Post-Shockey, Eli and Boss mesh well
Photo credit: AP | New York Giants tight end Kevin Boss (89) runs from New England Patriots safety Roderick Rogers, left, and Eric Alexander (52) after a first-quarter catch during a preseason NFL football game. (September 3, 2009)
Oct. 11: Giants 44, Raiders 7
While former Giant Jeremy Shockey was on his best behavior this week, taking pains to show everyone he's turned over a new leaf to become a "team-first" guy for the Saints, his replacement, Kevin Boss, has been flying under the radar, working to recover from an ankle injury so he can line up against New Orleans Sunday in the Superdome.
Boss replaced the injured Shockey toward the end of the 2007 season, and the Giants found out they were good enough to win a Super Bowl without the four-time Pro Bowler. He subsequently was traded to the Saints and will face his old team for the first time in a battle of unbeatens.
Shockey lived and played loud, but he didn't always mesh with quarterback Eli Manning. Boss, who came out of little Western Oregon, has kind of been the anti-Shockey. He caught only 33 passes but had a team-high six touchdown receptions last season. In four games this year before suffering a sprained ankle two weeks ago at Kansas City, he has 10 catches for a 14.3 average, including seven for first downs.
You'll hear no complaints from coach Tom Coughlin about how well Boss has fit in. "When you look at Kevin, you see constant improvement," Coughlin said after Friday's practice. "He's a guy that literally had to learn blocking from the get-go and has done a diligent job working hard at that part of the assignment."
One other thing Coughlin likes is the communication between his quarterback and tight end. "Eli is very much involved in what the interpretation of the tight end is,'' he said, "making sure they are on the same page."
For Giants fans, that remark needs no interpretation. There's no mistaking Manning's chemistry with Boss. "I stay after practice every Wednesday and Thursday to watch film with him," Boss said. "He's a big help in my development in just teaching me things. It's helped us to spend time together watching film and to see what he sees so I know how to react.
"There's times where we both see a blitz coming, he'll just nod his head, and I'll know he's going to go to me. It's little things like that and just being on the same page."
Boss may not be as prolific as Shockey, who has 18 catches in four games for a modest average of 9.0 yards, but he has been a big-play guy on third down. "I think Eli feels comfortable going to me when he feels like he's in a jam," Boss said. "I want to be his security blanket and be open when Eli needs me. Whenever third down comes, I kind of get excited and hope the ball is coming to me and try to do something with it after I catch it."
Notes & quotes: WR Domenik Hixon, who lost his starting job to Mario Manningham, figures to take over punt-return and kickoff-return duties from Sinorice Moss in New Orleans . . . DT Chris Canty (calf), LB Michael Boley (knee) and CB Aaron Ross (hamstring) all were listed as out.
