Giants: Collins has offense clicking

Kerry Collins was perfect yesterday in the Giants' intrasquad scrimmage, completing all 10 of his pass attempts, an idea that left him scratching his head for precedent.

"I don't know," Collins said. "I've got to look back on scrimmage notes from past years."

Collins laughed.

"I can't even remember last year's scrimmage," he said.

There's good reason for that: The Giants played in the Hall of Fame Game and didn't hold a scrimmage.

Collins completed four of his passes for 78 of his 113 yards to WR Amani Toomer. His one TD, for 1 yard, went to TE Jeremy Shockey. The Giants' offense, even with RB Tiki Barber sitting out to give the other backs more playing time, looked well-tuned.

"I feel as comfortable at this point as I ever have," Collins said. "Every time I come out here, I just want to execute. I told the offense today, I want to execute with power and aggression. I think that's the kind of mentality we want to have. I think guys understand that execution and working hard is going to be the ticket for us.

"If we want to be good and we want to be what everybody says we're going to be, we're going to have to work hard and I'm seeing that from our guys."

RB Delvin Joyce, a longshot to make the team last year, feels like he has to prove himself all over again.

"Basically I still feel like a rookie free agent," he said.

Joyce had a scrimmage-high 11 carries for 40 yards.

"I think the main thing for me this year is proving that I can be a blocker, an effective blocker in the backfield," he said. "I think if I do that, there's a place for me in the backfield. I know I can make plays with the ball out of the backfield. As long as I prove to them that I can block people, I think I'll be all right."

A crew of NFL officials worked the scrimmage and a few penalties bugged coach Jim Fassel. He said he was displeased with a personal foul facemask flag on CB Kato Serwanga and an unnecessary roughness flag on DE Kenny Holmes. A couple of rookie receivers, David Tyree and Willie Ponder, were guilty of false starts, Fassel said.

CB Ralph Brown played on the first defense in place of Will Peterson (groin), who continued to sit out. Assuming Peterson is healthy, Brown is trying to win the nickel cornerback job.

"Ralph is kind of the incumbent (at nickel). I guess it's his job to lose," Fassel said. "But it's not like anyone's cemented in there because he's played it for years. There's competition."

The Giants were pleased with rookie CB Frank Walker, a sixth-round pick who was playing well before dislocating his elbow Monday.

DT Keith Hamilton got his first game-like action since tearing his Achilles' tendon on Oct. 13.

"To have him back out here means a lot to me, it means a lot to the team. He's a very valuable guy," Fassel said. "I wanted to get some guys some work, but I've watched him play a lot. We'll ease him into it."

Hamilton was on the field for only two series.

"I felt good," he said. "I did okay. I jumped offsides once, but it was nice to be back."

Fassel on the DT William Joseph negotiations: "There's nothing new."
Aug 3,03

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