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GAME DAY PREVIEW Game time: 1:00pm ET New Orleans (1-4-0) at NY Giants (3-3-0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Records
Now imagine what the New York Giants (3-3) and New Orleans Saints (1-4) have had to endure this week. After they looked at films of themselves, then they had to watch each other. It's been a double dose of bad offenses and frustrated defenses looking for a break. If games were rated, fans coming to Giants Stadium on Sunday might need to be warned: this one will have a U rating -- ugly -- unless Saints coach Mike Ditka makes it interesting. Ditka was fined $20,000 by the Saints this week for making obscene gestures to fans during a home loss to Tennessee. The booing came with New Orleans ahead. "To error is human and I made a big error, that's all," Ditka said. "I have asked for forgiveness and I have apologized. I really feel bad about it, because it is a very ungodly thing to do; it is kind of stupid. Well, it isn't kind of stupid, it is very stupid and it has no part of this great game." Like the Giants, the Saints are playing great defense, giving up an average of 19 points. The problem is their offense has scored just 88, which is four more than the Giants have scored in six games. However, the Giants have a .500 record and the Saints are fading quickly with four straight losses. "We're going to face a team that is going to come in here angry," Giants coach Jim Fassel said. "This team has been ahead every game in the fourth quarter. They are the type of team that sets you up to trip on yourself and not play well." The Giants offense doesn't need any help in tripping. It has not scored a touchdown in 11 quarters. It has contributed three field goals in the last two games. The only Giants touchdown in its 13-10 win over Dallas on Monday night was on a punt return by Tiki Barber. "They just haven't been able to score points," Ditka said. "I don't see anything the matter with them. I am being honest." The Giants' problem, he said, is akin to that of the Saints: too many mistakes and no consistency. When asked if he was scared of facing Kent Graham and company, Ditka didn't hesitate. "When you are 1-4, St. Mary's High School scares you, believe me," he said. New Orleans quarterback Billy Joe Hobert is regaining strength in his throwing arm, but Ditka said Billy Joe Tolliver will start this week. The Saints gained 409 yards last week with Tolliver playing, but they also turned the ball over four times and had 13 penalties for 103 yards in a 24-21 loss to the Titans. "If I could say it was this or that, then you could solve the problem," Saints offensive coordinator Danny Abramowicz said. "It's been a coach making a mistake, me making a bad call. It's been a quarterback making a bad throw, a center-quarterback exchange, it's the line not making a block at the right time, a receiver not making a play at the right time. It's the running back not running through a tackle at the right time. Other times, it looks great." Tackle Willie Roaf said all the Saints' mistakes are correctable. "It's not just frustrating, it's embarrassing, especially the way we're losing them," Roaf said. If the Saints don't stop losing, the season will be shot soon. "I don't know that I'd use the word desperate, but I'd certainly say we have a sense of urgency," safety Sammy Knight. "We urgently need to win. That means everyone of this team doing what they've getting paid for." Graham will start for the Giants, but former Saint Kerry Collins will be waiting if the offense falters again. With Brad Daluiso out for the season after a knee injury on the last play of Monday night's game, Cary Blanchard, who played for the Jets in this stadium, was signed.
The way New York's offense is performing, he might be its best
weapon.
Records source: STATS, Inc. Copyright 1999 STATS, Inc. Commercial distribution without the express written consent of STATS is prohibited. | ALSO SEE NFL Scoreboard New Orleans Clubhouse NY Giants Clubhouse War Room preview: Saints at Giants
Baxter Bits: Saints vs. Giants
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