Seahawks pit travel troubles vs. Giants' bye-week blahs

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The NFL probably should have considered moving the New York Giants' game against the Seattle Seahawks to the Bermuda Triangle on Sunday.

It would have been a far more appropriate spot for two of the league's oddities to converge in this post-bye week for the teams.

The Giants (3-0) are one of the league's worst teams after a bye. How can one explain the 4-15 record that includes a 1-3 mark under current coach Tom Coughlin?

The Seahawks (1-2) don't handle travel well, especially when the destination is the East Coast. Mike Holmgren's group is 1-5 in its past six trips, and 3-7 in its past 10 games away from home. This season's first cross-country trip resulted in a 34-10 loss at Buffalo.

"If I were a fan this one would be hard to pick," Giants defensive tackle Barry Cofield said, noting that both streaks are inexplicable.

Holmgren seemed to have fun when questioned about his team's travel woes.

"I'm not frustrated. What do you mean?" he said playfully banging his fist on a table. "It's something we know we have to do. You coach in Seattle, we're on the West Coast, you know you're going to travel. That's the deal. It is a frustration that we have not played as well as I think we're capable of playing at times on the road. That's the frustration."

The oddities aside, this is a game that might be decided by the receivers -- the addition of two for Seattle and the absence of one for the Super Bowl champions.

Leading receiver Plaxico Burress has been suspended by the Giants for missing a team activity on Sept. 22, the day after they beat Cincinnati in overtime. Burress, who blamed his absence on a family issue, is the team's deep threat and the top receiver in scoring position. He led the team with a career-high 12 touchdown catches last season.

Third-year pro Domenik Hixon will make his first NFL start, replacing him at split end.

"I am not worried about it," Giants middle linebacker Antonio Pierce said. "If anybody has been watching whenever those guys get their number called -- Steve Smith, Hixon, Mario Manningham if he is playing -- all those guys are capable of putting up big numbers. They are all explosive. They all, I think, are pretty much itching for the opportunity to go out there and showcase what they have."

The play of the youngsters and veteran Amani Toomer will be important because Seattle has had success stopping the run. It is ranked No. 4 in the league, yielding an average of 88 yards.

The Giants are averaging 157 yards rushing, which has allowed Eli Manning to pick and choose when to throw.