July 28, 2006 New York Giants Training Camp Report (Afternoon Practice)

July 28, 2006 New York Giants Training Camp Report (Afternoon Practice)

by BigBlueInteractive.com Contributor Marty in Albany

Practice was on the lower fields and anyone without an umbrella got soaked, including the players who played for the last hour in a downpour. Tom Coughlin mercifully ended the practice 30 minutes early. I’m guessing that the abbreviated session will result in a longer one tomorrow, when the weather should clear up. As in the morning, the afternoon practice was in helmets and shells.

The best news of the day is that both LB LaVar Arrington and WR Tim Carter participated in both practices despite the slick conditions. Arrington was going hard enough that on one play he went diving on the ground and did an athletic forward roll which brought him to his feet. Clearly, he is not going through the motions. Tim Carter also participated and made at least one catch. I think the next best news is that TE Visanthe Shiancoe appears to be catching the ball very well – a continuation of this morning’s good play.

First round draft pick DE Mathias Kiwanuka practiced with the punt coverage team, was in the wrong lane, and got yelled at. Let me be the first to say it: when Kiwi sacks a quarterback, sports writers will say that Kiwi “Nuked” the quarterback. Let’s hope they say it a lot during the coming years.

In a three-man drill where the quarterback gets the ball and throws to a receiver who is single covered, the receiver just about always caught the ball. That is the way that it should be. It means that the QB and receiver understand the play and are doing the basics well. On one such pass, WR Amani Toomer truly abused CB Corey Webster. The 11-on-11’s are a different matter. Catches are tougher. Playing with the fourth string, QB Jared Lorenzen threw a beautiful TD to Willie Ponder. At first, the pass looked overthrown, but Willie turned on the jets and caught it in stride for what would have been a TD.

Everybody on the Giants carries the ball like Tiki. Everybody.

Anthony Mix is a big tall WR with broad shoulders. He is now number 89. He was physically intimidating the cornerbacks who were defending him. He caught the one pass that I saw thrown to him and seems to have some moves after the catch. On the only ball I saw thrown to FB Tony Jackson, he made a catch and then slipped on the wet grass as he tried to cut and turn down field. FB Greg Hanoian was not so lucky. He missed the only ball that I saw go his way.

Jeff Feagles punted the ball in mid-season form – mostly to HB Chad Morton, but WR Sinorice Moss and CB R.W. McQuarters also got a chance. Chad looked faster than I remembered. Did I mention that Moss is very fast and has really quick acceleration. He made a leaping sideline catch this afternoon.

One of the defensive drills this afternoon, and I think one of the best, was the strip drill. A player would be running with the ball and a lineman or linebacker would run up behind him and strip the ball from him (mugging him when necessary). A second player would scoop the ball up and run upfield with it with the stripper as his lead blocker.

Seventh-round pick CB Gerrick McPhearson has very muscular arms and legs. CB R.W. McQuarters also has a set of guns on him. It’s nice to see powerful cornerbacks. It should help them on run defense.

I think that CB Sam Madison is going to show us something. He nearly made two interceptions and he seems to be very smart in coverage.