GIANT NOTES
All the intense focus on the quarterback situation has allowed the struggles of the Giants’ secondary to fly under the radar.
The quartet of cornerbacks Will Allen and Will Peterson and safeties Shaun Williams and Omar Stoutmire return intact from last season, although Allen and Peterson missed extensive time in 2003 with injuries. Brent Alexander, who may slip past Stoutmire to start at free safety, is an 11-year veteran familiar with the system put in place by defensive coordinator Tim Lewis. Growing pains were not anticipated.
“The secondary, if you want to have a good defense, has to be good or else teams will pass on you and shoot your defense to hell,” Williams said. “We got to come out and perform. We know being a veteran group, being the guys who have been here the longest we need to use that to our advantage.”
There was no advantage in the most recent preseason game, as the secondary was torched by the Panthers’ Jake Delhomme, who completed 11 of 13 passes for 144 yards. Every defensive back shared in the blame.
“There were definitely signs we need to buckle down,” Williams said.
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The Giants 38th annual Kickoff Luncheon will be held Wednesday at the Sheraton New York Hotel. The event benefits the John V. Mara Cancer Research Unit, Saint Vincent’s Hospital Catholic Medical Centers of New York and the John V. Mara CYO Camp. Tickets are available. For more information, call 212-356-4939.
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The Giants and Jets practiced against each other back on Aug. 7 in Albany.
“Honestly my feelings about it this year are a little bit different, just for the fact the Jets scrimmaged against us, so it’s almost like we’ve gotten it out of the way,” Michael Strahan said.
Giants have lost eight consecutive preseason games to the Jets but in the regular season beat the Jets 31-28 in OT last Nov. 2 . . . LB Carlos Emmons makes his Giants debut, as do two newly signed offensive linemen, Solomon Page and Brandon Winey . . . Kevin Lewis will be the Giants’ third starting MLB in as many games, following Nick Greisen (hamstring) and Quincy Monk.
