PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE NFL : Giants’ Handley to Get Tougher

A day after accepting responsibility for the New York Giants’ 7-8 season, Coach Ray Handley warned his players to start doing things his way or find another team.

Handley said Monday that some players had taken advantage of his somewhat laid-back demeanor, something that won’t happen next season.

“Obviously, they didn’t respond the way I wanted them to,” Handley said. “That will be part of the evaluation process. How do I get them to respond? It can’t be a repeat performance by me of the things I have done.”

Handley treated Giant players differently than his predecessor, Bill Parcells, had. Parcells would yell and play mind games to get a player going; Handley tends to use a more scholarly approach. He explains what he wants done and then relies on the players to do it. For the most part, it didn’t work.

“If I am incapable of getting the response I want, I’ll get new players to do it my way,” Handley said. “There won’t be a question in anyone’s mind who’s the boss and who’s making the decisions, and that you better do it my way.”

Handley denied that he was indecisive this season.

“There might have been some people who didn’t see the decisiveness,” he said. “There will be no question in anyone’s mind as to decisiveness next year.

“Next year, the standards will be high and the expectations will be high. I don’t care what their motivation, so long as they realize them.”

Vinny Testaverde’s injured back is improving and the Tampa Bay quarterback probably will return to the starting lineup this week against the Indianapolis Colts, Coach Richard Williamson said.

Testaverde sat out Saturday’s 27-0 loss to the Chicago Bears because of muscle spasms that prevented him from practicing and making the trip to Chicago.

Ray Childress, defensive tackle for the Houston Oilers, suffered a broken rib, a sprained rib cage and a strained lower back during Sunday’s 17-14 victory at Cleveland. He will sit out practice this week and might not play Saturday against the Giants.