NEW YORK GIANTS

NFL news, stats, scores and more

• Hixon really catching on
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Now that's a performance fitting of a defending Super Bowl champion.

• Defensive line shows its muscle
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The sight of Michael Strahan on the sideline at Giants Stadium last night, in jeans and a gray T-shirt, might have seemed like it was from an alternate universe. But even if he did give reinstatement a second thought -- like, um, one other now unretired superstar -- the Giants defensive linemen last night proved they're doing just fine without him.

• After 12 years, Wynn finds the dream scheme
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- For a defensive end, playing for the Giants is like, well, like ...

• Pope gives his blessing to this crew of tight ends
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- ALBANY -- It was approaching midnight by the time the Giants had wrapped up their dinner with the 20 or so draft hopefuls. The coaches were getting ready to head home while the players and some scouts were destined for their hotel rooms.

• Wide receiver options narrow
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- ALBANY -- On Thursday, Tom Coughlin said the only thing he had heard about Mario Manningham's quadriceps injury was "speculation ... nothing worth talking about."

• Arches aren't golden for ailing Burress
ALBANY -- Last season, Plaxico Burress played through a torn ligament in his ankle, a badly sprained knee, a torn tendon in his pinkie and a separated shoulder.

• Giants' Ward won't make the same mistake twice
ALBANY -- The screen was set up perfectly. Derrick Ward had two Redskins defenders in front of him with three blockers to take care of them.

• Jints haven't had their 'full' of Hedgecock
ALBANY -- For Madison Hedgecock, who went to college at North Carolina, then spent his first three NFL training camps with the St. Louis Rams, the past three weeks at the University at Albany have been like no other football preseason he has ever experienced.

• Plaxico takes the field
ALBANY -- Plaxico Burress said his sitting out practice was all about his sore ankle, not his contract. Last night he delivered some solid evidence that is indeed the case.

• Schweigert providing a 'safety' net
ALBANY -- Defensive back Stuart Schweigert hasn't seen much of his dorm room at the University at Albany the past three days. He has been staying late after practices and meetings to pepper coaches with questions. On Monday, safeties coach David Merritt didn't even make it to lunch because he was working with Schweigert.

• Speedy Hixon catching on
ALBANY -- Late in the second quarter of the Giants' first preseason game against Detroit, Domenik Hixon had the perfect opportunity to make good on his chance to start.