the addition of defensive end Keith Washington, a nine-year veteran who signed on in March, and rookie defensive tackle William Joseph, the Giants
first-round draft pick.
Head coach Jim Fassel says.
"I feel good about this team for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that this is the healthiest I have taken a team into the opening game in my [seven] years as the Giants' head coach.
We didn't have any serious injuries, and the guys I kept out of games weren't badly hurt. It was more precautionary."
Backup middle linebacker Nick Greisen (hamstring) is the only player listed as questionable. He likely won't play Sunday but might be back next week.
The worries on offense.
Kerry Collins needs time to set up passing plays, and it's not easy to just go out and find replacements for Mike Rosenthal and Jason Whittle, two offensive linemen who left the Giants as
free agents. Now Rookie David Diehl is in at right guard, and second-year player Ian Allen are the replacements. They held up in preseason, but the Rams will be a real test.
This could be a big game for Tiki Barber on the ground if the Giants can't hold off the pass rush.
The worries on defense.
Kurt Warner and running back Marshall Faulk are said to be back in form. Those two already have 3 out of 7 preseason votes as the possible offensive MVP from the NFL analysts. Toss in the
rest of the cast of players the Rams have, like receivers like Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce, and this is a tough team to contain. The Giants have done fairly well at this the last two years,
but Rams advocates will tell you that Warner and Faulk were playing hurt. We find out in this next game where that's all at.
The Rams.
Rams safety Jason Sehorn (foot), cornerback Kevin Garrett (wrist) and receiver Kevin Curtis (leg) are out.
Linebacker Robert Thomas (abdomen), defensive tackle Ryan Pickett (ankle) and running back Dan Curley (calf) are questionable. Coach Mike Martz said Sehorn, a Giant from 1994-2002, is healing
from his broken foot faster than first expected and could return in a week or two.
Notes:
Amani Toomer could set a franchise record for consecutive games with at least one reception. Toomer has a catch in 67 consecutive games, while Ike Hilliard holds the current record.
The Rams had beaten the Giants three straight times before the Giants came up with a win last season.
Next Game
Sep 15, Dallas at Giants 9:00 PM.
Parcells is back in the NFC East and will bring his Cowboys to Giants Stadium for a Monday night game.
The rematch will be Dec. 21 in Dallas.
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