ARLINGTON, Texas — Cornerback Corey Webster did not have his best game in the season opener, getting beat by Kevin Ogletree for a touchdown in the Giants’ 24-17 loss to the Cowboys on Sept. 5. Heading into today’s rematch, Webster promises he and his teammates won’t play the Dallas receivers the same way they did the first time around.
“We were doing a lot of bailing, a lot of running off,’’ Webster said. “We weren’t aggressive. We weren’t putting our hands on them. I didn’t do it myself, but as a team, we were kind of passive, just kind of letting them dictate what they wanted to do to us, and that’s not how we’ve been successful around here.
“We’ve changed things, we’re pressing a little bit more now, and I think that’s helping.’’
Webster always prefers to play aggressive press coverage, but that is not always part of the scheme designed by defensive coordinator Perry Fewell.
“They have some freedoms, whether to do it or to not do it,’’ Fewell said. “I think they felt more comfortable in doing that, pressing, and sometimes that’s good and sometimes that’s not so good. We’ve tried to encourage them to do a little bit more of that.’’
Webster doesn’t need any encouraging.
“Anybody can play receiver when you let them run off the line when the ball is snapped uncontested,’’ Webster said. “I like to get up there, contest him, challenge him, that’s what cornerback’s about.’’
* The Giants and Cowboys finishing their two-game season series before Halloween is a rarity. This is the first time it has happened since 1990. … There is all sorts of optimism that wide receiver Hakeem Nicks finally is getting healthier and that will lead to him getting into a groove. Not everyone, though, is anticipating a breakout performance.
“I think he’ll be better still a few weeks down the road,’’ offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said.
* Linebacker Chase Blackburn is well aware second-year Mark Herzlich is breathing down his neck as far as challenging for a starting job.
“You always knew someone’s behind you,’’ Blackburn said. “There’s two ways to accept everything — you can either face it head-on and get better and grow from it or you can go in the tank and be worried about someone always lurking over you.’’
Blackburn is not close to losing his starting job.
“Chase is really the key to our success because he’s the quarterback of our defense,’’ Fewell said.
* David Diehl returned two games ago from a knee injury but has not regained his starting spot at right tackle. He has had to adjust to fewer snaps as the jumbo tight end. “It’s just, you’re going out there and you’re adding a different dimension of putting offensive linemen out there,’’ Diehl said. “That’s a way to be successful running the football.’’ …
Safety Kenny Phillips and defensive tackle Rocky Bernard did not make the trip.