August 1, 2014 New York Giants Training Camp Report

Marcus Harris continues to impress at Giants’ camp – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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AUGUST 1, 2014 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The Giants practiced for the final time before facing the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in the annual Hall of Fame Game. As a result, Friday’s practice was a bit lighter than usual.

The team practiced in just shells, ran through an individual portion, some 11-on-11 and concluded with the ‘cards.’ The end of practice was unable to be seen as the Giants moved inside because of lightning in the area.

Below you will find the complete practice report for Friday, August 1. Also, remember to check out Big Blue Interactive on instagram for video clips and photos from practice.

Please note: We asked you for a player to spotlight in practice today. Because of the type of practice the Giants ran, it was not well suited for a player spotlight. When the team regroups following its game versus the Bills, we will have a spotlight on Weston Richburg.

SETTING THE STAGE…
Many of the walking wounded remained out. While John Jerry (knee) returned, Xavier Grimble (hamstring), Bennett Jackson (ankle), Odell Beckham Jr. (hamstring), Trindon Holliday (hamstring), Spencer Paysinger (concussion), David Wilson (neck), Will Beatty (headache), Mike Patterson (shoulder) and Robert Ayers (ankle) were sidelined. Beatty stretched with the team, but didn’t participate in the team portion. This is most likely because Charles Brown will be starting the HOF game.

Trindon Holliday (15) sat out practice – Photo by Connor Hughes

SPECIAL TEAMS…
The Giants ran through a walk through of the special teams following their team stretch. It was the punt team’s day for work.

• With Trindon Holliday sidelined, it was Jayron Hosley, Preston Parker, Victor Cruz, Odell Beckham Jr. (just catching), Rueben Randle and Jerrel Jernigan getting reps as returner.

• While practicing field goals, Zak DeOssie lost control of a snap and bounced it back to Steve Weatherford. Weatherford then picked it up and ran around the outside looking to throw. The issue? No one ran with him and the coach blew the whistle. Credit Weatherford, though, he got out there pretty quick.

• The field goal attempt was ignored and Brown was allowed to practice four more. He went 4-for-4. The kicking competition remains tied as both Brandon McManus and Brown have missed two kicks each since training camp started.

TWO-MINUTE DRILL…
The offense continues to look much better in the two-minute drill, probably because it’s how the offense runs the majority of the time. Rueben Randle spoke to the media today and said that the Ben McAdoo offense can go to the hurry up “whenever he wants.”

• With Will Beatty out, Charles Brown played left tackle. Also, Johnathan Hankins took all reps with the first-team defense in Mike Patterson’s place.

• Ryan Nassib had a pretty decent showing today, but he did miss two throws that would have completed a perfect practice. The fourth-round pick overshot both Mario Manningham and Preston Parker on deep balls down the field. Both receivers had a step.

• While no one had pads on, Nassib made one of his best plays of camp. The quarterback dropped back in the pocket and went through his first couple of reads. As the pocket began to collapse on him, he took two steps up and rolled out to his right, extending the play. As he was rolling out, Marcus Harris rolled with him across the field. Nassib located Harris and hit him in stride as the receiver took it into the endzone.

• Eli Manning tried to hit Rueben Randle on a shallow post, but Trumaine McBride undercut the pass and intercepted it. Manning just located that ball poorly. Manning responded well, though. He came back and hit Jerrel Jernigan and Marcus Harris for back-to-back touchdowns.

• On a play-action roll out, John Conner displayed some pretty nice hands. Nassib led him perfectly in front of his body and Conner reached out and caught it in stride. He’s said he can catch the ball and move, now he’s showing it.

• Corey Washington has quietly put together a very nice camp as well. The receiver made another nice play down the field on a deep ball from Curtis Painter.

WATCH: Top Play Alert! QB Curtis Painter goes deep to WR Corey Washington for a TD #GiantsCamp http://t.co/rWaF7NltEd

— New York Giants (@Giants) August 1, 2014

THE CARDS…
Let’s explain a bit about what ‘the cards’ mean. Essentially, this is the same routine the Giants do their final practice before any game. The defense lines up on one side, the offense on another. An assistant coach then stands in front of both and holds up a card that has the play drawn on it. The offense then calls said play, the defenses calls their play, and then they run the plays.  It is a bit anticlimactic and the drill is run at about three-quarters speed.

• Adrian Robinson had a pretty nice showing. He caught two passes deep down the seam from Curtis Painter.

• Very, very interesting formation displayed by the Giants: The Read Option. Ryan Nassib has some mobility and he displayed it. Once he kept it, once he didn’t. The play would never be run with Eli Manning in the game, but Nassib could have some success with it.

• Back-to-back nice throws from Ryan Nassib. The first he hit Jerrel Jernigan deep down the field and the second Preston Parker on an in route.

• Another player who seems to be improving daily, Mario Manningham, made an impressive catch. With Jayron Hosley all over him, Manningham extended his hands well to catch the pass and then brought it in to his body as Hosley tried to fight it away.

• Another Marcus Harris sighting. This time, the receiver ran a double-move from the slot and managed to pull in a pass thrown well behind him. Harris had to stop his momentum and reach behind to make the grab. He lost balance and fell, but held on to the ball.

THE RED ZONE…
After a bit of the cards, the Giants worked on their red zone drill. Working through the first, second and third teams, the Giants started around the 20-yard line and worked their way in in an attempt to score.

• Cooper Taylor made a pretty impressive bat down on a pass from Nassib. See the video below:

• Eli Manning came back and hit Victor Cruz for a touchdown from about five yards out.

• Another display of Ryan Nassib’s mobility. The quarterback took a designed quarterback draw in from ten yards out. It’s not a talked about part of his game, but Nassib can run. Not unlike David Carr.

• On the final play of practice that the media saw, Travis Harvey made a nice catch in the back corner of the endzone on a fade route from Curtis Painter. After this, the lightning forced the players inside and the media were unable to watch. During this time, we were told Charles James II intercepted another pass. Including OTA, mini-camp and training camp, James has a team-high four interceptions.

The Giants will travel to Canton on Saturday and be in attendance for Michael Strahan’s Hall of Fame speech. The team will then play the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in the annual Hall of Fame game scheduled for 8:00 pm (EST).