Sep 222016
 
Darian Thompson, New York Giants (September 11, 2016)

Darian Thompson – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT – DARIAN THOMPSON OUT…
New York Giants free safety Darian Thompson (sprained foot), who was limited in practice on Wednesday, missed practice on Thursday and has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Washington Redskins. Worse, ESPN.com is reporting that there is “serious concern” that the injury could be a long-term problem. Thompson’s foot will officially now be evaluated on a week-to-week basis.

“I don’t think it’s serious,” said Thompson, who was wearing a walking boot on his left foot. “Right now, it’s just a minor sprain… I don’t know exactly what they call it, but I just know it’s on the top of the foot and they told me it’s minor,”

Offensive tackle Marshall Newhouse (calf) and defensive tackle Robert Thomas (illness) did not practice on Thursday. Running back Rashad Jennings (thumb) was limited. Defensive end Olivier Vernon (wrist) was added to the injury report but he fully practiced.

THE COACHES SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following coaches are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Ben McAdoo and select position coaches and players will address the media on Friday.

Aug 292016
 
Myles White, New York Giants (October 25, 2015)

Myles White – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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NEW YORK GIANTS CUT FOUR PLAYERS…
The New York Giants have waived/injured fullback Nikita Whitlock (foot) and tight end Matt LaCosse (knee). The team also waived wide receiver Myles White and long snapper Tyler Ott.

If Whitlock and LaCosse make it through waivers, both will likely be added to the Giants Injured Reserve. Whitlock suffered a mid-foot sprain during Saturday’s preseason against the Jets that may require surgery. LaCosse injured his knee in practice several weeks ago and is expected to undergo surgery.

Whitlock was originally signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as a rookie free agent after the 2014 NFL Draft, but was cut and signed by the Dallas Cowboys to their Practice Squad. The NFL suspended Whitlock in November 2014 for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and the Cowboys terminated his Practice Squad contract. The Giants signed him to the Practice Squad in December 2014. Whitlock surprisingly beat out fullback Henry Hynoski in training camp in 2015. Whitlock ended up playing in 14 games with five starts until he was placed on Injured Reserve in December 2015 with a knee injury. He had no touches as a rusher or receiver. A collegiate defensive tackle, Whitlock also received a limited number of snaps at defensive tackle in pass rush situations for the Giants in 2015. He finished the season with six tackles and a sack.

LaCosse was originally signed by the Giants as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2015 NFL Draft. The Giants waived/injured him in early August with a hamstring injury. LaCosse then spent some time with the Jets in the preseason. The Giants re-signed him to the Practice Squad in November and the 53-man roster in December 2015. He played in two games and finished with three catches for 22 yards.

The Giants signed White to the Practice Squad after he was waived by the Green Bay Packers in September 2015 and to the 53-man roster in October 2015. White played in 12 games with no starts and finished the season with only seven catches for 88 yards and a touchdown. White was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Packers after the 2013 NFL Draft. White played in seven games as a rookie, catching nine passes for 66 yards. He spent the 2014 season on Green Bay’s Practice Squad.

The Giants signed Ott in late December 2015 after team placed Zak DeOssie and Danny Aiken on Injured Reserve. He played in the regular-season finale. Ott was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the New England Patriots after the 2014 NFL Draft. He did not make the team, but spent time with the Patriots again and the St. Louis Rams before the 2015 season.

The Giants must remove 11 more players from their roster to reach the NFL limit of 75 by 4:00PM on Tuesday.

AUGUST 29, 2016 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
Fullback/tight end Will Johnson (burner), right guard John Jerry (ankle), linebacker Jonathan Casillas (ribs), linebacker Jasper Brinkley (knee), linebacker Keenan Robinson (back), linebacker B.J. Goodson (concussion), cornerback Leon Hall (concussion), and safety Darian Thompson (shoulder) did not practice on Monday.

“Ribs are sore,” Head Coach Ben McAdoo said of Casillas. “Doesn’t look like anything is broken.”

“Jasper got nicked up (knee) early in the game, finished the game,” said McAdoo. “But we held him out today.”

“(Johnson is) coming along, but nothing new from the medical perspective there, he’s just making progress,” said McAdoo.

Left guard Justin Pugh (shoulder) practiced on a limited basis. Safety Mykkele Thompson (concussion) returned to practice.

CULLEN JENKINS SIGNS WITH REDSKINS…
New York Giants unrestricted free agent defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins has signed a 1-year contract with the Washington Redskins. The Giants had no interest in re-signing Jenkins.

The aging Jenkins had a solid 2015 campaign, starting 13 of the 16 games he played in, and finishing with 26 tackles, three sacks, and 2 pass defenses. Jenkins was originally signed by Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent after the 2003 NFL Draft. He did not make the team but spent time in NFL Europe and then re-signed with the Packers in 2004. Jenkins spent time with the Packers (2004-2010) and Philadelphia Eagles (2011-12) before signing with the Giants in March 2013 after he was cut by the Eagles.

HEAD COACH BEN MCADOO…
The transcript of Ben McAdoo’s press conference on Monday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The New York Giants practice at 11:15AM on Tuesday. There will be no media availability on Wednesday. The Giants play the New England Patriots at home on Thursday.

Jan 122016
 


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(The Hue Jackson interview has reportedly been moved up to Wednesday now).

GIANTS TO INTERVIEW HUE JACKSON ON WEDNESDAY…
According to multiple press reports, the New York Giants will interview Cincinnati Bengals Offensive Coordinator Hue Jackson on Wednesday for the team’s vacant head coaching position. All New York Giants coaching interviews have been jointly conducted by team President/CEO John Mara and Senior Vice President/General Manager Jerry Reese.

The 50-year old Jackson was interviewed by the San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns on Sunday for their head coaching vacancies. The Browns are said to be very serious contenders for his services but the 49ers interest has apparently waned.

As previously reported, the Giants have already interviewed the following six candidates:

  • 38-year old New York Giants Offensive Coordinator Ben McAdoo, who interviewed on January 5th. McAdoo has also interviewed with the Eagles.
  • 56-year old New York Giants Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who interviewed on January 7th.
  • 50-year old Detroit Lions Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin, who interviewed on January 7th. Austin has also interviewed with the Browns.
  • 37-year old Chicago Bears Offensive Coordinator Adam Gase, who interviewed on January 8th, but was hired by the Miami Dolphins as their new head coach the following day.
  • 51-year old Jacksonville Jaguars Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line Coach Doug Marrone, who interviewed on January 9th. Marrone has also interviewed with the Browns.
  • 56-year old former Atlanta Falcons Head Coach Mike Smith, who interviewed on January 11th.

PAT FLAHERTY INTERVIEWS WITH VIKINGS…
FOXSports is reporting that New York Giants Offensive Line Coach Pat Flaherty interviewed with the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday for their vacant offensive line coach position. The Indianapolis Colts have also expressed interest in Flaherty and he may have interviewed with the Colts last week. Since Flaherty is still under contract with the Giants, teams must receive the Giants permission to interview him.

JIM HERRMANN INTERVIEWS WITH COLTS…
FOXSports is reporting that New York Giants Linebackers Coach Jim Herrmann is interviewing with the Indianapolis Colts for their vacant linebacker coach position. Since Herrmann is still under contract with the Giants, teams must receive the Giants permission to interview him.

49ERS INTERVIEW TOM COUGHLIN…
According to multiple press reports, the San Francisco 49ers interviewed Tom Coughlin on Tuesday for their head coaching vacancy. Coughlin resigned as the Giants head coach last week. He interviewed with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday. Since Coughlin still has one year on his contract with the Giants, other teams must receive permission from the Giants to interview him.

ARTICLES…

Dec 232015
 


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ODELL BECKHAM LOSES APPEAL…
On Wednesday, New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham lost his appeal for his 1-game suspension by the NFL. Beckham was suspended without pay on Monday until December 28 due to “multiple violations of safety-related playing rules” in last weekend’s game against the Carolina Panthers. Beckham is not allowed to interact with the team during the suspension and will miss Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Beckham issued the following statement:

“I owe some people an apology. I wasn’t raised to act like I did the other day. I am not here to make excuses for my conduct. This isn’t about anything that was said or done to me. This is about my behavior, and I am responsible for my behavior. People expect better from me, and I expect better from myself.

“First of all, I apologize to the organization I represent, the Giants, and our ownership, John Mara and his family and Steve Tisch and his family. And Jerry Reese, who drafted me and gave me the opportunity to be a part of this organization.

“I want to apologize to Giants fans. They want to be proud of us, and proud of players like me who represent their team. What happened the other day was embarrassing to them and embarrassing to me.

“A lot of kids look up to me as a role model. That is a responsibility I accept and take seriously. Many of the parents of those kids have asked since Sunday what they should say to their children about my conduct. I don’t have the perfect answer, but I think one thing they can say is how I handled myself the other day is an example of how not to conduct yourself. I displayed poor sportsmanship.  And those parents can also say that when you act like that, there are consequences. And I hope to be an example of somebody who did something wrong and learned from it.

“I owe Coach Coughlin, our coaches and my teammates an apology. They have had to answer for my actions, and that’s not fair to them. How I conduct myself is my responsibility. I let my coaches and teammates down.

“I am blessed and privileged to play the game I love, and I will do all I can to carry myself in a way that honors the game, the NFL, my team, my coaches, all my fans and my family moving forward.”

GIANTS RE-SIGN BRANDON MERIWEATHER…
As reported yesterday, the New York Giants have placed fullback/defensive tackle Nikita Whitlock on season-ending Injured Reserve with a knee injury that he suffered against the Carolina Panthers last Sunday. To fill the roster vacancy, the Giants have re-signed safety Brandon Meriweather, who was released by the Giants last week when the team signed defensive tackle Barry Cofield.

The Giants signed Meriweather in August 2015 after injuries hit the safety position hard. Meriweather was originally drafted in the 1st round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. He has played with the Patriots (2007-10), Chicago Bears (2011), and Washington Redskins (2012-14). Meriweather started the first 11 games of this season for the Giants until a knee injury kept him out of two games in December. He accrued 53 tackles, 7 pass defenses, and 2 interceptions.

ODELL BECKHAM VOTED TO PRO BOWL…
Wide receiver Odell Beckham has been voted to the Pro Bowl by coaches, players, and fans for his performance during the 2015 NFL season. Through 14 games this year, Beckham has caught 91 passes for 1,396 yards and 13 touchdowns. Beckham also made the Pro Bowl his rookie season.

Beckham is the only New York Giant selected to the Pro Bowl. Place kick Josh Brown and return specialist Dwayne Harris were both named as first alternates and will get the opportunity to play if a player at their position cannot participate in the game.

NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
WR Dwayne Harris (shoulder), DT Markus Kuhn (knee), LB Devon Kennard (foot), and S Cooper Taylor (concussion) did not practice on Wednesday.

RB Orleans Darkwa (illness), DE George Selvie (concussion), and LB James Morris (quad) practiced on a limited basis.

TOM COUGHLIN AND THE COORDINATORS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following coaches are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
The following transcripts and video of player media sessions on Wednesday are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

ARTICLES

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice on Thursday and hold physical recovery cycles on Friday in advance of Sunday’s away game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Dec 202015
 


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CAROLINA PANTHERS 38 – NEW YORK GIANTS 35…
The 2015 New York Giants have turned heart-breaking losses into an art form. The Giants fell 38-35 to the undefeated Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. With the defeat, the Giants fell to 6-8, having lost four of their last five games. With the Washington Redskins beating the Buffalo Bills, the Giants’ playoff hopes are dead unless the Arizona Cardinals defeat the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, New York Giants (December 20, 2015)

Another Last-Second Heart-Breaker – © USA TODAY Sports Images

The Giants lost the game despite a valiant 28-point comeback that tied the game with 1:46 left to play. But as has been the case all season, the Giants’ defense could not prevent the opposition from scoring the game-winning points late in the game as Carolina kicked a 43-yard field goal with no time remaining on the clock.

“To go out there and just let them drive down the field is just mind-boggling,” said cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie after the game.

Aside from one drive, the Giants’ offense was largely inept in the first half. Their first seven possessions of the game resulted in five punts, one lost fumble, and a 10-play, 80-yard drive. Wide receiver Odell Beckham struggled for most of the game and he dropped a sure 52-yard touchdown pass on New York’s first possession. Beckham, losing his composure, was flagged with three personal foul penalties in the contest and did not have a catch until late in the third quarter. The Giants did tie the game 7-7 late in the first quarter when quarterback Eli Manning found wide receiver Rueben Randle for a 27-yard touchdown.

Defensively, in the first half, the Giants allowed three touchdowns drives of 88, 46, and 72 yards. Quarterback Cam Newton accrued 66 rushing yards and threw three touchdown passes before intermission. Rodgers-Cromartie dropped what should have been a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown.

What had been a tight 7-7 game turned late in the second quarter. It was here where Rodgers-Cromartie dropped the interception. Then running back Rashad Jennings fumbled the ball away at the New York 46-yard line. Three plays later on 3rd-and-1, Newton found a wide open tight end Greg Olsen for a 37-yard touchdown with 2:14 left in the first half. After a three-and-out, Carolina got the ball back at their own 28-yard line with 1:24 left to play. The Panthers drove the length of the field in 69 seconds to take a commanding 21-7 halftime lead on Newton’s 14-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Devin Funchess.

After both teams exchanged punts to start the second half, the Panthers went up 28-7 after a 7-play, 80-yard drive resulted in Newton’s fourth touchdown pass of the game, this one from 20 yards out to wide receiver Corey Brown. The Giants then went three-and-out again and the Panthers built what looked like an insurmountable 35-7 lead after a 36-yard punt return and a 7-play, 37-yard drive ended with Newton’s fifth touchdown pass of the game, and second to wide out Ted Ginn.

Will Tye, New York Giants (December 20, 2015)

Will Tye – © USA TODAY Sports Images

With less than six minutes to play in the third quarter, the Giants began their furious comeback. New York started with a 13-play, 64-yard drive in which the the Giants converted on 4th-and-2 on a 5-yard pass to Beckham after Manning passionately called off the punt team. The drive ended with an 8-yard touchdown throw to tight end Will Tye on 3rd-and-4. After a three-and-out by the Panthers, the Giants cut the score to 35-21 on Jennings’ 38-yard touchdown run, finishing a 4-play, 66-yard drive.

It looked like the Panthers put the game away on their ensuing possession when they drove 62 yards in 9 plays to set up a 34-yard field goal attempt with nine minutes left to play. But the field goal attempt was blocked by Rodgers-Cromartie and recovered by cornerback Prince Amukamara at the Carolina 46-yard line. The game looked over again when Manning was intercepted in the end zone with 7:33 left to play. However, two plays later, defensive end Kerry Wynn recovered a fumble off a botched hand-off and New York was back in business. Three plays later, Manning hit running back Shane Vereen for an 8-yard score on 3rd-and-4. The Giants now trailed 35-28 with 5:27 to play.

The Panthers went three-and-out and the Giants got the ball back at their own 34-yard line with 4:17 left to play. They drove the length of the field, 66 yards, in seven plays to tie the game 35-35 with 1:46 left when Manning found Beckham for a 14-yard touchdown on 4th-and-5. Beckham had also caught a 40 yard pass earlier on the drive on 3rd-and-3.

Odell Beckham, New York Giants (December 20, 2015)

Odell Beckham – © USA TODAY Sports Images

With 28 unanswered points and all of the momentum, the Giants could not seal the deal. The defense allowed the Panthers to easily gain 49 yard yards in eight plays to set up the game-winning field goal with no time left.

Offensively, the Giants gained 406 total net yards (161 yards rushing, 245 yards passing). The Giants lost two turnovers (one fumble and one interception). Jennings carried the ball 16 times for 107 yards and a touchdown. The leading receivers were Vereen (8 catches for 43 yards and a touchdown), Beckham (6 catches for 76 yards and a touchdown), Tye (5 catches for 43 yards and a touchdown), and Randle (4 catches for 47 yards and a touchdown).

Defensively, the Giants allowed 480 total net yards (171 yards rushing, 309 yards passing). The Giants recovered one fumble (by Wynn). Newton ran for 100 yards and completed 25-of-45 passes for 340 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. The Giants did accrue three sacks: 1.5 by defensive end Robert Ayers, 1.0 by defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, and 0.5 by linebacker J.T. Thomas. The Giants also had nine pass defenses.

Video highlights/lowlights are available at Giants.com.

INJURY REPORT…
Safety Cooper Taylor (concussion), WR Dwayne Harris (shoulder), and fullback Nikita Whitlock (knee) all suffered injuries in the game.

POST-GAME REACTIONS…
Transcripts and video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Tom Coughlin and the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

POST-GAME NOTES…
Inactive for the Giants were DE George Selvie (concussion), DT Markus Kuhn (knee), LB Devon Kennard (hamstring/foot), WR Geremy Davis, OG Adam Gettis, OT Emmett Cleary, and CB Jayron Hosley.

With eight losses, the Giants are assured of finishing no better than .500 for the third consecutive season.

Seven of the Giants’ eight losses have been by a total of 21 points, and six of them have been by four points or less.

The Giants have lost three consecutive home games for the second consecutive season.

According to Elias Sports Bureau, it is the first time in their history the Giants rallied from a 28-point deficit to tie a game.

QB Eli Manning’s four scoring throws increased his season total to a career-high 32, the third-highest figure in Giants history. Pro Football Hall of Famer Y.A. Tittle threw 36 in 1963 and 33 in 1962. Manning’s previous best was 31 touchdown passes in 2010.

Manning increased his career total to 291 touchdown passes. That moved him past another Hall of Famer, Johnny Unitas (290), and into ninth place on the NFL’s career list.

WR Odell Beckham’s streak of consecutive 100-yard games ended at six, a franchise record.

Beckham has 13 touchdown receptions this year, tying the single-season franchise record set by Homer Jones in 1967. He had 12 touchdowns as a rookie last season, and has scored 25 in his 26-game NFL career.

ARTICLES…

Dec 162015
 
BBI'ers in Miami - Photo courtesy of Jim in South Florida

BBI’ers in Miami – Photo courtesy of Jim in South Florida

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GIANTS SIGN BARRY COFIELD, CUT BRANDON MERIWEATHER…
Though not officially announced yet, the New York Giants have signed former Giant defensive tackle Barry Cofield. To make room for Cofield, the team officially released safety Brandon Meriweather.

The 31-year old Cofield was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Giants. He started 78 regular season games in five years in New York, accruing 210 tackles and 10.5 sacks. He signed with the Washington Redskins after the 2010 season and played four seasons in Washington, starting 51 games and accruing 100 tackles and 9 sacks. Cofield missed half of the 2014 season with a high ankle sprain and groin injury and was released by the Redskins in February 2015. In March 2015, he underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his hip. Cofield is an average-sized defensive tackle, but he is strong, consistent, and occasionally flashes the ability to penetrate and make plays behind the line of scrimmage. While Cofield is not overly stout at the point-of-attack, he is a better-than-average run defender who fights hard and hustles. Cofield is smart and team-oriented.

The Giants signed Meriweather in August 2015 after injuries hit the safety position hard. Meriweather was originally drafted in the 1st round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. He has played with the Patriots (2007-10), Chicago Bears (2011), and Washington Redskins (2012-14). Meriweather started the first 11 games of this season for the Giants until a knee injury kept him out of the past two games. He accrued 53 tackles, 7 pass defenses, and 2 interceptions.

NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT – DEVON KENNARD OUT AGAINST PANTHERS…
DE George Selvie (concussion), DT Markus Kuhn (knee), and LB Devon Kennard (hamstring/foot) did not practice on Wednesday despite practice being more of a walk-thru. Head Coach Tom Coughlin said Kennard will not play this weekend against the Carolina Panthers.

LT Ereck Flowers (ankle) practiced on a limited basis. “I practiced today, I felt good,” said Flowers. “It’s just one of those, after the season, I’ll get it right. There’s no time to (rest), you know what I’m saying.” Flowers said he is playing this weekend despite aggravating his high ankle sprain during Monday’s game against the Dolphins.

ELI MANNING NAMED “NFC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK”…
New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning has been named the “NFC Offensive Player of the Week” for his performance against the Miami Dolphins on Monday night. In that game, Manning completed 27-of-31 passes for 337 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. He had a quarterback rating of 151.5. This is the second time this season that Manning has won the award. The first time was for his performance against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5. This is Manning’s fourth career “NFC Player of the Week” award. He was also honored in 2006 Week 2 and 2011 Week 3, each for his performance in Giants’ victories in Philadelphia.

HEAD COACH TOM COUGHLIN…
The transcript of Tom Coughlin’s press conference on Wednesday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
The following transcripts and video of player media sessions on Wednesday are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

The audio of Tuesday’s WFAN interviews with QB Eli Manning and RB Shane Vereen are also available at CBS New York’s website.

GIANTS-DOLPHINS: SIGHTS AND SOUNDS…
A sights and sounds video from the Giants’ 31-24 win over the Miami Dolphins is now available at Giants.com.

ARTICLES

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice on Thursday and hold physical recovery cycles on Friday in advance of Sunday’s home game against the Carolina Panthers.

Dec 152015
 


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HEAD COACH TOM COUGHLIN…
Tom Coughlin addressed the media by conference call on Tuesday:

Coughlin: I think I said everything last night, I’ll say it again in terms of just finishing a game. Feeling good about being able to finish a game with the ball in our hands, to get into the victory formation, which we haven’t seen a whole lot of this year. To be able to take the clock down from over four minutes to the point where the opponent had no more timeouts and we had made a first down and could go ahead and kneel and get the game over with. So the whole theme all week was to play 60 minutes and to finish a game, finish the game, be able to make the kind of plays necessary when the game is on the line. And to not to be discouraged by circumstances within the game, but rather to let that unite you, make you stronger, and do everything in your power to overcome it. That’s basically the way we went into the game. And with the ability to win the game on the road against a very talented team and to be able to finish it or close it out, as I said, under festive surroundings in Miami was a very good thing.

Q: Ereck Flowers had to leave the game again, anything new on him today?

A: No, I don’t have a lot of stuff. We didn’t bring the players in until 2 o’clock. I hope it’s nothing more than just the re-aggravation of that (ankle) injury. You’d love to have that heal and be over with, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen.

Q: What does it say to you about him toughing it out for three quarters? Is that something you’re alright with, the fact that that’s the way it’s going to be, get three quarters out of him?

A: Well, it’s not something I’m alright with. But Ereck works hard, he is very optimistic and positive about his own ability to control his pain and his own situation. By the end of the week, he was feeling good about himself and thought he could go and play. And I think until the point where his ankle was really bothering him, he was very effective.

Q: Eli isn’t the type of player that really wears his emotions on his sleeve or is very vocal, but some of the players said he had kind of a pregame speech for everybody. Do you think that played into maybe a motivational factor for him on Monday and helped him with his performance?

A: I think he was in that mindset most of the week. I think he, perhaps, put it into words at the end of the week. But he had studied hard, studied long, was not pleased with the outcome of the previous game, and he had made up his mind to really get to know this Miami team, as all of our players resolved to do. I think that’s where it all came from.

Q: Do you think that kind of brings out the best in him when he has his back against the wall and the season could possibly be on the line, that that’s when he tends to rise to the occasion?

A: Well, I think he’s at his best most of the time, to be honest with you. These circumstances are very obvious and if you’re going to play well, you better play well now. And I think he’s well aware of that and well aware of his role in leading us to compete and have a chance to win. I think that’s where it comes from.

Q: I know it’s obviously impossible to measure this kind of thing, but do you have any feel for what last night did for you guys going forward. You were able to do all the things you’ve been preaching with the fourth quarter plays and finishing and all that kind of thing. How much do you think this can boost you going ahead?

A: There’s no doubt winning is the biggest factor and going on the field and doing it rather than just all talk. So I think from that standpoint, anytime you have that type of confidence—and I think there will be a certain measure of accomplishment. And I think the question I’ll have again for our players will be, ‘Okay, so we did this the other night…do you realize how much we’re going to have to improve over that as we prepare to compete against an undefeated team?’ So I think the groundwork will be laid, but there are a lot of things that have to be done better.

Q: You laid some groundwork last week when you spliced in some shots, some film stuff of the plays you guys have made to win some of your games this year. And a couple players late in the week said that was eye opening to them and kind of a motivating factor. Do you feel like that set them in a good mind frame by the end of the week?

A: We wanted to come from disappointment, from not being able to finish a game, from having the entire world comment on that. We wanted to come from that basis to show them that there were games throughout the year where we had come back, where we did finish, and where we did make the big plays when they had to be made. And that’s the reason we did it and hopefully the exact way in which you expressed it was the way in which the players accepted it.

Q: You have elected to go with a running back by committee approach but, Rashad Jennings had a season-high 22 rushing attempts. Do you see maybe some of the carries shifting his direction or was that just dictated by the opponent or simply a case of going with the hot hand?

A: Well, your words are not what mine were about the hot hand. It was obvious to us last night that some of the runs that Rashad made were outstanding runs that he did an awful lot of that himself. He showed power at the end of the run and he was able to push through some of those runs that looked like were three yards to five yards. And what a huge difference that is in the play calling world and in any circle when it’s second and five and you’ve got two downs to accomplish the first down. We thought he played very well. He certainly was the guy who made an awful lot of things happen. (Orleans) Darkwa got a few shots, he had a nice run. And Andre (Williams) had a good run early on and, despite us all being upset about the fumble and the location and all of those types of things. But there’s no doubt that Rashad played well and through his performance and the fact that the run was contributing to what we were doing, he was the guy who was the most productive, so therefore he got a large number of carries.

Q: Will he continue to?

A: Well, we’ll see, yeah. We’ll certainly start that way. For the life of me, I have no idea why you people are so hung up on this, must be nothing else to write about. But certainly, we will. We have, again, different ability ranges and guys who can be tapped and utilized in many different functions—(Shane) Vereen being another, and we’ll continue to do that as well.

Q: When you had a chance to look at it, what happened on the Andre Williams’ fumble that you were talking about?

A: It looked the pocket may not have been as big and the ball was placed maybe up high. The top arm came into play and the ball really jettisoned out of that pocket beyond the line of scrimmage to the point where I didn’t see the ball. But I had said something to Andre when he came to the sidelines about recovering the ball, and the fact of the matter was he was trying to, he was chasing it.

Q: When you look at Andre Williams, he’s had some struggles this year. Is it what he’s doing or not doing? Is it a combination of things? What do you see at the core of the struggles he’s had?

A: Well, the struggles….we’re all struggling to a certain extent. So I don’t think there’s anything that’s happening there that’s strictly Andre’s doing. I think there’s been games in which he’s had the majority of the plays in which he’s run hard and done some good things and others in which that hasn’t happened. He’s contributed on special teams. I think he’s a good young ball carrier that is really learning his trade as he goes.

Q: Near the end of the game, you had Cooper Taylor in the game and Landon Collins, who usually doesn’t come off the field, was out. Was that a performance-based situation there?

A: No. We had three safeties dress and if, in fact, there was some fatigue, we were going to rotate them through. When Cooper Taylor got in there, he did a nice job. He came to the line of scrimmage, he defended the run very well. So it is encouraging to continue to play him that way.

Q: Your level of concern with Josh Brown on the two misses in two weeks?

A: There’s concern, no doubt. He did make a field goal, as well. But we definitely need Josh to get back into the 19 in a row kind of thing. Because when you really count on those points—again, but we overcame that, too. He missed and we just didn’t have the three-point lead at that point in time. We go back and keep playing and that’s what happened. But yes, rather than one for two, the expectation is very high with Josh and we would expect it to be two for two.

Q: Ndamukong Suh didn’t have a big game by any stretch. What were you guys able to do up front to keep him at bay from a pass rushing standpoint as well as tackling any of the ball carriers?

A: Well, he was a force. If you studied the film, he was definitely a force. And he was a penetrator and some of the circumstances that may not have looked or went in the book as a sack, he was in the backfield forcing us to hurry the throw or do something on terms that we were being dictated to rather than being on our timing and our terms. He’s a force in the game, there wasn’t any question about that. We did a nice job and Eli did a nice job and we did some doubling and some chipping on the outside with (Olivier) Vernon and that type of thing because they are two outstanding players. But they were a force in the game, believe me. We were fortunate to stay away from any of those numbers.

Q: Besides the obvious motivation…what this game means for the playoffs. What about the motivation to try and beat a team that’s undefeated?

A: We’ll use whatever motivation we can. This is a very good football team, they’ve been extremely productive. They’ve won some close games and they’ve won some games that were going away. And they’re against some teams that we know very well. So we’ll, as I say, the idea the circumstance that an undefeated team, but knowing full well what the situation is in our division. So all of those things combined, we would have to make a great effort.

Q: What was it about your game plan, in your estimation, offensively that worked so well against them last night? It seemed like you got the ball out quickly, you were able to get the ball downfield when you wanted to. What was it, do you think?

A: I thought we played well.

Q: So in your mind, it’s all execution?

A: It certainly was. It was better execution and we were more stout up front offensively with our offensive line. We did a better job of that. There’s still room to be improved, no doubt about it. But the accuracy with which the ball was delivered, the results after the catch, the ability to spread the ball around and have huge plays made by a lot of different people–touchdowns being registered, the big two minute play by Dwayne Harris from Eli and so on and so forth. Lots of contributors, lots of productivity from some throughout the game. Some situations that we thought could have been better. But we asked for a well-rounded contribution, be it run, be it distribution, however you might look at it. And I thought from that standpoint, we did accomplish it. Certainly we would like to rush for more yardage or average per-carry type thing, and hopefully we’re going to build on that. But I did think, for example, some of the ways in which we just buckled down with the four-minute runs and there was some real head knocking in there at that point in time. I thought that was a little bit of a step forward.

Q: Was the plan all along to move Jason Pierre-Paul back to the right side toward the end or did that come up as the game went along?

A: He could play on either side and the strategy is to play him on either side. He had played the majority on one side then got some snaps toward the end of the game on the other side. That’s not unusual and that’s something that may very well come up throughout the remainder of the season.

NOTES…
The Giants are 4-0 as the visiting team vs. Miami, also winning there in 1993 and 1996, and in London in 2007.

The Giants’ Monday Night Football record improved to 23-36-1, including 15-26-1 on the road.

Quarterback Eli Manning completed 27-of-31 passes for 337 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions against the Miami Dolphins. His completion percentage of 87.1 and passer rating of 151.5 were each career highs for a full game.

For the fourth time this season, Manning was not sacked. The Giants won all four of those games.

Wide receiver Odell Beckham finished the game with seven receptions for 166 yards and two touchdowns.  It was his sixth consecutive 100-yard game, extending his Giants record.

The seven receptions increased Beckham’s career total to 176, increasing his record-setting total by an NFL player in his first two seasons.

Beckham has scored 12 touchdowns this season, matching his rookie total. His 24 receiving touchdowns are a Giants record for the most such scores in the first two years of a Giants career.

In his two seasons, Beckham has an NFL-high three touchdown receptions of 80 or more yards. He has a league-leading six touchdown catches of at least 50 yards this season.

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The players return to practice on Wednesday to start preparing for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers.

Dec 102015
 
Ereck Flowers, New York Giants (June 8, 2015)

Ereck Flowers – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
LT Ereck Flowers (ankle) and LB Devon Kennard (hamstring/foot) did not practice on Thursday. Kennard was spotted in the locker room wearing a boot on his right foot. It is unlikely that he will be able to play on Monday against the Miami Dolphins. Flowers appears to be no longer using crutches but may be a longshot to play as well.

RT Marshall Newhouse (back) and S Brandon Meriweather (knee) were limited in practice.

HEAD COACH TOM COUGHLIN…
The transcript of Tom Coughlin’s press conference on Thursday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
The following transcripts and video of player media sessions on Thursday are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

ARTICLES

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice on Friday and hold physical recovery cycles on Saturday in advance of Monday’s away game against the Miami Dolphins.

Dec 062015
 
Josh Brown, New York Giants (December 6, 2015)

Josh Brown Misses Game-Tying Kick in OT – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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NEW YORK JETS 23 – NEW YORK GIANTS 20 (OT)…
In pattern far too commonplace this season, the New York Giants lost a heart-breaker, 23-20 in overtime, to the New York Jets on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium. Once again, there was a questionable late-game coaching decision and the team surrendered another double-digit 4th quarter lead. The Giants had a chance to tie the game in overtime but place kicker Josh Brown, who had been perfect all season on field goal attempts, missed from 48 yards out.

With the defeat, the Giants fell to 5-7 overall. It was the fifth time this season the Giants have lost a game in the final two minutes – tying a single-season NFL record.

Statistically, the Jets out-gained the Giants in first downs (28 to 14), total net yards (463 to 355), net yards rushing (90 to 74), net yards passing (373 to 281), and time of possession (38:31 to 29:56). The Giants were 0-for-3 in red zone opportunities  and 4-of-15 (27 percent) on third down opportunities.

Dwayne Harris, New York Giants (December 6, 2015)

Dwayne Harris – © USA TODAY Sports Images

After both teams went three-and-out and exchanged punts on their first possessions, the Jets went up 3-0 after an 11-play, 78-yard drive that set up a 24-yard field goal. Both teams then gained one first down before having to punt. The Giants went ahead 7-3 when wide receiver/returner Dwayne Harris returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown.

The Jets and Giants exchanged punts again. The Giants got the ball back when linebacker Jasper Brinkley forced a fumble that defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul recovered. Despite beginning the possession at the Jets’ 10-yard line, the Giants were forced to settle for a 20-yard field goal by Brown to go up 10-3. Running back Andre Williams was stuffed for a 1-yard loss on 3rd-and-goal from the 1-yard line.

Odell Beckham, New York Giants (December 6, 2015)

Odell Beckham – © USA TODAY Sports Images

The Jets then proceeded to tie the game by driving 79 yards in nine plays, with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick hitting running back Bilal Powell for a 25-yard catch-and-run touchdown on 3rd-and-15. However, the Giants regained the lead on the third snap of their ensuing possession when wide receiver Odell Beckham sprinted for a 72-yard touchdown pass on 3rd-and-2. Giants were now up 17-10.

The Giants’ defense forced three-and-out with 1:42 left in the half. The Giants were able gain 50 yards in six pays, primarily on tight end Will Tye’s 45-yard catch-and-run, to set up a successful 35-yard field goal with 30 seconds left.

At the half, the Giants led 20-10.

Neither team scored in the 3rd quarter. After both teams punted, the Giants began a marathon, 17-play drive that continued midway into the 4th quarter and took an astounding 11 minutes and 21 seconds off of the clock. The turning point in the game came at this moment. Facing a 4th-and-2 from the Jets’ 4-yard line with 8:50 left in the game, Head Coach Tom Coughlin decided to go for it instead of attempting a short field goal that would have put the Giants up by 13 points. Manning’s pass intended for wide receiver Rueben Randle was intercepted and returned to the Jets’ 14-yard line.

The Jets then proceeded to cut the score to 20-13 by driving 80 yards in 12 plays to set up a 24-yard field goal with 4:24 left to play. Needing to run some time off of the clock, the Giants could not and were forced to punt after a three-and-out.

The Jets started their final drive in regulation at their own 29-yard line with 2:40 left to play. Just like the other five late-game collapses, the defense could not hold. The Jets drove 71 yards in 10 plays to tie the game 20-20. On this drive, the Jets converted on 4th-and-6 when Fitzpatrick scrambled for 15 yards. The game-tying touchdown was a 9-yard pass from to wide receiver Brandon Marshall with 27 seconds left.

The Jets won the toss in overtime and drove 61 yards in 13 plays to set up what would be the game-winning 31-yard field goal. Per the new overtime rules, the Giants were given one opportunity to tie or win the game. After a 43-yard kickoff return by Harris, the Giants could only pick up one first down on a 4th-and-6 pass to Beckham that gave the Giants the ball at the Jets’ 34-yard line. But the Giants could only gain four more yards before Brown’s 48-yard game-tying field goal attempt. That kick went wide left.

Offensively, Manning finished the game 18-of-34 for 297 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. Beckham caught 6 passes for 149 yards and 1 touchdown. No other receiver caught more than three passes and no running back rushed for more than 23 yards.

Defensively, while the Giants accrued 3 sacks and 9 quarterback hits, Fitzpatrick completed 36-of-50 passes for 390 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Both wide receiver Brandon Marshall (12 catches for 131 yards) and Eric Decker (8 catches for 101 yards) had over 100 yards receiving. Powell also caught 8 passes for 91 yards at running back for the Jets.

Video highlights/lowlights are available at Giants.com.

INJURY REPORT…
Left tackle Ereck Flowers was carted off of the field with a left ankle injury in the 3rd quarter and did not return. He was spotted in a boot and on crutches after the game.

Quarterback Eli Manning had x-rays after the game on an undisclosed body part but claimed he was OK. “Everything’s good,” said Manning. “Just to see if anything was broken, but all good. You can ask Coach about it.”

POST-GAME REACTIONS…
Transcripts and video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Tom Coughlin and the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

POST-GAME NOTES…
Inactive for the Giants were TE Larry Donnell (neck), RT Marshall Newhouse (back), LB Devon Kennard (hamstring/foot), S Brandon Meriweather (knee), DE George Selvie, WR Geremy Davis, and OT Emmett Cleary.

Rookie Bobby Hart started at right tackle.

Six of the New York Giants’ seven losses have been by a total of 18 points.

This was the third time this season the Giants led by at least 10 points in the fourth quarter and were unable to close out their opponent.

Quarterback Eli Manning increased his career yardage total to 43,073. That moved him past Hall of Famer Dan Fouts and into 11th place on the NFL’s career list.

Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. had his fifth consecutive game with at least 100 receiving yards. He is the first Giants receiver in history to do that in a single season. Beckham has 169 career receptions, the highest total in history by an NFL player in his first two seasons. Beckham has scored 10 touchdowns for the second consecutive season.

Wide receiver/returner Dwayne Harris is the third player in Giants’ history with kickoff and punt return touchdowns in the same season, and the first to do it in 60 years.

JAMES MORRIS PROMOTED TO 53-MAN ROSTER, LEON McFADDEN CUT…
On Saturday, the New York Giants signed linebacker James Morris to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad. To make room for Morris, the team waived cornerback Leon McFadden.

ARTICLES…

Nov 112015
 
Justin Pugh, New York Giants (October 4, 2015)

Justin Pugh – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
WR Victor Cruz (calf), TE Larry Donnell (neck), LG Justin Pugh (potential concussion protocol), RG Geoff Schwartz (ankle), LB J.T. Thomas (ankle), and LB Uani ‘Unga (neck) did not practice on Wednesday.

The Giants issued a statement that said Cruz will “continue to build on the straight line running he did last week with the hope of expanding as the week progresses.”

Donnell began running on the side.

Pugh has been experiencing headaches and is being evaluated to determine if needs to undergo the concussion protocol. Schwartz will practice on Thursday.

(Late Update: Pugh was examined today by an independent neurologist, and the conclusion from that exam is that Pugh is suffering from the effects of dehydration/heat, not a concussion).

CB Prince Amukamara (pectoral) practiced on a limited basis without contact. CB Leon McFadden (groin) was also limited.

OT Will Beatty (pectoral – PUP) continued to work on an undisclosed basis.

JOSH BROWN NAMED “NFC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK”…
New York Giants place kicker Josh Brown has been named the “NFC Special Teams Player of the Week” for his performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last Sunday. Brown made all four of his field goal attempts – from 35, 35, 53, and 44 yards – in the Giants’ 32-18 victory. The 53-yarder was his longest field goal of the season. Brown is the second Giant to win this award in three weeks as Dwayne Harris won it for his performance against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 7.

HEAD COACH TOM COUGHLIN…
The transcript of Tom Coughlin’s press conference on Wednesday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
The following transcripts and video of player media sessions on Wednesday are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

GIANTS-BUCCANEERS: SIGHTS AND SOUNDS…
A sights and sounds video from the Giants’ 32-18 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is now available at Giants.com.

ARTICLES

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice on Thursday and hold physical recovery cycles on Friday in advance of Sunday’s home game against the New England Patriots.