Steve Smith pulls in a 22-yard pass, in the Giants Saturday playoff victory over the Cowboys. AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

Despite his game, Steve Smith’s talent was often over-shadowed at USC. At six-feet tall, Smith was smaller, quieter and often less flashy than his counterpart, Dwayne Jarrett. Smith, the steady clutch-receiver, would often get burried behind Jarret’s highlight reel plays. Still, everyone who saw Steve Smith play knew he was a true baller. And as Jenny Vrentas, staff writer for the Star-Ledger, reports in her article Smith Makes the Big Leap, Smith’s teammates on the Super Bowl-hopeful New York Giants are starting to take notice.

There was a point in late October when Giants wide receiver Steve Smith just wanted to put his rookie season to rest. It was the week before the team’s game in London, and he had just returned to practice after breaking his scapula in Week 2 — only to promptly pull a hamstring.

“I was talking to the trainer, and I was like, ‘Man, just put me on IR, I’ll come in next year,’” Smith remembered yesterday. “I’m really happy they kept me focused, they kept me going.”

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The trainers certainly look wise now. Smith missed 11 consecutive games in the heart of the Giants’ season with the scapula and hamstring injuries, but has come back the past three weeks with clutch receptions in the season’s most crucial games…

Smith has been integral in the Giants last three games, including playoff victories of Tampa Bay and last week’s upset over Dallas. Smith’s catch on third-and-6 kept the drive alive, setting Brandon Jacobs up for the game winning touchdown two plays later.

“Well, we always did know that Steve was a baller,” Jacobs said.

“He’s [Smith’s] very easygoing, but when you get him on the field he’s very intense,” said veteran wideout Amani Toomer, a fellow Californian. “A lot of people who don’t understand the mentality kind of see him as a goof-off or aloof or something like that. But when he gets in games, he doesn’t make a lot of mistakes, and he always catches the ball.”

Smith had this to say of his teammates:

“Guys are cool with you (when you’re hurt), but they don’t respond to you like they do when you’re playing,” Smith said.

“It’s great to come (in and contribute) at any point in the season but now especially because it’s the playoffs,”Smith said. “I feel like I’m going to make the plays every time.”

Please read Jenny Vrentas’ full article here.

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