Tiki Barber looked like Armando Benitez in a big game yesterday. He was given the ball with a chance to close out a Giants win, but couldn’t do it.
With a first down at the Titans’ one midway through the fourth quarter, the Giants led by five, 26-21. A touchdown would have finished Tennessee.
On Barber’s first try, he leaped and was stuffed. On his second attempt, guard Rich Seubert stepped on the running back’s foot, causing another failure. On third down, Jim Fassel went to the pass. On fourth, Fassel settled for Matt Bryant’s field goal and an eight-point lead.
“If we score there, then the game is over and nothing else really matters,” lineman Jason Whittle said after the Giants’ discouraging 32-29, OT loss.
Barber had a strange game. In the first half, he carried 10 times for minus 4 yards. In the second half, the Giants spread their formations and Barber rushed 12 times for 68 yards.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t go to [the spread formations] earlier,” Barber said.
It wasn’t as much of a second guess as it was a regret after the Giants somehow let a 12-point, fourth-quarter lead slip away.
Even as he struggled in the first half, Barber showed the all-around game that might lead him to the Pro Bowl.
On a third-and-6 from the Tennessee 41, Barber picked up blitzing safety Tank Williams, allowing Kerry Collins time to locate Amani Toomer, who caught the pass over his right shoulder for 26 yards. It led to a Giant TD.
“They put some extra guys in the box at the beginning of the game,” Whittle said. “They don’t like people to run on them.”
Titans players said afterward they wanted to stop Barber and Jeremy Shockey. They slowed Barber; especially in the first half, but they didn’t control the Giant offense. Barber just couldn’t close the deal.