GIANT NOTES
IRVING – Why would rookie Brandon Jacobs, who hasn’t touched the ball all day or played a single down on offense all day, be sent into the game with the Giants on the Dallas 3-yard line?
“He’s our short-yardage and goal-line back,” coach Tom Coughlin explained.
Whatever.
With the Giants trailing 13-6 in yesterday’s 16-13 overtime loss, Jacobs on second-and-1 gained the necessary two yards but, running straight up, was hit by safety Roy Williams, who forced and recovered a fumble on the 1-yard line.
“I wasn’t protecting it like I was coached to protect it,” said Jacobs, clearly disappointed with himself. “I feel terrible for it. That was a mistake no one will ever see me make again.”
Earlier in the game, when Tiki Barber needed a break and when he was on the sideline briefly with a neck burner, it was Derrick Ward who entered at running back, not Jacobs. Still, Coughlin didn’t mind sending the first-year Jacobs in at a crucial moment, scoffing at the notion that Jacobs wasn’t ready.
“It’s a nice warm day,” Coughlin said. “You got to go. They have jobs to do. A week ago everyone wanted to know why he wasn’t in the rotation.”
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The Giants dropped to an unfathomable 3-14 all-time in games following their bye. Eli Manning dropped to 0-5 as a starter on the road. … Jeremy Shockey was shut out in the first half but was a force (5-129, 1 TD) after halftime. “They really did some things in the first half to try to take me out of the game,” Shockey said. “I’d split out and they had their best corner on me [Terence Newman]. Chances are if I run a short router he’s going to be quicker. They did a great job but it’s a fourquarter game. They did the same things but we called some different plays.”
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DE Michael Strahan’s first-quarter sack of Drew Bledsoe gave him 122.5 career sacks, moving him past Clyde Simmons and into 11th place on the NFL’s all-time list. … The Giants went three-and-out on their first series, the first time all season (and preseason) they did not score on their opening possession. … With the signing of LG David Diehl to a contract extension, the Giants have every offensive starter other than C Shaun O’Hara signed through the 2008 season. … Bill Parcells got his 169th career victory, to move past Bud Grant and become the 10th winningest coach in NFL history.
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Dallas WR Keyshawn Johnson (8-120) had 21-yard catch on the Cowboys second play and has now caught at least one pass in all 141 games in his career. Johnson on the final play of the third quarter lunged to haul in the 700th catch of his career, moving him into 22nd place on the all-time list.