August 7, 2010 New York Giants Training Camp Report (Evening Practice)

August 7, 2010 New York Giants Training Camp Report (Evening Practice)

by BigBlueInteractive.com Contributor Marty in Albany

Nicks & Tynes Excel at Evening Practice

The 6:05 PM practice start gave the Giants additional time to recover from their morning practice. It also gave the sun an opportunity to get low enough to just about blind everyone on the side line trying to see what was going on. I apologize for any details that I might have missed.

The Giants were in “uppers” – helmets, shoulder pads, and shorts – so the play was rougher than this morning. I tend to think that this favors the defense. Many times the defense would smother a ball carrier in the backfield, or get penetration and have a virtual sack despite the pass completed afterwards. Both offense and defense seemed to be enthusiastic about the practice and a lot of players found themselves on the ground despite Coach Tom Coughlin’s desire to keep everyone upright.

There was some jawing that was going on between CB Bruce Johnson and WR Derek Hagan. After that it did not look like Bruce held back at all in hitting Derek. He knocked him out of bounds the next time the ball came Derek’s way. Johnson absolutely nailed WR Ramses Barden taking him to the ground and landing on top of him on a side line reception. By the way, I’d say that Barden has significantly increased his upper body strength since last season.

I am pleased to report that OT Guy Whimper was back at practice this evening. He, OG Mitch Petrus, and OT William Beatty got a lot of work with the starting team. OL Cliff Louis, the replacement for the injured/waived OG Rueben Riley also wears Riley’s jersey number: 64.

WR Hakeem Nicks started off slow. He caught a wobbly pass from QB Eli Manning and sort of trotted down the side line with it when for some reason, there was no defender in the vicinity. Later, in the 11 on 11s, he took a short toss from Eli and ran all the way down the left side line with it. It was reminiscent of a similar TD he scored last season. Two plays later, Nicks caught a deep TD pass down the middle of the field thrown by QB Jim Sorgi. Nicks had several other catches and is starting to look healthy.

WR Mario Manningham had a pair of side line catches from QB Jim Sorgi in the two minute drill. Sorgi got the ball down to the twenty before time expired, completing five passes with no incompletions.

In the 11 on 11s, DT Linval Joseph was all over HB Brandon Jacobs in the backfield and LB Keith Bulluck nearly intercepted a pass intended for TE Bear Pascoe. S Michael Johnson had an excellent pass defense of an Eli Manning pass in the goal line drill. S John Busing had a sure interception of a Jim Sorgi pass bounce off his hands in the 11 on 11s. HB Andre Brown was smothered in the backfield more than once.

In the 7 on 7s, CB Terrell Thomas had a pass defense on WR Ramses Barden. The pass from Eli was right on the money to Barden and I don’t really know how he did not catch it.

K Lawrence Tynes kicked five of six field goals. The longest were 38, 44, and 48 yards. He missed a short one. It may well have been a poor snap. By my count, Lawrence is now 20 for 21 despite the new holder. Tynes continues to use a two-step-then-kick approach to the ball.

There was punting at the beginning of the practice. P Matt Dodge seems to get off excellent punts when the snap is good, but if it is low, or he catches it too close to his body, his timing is thrown off. The usual suspects were catching punts: WR Tim Brown, S Antrel Rolle and CB Aaron Ross.

Brown again had the best run back with his “water bug” moves, but Rolle and Ross had the most fun. I’m fairly certain that the two of them cooked up this razzle-dazzle play. If I remember the proper order, Ross caught the punt, then ran to his left and gave it to Rolle on a reverse. They both continued in opposite directions when Rolle pulled up and threw a 25 yard lateral back to Ross. I can’t be certain that it was not a forward pass, but I am sure that most of the people at the practice were smiling at the play.