TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- The New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers acknowledge the similarities between themselves, right down to the disappointing 8-8 records that left them out of the playoffs last season.

	INJURY REPORT
	Giants: QUESTIONABLE: CB Conrad Hamilton (ankle); RB Joe Montgomery (hamstring); CB Jason Sehorn (hamstring). PROBABLE: DT Robert Harris (ankle); C Brian Williams (knee). Buccaneers: PROBABLE: S John Lynch (neck); LB Shelton Quarles (ankle).

From the youthfulness of their rosters to their strengths on defense and weaknesses on offense, the Giants and Bucs probably mirror each other as much as any NFL teams.

"I've felt that way for a couple of years. We've almost paralleled ourselves in a lot of ways," said New York coach Jim Fassel, whose team won its last four games to finish third in the NFC East. Tampa Bay was third in the NFC Central.

"A couple of years ago, we both had good years and got in the playoffs. Last year, higher expectations, we didn't play as well and ended up 8-8. ... yeah, there are a lot of similarities in these two teams."

The Giants and Bucs, the youngest rosters in the league the past two years, open the season Sunday at Raymond James Stadium with similar plans.

Though both remain committed to running, Fassel and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy concede that more productive passing attacks could solve most of their shortcomings on offense.

Kent Graham started the last six games of 1998 at quarterback for the Giants, leading them to a 5-1 record while completing four passes for 40 yards or more. Danny Kanell produced just two in the first 10 games.

A more aggressive approach continued to work during the preseason, when New York had eight pass plays of 40-plus yards, including four involving Graham, who retained the No. 1 job despite the offseason signing of Kerry Collins.

Tampa Bay also opened up its attack in the preseason and hopes to be effective by throwing more to running backs Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott, in addition to getting the ball downfield to Reidel Anthony, Jacquez Green and Bert Emanuel.

The Bucs ranked fourth in the NFL in rushing; however they were 27th in passing and averaged just more than 19 points per game. With Trent Dilfer working with a quarterback coach for the first time in four years and Tampa Bay using more formations to become less predictable, the offense produced impressive numbers in the preseason.

Not only did the Bucs have a pair of 300-yard passing games after going two seasons without one, the team was third in the league in scoring and went 4-0 for the first time since 1983.

"The offense is starting to make the plays that are available," Dungy said. "We've always felt that if we make our share of plays, we'll score more."

The inconsistency that undermined Tampa Bay a year ago began with Dilfer, who's facing a make-or-break season with the Bucs holding an option on his contract for 2000.

Besides trying to help him by appointing a quarterbacks coach, Dungy added the shotgun formation to give the sixth-year pro more time to set up and read defenses.

"I put so much pressure on myself, and I think we did as an offense in the preseason, that it was healthy for us, because I don't think you now have to take a giant step up for the regular season," Dilfer said.

"We're game ready, we're mentally sharp and we just kind of need to keep on keeping on, and do the things we've been doing."

Like the Bucs, the Giants prefer to run the ball and control time of possession. But with Gary Brown sidelined by a sprained knee, rookie Sean Bennett will start at running back and fullback Charles Way is left as the team's most experienced ball carrier.

Tampa Bay is bracing for a team likely to throw more than the Giants did in losses to the Bucs each of the past two seasons. New York was limited to 135 yards total offense, and Kanell was intercepted three times in a 20-3 loss here last year.

Warren Sapp, Tampa Bay's Pro Bowl defensive tackle, said Graham has made a difference in the Giants.

"If you've got a quarterback rating like his, you're doing a lot of things right," Sapp said of Graham's 116.9 preseason mark. "There's no more Danny Kanell back there with happy feet. We've got to deal with a guy who's a proven veteran in this league."

The Bucs ranked second in total defense a year ago. New York's success with Graham has bolstered the Giants' confidence, but the quarterback isn't making any brash predictions about Sunday.

"I think we feel real humbled, actually. I say that with sincerity in the sense that they're a real tough team to run the ball against and throw it against," he said.

"We realize that we've got our hands full. By no means are we sitting here thinking: `Oh, just because we did fairly well in the preseason that this is going to be easy or something.' That's definitely not the case."

NY GIANTS Season schedule and results

TAMPA BAY Season schedule and results

September 12 @Tampa Bay 4:15pm ET September 19 Washington 1:00pm ET September 26 @New England 8:20pm ET October 3 Philadelphia 1:00pm ET October 10 @Arizona 4:05pm ET October 18 Dallas 9:00pm ET October 24 New Orleans 1:00pm ET October 31 @Philadelphia 1:00pm ET November 14 Indianapolis 1:00pm ET November 21 @Washington 4:15pm ET November 28 Arizona 1:00pm ET December 5 NY Jets 1:00pm ET December 12 @Buffalo 1:00pm ET December 19 @St. Louis 1:00pm ET December 26 Minnesota 1:00pm ET January 2 @Dallas 4:05pm ET

September 12 NY Giants 4:15pm ET September 19 @Philadelphia 1:00pm ET September 26 Denver 1:00pm ET October 3 @Minnesota 1:00pm ET October 10 @Green Bay 8:20pm ET October 24 Chicago 1:00pm ET October 31 @Detroit 8:20pm ET November 7 @New Orleans 4:05pm ET November 14 Kansas City 1:00pm ET November 21 Atlanta 1:00pm ET November 28 @Seattle 4:05pm ET December 6 Minnesota 9:00pm ET December 12 Detroit 1:00pm ET December 19 @Oakland 4:05pm ET December 26 Green Bay 4:15pm ET January 2 @Chicago 1:00pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

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