Daily News from New York, New York • 169

k)ODCf lis) uuus mxm. I A himself as a pass receiver," said Parcells. "In his mind he was primarily a blocker." It probably didn't help his self-image when he wasn't drafted by the NFL. And even when he got to the Giants, some folks kept saying he'd be a better guard. didn't even want to go out for a pass last season," said Phil Simms.

"This year, he's found out how much fun it can be. He has improved one million percent. They just forced him to get in there." He caught thousands of passes during the off-season, and his weight was slashed from 245 to 225 pounds. "The trainers told me I was a little heavy on my feet," he said, "but sometimes I feel like I'm getting pushed around by defensive ends." MOWATT DOESN'T look' underfed, but when it comes to catching passes, Mowatt says, "I'm still a rookie. I'm doing things I've never done before." He has 24 catches for 359 yards.

There's no question how important he was last weekend against Dallas. Mowatt said it reminded him of one of Florida State's old "graveyard games." That tradition began around 1960, before the big i By BILL VERIGAN As the reporters elbowed each other for position around the Giants' wide receivers last Sunday in Dallas, the tight end coach couldn't resist the opportunity. and don't forget to tell them that Zeke Mowatt opened it up," said Mike Pope. Zeke Mowatt? When is the last time you read a story about him? "Zeke the Streak, the Silver Bullet," Bill Parcells joked yesterday. That's not a description of Mowatt on the field.

That's what he looks like when a reporter approaches. "No interviews, no interviews," said Mowatt. "I don't like attention, I'd rather have it go to other people." He has to be pinned against his locker before he allows a few words to be extracted. But there is a story inside of him. HE'S THE GUY who literally came from nowhere.

At Florida State, he was the blocking tight end. When the Seminoles threw the ball, they took him out And they seemed to throw most of the time. "He had a poor image of boys in the Southeastern Conference would stoop to playing FSU at Tallahassee. So when Florida State played the big boys on the road in those days, coach Bill Peterson would call it a graveyard game. If the Seminoles won, they would hold a real, solemn funeral, helmets in hands and bury some turf from the opponent's field in a corner of their practice field.

They even had real headstones made. AS TIME WENT on, FSU rarely lost graveyard games, any big game on the road when they were underdogs. When Parcells was an assistant there, he says the Seminoles never lost. "I think we had four graveyard games when I was at FSU," said Mowatt, "and I think we lost only one, against LSU." Not bad considering FSU was an underdog every time. "I guess you could call that game against Dallas a graveyard game," Mowatt admitted.

He played like it was. "He caught -a key pass on every scoring drive," Par-cells noted. "It sure was a graveyard game." The Giants' game tomorrow against the Bucs at Tampa doesn't qualify because the Giants are favored. But Mowatt should have an impact, catching passes under the Bucs' zone, blocking for Rob Carpenter. He figures in the game plan despite a set of badly bruised ribs.

Remember, he was the offensive player who had the greatest impact in the Giants' 17-14 victory over the Bucs in September with his four catches for 42 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown. ...1 Injury update: DE Curtis McGriff (back) will try to play. LB Andy Headen's still riding a bike. Everybody else is okay. LB Lawrence Taylor, who had four sacks last time the Giants played Tampa Bay, is mad.

It seems Tampa's offensive tackle Gene Sanders called him a nasty name after that game. John McKay reportedly chewed out Sanders for the comment, but it reached the Giants' locker room. "No big deal," Taylor said, "I'll just do the same thing this time." Bill Verigan ASF mm. Zeke Mowatt: "I'm doing things I've never done before." fin wo mi II Be easy Although Mike Pagel and the Colts are a far cry from the Marinos Indianapolis averages just 145.8 yards passing a game, second worst in the league the young flesh on the Jets' corners expect more of the same poking and probing tomorrow. "I DON'T think they're the passing-type like Miami," Floyd said, "but I think they'll come out passing because we're hurting.

If I was their coach that's what I would do." they've been around long enough to know that when an opponent smells a potential weakness, that area is poked and probed until proven otherwise. Last Sunday, it was Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins who did the poking and probing. They finally hit a nerve in the fourth quarter when Mullen fell down on the go-ahead touchdown pass to Mark Clayton and later was called for pass interference on Clayton to set up the clinching score. there on the corner and guard someone. Even if you're a little hurt, people don't know it.

If you limp after a play, they'll say, 'Ah, that's just an SAID FLOYD: "It's the one position everyone looks at. When you get beat, everyone knows it, and they assume it was your man even if someone else was supposed to have the coverage. You're on an island by yourself." Both Mullen and Floyd are second-year players, but But haven't the Jets caught a break by getting to play the Colts this week instead of a pass happy team? "I'd rather play against Indianapolis with all our guys down than Miami with all our guys down," Mullen allowed. 0 "Not to take anything away from the Colts, because they've pros like we are, but if I had a choice and I don't I'd rather play them." That's only natural. Mul- len and Floyd aren't the only B.

pups on the spot, though. Injfj nickel situations, either line- backer Bobby Bell will be used as the third cornerback or free agent cornerback Skip Lane, who was just re- 2 sinned Wednesday, will be By PAUL NEED ELL Davlin Mullen and George Floyd know what lies ahead for them. People do not need a microscope to tell when a cornerback has been scorched. It is plain for all to see. Mullen and Floyd are really the fourth and fifth best cornerbacks on the Jet roster, but tomorrow they will be the ones who are plain for all to see when they start in place of Bobby Jackson (hamstring), Russell Carter (ankle) and Johnny Lynn (ankle) against the Indianapolis Colts.

"The pressure's always there for a cornerback," Mullen was saying yesterday. "You're out there by yourself in front of 70,000 people i I think it's the toughest position because you can't play hurt. If a lineman has a hamstring, he might be able to play because he has to un, what, two or three steps? But if I had messed up ankle like Russell, I couldn't play out Jlil mi ill I I in I TT li II I 3. Although he's not looking forward to long rehabilitation period ahead of him, the peerless third-down specialist is optimistic about next season. "I told Johnny Hector not to get too comfortable in that spot," the 29-year-old Harper smiled.

Tomorrow's GameDay magazine on sale at Giants Stadium will have Jets' special, 25th anniversary cover and includes feature on history of team. Paul Needell HB Freeman McNeil (ribs) returned to practice yesterday for limited workout, but DT Marty Lyons (ankle) sat out. Both should be OK tomorrow vs. Colts. CB Johnny Lynn (ankle) said he's "coming along," but he's still doubtful Indianapolis put CB James Burroughs (ankle) on injured-reserve list and activated Larry Anderson.

Jet HB Bruce Harper made first appearance at Hofstra since undergoing extensive surgery on left knee Oct. thrown into the fire. As de fensive mastermind Joe Gar-di said: "It's cover your bud dy's butt time." "Everybody is probably thinking we'll be weak against the pass, but we really don't think so," Floyd said. He smiled. "But I guess we'll see on Sunday.".