Collins & Co. Look Strong

No, it won't be this easy against the Rams on Sept. 7. But the Giants' starters could not have looked much sharper yesterday in the annual intrasquad scrimmage.

Playing against the second- team defense, the offense breezed to a pair of eight-play, 70-yard drives for touchdowns. The first came on a 1-yard pass from Kerry Collins to Jeremy Shockey off a play fake. The other came on a nifty, spinning 11-yard run by Ron Dayne.

Collins was 10-for-10 for 113 yards, including four passes to Amani Toomer for 78. Dayne ran eight times for 48 yards.

"[Dayne] came out today to prove something and I think he did," Collins said. Tiki Barber sat out; coach Jim Fassel said he wanted to watch others run.

The first-team defense stopped the second-team offense three times, twice on interceptions by Shaun Williams and Will Allen off Jesse Palmer. Delvin Joyce had a 2-yard scoring run when the deeper reserves were in.

The crowd of 6,210 was among the largest for a scrimmage here.

On the Field

Although there were no kickoffs in the scrimmage, Mike Hollis impressed in the practice preceding it. Hollis, whose perceived weakness is kickoffs, had one to the 5-yard line, one to the 4 close to the right sideline and one into the end zone near the right sideline. Incumbent Matt Bryant had a 44-yard field-goal try blocked in the scrimmage.

Off the Field

The William Joseph Saga continues. The first-round pick has been close to ending the Giants' longest holdout since Tyrone Wheatley in 1995, but two team officials insisted there still was no final agreement. They said the holdup is not over any unusual contract elements, but rather that Joseph's agent simply is asking for more money than the 25th pick's market slot.

Behind the Scenes

The team attended a presentation from officials Thursday, including a tape covering rules and points of emphasis. Four Giants were used as negative examples: Rich Seubert (leg whip), Michael Strahan (defensive holding), Marcellus Rivers (late hit) and Omar Stoutmire (taunting). None of the visiting officials was from the crew that worked the controversial 49ers-Giants playoff game.
Aug 3,03

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