"The spotlight and the pressure will officially be turned on to Kevin Boss Friday morning when he begins the task of trying to replace Jeremy Shockey . But that's nothing compared to the pressure the 24-year-old faced six months ago.

"I feel like I've faced as much pressure as I'm going to face in my career trying to replace him in the Super Bowl," Boss told the Daily News Wednesday. "And I felt like I played well there."

Boss' play in the Super Bowl and during the entire postseason was a big reason why the Giants felt comfortable enough to trade the disgruntled Shockey to New Orleans on Monday, and why they seem so optimistic about the post-Shockey era. And even though there are three other tight ends on the roster who will help fill Shockey's shoes - including Michael Matthews , Darcy Johnson and Jerome Collins - even Boss knows the focus will be on him. "