Outside the Giants' practice bubble, a quiet, steady rain soaked what remained of supplies designated for relief workers, a subtle reminder of what lay in shambles 11 miles across the Hudson River. Inside, many of the players who this week visited the World Trade Center site yesterday were smacking shoulder pads, the sound drowned out by deafening simulated crowd noise blaring from sideline speakers.

They took comfort in the cacophony. Several Giants said their visit to Ground Zero, and to the firehouses and police stations, gave them a better idea of where they fit in a complicated, confusing puzzle.

"There's some sense of closure," receiver Amani Toomer said.

The Giants learned it is time to do what they do best. Sunday's game against the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium has become something of a spiritual Super Bowl.

"I think our inspiration will be the fact we're playing for New York City," defensive end Michael Strahan said. "We're playing for those firefighters and police officers, everybody that is trapped in the building, everybody that's looking for someone trapped in the building, everybody that's helping in the effort to get people out of that building.

"When you go down there and those guys show their appreciation to you, you're just in amazement, and you do realize, boy, you can really lift some spirits, even if it's for a few hours," Strahan said. "We don't want to go out there and have them watch us and say, 'Boy, those Giants sure do stink.' "

The Giants' opening loss to the Denver Broncos seems a lifetime ago. They play their second AFC opponent in an even more daunting environment. The Giants' only two losses in nine games against the Chiefs have been at Arrowhead, where the Chiefs had the NFL's best home record (63-17) from 1990-99 and were 5-3 last season. No one is sure what kind of reception to expect in Kansas City. The home team is exhorting its fans not to yell "Chiefs!" in place of " ... brave," as is customary at the end of "The Star-Spangled Banner."

"Maybe some of the fans won't give you a snide comment like you're used to hearing on the road," receiver Joe Jurevicius said, "but I expect the crowd to be into the game and root for their Chiefs."

The Giants are sure Arrowhead will be excruciatingly loud, which is why they piped in the crowd noise for the first time inside the bubble. Game conditions can be simulated. How the players will feel after a solemn pregame ceremony is impossible to gauge.

"I'm sure before the game, with the national anthem and all those things, this isn't about football going on here, it's about America, and we need to honor that," coach Jim Fassel said. "We need to have a moment for the people who died, and we'll all share that."

The Giants and Chiefs will be on the field together 15 minutes earlier than usual. A performance of "America the Beautiful" by Lionel Richie, Mary J. Blige and the Boys Choir of Harlem will air in stadiums across the country, as will a rendition by Bon Jovi and members of the New York Police and Fire Departments.

Fassel said he will rotate wearing NYPD, FDNY and Port Authority hats during the game. Boxes of hats to be worn by players on the sidelines have been packed to be shipped on the team's charter flight to Kansas City.

Although the locker room still buzzes with the latest news out of Manhattan, Fassel said his team has been able to concentrate better than it did last week at this time. The players said they will carry the strength they drew from the people at Ground Zero into Sunday's game.

"I honestly think my sense of urgency, my concentration, my focus and my will to stay out there and play and do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to win the game will definitely be there," Strahan said. "When you're tired, you have a good reference to look back on to make you realize that because you're breathing hard it means nothing.

"You always have a little bit more to give."