Maybe the best way the New York Giants can combat the Dallas Cowboy pass rush is by pounding away at a Cowboy run defense that was abused for 174 yards rushing by Derrick Ward and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1.

The Cowboys are, rightly, concerned about Brandon Jacobs and the Giants' vaunted running game.

"We've got to go in with a mentality that we're not going to allow them to run the ball on us, period," linebacker Keith Brooking said. "No matter what happens, no matter what we call, no matter what they run, it's on us to be where we're supposed to be.

"And when we get there, get there with bad intentions."

The pursuit of Tampa Bay's Carnell Williams and Derrick Ward usually ended with bad results, not bad intentions.

The Cowboys allowed 174 yards on the ground to the Buccaneers. Only four defenses were worse in Week 1. Only Cleveland and Carolina allowed a higher average than the 5.6 yards per carry the Cowboys gave up.

News alert: The Giants are better than Tampa Bay.

Here are some other items of interest around the Land of the Giants.

• Starting safeties Kenny Phillips and Michael Johnson did not practice Wednesday, though both expect to play Sunday night. With C.C. Brown the only other safety on the roster, Mike Garafolo details the bind the Giants would be in if either, or both, could not play.
• We know DeMarcus Ware hates the Giants. Well, Jacobs doesn't hide his dislike for the Cowboys, either.

"Dallas doesn't like us and a couple of guys on their team made that pretty clear earlier in the week. We have guys in this locker room who are going to make that clear as well. We don't like each other, it's a rivalry that has been going for a long time and I am really excited to be a part of it and take it up to another level this Sunday.

"The reason I hate the Cowboys so much -- I am going to put me in this, I am going to take my team out of this. The reason I hate the Cowboys so much is because they have so many fans. Everywhere you go someone is always saying Big D! Go Big D! I don't want to hear that crap."

Gotta love the trash talk. It doesn't mean anything come Sunday, but it's still fun.

• There is, however, no trash talk coming from former Cowboy and current Giant defensive lineman Chris Canty.
• Both Fred Robbins and Kenny Phillips have posted new entries on their respective blogs.
• Tom Coughlin talked a little on Wednesday about Gartrell Johnson, the new Giants running back. Seems the Giants have been eyeing him for a while. 

"We liked him at draft time, we liked him in preseason - they (the Chargers) kept him for a reason," said Coughlin.  "They obviously had the same situation that a lot of us have - have to make some kind of a personnel move.  Sometimes it is not pleasant.  It is never pleasant. You put your 53 together. But they made a move. We had some options available and we obviously were fortunate enough that the player came to us."

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