Considering the strong way they finished the season (forgetting for a moment the miserable second-half playoff collapse to the Niners) there’s a feeling around the Giants that they will be a dangerous team this coming season. The pressure to win will be on them right away as they open the 2003 season with consecutive home games for the first time since 1992.

The Giants’ season opener is Sept. 7 against the Rams at Giants Stadium, followed by a Monday Night Football home game against the Cowboys and old friend Bill Parcells. The Giants have an early bye week (Sept. 28) and do not have to take a flight to a road game until the weekend of Oct. 26, when they face the Vikings in Minneapolis.

“I like starting at home,” coach Jim Fassel said, “but it doesn’t mean you’re going to win.”

There are three primetime games on the schedule. The Giants also play on Monday night Nov. 24 at Tampa, facing the Super Bowl champion Buccaneers. There’s also a Dec. 14 Sunday night game in New Orleans.

The Giants play a “road” game against the Jets on Nov. 2. Including that game, the Giants play six of their first nine games at Giants Stadium. Clearly, the middle part of the schedule looks to be the most difficult stretch, as the Giants, in a six-week period, play their only five games against teams that qualified for the playoffs last season. The regular season ends at home on Dec. 28 against the Panthers, who are coached by former Giants defensive coordinator John Fox.