Two Bills Drive

‘”You know, I think once you lose that aggressiveness, then you really have problems,” Collins said. “There’s no question I made some bad choices, but at the same time I go into a game, I try to see it, throw it. Obviously there was a couple of times what I saw wasn’t what I needed to see. It’s kind of like at times, damned if you do, damned if you don’t. You’ve got to stay aggressive and I’ll continue to do that.”‘

‘Shockey said he wanted to play against the Bucs because he knew one more loss would essentially end the Giants’ playoff hopes. But he said he still wants to play down the stretch. “We have really nothing to play for, but I love playing with these guys,” he said.’

‘It has been a startling fall for the former Heisman Trophy winner, who is major college football’s career rushing leader and was the 11th pick in the 2000 draft. He has not dressed for a game this season.’

‘The last time the Giants played at home, they were booed. Coach Jim Fassel had his name turned into a chant, “Fi-re Fas-sel!” They lost, overwhelmingly, to an Atlanta team riding a seven-game losing streak.’

‘”The last couple games with William, we just haven’t had the production,” Fassel said. “I know he’s only getting a limited look, but sometimes that’s all you can give them. If you have six plays or nine plays or 10 plays, you have to make the most of those. I expect the most because if you’re only going to play 10 plays, you’ve got to be at the top of your game. You ought to be able to go in there fresh as a daisy and go in there and really do some damage.”‘

‘Said RB Tiki Barber: “You play because it’s your job and it’s what you’re paid to do. You play because you’re always looking to gain a level of respect as a player – take pride in what you do for a living. Those things weigh more heavily on your mind than playing for nothing.”‘

‘The Buffalo Bills, who come to Giants Stadium Sunday, have had a season that closely mirrors the Giants. Both teams have offenses that have failed to live up to expectations, particularly inside the 20-yard-line. But the Bills’ red zone defense has been much better than the Giants’, and that could be the deciding factor in this interconference affair.’

‘”If it was an injury where I didn’t think I could do it, I wouldn’t play. But I felt I could play. I felt it important for me to play because we’d have had a chance if we’d won it. Now, watching from the sidelines, and obviously losing it, it’s really made it hard on ourselves.”’

‘Shockey aggravated the injury Monday before a 19-13 loss to the Buccaneers in Tampa, Fla., putting the knee through a hard workout after being told he was not going to play by coach Jim Fassel. “I think we overdid it,” Fassel said. “There was some swelling.”‘

‘Had Spikes not shuffled off to Buffalo, then defensive tackle John Thornton, middle linebacker Kevin Hardy and James – three defensive gems – wouldn’t be here. And the Bengals wouldn’t be sitting on top of the AFC North Division with a 6-5 record.’

‘Shockey left his knee brace off during his self-imposed workout before the game, so there was nothing to protect his sprained posterior cruciate ligament. “I thought I could play last week and got the word I wasn’t going to,” Shockey said. “I went out there and did some stupid things that right now I’m kind of regretting.”‘

‘He let practice on Wednesday feeling dizzy and sick. He saw a neurologist who said he was fine. Bledsoe still had headaches on Thursday and didn’t practice. He told me that he expects to work on Friday and expects to play Sunday against the Giants. He’s been added to the injury report as probable.’

‘He’s bothered by headaches and nausea and left practice early Wednesday. He did not practice on Thursday.’

‘Bledsoe is reportedly suffering from the after effects of a concussion that occurred when he was kneed in the back of the helmet at the end of a run in Sunday’s 17-14 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.’

”’I wouldn’t say I’m in a slump,” said Toomer, who caught 13 passes for 305 yards, a 23.5-yard average, and scored two TDs in the first three games of the season, two of which the Giants won. ”A slump is I am not getting open. I’m getting open. I’m getting in the right position. I’m just not finishing plays.”’