KANSAS CITY – When the Giants came out onto the field yesterday at Arrowhead Stadium – considered the site of perhaps the best home-field advantage in the NFL – they were cheered. It was an early indication that this would be unlike any game the Giants have ever played.
Here in the heartland of America, the Giants were welcomed like never before. The mayors from the cities of Kansas City – Kansas and Missouri – proclaimed yesterday “New York City Day” as part of the moving pre-game ceremonies honoring the victims of the World Trade Center disaster.
“You can talk about us and how we had to handle things, but that’s about America,” Jim Fassel said after the Giants’ 13-3 victory.
Security was tight, with all bags thoroughly checked at the gates. Miniature American flags were distributed to all fans. A video tribute put together by the league was shown on the stadium screens.
“I thought I was going to cry when they showed the picture of the little boy on his dad’s shoulders, I got five kids of my own, and there’s probably so many little kids without their mother or father and it’s just sad,” LT Lomas Brown said. “The way the fans greeted us, even after the game they were waving and giving us high-fives. It was awesome. Kansas City totally impressed me, the fans are class people.”
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Dick Lynch, the former defensive back for the Giants who has been announcing their games for 34 years, worked the game, as usual, even though his son Richard remains missing at the site of the World Trade Center . . . WR Joe Jurevicius (7-90) surpassed his career high of six receptions in the first half alone . . . Of Kerry Collins’ three interceptions, “Two were bad decisions and one was an under-throw,” he said.
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The main target for the Chiefs, TE Tony Gonzalez, was held in check. Gonzalez had five catches for 43 yards and his longest reception went for only 16 yards. He was defended by Mike Barrow and also by Brandon Short . . . RG Ron Stone was forced out in the second quarter with a sprained left shoulder but later returned . . . Barrow, Collins, Michael Strahan, Howard Cross and Greg Comella spoke during Saturday night’s emotional team meeting. “I said to play with that passion and that pride that we owe to those people, all those guys who are down there working, all the guys who were lost in that attack,” Collins said. “Win or lose, today was about playing the right way.”