GIANT NOTES

Back in the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 5, Jeremy Shockey made his Giants debut with a highlight-film catch-and-run against the Texans, a tackle-breaking romp that immediately conjured up images of Mark Bavaro. Shockey has come up with some eye-opening plays as a rookie, but he hasn’t been able to duplicate that one moment of sheer brilliance.

The Texans are up this Sunday in Houston, no doubt remembering the bulldozer job Shockey did to them.

“Everyone made such a big deal about that and the comparisons with Mark, the expectations were so high, and every game I played it’s like, ‘He’s alright,’ ” Shockey said. “It’s hard to live up to expectations. You can’t expect anybody to make a play like that every game. A player wishes it happens once every year or every two years, but all it is is luck.”

There was nothing lucky about the 11 catches for 111 yards Shockey amassed last week against the Redskins. He said yesterday his ailing toes are feeling better, allowing him to run more freely.

“If it wasn’t for his foot, he’d be really special right now and making a lot of big plays,” Jim Fassel said.

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K Matt Bryant was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after going 4-for-4 on field goals in the rain in the 19-17 victory over the Redskins . . . WR Herman Moore will make his Giants debut in Houston as the No. 3 receiver. Moore has been with the team for one week and said he still needs work. “I find myself thinking a lot while I run my routes,” Moore said. “That’s my goal, to get where I’m in there and it’s unconscious.”