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 152015
 


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NEW YORK GIANTS 31 – MIAMI DOLPHINS 24…
The New York Giants ended their three-game losing streak on Monday night by defeating the Miami Dolphins 31-24 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Garden, Florida. With the win, the Giants improved their overall record to 6-7, keeping pace with the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles for first place in the NFC East.

In a wild game that featured five lead changes, the stars of the contest for New York were quarterback Eli Manning and wide receiver Odell Beckham. Manning only missed on four passes, completing 27-of-31 attempts for 337 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Beckham caught 7-of-9 passes thrown in his direction for 166 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The Dolphins received the ball to start the game, but quickly turned it over on the third offensive snap. Safety Landon Collins forced tight end Dion Sims to fumble the ball, which was recovered by defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul at the Miami 36-yard line. The Giants gained 19 yards to set up a 35-yard field goal by place kicker Josh Brown.

Jason Pierre-Paul, New York Giants (December 15, 2015)

Jason Pierre-Paul – © USA TODAY Sports Images

On their second possession, the Dolphins responded with an 11-play, 74-yard drive that culminated with a 14-yard touchdown run by running back Lamar Miller. Miami now led 7-3. After both teams exchanged punts, the Giants regained the lead 10-7 with a 9-play, 70-yard effort that ended with 6-yard touchdown pass from Manning to wide receiver Rueben Randle on 3rd down.

Back came the Dolphins as they quickly went back on top after a 7-play, 67-yard drive. Miller scored his second touchdown of the game, this one an impressive, tackle-breaking 38-yard run. Miami 14 – Giants 10.

After both teams exchanged punts, the Giants turned the ball over at their own 25-yard line when running back Andre Williams botched a hand-off from Manning. The Dolphins were forced to settle for a 36-yard field goal, however, and extended their advantage to 17-10. With just 1:52 to go before halftime, the Giants drove the length of the field in 68 seconds to tie the game. The big play was a 45-yard strike from Manning to Beckham. Two plays later, Manning hit tight end Will Tye for a 5-yard touchdown.

At the half, the game was tied 17-17.

After the Giants went three-and-out to start the second half, the Dolphins scored their last points by driving 61 yards in just six plays to go ahead 24-17. Wide receiver Kenny Stills beat cornerback Prince Amukamara for a 47-yard touchdown on 3rd-and-7.

The Giants tied the game 24-24 on their second possession of the half with a 9-play, 80-yard affair that ended with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Manning to Beckham. The play was originally ruled incomplete but overturned as Beckham did a marvelous job of keeping his feet in bounds.

Miami struggled to move the ball the rest of the contest. The Dolphins’ final four possessions of the second half only gained 55 yards and three first downs, as each drive ended with a Miami punt.

The Giants had a chance to go up by a field goal late in the 3rd quarter after a 51-yard drive, but Brown missed his 48-yard field goal attempt and the game remained tied. Nevertheless, on New York’s ensuing possession which began at their own 4-yard line, the Giants scored their game-winning points. On first down, running back Rashad Jennings gained 12 yards. On the very next snap, Manning found a wide open Beckham for an 84-yard score and a 31-24 lead that would hold up as the final score.

Odell Beckham, New York Giants (December 15, 2015)

Odell Beckham – © USA TODAY Sports Images

Miami’s last serious scoring thread came on the following possession. The Dolphins gained two first downs and reached the New York 31-yard line. But a holding penalty and three incomplete passes stalled the drive.

Both teams then went three-and-out. With 4:39 left in the game, the Giants were able to successfully run out the clock by gaining 35 yards and three first downs.

Offensively, the Giants gained 429 total net yards (92 rushing, 337 passing), were 5-of-11 on 3rd down (45 percent), and were 3-of-4 (75 percent) in the red zone. Aside from Beckham’s big night, Randle, wide receiver Dwayne Harris, and Tye had five catches each. Jennings carried the ball 22 times for 81 yards.

Defensively, the Dolphins gained 363 total net yards (128 rushing, 235 passing), were 7-of-16 on 3rd down (44 percent), and 1-of-2 (50 percent) in the red zone. Defensive end Robert Ayers had the Giants’ only sack of the game.

Video highlights/lowlights are available at Giants.com.

INJURY REPORT…
Left tackle Ereck Flowers re-injured his high ankle sprain in the 4th quarter and did not return. Defensive tackle Markus Kuhn suffered a knee injury in the 3rd quarter and did not return. Left guard Justin Pugh and right guard John Jerry suffered burners in the 2nd quarter but returned. Wide receiver Odell Beckham missed the first drive of the second half with cramps, needing an IV, but returned. LB J.T. Thomas tweaked his ankle but returned. Defensive end George Selvie left the game in the 4th quarter, being evaluated for a concussion.

POST-GAME REACTIONS…
Video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Tom Coughlin and the following players are available at Giants.com:

  • Head Coach Tom Coughlin (Video)
  • QB Eli Manning (Video)
  • RB Rashad Jennings (Video)
  • WR Odell Beckham (Video)
  • WR Rueben Randle (Video)
  • TE Will Tye (Video)
  • LG/LT Justin Pugh (Video)
  • CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Video)

POST-GAME NOTES…
Inactive for the Giants were LB Devon Kennard (hamstring/foot), S Brandon Meriweather (knee), WR Geremy Davis, DE Stansly Maponga, OG Adam Gettis, OT Emmett Cleary, and CB Tramain Jacobs.

GIANTS-VIKINGS FLEXED TO SUNDAY NIGHT…
The NFL has flexed the New York Giants-Minnesota Vikings game in Minnesota on December 27 from 1:00PM to 8:30PM EST. The game will now be televised on NBC.

DAMONTRE MOORE CLAIMED BY DOLPHINS…
Defensive end Damontre Moore, who was waived by the New York Giants on Friday, has been claimed off of waivers by the Miami Dolphins.

ARTICLES…

Dec 122015
 
Stansly Maponga, Atlanta Falcons (September 3, 2015)

Stansly Maponga – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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GIANTS SIGN STANSLY MAPONGA OFF OF FALCONS’ PRACTICE SQUAD…
The New York Giants have signed defensive end Stansly Maponga off of the Practice Squad of the Atlanta Falcons. Maponga fills the vacancy on the 53-man roster created when the team waived defensive end Damontre Moore on Friday.

Maponga was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Falcons and converted to linebacker. From 2013-14, he played in 24 regular-season games with no starts, accruing eight tackles, one sack, and two fumble recoveries. The Falcons waived Maponga before the start of the 2015 season. Maponga is a bit of a defensive end-linebacker ‘tweener as he lacks ideal size and can have problems with big linemen. He is a good athlete with fine speed and quickness as an end.

NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
LB Devon Kennard (hamstring/foot) has officially been ruled out of Monday’s game against the Miami Dolphins.

LT Ereck Flowers (ankle), DE Robert Ayers (neck), and S Brandon Meriweather (knee) are “questionable” for the game. The Giants did not practice on Saturday but said Ayers would not have practiced for the second day in a row had they done so. Flowers and Meriweather would have been limited.

RT Marshall Newhouse (back) is “probable” for the game.

ARTICLES

Dec 112015
 
Damontre Moore, New York Giants (August 14, 2015)

Damontre Moore – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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GIANTS WAIVE DAMONTRE MOORE…
In a surprise move, the New York Giants have waived defensive end Damontre Moore, the team’s 3rd round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.

“We made the move today in the interest of both parties,” said General Manager Jerry Reese.

NFL.com is reporting that Moore was waived, in part, because he got into a fight with a teammate before practice. According to ESPN.com, Moore’s release was “due to repeated violations of team rules and behavior and maturity issues that have not improved during his three years in the NFL” and “that the decision to waive him was based on the accumulation of issues, not just one fight.”

ESPN.com also said that Moore repeatedly responded poorly to efforts by teammates, coaches, and team officials to take practice more seriously and “feuded openly with some team officials, including general manager Jerry Reese, when confronted about his behavior.”

Moore played in 11 games in 2015 with no starts, accruing 23 tackles, 3 sacks, and 1 forced fumble. Despite being healthy, Moore was inactive in Week 7 against Dallas, presumably for his late hit against the Eagles the week before.

NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
DE Robert Ayers (neck) and LB Devon Kennard (hamstring/foot) did not practice on Friday. Ayers was a new addition to the injury report after fully practicing on Thursday.

LT Ereck Flowers (ankle), RT Marshall Newhouse (back) and S Brandon Meriweather (knee) were limited in practice. Flowers returned to practice after not practicing on Thursday.

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…
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…
Instead of practicing, the Giants will hold a “recovery day” on Saturday. The players will select two of six recovery stations, based on seniority. Their choices are massage, yoga, FMS (Functional Movement Screen) exercises designed for the individual, air compression boots, contrast bath (between a hot and cold tub), and self-massage with stick rollers and elastic bands.

The Giants will also have a 45-minute, up-tempo “walk-thru” practice on Sunday that is not open to the media. The Giants play the Miami Dolphins on Monday.

Nov 182015
 


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GIANTS SIGN COOPER TAYLOR TO 53-MAN ROSTER…
The New York Giants have signed safety Cooper Taylor to the 53-man roster from the team’s Practice Squad. The Giants had one remaining vacancy on the 53-man roster after Tuesday’s roster moves.

This is Taylor’s second stint on the 53-man roster this year. Taylor made the roster in September and was on the active game-day roster for three-of-six games before being waived in October. He was then signed to the Practice Squad in November. Taylor was selected in the 5th round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Giants. Taylor missed six games in 2013 with shoulder and hamstring injuries. He played in 10 games that year, serving almost exclusively on special teams. Taylor missed the entire 2014 season with a semasoid bone issue in his foot that required surgery.

GIANTS ADD TWO TO THE PRACTICE SQUAD…
The New York Giants have filled two of their four Practice Squad vacancies by signing wide receiver Ben Edwards and center Shane McDermott.

The Giants originally signed Edwards after the 2015 NFL Draft. Edwards was eligible to play in the NFL in 2014, but sat out the year recovering from an ACL knee injury. The Giants waived/injured wide receiver Ben Edwards in July after he pulled his hamstring during the June mini-camp. Edwards lacks ideal size and timed speed, but he is a quick receiver who plays faster than he times. Edwards runs very good routes, adjusts well to the football, and has good hands. He has experience playing in the slot.

McDermott was originally signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2015 NFL Draft. The Cowboys cut him in early September. He spent a week on the Practice Squad of the Carolina Panthers in September. McDermott is a blue-collar, overachiever who lacks ideal athleticism and strength.

TOM COUGHLIN HITS AIRWAVES…
Audio from Wednesday’s radio interviews with Head Coach Tom Coughlin are available at:

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

GIANTS.COM INSIDER WITH KEVIN M. GILBRIDE…
Video of a Giants.com “insider” interview with Tight Ends Coach Kevin M. Gilbride is available at Giants.com.

NOTES…
Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks has caught more passes (306) for more yards (4,538) from quarterback Eli Manning than any other receiver.

Manning has thrown 5,993 passes, and needs seven more attempts to become the 12th player in history with 6,000.

This season is the first time the Giants have lost four times by four or fewer points in their first 10 games since 1995.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Giants are the first team in history to lose two games in a season on field goals of 50-plus yards with less than five seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Giants have three rushing touchdowns, their lowest total through 10 games since 1996, when they had two.

The Giants have just three runs of 20 or more yards, tied for 25th in the NFL, and 22 runs of 10-plus yards, tied for 24th.

ARTICLE…

Oct 232015
 


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13 PLAYERS NOW ON NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
WR Victor Cruz (calf) and CB Prince Amukamara (pectoral) have been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys. “Although the area (of injury) has gotten significantly smaller, there’s still an area there that needs to heal before they can get me out there,” Cruz told The New York Post. Cruz has not finished a practice in over two months.

WR Odell Beckham (hamstring), LB Uani ‘Unga (neck), LB Jonathan Casillas (neck), CB Trumaine McBride (groin), and CB Brandon McGee (back) are “questionable” for the game. McGee, who was only recently signed to the 53-man roster, is a new addition to the injury report.

WR Rueben Randle (hamstring), DE Robert Ayers (hamstring), DT Johnathan Hankins (calf), LB Devon Kennard (hamstring), LB Jon Beason (knee), and CB Trevin Wade (concussion) are “probable” for the game. Hankins is a new addition to the injury report.

HEAD COACH TOM COUGHLIN…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with Tom Coughlin are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

ODELL BECKHAM ON ESPN RADIO
The audio of Thursday’s ESPN Radio interview with wide receiver Odell Beckham is now available at ESPN.com.

ARTICLES

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants will have a 45-minute, up-tempo “walk-thru” practice on Saturday that is not open to the media. The Giants play the Dallas Cowboys at home on Sunday.

Oct 222015
 


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NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
WR Odell Beckham (hamstring), WR Victor Cruz (calf), LB Jon Beason (knee), LB Uani ‘Unga (neck), and CB Prince Amukamara (pectoral) did not practice on Thursday.

Head Coach Tom Coughlin indicated that Beckham is likely not to practice on Wednesdays and Thursdays but continue to attempt to play on game day. “This is where we are right now,” said Coughlin. “It may be that way for a while, I hope not. Obviously, you practice, you get better…He plays the whole game and then they deal with whatever he comes out of the game with and get him ready for the next one.”

“We’re going to be all right,” said Beckham. “The game plan is for Sunday. It’s about knowing what you need to do to get ready for Sunday.”

Cruz had an MRI on his injured calf but is still not cleared to practice. “He’s not cleared to go.,” said Coughlin. “He’s with the trainers…He gets an MRI every week…We all were (hoping he would be cleared). He still has a little bit of an injury there.”

Both middle linebackers missed practice, including Beason who was a new addition to the injury report with a knee issue. Amukamara has already been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys.

WR Rueben Randle (hamstring), DE Robert Ayers (hamstring), LB Devon Kennard (hamstring), LB Jonathan Casillas (neck), CB Trumaine McBride (groin), and CB Trevin Wade (concussion) practiced on a limited basis.

OT Will Beatty (pectoral) returned to practice on a limited basis on Tuesday, but remains on the Reserve/Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List. Since he has now returned to the practice field, the Giants can keep him on that list for only three more weeks.

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…
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…
Instead of practicing, the Giants will hold a “recovery day” on Friday. The players will select two of six recovery stations, based on seniority. Their choices are massage, yoga, FMS (Functional Movement Screen) exercises designed for the individual, air compression boots, contrast bath (between a hot and cold tub), and self-massage with stick rollers and elastic bands.

The Giants will also have a 45-minute, up-tempo “walk-thru” practice on Saturday that is not open to the media. The Giants play the Dallas Cowboys at home on Sunday.

Aug 262015
 
Preston Parker, New York Giants (August 14, 2015)

Preston Parker – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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AUGUST 26, 2015 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their second-to-last training camp practice on Wednesday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The full training camp schedule is available at Giants.com.

INJURY REPORT…
Wide receiver Victor Cruz (calf), center Weston Richburg (knee), left tackle Will Beatty (PUP – pectoral), defensive end George Selvie (knee), linebacker Jon Beason (knee), linebacker Mark Herzlich (concussion), cornerback Chykie Brown (knee), cornerback Chandler Fenner (hamstring), and safety Nat Berhe (calf) did not practice.

The bad news on Berhe is he re-aggravated his calf injury during practice on Tuesday.

Cornerback Jayron Hosley (concussion) returned to practice.

Right tackle Marshall Newhouse left practice early after injuring his left ankle. The Giants said another player stepped on Newhouse’s ankle.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • Jeromy Miles and Brandon Meriweather remained the first-team safeties.
  • Landon Collins practiced with the second-team unit at safety.
  • Wide receiver Preston Parker had another good practice, including catching a deep ball from quarterback Eli Manning. (Video)
  • Cornerback Jayron Hosley broke up a pass intended for wide receiver Geremy Davis.
  • Wide receiver Odell Beckham beat cornerback Jayron Hosley for a touchdown.
  • One defensive line formation employed Owamagbe Odighizuwa, Cullen Jenkins, Robert Ayers, and Damontre Moore.
  • For the second practice in a row, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie had a pick-six interception. This time he intercepted quarterback Ryan Nassib. Defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa pressured Nassib on the play.
  • Cornerback Trevin Wade picked off quarterback Ricky Stanzi. (Video)
  • Safety Cooper Taylor blew up a screen pass.
  • After right tackle Marshall Newhouse left practice due to injury, Geoff Schwartz and Bobby Hart split snaps with the first-team offense at right tackle.
  • Tight ends Daniel Fells, Larry Donnell, and Jerome Cunningham were all active catching the ball, with Donnell also catching a touchdown pass from quarterback Eli Manning.
  • According to Giants.com, the top players of the day were defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa, tight end Daniel Fells, and wide receiver Preston Parker.

HEAD COACH TOM COUGHLIN…
Tom Coughlin addressed the media on Wednesday (video is available at Giants.com):

Q: Landon Collins didn’t really seem like he did much yesterday?

A: He did enough. They wanted to take him and work him and just see him on the side and I think he passed all the tests, so he is going to get some time today.

Q: How is Rueben Randle doing today?

A: Rueben is fighting his way through. He thought he needed just to get some more work in and so today will be a better day for him, I’m sure, too.

Q: Did you like what you saw from him yesterday?

A: He was slowly getting into it. Hopefully he will be able to start faster today.

Q: Will Weston Richburg go today?

A: No.

Q: Is that concerning?

A: Well, certainly it is concerning; it is always concerning, but he is not going to be able to go today so I don’t know what else to say to you.

Q: What is it? Tendinitis?

A: It is his knee, yeah.

Q: How important is the third game overall because the guys will play the most they will play all preseason?

A: Well, we have played our people a little bit more this preseason. The third game, obviously, is an important game, just like any of them are but as far as advancing our people, we’ll play a half. There may be some that extend and there may be some that won’t not play a full half, but by and large, we’ll plan on playing a half and a half.

Q: Do you always look forward to playing the Jets in the preseason?

A: It is always a good game. It is a game that is well approached by the media, it is a preseason game, we have our issues, we have people that we are trying to evaluate and they do, too, and I think that is where it is. That is where the game is.

Q: Does it seem any quieter without Coach [Rex] Ryan on the other side?

A: You know what, we’ve got our own issues. I don’t pay much attention to what is going on in other places.

Q: In other years you’ve often had the starters in the third game play through halftime.

A: I always say that, Paul. I’m glad you brought that up, but it doesn’t happen much. I come in at the half and if we are in pretty good shape, I say that is enough.

Q: It is a special day for Osi. Any thoughts on today?

A: I just smile when I think of — I have this picture in my mind and it will always be there and I smile every time I think of it. It is that picture on the wall where 72 (Umenyiora), 92 (Strahan) and 91 (Tuck) are walking away from Brady who is laying on the ground in Super Bowl 42 and I just have that picture and every time I think of that, I think of Osi and I think of Strahan and I think of Tuck and I just smile. It will always be there.

Q: In your head, is he always aligned with that group?

A: Oh, absolutely. Early on, it was Strahan and Osi, and then, of course, when a young Justin Tuck comes along, but that way in which stories of how Strahan broke in and then how Osi was put to test, too, by the…that is a rare room, the defensive line room, now; you have to understand that. I will always have that smile and that thought of Osi, number one, and on this special day of his and, of course, those that surrounded him.

Q: That second Super Bowl run, when you think of him coming back, can you overstate the contribution that he made back there?

A: No, you can’t because of the way in which, like you say, he fought his way through some things. He had some injuries and he fought his way through those things and the way he played down the stretch in that situation and then through the playoffs was outstanding.

Q: What was he like to coach?

A: He was fun. He was a good guy. The one thing that probably went below the surface [was] what a job he did preparing. He studied those left tackles and he knew them—he knew the guy he was going against inside and out and that was really, I thought, the key to his success, that and the fact that he was very fast [and] very confident. When he stepped on the field, the guys around him knew that he was a very confident player, he was a master at his craft and that gave them great confidence, as well.

Q: The young group you have now has mentioned that group and how high they have set the bar. Do you see that as a good thing for these guys now to try and aim for that?

A: Most definitely, that is a good thing. It is always important to have something to look at to establish where you have to get to, to have that kind of success, and I think those guys represent that.

Q: Do you see that kind of talent in the room here?

A: Well, that is what we are shooting for. Guys are going to emerge and they are going to have to and these young guys are going to have to come and emerge. Guys like Owa, who people don’t know a whole heck of a lot about because he played on the other side of the country, and so on. He is a guy that is a talented young guy that can learn from watching these guys and knowing full well the success that that group had.

Q: Can I bring you back to this week’s game. What is going to mark the first half for the offense to be a success for you? What do you need to see?

A: It is continued improvement for me. The timing of the passing game is not there yet, and it’s got to happen. I thought our protection did a nice job early on. We’ll be tested this week, the Jets have an outstanding pressure package—they also have an outstanding front, a big front, so we are going to be tested with regards to that, too. That brings up the idea of some kind of consistency with your run game. We have got to have that. We had it at times the other night; we need it more often but we are going up against a very good front, so those would be the ways, you mentioned offense, where we would be looking to see us make progress.

Q: Victor Cruz said yesterday he sees defenses gunning for Odell Beckham. What does Odell have to work through with that?

A: I wouldn’t use those words. Obviously there is a difference between — people are always going to recognize someone who has the type of season that he had and they are going to do things to defend that. As far as gunning for him — you know the continuous of making plays [and] earning the respect of the opponents by doing it over time, proving as a rookie you made these plays and now the continuation of that, and I think that is what the rest of the league will see out of Odell this year.

Q: You saw the last play. The one down the right side where Odell kind of bumped him and gave the guy a little forearm. What did you say to him about that?

A: Well, we talk about those things and that remains pretty much between he and I. He is not going to be that way, I don’t believe so. You’ve got to stay away from those personal battles — that is a general statement for anybody in football, whether you are a lineman; a lot of times you want to attach those thoughts to linemen who get involved personal battles rather than see the whole picture and play for the purpose for the rest of the team. Odell he is going to improve on that.

Q: You had Steve Weatherford placekicking yesterday. Is Josh Brown okay?

A: We were working on our second and third kickers, is it okay to do that?

Q: Anything new with Cruz since yesterday?

A: No.

Q: So he won’t practice again today?

A: No, he won’t.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
The following transcripts and video clips of player media Q&As are available at BigBlueInteractive.com and Giants.com:

RELATED ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The last training camp practice for the Giants this summer is on Thursday, but the practice is not open to the public.

Aug 192015
 
Eli Manning, New York Giants (July 31, 2015)

Eli Manning – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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AUGUST 19, 2015 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held another training camp practice on Wednesday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The full training camp schedule is available at Giants.com.

ELI MANNING DENIES HE WANTS TO BE HIGHEST PAID QUARTERBACK…
New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning denied the earlier NFL Network report that he wants to be the NFL’s highest paid quarterback. Manning is entering the last year of his current contract.

“Reports are all wrong and I don’t know where they’re getting their information from, I just kind of laugh at it,” said Manning. “Never been said. Never come out of my mouth. Never said it to my agent, never said it, so I don’t know where the reports are coming from.”

INJURY REPORT…
Wide receiver Odell Beckham (dental work), wide receiver Victor Cruz (calf strain), wide receiver Rueben Randle (knee tendinitis), left guard Justin Pugh (dental work), left tackle Will Beatty (PUP – pectoral), defensive end George Selvie (knee), cornerback Chykie Brown (knee), and cornerback Jayron Hosley (neck/concussion) did not practice.

Beckham and Pugh are expected to return to practice on Thursday. Both are recovering from dental procedures.

“Selvie, no ligament damage,” said Head Coach Tom Coughlin. “Had a little tissue, little strain. He gives everything he’s got. I don’t really think he’ll be too long. He can’t go today, but I think he’ll be back soon.”

“Cruz has had a little strain in the calf area, so he’s not going to practice today,” said Coughlin. “Randle’s not ready. We thought Randle was going to be ready to go today, but he’s not going to practice today.”

Safeties Landon Collins (knee sprain) and Nat Berhe (calf strain) participated in the walk-through portions of practice.

Cornerback Prince Amukamara (groin) and safety Cooper Taylor (sore toe) returned to practice.

PRACTICE NOTES…
The Giants practiced in full pads. Some snippets from various media sources:

  • With George Selvie out, Cullen Jenkins received reps at first-team defensive end.
  • Bennett Jackson and Jeromy Miles were the first-team safeties. Jackson broke up a pass intended for tight end Daniel Fells.
  • Prince Amukamara participated in full-team drills as a starter along with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie at cornerback.
  • With Justin Pugh out, the Giants worked quite a few combinations with the first-team offensive line, including John Jerry at left and right guard. Geoff Schwartz practiced at both right guard and right tackle. Adam Gettis also saw time at right guard.
  • Mike Bamiro received some reps at right tackle with the second-team offense, but was promptly beat by defensive end Robert Ayers. Bamiro was moved backed to guard and did a good job of picking up linebacker Jameel McClain on a blitz.
  • Wide receiver Geremy Davis made a leaping sideline catch during 11-on-11 drills.
  • Tight ends Larry Donnell, Jerome Cunningham, and Will Tye each dropped a pass.
  • Running back Orleans Darkwa made a nice catch of a low pass.
  • Quarterback Eli Manning hit wide receiver James Jones for a touchdown, but Geoff Schwartz had a false start on the play.
  • Unai Unga worked with the second-team defense at middle linebacker with Jameel McClain playing outside linebacker.
  • The nickel linebackers were Jon Beason and Jonathan Casillas.
  • Wide receiver Dwayne Harris got behind cornerback Trevin Wade and safety Cooper Taylor for a long touchdown pass from quarterback Eli Manning. (Video)
  • Linebacker J.T. Thomas knocked away what would have been a touchdown pass to tight end Larry Donnell.
  • Wide receiver Julian Talley beat cornerback Trevin Wade for a touchdown.
  • One defensive line package had Devon Kennard and Damontre Moore at defensive end, and Kerry Wynn and Owamagbe Odighizuwa at defensive tackle.
  • Newcomer Jimmy Staten received third-team defensive tackles reps along with Dominique Hamilton. Staten penetrated into the backfield twice against the run during team drills.
  • Cornerback Trevin Wade ended practice by intercepting a pass intended for wide receiver Geremy Davis from quarterback Ryan Nassib. Wade returned the pick for a defensive score. (Video)

Pads be poppin during run drills #giants

A video posted by Jordan Raanan (@jraanan) on

HEAD COACH TOM COUGHLIN…
Tom Coughlin addressed the media in the early afternoon before the evening practice (video is available at Giants.com):

Q: Can you update us on George Selvie?

A: You know [George] Selvie, no ligament damage. Had a little tissue, little strain. He gives everything he’s got. I don’t really think he’ll be too long. He can’t go today, but I think he’ll be back soon.

Q: Do you expect Prince Amukamara or Nat Berhe to be back today at practice?

A: They’re little by little. Little by little, they’re doing it. You don’t see much of them in the team stuff, but they’re working their way back in there, which is good. They take all the jog-through and all that business, they take. And some of the individual. Hopefully we can advance that part of it.

Q: Are Victor Cruz or Rueben Randle ready to get any action Saturday?

A: [Victor] Cruz has had a little strain in the calf area, so he’s not going to practice today. [Reuben] Randle’s not ready. We thought Randle was going to be ready to go today, but he’s not going to practice today. So we’ll have a couple receivers down today.

Q: Is it beneficial right now to be extra cautious with him, sit him down, and let that build back up? Randle, I’m talking about.

A: Well, we’ve been out a while. I mean, yes, but he needs to practice. That’s the one thing I’m anxious about. Everybody wants to talk about our passing game. Unless we get out there and practice together, what passing game? So that’s something that has to be considered. We have to work together on the field to get to where we’re going. So advancing some of these young guys, yeah, that’s a plus. But we certainly aren’t cohesive with the other guys, either.

Q: Is Victor’s calf related to his knee at all?

A: No. No, not at all. No. Probably dehydration, little bit of that.

Q: Assuming your cast can be together, what are the steps you expect to make in this second year of Ben McAdoo’s offense?

A: You know, like I said before, I think the going back with the installation has been better for the players. Obviously, they’ve done it before. So they’ve had it in the spring, they’ve had it last year in the spring and fall. So the advancement of that is good. What we expect from them, they have a pretty good idea of that. They’ve got to go see everything on the field, and all the different coverages and the techniques that are going to be employed against them. But I expect it to be—we’re going to improve, we’re going to improve in all areas, and we’re going to be able to complement each other by hopefully having a lot of weapons on the field that people are going to have to decide what they’re going to defend.

Q: We all know how smart Eli is. How much in tune is he with Ben the second year into the offense?

A: He’s very much in-tune with what’s going on. His opinion is asked for and shared in the quarterback meetings. He’s anxious. He knows the offense well and he’s very much interested in moving forward.

Q: What difference do you see in the offense between now and last summer?

A: I don’t see enough right now, to be honest with you. I don’t see enough yet, but I’m looking forward to it.

Q: You’ve tried different offensive line combinations for different reasons. In your mind, is there a point when you want to decide on the five moving forward?

A: I read about that when I read about other teams. They’ve got this point and they’ve got—I just want to find the five guys that work best together, as soon as we can. Whether it’s the second, third preseason game. There’s a certain number that we’re going to have to depend on, and they’re going to have to be versatile enough to play in some different spots. And so, obviously, I’d like it to happen fast, but you’ve had a guy like [Geoff] Schwartz that hasn’t practiced much. You have Marshall [Newhouse] who has been out a day or so. So we’ve had some of that. Plus, the young guy, we’re trying to bring a couple of young guys around. [Bobby] Hart, we’re trying to get Hart going. And he’s had some good days, and days that are not as good. So I’m looking for some consistency in his play as well.

Q: What went into that decision of bumping Hart out? You bumped him back out last week to tackle.

A: That’s where he’s played. He’s played there in college, so we wanted to take a look at him.

Q: But you started him at guard.

A: Yeah. You’ve got to line them all up somewhere. He’s playing some guard and he’s playing some tackle.

Q: Did Orleans Darkwa impress you the other night?

A: Darkwa’s had a couple of good weeks, yeah.

Q: A guy like that who is behind a bunch of players who have been around for a while, do you think he fits in the mix or does he have to impress you on special teams?

A: Last year his special teams were outstanding. He’s always been a pretty good—he’s run the ball on scout team for us, and done a nice job of that, too. So he has some power, he has some punch, he’s run the ball up in there for us. You know he gives you some more flexibility. Thinking about having a guy who can run behind the line of scrimmage and can play special teams.

Q: You’ve played against and had to game plan against Dwayne Harris for several years. When you watched him, what did you see?

A: Powerful, nifty, tough, do a lot of things for you. It’s kind of interesting that in studying him, you saw him as a gunner on kickoff coverage, running punts back, running kicks back, and doing a lot of things. Coming into [the Dallas Cowboys] offensive sets and blocking at the perimeter, or being a guy who catches the ball underneath—short pass, long run kind of a guy. So he’s versatile. We’re trying like heck to get the punt return team going, which is something I’m hoping will advance come Saturday night.

Q: He filled four very big roles for the Cowboys. He was a big identity for them. Do you need an identity on special teams and can he bring that identity to you guys?

A: I think he certainly could. As one of some guys that are obvious special teamers, you take great pride in that. Yes, he could.

Q: Speaking of special teams, Geremy Davis has obviously gotten some work on that. How has he looked to you in that role?

A: He’s got to get better. We like him, he’s big and strong and fast. But he’s got to define some of the things that he can do for us. But, obviously, we’re always looking for gunners, gunner help. If he does that for us, as one of those people who can work in a rotation out there, that would help a lot.

Q: There was a lot of stuff about Eli’s contract yesterday. Would you think that would impact him or have you seen anything in that regard?

A: No. I haven’t seen one thing about it. It’s not going to affect him.

Q: How would you describe his professionalism overall as a leader for this team?

A: How high does it go? What’s the number you want, 1-10? (Yes.) 11.

Q: How did you think Geoff Schwartz did the other day?

A: So-so. He did so-so. Trying to get him to go every day. His second day wasn’t as good as his first. But hopefully he gets better.

Q: Any news from Jason Pierre-Paul in terms of when he might be showing up?

A: No.

Q: He’s been tweeting and on Instagram a lot lately.

A: I think he’s talked to more of our people, but it’s conversation.

Q: You guys didn’t have any incidents in your joint practices with Cincinnati last week. That’s not been the case in some other places. There’s a lot that goes into it, you practice, you play a game. Is it something moving forward that you think you would look into doing again?

A: Yes. Yes. How’s that?

Q: Why?

A: Because we got a lot out of it.

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR BEN McADOO…
Ben McAdoo addressed the media on Wednesday (video is available at Giants.com):

I hope everyone is having a good camp. With that, let’s fire away.

Q: Has the starting offense made progress this week?

A: We made some progress this week. We were disappointed in our performance last week. We had two productive days of practice, got to the game, and it seemed like we were a little flat. The details, the play speed wasn’t there, and we addressed the issue head on and we’re working to fix it. You don’t fix mistakes overnight, it takes time to do that, and we’re working at it every day.

Q: What kind of expectations do you have in your second year?

A: We met a couple times as an offense on this, in the offseason, and now in training camp. We set our expectations very high. We set parameters, I’m not going to spell those out for you, the players may be able to help you figure those out, but we do set them high. We have high expectations for ourselves. There is one goal in this business and we all know what that goal is, but you can measure the parameters each week as you go to make sure you’re on track.

Q: How much faster do you want the offense to be?

A: My mother told me not to put all my eggs in one basket. I like to change up speeds, and I think it’s important to be able to do that. You don’t want to just have a fast tempo, you don’t want to slow things down, you don’t always want to be no-huddle, and you don’t always want to be in the huddle. I think it’s good to be able to change your pace and change your tempo as long as it’s on your terms. It has to be on our terms.

Q: What are you looking to accomplish in the second game with your first group?

A: Execution. We’re not out there to chase numbers, that’s not good offense. We’re out there to execute, put ourselves in position, to take care of the ball and put puts on the board.

Q: How do you view your RT position right now?

A: Marshall [Newhouse] has been getting a lot of work in there. He’s growing, he’s getting comfortable with the men around him, and he and John Jerry are working well together. After that, we have a couple guys in the mix. One guy isn’t practicing at this point in time and we’re going to continue to develop and see really how the preseason games go. Practice is practice, but when the lights come on we need to see guys play and play well. I have confidence in Marshall, I’ve been around him at a different spot before, and he’s an athletic guy. He’s a smart guy and I look forward to him growing in the offense.

Q: Where does Geoff Schwartz stand?

A: I need to see Geoff play. He’s coming off of a major injury. He needs to get back out on the field and needs to do it on a consistent basis. It’s tough to answer that question.

Q: Is it difficult when you have to continue to swap guys in and out on the offensive line? Would you want to have five in there so they can jell?

A: In a perfect world, that’s how things work but this isn’t. It’s far from a perfect world and our philosophy here is next man up. We don’t think twice about it.

Q: How fortunate do you feel to be in a situation with an established QB? Do people sometimes take for granted how indispensable Eli [Manning] has been?

A: I don’t take him for granted. I’ve been fortunate since 2006 to be around a franchise quarterback. Men that have carried themselves well, prepared well, and can rally the team in their own way. They’re comfortable in their own skin, so we’re very fortunate to have Eli.

Q: Has WR James Jones been a pro since he’s been here? Do you like what you see from him?

A: Absolutely, he’s been a pro. He was out of work for a little bit, he’s getting his football legs underneath him, the last two days of practice he’s stood out a little bit, and it’ll be exciting to see him over this next week get out there a perform.

Q: Does it help in any way to have some former Green Bay guys here like Jones and Newhouse?

A: It’s probably a better question for the players.

Q: Are you aware of the rule changes that seem to favor the offense when you’re scheming or coming up with plays?

A: We try to teach things from a fundamental perspective and a read perspective. Is it the passing game that you’re referring to?

Q: Some of the defenders can’t do the things they used to do?

A: It goes back to fundamentals. Any benefit that you get from a flag, we’ll take that. From a fundamental perspective, we can’t go out there, and from a mentality perspective, we can’t go out there and coach players on this pass interference. You have to fight through all contact and any contact and can’t rely on the referees to make those calls to get us a first down. It’s up to you to come and compete and win your one-on-one matchup to make those plays.

Q: Do you think too many players are trying to make one-handed catches these days?

A: I’m not in favor of it. I would like to see two hands on the ball.

Q: Have you seen more in the last couple of years?

A: I think maybe it’s come to light a little bit more. Guys are always out there trying to work on catching the ball with one hand, whether it’s pre-game, pre-practice, and challenging each other. I don’t know if there’s anything wrong with that, but the game situation, you’d like to see guys catch the ball with two hands out in front of their eyes.

Q: How in tune are you and Eli now as opposed to last year?

A: Last year we spent a lot of time together, we had to have a conversation on just about every play, and make sure we were on the same page there. This year it’s a little bit more natural for him and as we go, things will gravitate to what he likes and what he does well and what he feels that the players around him do well.

Q: Has Dwayne Harris shown you anything as a receiver?

A: Yes, Dwayne is a guy that when the lights came on the other night, you could see some physicality from him. He’s a guy that doesn’t mind getting mixed up in the run game. He’s working to learn the offense from a couple different positions inside and outside. He’ll have some opportunities here over the next few weeks moving forward. It’ll be good to see him out there.

Q: Can you do what you need him to do as far as running routes and catching the ball?

A: Absolutely.

Q: You have three capable guys in Rashad [Jennings], [Andre] Williams, [Shane] Vereen. Do you have to find a way to give all three a way to contribute? Is it a blessing or a burden?

A: Each of them has a unique skillset. They’re all different and you can add Darkwa [Orleans] in there as well. They’re all different and you have to use their skillset to our advantage but at the same point and time, we have to push them out of their comfort zone. We can’t let them fall into a niche, ‘I’m this guy or I’m that guy.’ You have to be a complete player and we’re going to push them that way.

Q: Do you have more of an idea of what [Victor] Cruz you’ll get on September 13?

A: Yeah, I’m excited for Victor. He came out early on and didn’t seem tentative at all about sticking his foot in the ground. The other day he made some nice plays, made one in the back of the end zone similar to the one the injury was on, and that’s a big step, that’s a major step. He made a b-line play down the middle at the beginning of the no-huddle period of last practice. It’s good to have him out there and I can’t wait until he’s out there full time and ready to go.

Q: How do you view that WR position?

A: I see it as it’s all up in the air right now. There’s a lot guys in, a lot of guys out, a lot of opportunities for young guys. It’s who takes advantage of it is going to get the nod, I would think.

Q: How many receivers is the max that you think the roster can handle?

A: That’s probably a better question for Tom [Coughlin] and Jerry [Reese], but we’ll take as many as we can get.

Q: You would take ten if you could?

A: If we could.

Q: Does the new extra point rules change the amount of time you spend on the two-point play?

A: We always put a lot of time on the two-point plays because the information is hard to get. They weren’t very prevalent but now they’re going to be more prevalent, so your time may be a little bit better spent because you’ll have more options, and more recent tape to look at. You won’t have to dig back four or five years at a time to find something. You’ll be able to be smarter with your time. We’ll be ready. We’ll have plenty of options down there.

Q: Overall, do you think the quality of your offensive line will equip you to do the things that you want to do with the rest of your ball club?

A: I’m excited for the offensive line. I think they’re growing and they’re ahead of where they were last year. The saying is, ‘We’re not where we want to be but thank goodness we’re not where we use to be.’ From a physicality standpoint and communication standpoint, they’re growing.

Q: What was the thinking behind moving Bobby Hart from guard to tackle?

A: Bobby is a young talented man. He’s a rookie and has to figure some things out, but I think he has some ability and at some point in time may be able to help us.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
The following transcripts and video clips of player media Q&As are available at BigBlueInteractive.com and Giants.com:

RELATED ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The next training camp practice will be held on Thursday. For a complete listing of training camp practices as well as a handy fan Q&A about training camp, see our Training Camp section of the website. Only two remaining training camp practices at Quest Diagnostics Training Center will be open to the public this year:

  • Thursday, August 20: 5:50 – 7:50PM
  • Tuesday, August 25: 2:30 – 4:30PM
Aug 062015
 
Jameel McClain, New York Giants (July 31, 2015)

Jameel McClain – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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AUGUST 6, 2015 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…

The New York Giants held their sixth summer training camp practice on Thursday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The full training camp schedule is available at Giants.com.

INJURY REPORT…POTENTIALLY SERIOUS INJURIES FOR McCLAIN AND BERHE
Left tackle Ereck Flowers (hip flexor), right guard Geoff Schwartz (coming off of ankle surgery), center Weston Richburg (knee tendinitis), left tackle Will Beatty (PUP – recovering from pectoral surgery), linebacker Jameel McClain (neck), cornerback Prince Amukamara (groin), and safety Nat Berhe (calf) did not practice.

“Well, (Schwartz) obviously wasn’t doing well enough to stay out there for two days in a row,” said Head Coach Tom Coughlin. “It looks like one of those things that’s got to be managed. We hope to get him where he can practice hard a couple days a week, but we’ll have to see how that goes.”

McClain suffered a serious spinal contusion neck injury late in 2012 that caused him to miss six games in 2013. The Ravens released him at the end of that season.

“Tests on McClain, but chances are, because of the extent of the trauma, he’s going to have to sit for a while,” said Coughlin. “I wouldn’t be able to even guess on what they will do.”

“(Berhe) had some kind of a muscle tear in the calf area,” said Coughlin. “They’re treating it…I don’t have a timeframe.”

Wide receiver Preston Parker left practice early with a hamstring or quad injury to his right leg.

PRACTICE NOTES…
The Giants were in full pads again for the second day in a row. Some snippets from various media sources:

  • With Ereck Flowers, Geoff Schwartz, and Weston Richburg out, the starting offensive line was left tackle Justin Pugh, left guard Adam Gettis, center Dallas Reynolds, right guard John Jerry, and right tackle Marshall Newhouse.
  • With Prince Amukamara out, Chykie Brown started at corner in his place.
  • Bennett Jackson started at safety again. He returned an interception from quarterback Ricky Stanzi for a defensive touchdown.
  • Defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa beat offensive tackle Emmett Cleary for a sack.
  • Running backs Shane Vereen and Andre Williams saw quite a bit of action with the first-team.
  • Quarterback Eli Manning threw his first interception of training camp when a deep pass to wide receiver Victor Cruz was intercepted by a leaping cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. In a real game, Manning may not have gotten the pass off as defensive tackle Kenrick Ellis was bearing down on Manning for a sack. (Giants.com is also saying the ball hit the ground). (Video)
  • Left tackle Justin Pugh and fullback Henry Hynoski made good blocks on a running back Shane Vereen run that picked up good yardage.
  • Defensive end Damontre Moore gave right tackle Marshall Newhouse problems with his speed off of the edge.
  • Tight end Larry Donnell had his best practice and made a leaping catch over safety Cooper Taylor.
  • Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record said his three stars of practice were tight end Larry Donnell, defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa, and safety Bennett Jackson.

Kerry Wynn … meet running back. #Giants

A video posted by Jordan Raanan (@jraanan) on

HEAD COACH TOM COUGHLIN…
Tom Coughlin addressed the media after the afternoon practice (video is available at Giants.com):

Q: How’s Geoff Schwartz doing?

A: Well, he obviously wasn’t doing well enough to stay out there for two days in a row. It looks like one of those things that’s got to be managed. We hope to get him where he can practice hard a couple days a week, but we’ll have to see how that goes.

Q: Tests on Jameel McClain?

A: Tests on McClain, but chances are, because of the extent of the trauma, he’s going to have to sit for a while. I wouldn’t be able to even guess on what they will do.

Q: Because of his history with that injury?

A: Yes. I’m sure that’s part of it.

Q: Did you get results on Nat Berhe’s MRI, he said he had one earlier?

A: He had some kind of a muscle tear in the calf area. They’re treating it.

Q: When you say tear it sounds kind of serious.

A: That’s all I know. I can’t tell you anymore, I don’t know what it means either.

Q: No timeframe?

A: I don’t have a timeframe.

Q: It looked like Dallas Reynolds was working with a couple units out there.

A: Yeah, he’s come back a stronger player, no doubt. We needed him to do that. He’s gotten a lot of time on the field with our issues with [Weston] Richburg. It’s good that he did.

Q: Is he upping his stock with you guys?

A: I hope so. When we look at tape, ask me again.

Q: Where do things stand with Weston Richburg and Ereck Flowers?

A: When I hear day-to-day, I don’t know. I can’t tell you. It looked like they were doing okay, especially [Ereck] Flowers. He looks like he’s really coming on—I saw him out of the corner of my eye, saw him running. He looked like he was doing okay.

Q: Missed practices at this point in training camp for him, can you get him up to speed?

A: Very difficult. Very tough. You miss time and you really have a difficult time making it up because there’s all kinds of stuff being thrown at him. The defense has got a sophisticated disguise and pressure package. He would benefit, definitely, from being out here. So he’s had his work in the spring, there’s no doubt he’ll pick it up, but it’s not good to miss practice. That’s that we’re here for.

Q: At some point are you going to move Justin Pugh back inside so he gets those guard reps, too?

A: We’ll have to share some time there, depending on how long he [Flowers] is out.

Q: We talked about the offensive line gelling and that being important. Three guys are out already, how much does that set you back and how do you speed it up if you have to?

A: Not really. You’ve got to go on the field and do your work on the field. You certainly want them all out there together every day, but that’s not the way it is.

Q: How about Prince Amukamara, we didn’t ask you about him?

A: Same kind of deal. He’s got a little groin, but because of the position he plays, how long he’ll be, I don’t know.

Q: Are you seeing Larry Donnell looking more explosive? You see him getting back to where he was before?

A: He’s coming along. He made a really nice play. I think every day he gets a little bit more mobility and he looks like he’s moving better. That’s what we’re hoping to get at. He’s also had a couple of good blocks in there.

Q: He had a pretty good season last year, but it was overshadowed by some mistakes. How hard has he worked on eliminating those?

A: He’s obviously worked hard at it. He’s also worked hard to try and hang onto the ball.

Q: You see anything different from Marcus Kuhn? Cullen Jenkins said he sees a significant difference in him.

A: He’s a big, strong kid that is moving his feet a little bit better. We need him to make a strong contribution.

Q: You said earlier on the radio that you thought Eli’s best football was ahead of him. Can you kind of expand on what you see that would lead you to say that? 34 year olds usually don’t have–

A: I base it on his offseason, his strength, the way he threw the ball in the spring, his knowledge—his continuing knowledge of the offense. And the fact that, God willing, we’ll have some production around him.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
The following transcripts and video clips of player media Q&As are available at BigBlueInteractive.com and Giants.com:

The following Giants were also interviewed by ESPN Radio:

  • RB Andre Williams (Audio)
  • WR Victor Cruz (Audio)
  • DE Robert Ayers (Audio)
  • DT Johnathan Hankins (Audio)
  • S Landon Collins (Audio)

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WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The seventh training camp practice will be held on Friday from 2:30-4:30PM but it is not open to the public. For a complete listing of training camp practices as well as a handy fan Q&A about training camp, see our Training Camp section of the website. Only four remaining training camp practices at Quest Diagnostics Training Center will be open to the public this year:

  • Sunday, August 16: 5:50 – 7:50PM
  • Wednesday, August 19: 5:50 – 7:50PM
  • Thursday, August 20: 5:50 – 7:50PM
  • Tuesday, August 25: 2:30 – 4:30PM