Webster, Smith will collide again

The Panthers' and Giants' standouts meet again Sunday in a first-round game.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- The last time Corey Webster and Steve Smith bumped chests at Giants Stadium, the rookie cornerback picked the veteran wide receiver's pocket in a preseason game.
In the intervening 41/2 months, the veteran Smith had a Pro Bowl season for the Carolina Panthers and the rookie Webster played his way into the New York Giants' starting lineup after a season-ending injury to Will Peterson.
They'll meet again Sunday when the Giants' sometimes shaky secondary tries to slow down Smith in what looms as the key match-up in their first-round playoff game.
Webster has advanced quickly on the field in his rookie season and developed a healthy respect for his elders, as evidenced by his comments this week about Smith.
"He turns a lot of short catches into big plays, so we just have to try to eliminate that, tackle him after the catch," he said. "We didn't see a whole lot of him in the preseason, but just going against him gives us a little more confidence going into this game."
Contrasting response
Contrast that to Smith's response when asked what Webster's play in the preseason game showed him about the rookie's ball skills:
"Nothing."
Smith has always exuded confidence, and this season only gave him more reason to hold himself in high esteem.
His 12 touchdowns and 103 catches tied him for the NFL lead in both categories, and his 1,563 yards led the league. Perhaps more indicative of his value to the Panthers were his league-leading 729 yards after the catch -- Washington's Santana Moss was a distant second with 600 -- and his 29 third-down receptions, tied for second in the NFL.
"He plays a lot bigger than he is," said Giants cornerback Will Allen, referring to Smith's 5-foot-9 stature. "He's an excellent route runner and he runs well after the catch. He goes up and attacks the ball and he's not afraid to go in and slug it out with you. That's what makes him a good receiver."
It's possible the Giants could draw extra motivation from the fact a cut block by Smith in the preseason game injured Peterson's knee, though that was not the injury that ended the cornerback's season.
"Nah, I don't even remember what happened in that game, dude," Allen said this week, somewhat unconvincingly.
Secondary must play better
Of greater concern is the secondary's penchant for giving up yards by the bushel, though usually in increments of fewer than 20. That could play right into the hands of Carolina's offense under Jake Delhomme, an efficient passer who completed 60 percent of his throws this season.
"You want to make something happen on defense, and for a guy who is managing a game or just kind of sits backs there and tries to pick you apart, it is a little frustrating," said defensive end Michael Strahan. "Defensively you want that one opportunity to make something happen. When you have a guy who plays smart like that, it makes it a little bit more difficult."
Whatever the Giants come up with to try to neutralize Smith, it's a good bet the fifth-year wide receiver will have seen it, or something like it, already.
"I have seen a lot of schemes," he said. "I have seen a nickel guy act like he is covering the slot, as if he was the linebacker and rolled underneath me; or a safety over the top and the cornerback. I have seen double-teams and triple-teams. They put a linebacker out on top of me, put the corner behind him and the safety over the top. I take that as respect, but it is also a challenge for me. I still have to get open. That is my job."