Kenny Phillips gets warm welcome at New Meadowlands

The biggest cheers of the pregame introductions seemed to be reserved for the player who once figured to be the least likely to be on the field. But safety Kenny Phillips never doubted he'd be back.

And after he returned to action with a touchdown-saving tackle in the first half and an end-zone interception in the second, there is no doubt that he is.

"I knew I could do it," Phillips said. "The doctors and trainers were confident I could make a 100% recovery. The coaches had confidence enough to make me a starter and I didn't want to let them down.

"I felt like myself out there," said Phillips, who played his first game since Week 2 last year and since undergoing microfracture knee surgery. He admitted to being almost overcome by emotions.

Almost.

"If I was kind of wimpy," he said, "I would've shed a tear."

There was nothing wimpy about his play, particularly when he stopped Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams from his clear path to the end zone in the first quarter by tripping him on the 2, forcing the Panthers to settle for a field goal. His interception came with 6:27 remaining in the game and the Giants trying to hold on to a 31-16 lead.

"I think he went out there and showed everyone today that he is back and he is healthy," fellow starting safety Antrel Rolle said. "And he's going to be the Kenny Phillips of old, if not even better."

Is that possible? Maybe. When asked if he felt the same way he did a year ago and two years ago, Phillips said he didn't.

"Felt better," he said.

It was very similar to the impact he had in the season opener last year, when he had two picks against the Dallas Cowboys.

"I guess I did bad, then," he joked. "I didn't get two."

When it was over, Phillips said he didn't have any lingering problems from the knee surgery. He's fully healthy.

"No pain or anything," he said. "I don't feel limited in any way."

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(nydailynews.com)