It’s allowed. Will Allen knows he’s allowed to intercept a pass or scoop up a fumble and sprint in for a defensive touchdown. He’s never accomplished that feat in the NFL, but that didn’t stop the Giants cornerback yesterday from talking about scoring.
The discussion, of course, centered on Terrell Owens and the likelihood that Allen and the other members of his secondary will be able to limit the exploits of the NFL’s most prolific receiver and imaginative end-zone dancer. Allen is on record that he’s not the least bit offended by Owens’ gyrations and, in fact, wants in on the action.
“If I scored a touchdown? You’ll see,” Allen said, enjoying the hypothetical scenario. “I’m gonna do something. We don’t see the end zone that much. Barry Sanders always said, ‘Act like you’ve been there.’ Well, I haven’t been there, so I’m gonna act like I haven’t been there.”
Not that the Giants want to see Owens prancing and pirouetting at Giants Stadium on Sunday, when the Eagles look to clinch their fourth consecutive NFC East title and in the process prevent Eli Manning from progressing as a rookie quarterback. As cornerback turned safety Terry Cousin put it, “You don’t let a guy get in there, he can’t do his dance on you.” But it’s strictly business, nothing personal between Owens and the Giants.
As a bona fide lightning rod, Owens has enraged pundits, some fans and a few opponents with his antics, for his look-at-me persona, for what’s perceived to be disrespect for the game, and for his part in a risque promo for “Desperate Housewives” that many viewed as an inappropriate lead-in to a football game.
When Owens was with the 49ers, he taunted the Giants mercilessly during their 2002 playoff-game collapse, enraging safety Shaun Williams so much the two nearly engaged in a serious sideline brawl.
Allen said he grew more anxious for Eagles games this season as soon as he learned Owens was traded to Philadelphia in what, at the moment, is the NFL transaction of the year. Owens is a legitimate MVP candidate with 57 receptions for 908 yards, and his 13 touchdowns lead all receivers. At his current pace, Owens would finish with 91 catches for 1,453 yards and 21 touchdowns; all would be Eagles records. He torched the Giants for three touchdowns in the season-opening, 31-17 Eagles romp.
The Eagles thrived for years without a game-breaker in the passing game, relying too heavily on quarterback Donovan McNabb.
“Everybody needs that No. 1 receiver,” Cousin said. “[Terrell’s] an explosive guy and he’s helping a lot with his attitude. It gives their offense an identity. They have McNabb, they have [running back Brian] Westbrook, but [Owens] gives them an identity, he gives them some attitude in the way he plays.”
It’s the attitude that bothers so many, but Allen said, “It doesn’t bother me at all.”
Allen and Will Peterson will be the cornerbacks in charge of limiting the damage Owens does. That’s no easy trick, considering his size, speed and strength packed into one unstoppable package. The Giants, like most teams, will have to roll their coverages toward Owens but not so much so that they leave Freddie Mitchell or Todd Pinkston open for easy plays.
At least if Mitchell or Pinkston score, there won’t be any pyrotechnics, unlike the sideshow that is Owens.
“People watch the game to be entertained, that stuff is all part of the game,” Allen said. “As a kid growing up I used to like watching people do their touchdown dances in the end zone; really, that’s all it is. Sometimes people look at it for more than what it is. The guy’s celebrating; if you don’t want him celebrating, don’t let him get in the end zone.”
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Giants killer
Terrell Owens has not lost to the Giants since entering in the NFL in 1996, with some of his best career games against them.
Here’s a look at those games:
Date // Rec. // Yds.TD // Result
Nov. 30, 1998 // 5 // 140 // 1 // W, 31-7 *
Sept. 5, 2002 // 4 // 41 // 0 // W, 16-13
Jan. 5, 2003 // 9 // 177 // 2 // W, 39-38 #
Sept. 12, 2004 // 8 // 68 // 3 // W, 34-17
Per game vs. Giants // 6.8 // 106.5 // 1.5
Per game, career // 5.0 // 72.4 // 0.7
First three games with 49ers; fourth with Eagles.
* – 79-yard TD career high * – playoff game