NFL ROUNDUP : GIANTS ARE LOW KEY ON KEYSHAWN'S DEBUT.

Byline: Associated Press 

While the New York Jets may be expecting big things from Keyshawn Johnson, the New York Giants aren't.

In fact, the Giants are downplaying Johnson's first NFL exhibition game tonight at Giants Stadium. For them, it will be business as usual when the former USC wide receiver who was the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft lines up for the first time as a pro.

``It's a big day for him,'' Giants cornerback Jason Sehorn said Thursday before practice. ``He has a lot to prove as far as legitimizing their choice in him, so he is going to come out ready to play.''

While Sehorn also played at USC, he never played with Johnson. He did meet him a few times when he went back to school.

Sehorn said the Giants aren't planning a welcoming party for the outspoken Johnson, who probably won't start.

``You just play your game,'' Sehorn said. ``As soon as you start trying to stop one man, somebody else will run right behind you. So you just have to go out and play and do what you have to do.''

Biakabutuka's holdout over: His contract impasse over and $12.7 million awaiting him, running back Tim Biakabutuka began his assigned task of trying to become a cornerstone of the Carolina Panthers' offense.

Biakabutuka, the eighth overall selection in the NFL draft, flew in from his family's home in suburban Montreal to join his new teammates in Charlotte, N.C., ending a holdout that lasted throughout training camp and angered many fans.

``I'm going to work hard and try to change those boos into cheers,'' Biakabutuka said. ``That's all I can do right now. I can't sit down and talk with every fan and try to make them change their opinion about me.

``All I can do is perform on the field, and that's what I'm intending to do. And hopefully they'll accept me after all this is done with.''

Biakabutuka signed the seven-year contract.

Cardinals' Rice signs: Defensive end Simeon Rice, the first-round draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals, ended his holdout and signed a four-year contract.

Friday's exhibition games: Glyn Milburn's 80-yard punt return and Antonio London's 33-yard fumble return highlighted a 28-point fourth quarter, rallying the Detroit Lions to a 34-23 victory over the host Houston Oilers. Milburn had a 96-yard kickoff return nullified by a penalty in the second quarter, but his fourth-quarter thriller stood as the Lions (2-1) made a big fourth-quarter rally for the second straight week. The Lions scored 17 fourth-quarter points to rally past Washington last week. . . .

Jeff Blake threw three touchdown passes behind a second-string offensive line as the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Redskins 28-7 in Washington. His counterparts, Heath Shuler and Gus Frerotte, both struggled in the game that was supposed to decide their three-year quarterback battle. Shuler, who was 7 of 13 for 65 yards, was intercepted once. Frerotte, 4 for 16 for 48 yards, was hurt by two dropped passes and was under heavy pressure after third-string guard Ron Lewis replaced injured Joe Patton at right tackle.

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Photo

Photo: Houston quarterback Steve McNair loses the ball afte r being hit by Detroit's Kerwin Waldroup. The fumble was returned for a key touchdown in the Lions' win.

Associated Press