GIANT NOTES
Tiki Barber doesn’t want to talk about it.
He lost the ball again on a fumble in Monday night’s 35-32 overtime loss to the Cowboys, after fumbling the ball away in the season-opening victory over the Rams. That was enough yesterday to prompt both Jim Fassel and running backs coach Eric Studesville to speak with Barber about securing the ball.
But while heeding the advice of the coaching staff, Barber is adamant about not dwelling on what’s becoming a concern.
“I’m not a stupid man in regard to what wins football games in this league and I understand that turnovers are a big factor,” Barber said. “Doing something detrimental to this team is not something I should be doing.”
Asked if he is worried about his fumbles, Barber added, “I’m not [worrying], but the coach is, and that means I have to work on it.” Barber said he’ll concentrate on keeping two hands on the ball when running in traffic and not reaching for extra yardage.
No running back in the NFL has fumbled more often since 2000 than Barber, who has 28. He said he was not aware of that statistic. “That has nothing to do with Sunday’s game so I don’t really care,” Barber said.
Fassel said he doesn’t want this to become a phobia with Barber and Barber says he’d rather not discuss the matter.
“I’ve been a fumbler in my lifetime before, when I was in college,” Barber said. “As soon as you start thinking about it, just like my second year here when I couldn’t catch a pass, just like Chuck Knoblauch can’t throw a ball from second to first, once you start thinking about it and it becomes an obsession you don’t have a chance.”
* LT Luke Petitgout, who missed the Cowboys game with back spasms, practiced for the first time in a week and said, “I feel 100 percent right now.”
Unless he suffers a setback, he’ll start and Jeff Roehl returns to the bench. Fassel said he’ll stick with last week’s offensive line shakeup, meaning Chris Bober stays at right tackle and rookie Wayne Lucier starts at center.
DT Keith Hamilton (hamstring) is questionable.
This is tight ends coach Mike Pope’s reaction to Jeremy Shockey’s drop of a perfect pass in the end zone against the Cowboys: “Thank goodness it wasn’t a bullet, it would have gone through his heart.”
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TIKI TURNOVER
Here’s a look at the NFL’s non-QB fumble leaders since start of 2000 season:
Player/Team/Total
Tiki Barber, Giants 28
Ricky Williams, Saints/Dolphins 22
Travis Henry, Bills 16
Ahman Green, Packers 16
Jamal Lewis, Ravens 15
Corey Dillon, Bengals 14
Eddie George, Titans 14
Stephen Davis, Redskins/Panthers 14