NFL: Talk precedes Cowboys-Giants
by Tom Orsborn
San Antonio Express-News
Jeremy Shockey has been quiet. Same goes for Plaxico Burress and Terrell Owens.
But that doesn't mean the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants have sworn off talking trash.
Cowboys nose tackle Jason Ferguson reminded everybody Thursday that Sunday's season opener at Texas Stadium is a game between bitter division rivals who have a history of attacking each other verbally.
Responding to running back Brandon Jacobs saying the Giants were "going to go to Dallas this Sunday and whup their (butt)," Ferguson said:
"We'll take care of him on Sunday. He won't be talking much then."
Such smack is typical fare for a Cowboys-Giants game.
Adding spice to last season's matchups was a feud between the Giants' Burress and the Cowboys' Owens. Burress got things rolling when he called Owens a "coward" for taking cover to avoid a hit during the Giants' 36-22 victory in October.
Burress also criticized Dallas safety Roy Williams for complaining that an official impeded him from making a play on Burress during a play that resulted in a 50-yard touchdown reception.
"He couldn't have made that play if he wanted to," Burress said of Williams after the game. "He can't cover and No. 25 (then-rookie safety Pat Watkins) can't cover. It wasn't a surprise. That's been (Williams') rap since he came in the league. He's a 250-pound ankle tackler."
Before the rematch in December, Owens said Burress better keep an eye out for Williams.
Then Shockey, the Giants tight end, got into the act by saying "there is no way (the Cowboys) have a chance in hell to beat us when we play our football."
But the Cowboys got the last laugh when Martin Gramatica kicked a last-second 46-yard field goal to hand them a 23-20 victory over the Giants in the Meadowlands.
The victory gave Dallas a 52-35-2 record in the series, but the Giants have won 13 of the past 21 meetings, including four of the past six.
Since 2001, three of the games have gone into overtime. Cowboys linebacker Bradie James says he expects another tense affair Sunday.
"We know we've been in a few games with these guys where it's been an all-day sucker, where we're fighting the whole time," James said. "I have no doubt that's how it's going to be."
Dallas owner Jerry Jones echoed James' comments.
"I don't expect this thing to be anything but all-out competitive because the Giants have a lot at stake here," Jones said. "It's a division game, and I expect them to pull out all the stops."
But at least one figure in last season's drama between the teams downplayed the rivalry aspect of the opener.
"It's a regular-season game," Williams said. "That's why we are jacked up. Everyone knows what's at stake now. We can't come out flat. We have to come out on one accord. We can't just come out like we did against Houston in the preseason and play lackadaisical.
"We have to come out on fire because this is the regular season and it counts."
San Antonio Express-News
Jeremy Shockey has been quiet. Same goes for Plaxico Burress and Terrell Owens.
But that doesn't mean the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants have sworn off talking trash.
Cowboys nose tackle Jason Ferguson reminded everybody Thursday that Sunday's season opener at Texas Stadium is a game between bitter division rivals who have a history of attacking each other verbally.
Responding to running back Brandon Jacobs saying the Giants were "going to go to Dallas this Sunday and whup their (butt)," Ferguson said:
"We'll take care of him on Sunday. He won't be talking much then."
Such smack is typical fare for a Cowboys-Giants game.
Adding spice to last season's matchups was a feud between the Giants' Burress and the Cowboys' Owens. Burress got things rolling when he called Owens a "coward" for taking cover to avoid a hit during the Giants' 36-22 victory in October.
Burress also criticized Dallas safety Roy Williams for complaining that an official impeded him from making a play on Burress during a play that resulted in a 50-yard touchdown reception.
"He couldn't have made that play if he wanted to," Burress said of Williams after the game. "He can't cover and No. 25 (then-rookie safety Pat Watkins) can't cover. It wasn't a surprise. That's been (Williams') rap since he came in the league. He's a 250-pound ankle tackler."
Before the rematch in December, Owens said Burress better keep an eye out for Williams.
Then Shockey, the Giants tight end, got into the act by saying "there is no way (the Cowboys) have a chance in hell to beat us when we play our football."
But the Cowboys got the last laugh when Martin Gramatica kicked a last-second 46-yard field goal to hand them a 23-20 victory over the Giants in the Meadowlands.
The victory gave Dallas a 52-35-2 record in the series, but the Giants have won 13 of the past 21 meetings, including four of the past six.
Since 2001, three of the games have gone into overtime. Cowboys linebacker Bradie James says he expects another tense affair Sunday.
"We know we've been in a few games with these guys where it's been an all-day sucker, where we're fighting the whole time," James said. "I have no doubt that's how it's going to be."
Dallas owner Jerry Jones echoed James' comments.
"I don't expect this thing to be anything but all-out competitive because the Giants have a lot at stake here," Jones said. "It's a division game, and I expect them to pull out all the stops."
But at least one figure in last season's drama between the teams downplayed the rivalry aspect of the opener.
"It's a regular-season game," Williams said. "That's why we are jacked up. Everyone knows what's at stake now. We can't come out flat. We have to come out on one accord. We can't just come out like we did against Houston in the preseason and play lackadaisical.
"We have to come out on fire because this is the regular season and it counts."
posted by The Gryphon at 8:40 AM
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