(My Sportsbook) - Kerry Collins played very well in the victory over Dallas last week. The veteran signal-caller was on the mark with three touchdown strikes, tripling his previous total for the season.

"I think our attitude has been good. We are confident after last week's game," said Collins. "We got a win in Dallas. I don't think we are looking ahead. I think we are going to be ready for this game and it's going to be a tough one so, we are ready to go."

Collins connected with Ike Hilliard (12 yards) and Amani Toomer (56 yards) before throwing the game-winning TD pass to third-string TE Marcellus Rivers in the fourth quarter. Both Rivers and backup TE Dan Campbell, who caught a key 20-yard pass on 3rd-and-3 to keep the game-winning drive alive, stepped up and played well in the absence of rookie Jeremy Shockey.

Shockey, who sustained a left toe injury last week in Dallas, never fully recovered from a sprained ankle that he suffered in a preseason game versus Atlanta. The Miami product will not play on Sunday against Atlanta, leaving the Giants without a key cog in their offense. However, the emergence of Campbell and Rivers seems to have lessened the loss of Shockey.

"It's always encouraging to see the other guys play well, and it gives you more confidence," said Jim Fassel. "But people ask me if [Shockey's absence] is going to change the game plan...but we are going to have a game plan that allows up to operate without him.

"There are maybe some feature things that we would have liked for him to do, but we are only talking about a couple or three things. And we are going to have, again, a pared down list. And I am not going to back off of that until I think we are well in advanced and then I might creep up a little bit in the number of plays. Those plays we can also do with Dan and Marcellus."

The Giants' running attack is coming off its best performance of the year. Tiki Barber, who gained 94 yards on 17 carries versus Dallas, started the game-winning drive last week with a 23-yard jaunt, and helped the Giants run the clock out at the end of the game by rushing for a first down.

With Shockey out, the Giants will have Campbell on the field more often. Campbell is a much better blocker and will aid the running game. The return of veteran Dusty Zeigler, who has finally recovered from offseason knee surgery, will also bolster the ground attack. Zeigler is expected to start at right guard in place of Jason Whittle, who isn't expected to play on Sunday because of a back injury.

VICK'S RUB

Even though he might like to back up his comments about the Giants' defense not being as good as the Tampa Bay defense his team faced a week ago, Atlanta QB Michael Vick will not start Sunday's game at Giants Stadium.

The Giants' defense, which is allowing an average of 16.2 points per game this season, is eighth in the league against the run (87.6 yards per game). With an immobile and inexperienced quarterback like Doug Johnson leading the opponent's offense, expect the Giants to blitz early and often. New York will stack the box with eight men in an effort to stop the Falcons' RB tandem of T.J. Duckett and Warrick Dunn, leaving Johnson to try and win the game with his arm.

COMING UP: The Giants will have their bye in Week 7. New York will return to action in Week 8 to face the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football.