Aug 142023
 
Jason Pinnock, New York Giants (August 11, 2023)

Jason Pinnock – © USA TODAY Sports

QUARTERBACK

-Daniel Jones did not dress, giving the start to Tyrod Taylor. He played just two drives (8 snaps), completing three of four passing attempts for seven yards and gaining another seven yards on the ground. There was not much to evaluate here and barring injury, there is no question he will be the unmatched number two this season. This game, at quarterback, was all about Tommy DeVito.

-DeVito, a North Jersey local, passed for 155 yards on 15/24 passing. He threw 1 touchdown, 1 interception, and was sacked 5 times. While the pass protection was poor overall, as we see often in preseason football across the league, I saw a couple of things I liked. First, DeVito improved in-game and moving through reads in a hurry. The All-22 tape told the story there. Progression to progression, layer to layer. Now, he did miss a few throws and early on his internal clock was too delayed. However, I like how he responded to a few big hits. He is a tough kid with sneaky athletic ability. He warrants the “let’s see more” label.

RUNNING BACK

-Saquon Barkley did not dress and Matt Breida barely saw the field. Rookie Eric Gray and Jashaun Corbin saw the most snaps, but James Robinson got a few looks before them. He had an unimpressive 9 yards on 6 carries. It will be interesting to see how much his experience (and possible trustworthiness in pass protection) weighs when coaches knock the roster down. Gray and Corbin have a lot to prove before they can be relied upon. While their talent and youthfulness can make the decision look easy, the coaches need to trust they can get the job done outside of carrying the ball.

-Gray handled all return duties in addition to leading the position group in snaps. First, on offense, he lacked innovation and comfort to put himself off schedule when the Detroit front was owning the point of attack. I saw two carries where the cutback lane was there, Gray did not see it. He gained just 9 yards on 5 carries and added 2 catches for 10 yards. As a returner, Gray looked uncomfortable to say the least. But keep in mind, he barely did it in college and both of his punt return attempts in 2021 (the last time he did this in a game) resulted in muffs. My thought is they know he will not be the number two back right away (and he is competing for number three), thus they need to find other ways for him to contribute.

-Corbin looked more comfortable and ran with quicker tempo. It was easy to tell the difference between the two. His 33-yard run in the fourth quarter was the biggest play of the game for the NYG offense. Remember, this is an offensive scheme that produced the fourth best explosive rush percentage in the NFL last year. The play design (and Corbin’s tempo) was outstanding. When the execution is there, they will create big plays on the ground.

WIDE RECEIVER

-The following receivers did not dress: Darius Slayton, Paris Campbell, Sterling Shepard, and Wan’Dale Robinson (PUP)

-With all of the hype from camp surrounding their first real deep threat in quite some time, Jalin Hyatt, I was hoping to see a long ball tossed his way at some point. It did not happen. His only target was a screen pass that ended up in a four-yard loss after he ran backwards. Two subtle observations on him. He did not line up in the slot at all (his primary spot in college). That is a good sign, it is too crowded in there for him. Second, his route running looks easy and smooth. He did struggle to fight through some cheap contact, but I was impressed by the joint fluidity from his hips down through the ankles. He came off the field so some of the fringe-guys could play more.

-To be blunt, I have no idea what the plan is at slot receiver. The two best NYG receivers were Cole Beasley (4 rec / 33 yards) and Jamison Crowder (2 rec / 32 yards). Between them and Shepard/Robinson, I simply cannot see a scenario where all of them are on this roster come week one. Beasley has the best route running and burst post-catch. He knows how to read a defender and can provide what Richie James did last season. Crowder stood out though. He has more presence against contact, and I trust his hands more. Perhaps they are just a hedge if there are physical issues with the guys mentioned above and I know they were matched up against backups. No need to get excited, but the floor is high with either of them.

-David Sills caught 2 passes for 36 yards, including a nice, contested catch for the biggest gain of the day for NYG via the air (22 yards). Mr. Reliable when it comes to backup roles, locker room presence, and familiarity. With all the competition at the position now, however, and the fact I expect to see Hyatt/Campbell outside, Sills is fighting uphill.

-Undrafted rookie Bryce Ford-Wheaton could end up challenging veteran Collin Johnson if the team wants more speed with the size. My guess is they both end up on the practice squad. The first NFL game action did not go well for him. He dropped a third down conversion pass, as he tried to body trap it for no reason. While he had some of the most impressive triangle numbers in the 2023 receiver draft class, his skill set (particularly ball skills) was bumpy. I also did not like some of the urgency / effort upon second look at the tape with some of his routes. He is straight line fast, but he is not very sudden. He needs to improve where he can as a route runner. The little things matter.

TIGHT END

-Both Darren Waller and Daniel Bellinger did not dress. Expect to see NYG rank top seven in the league in 12 personnel (2 tight ends / 1 back) if they stay healthy.

-The battle for the number three job is Tommy Sweeney’s to lose, another North Jersey local. He scored the lone touchdown of the night on a 14-yard pass from DeVito. I keyed in on his blocking more than anything because that is where his biggest contributions will come. The NYG offense has struggled here for awhile. With Bellinger entering year two and the presence of Sweeney, I expect an uptick in impact. He did a nice job in the running game, but he did allow a pressure in pass protection.

-Undrafted rookie Ryan Jones is an interesting practice squad candidate. He had a 10-yard reception, 5 of which came after the catch with an impressive, sudden burst upfield. I had a draftable grade on Jones out of East Carolina. The 6’1/240 body simply does not fit at receiver of tight end. Can this scheme find a role for him? He can create. Among all tight ends in FBS last season, Jones ranked third in missed tackles forced. More than Sam LaPorta, more than Michael Mayer, more than Brock Bowers. On less catches.

OFFENSIVE LINE

-If there was a negative takeaway from the game itself, it came from the backup offensive linemen, specifically outside. Before that causes a panic, you’ll find the same from over 25 other teams in the league. The lack in supply of quality backup offensive linemen in the NFL is one of the most glaring deficits. Andrew Thomas, Mark Glowinski, and Evan Neal (concussion) did not play. Backup Tyre Phillips did not play either.

-We can start with the positive. Rookie center John Michael Schmitz did have two bad losses, one of which resulted in a tackle for loss, but his overall performance was solid. His transitions and ability to stay attached proved how much movement he can get in the running game. Creating creases on multiple levels in the middle of the defense for a back like Barkley will be a difference maker. Is he overly strong and powerful? Detroit rookie defensive tackle did not think so. Is overly fast and agile? The Detroit linebackers did not think so. But the intelligence, technique, and smoothness to his footwork can get the most out of what he has. I was encouraged by his first pro action, and I expect him to start week one.

-The next best takeaway from the game was Shane Lemieux, who came in at left guard in the second half. There is open competition between Joshua Ezeudu and Ben Bredeson (the leader in my eyes) at left guard. Did we push Lemieux out of the picture too soon? The game tape says yes. He was excellent and was the best at staying latched on with good positioning and bend. Most of his issues have been health related.

-The nightmare we saw at tackle was alarming. Wyatt Davis at right tackle absolutely cannot be a potential solution. This is an odd experiment to me. Davis played 1,707 snaps in college. All 1,707 of them were at right guard. He has one career snap at right tackle as a pro. One. I cannot imagine he is a credible candidate for a backup tackle spot and the 2-sack, 3-pressure, 2-penalty performance on just 27 snaps is about as bad as it gets. He was not even close to competitive. Fellow backup hopeful Korey Cunningham was not much better. He led the offense in snaps played, splitting time between both sides of the line, and allowed 2 sacks and 4 pressures. Lastly, Matt Peart (hanging on for dear life) allowed a pressure and was torched in the running game. The speed of the NFL is too much for him and I am afraid to say the same issues we saw with his fluidity as a rookie are still there. The Giants have a problem (possibly a significant one) at backup tackle.

EDGE

-With the position group thinner than most want to believe, the trio of Kayvon Thibodeaux, Azeez Ojulari, and Jihad Ward all sat this one out.

-There is room for another edge defender, and it looks like it could end up being a close competition over the next two weeks with a possible solution currently on the street. The leader in the clubhouse if we are using this game only? Habakkuk Baldonado. Something about this franchise and names that are hard to pronounce on the edge. He had a 2 pressures and the team’s only sack. There was a nice string of plays in the fourth quarter where he sacked Adrian Martinez (canceled out by a questionable roughing penalty), just to record another one two plays later. The wins were technique and bend-based, both good signs.

-Tomon Fox hit the quarterback twice on 14 pass rush attempts, the first one aiding in the interception by Jason Pinnock. His power game has always been effective, and I have to think the defensive coaching staff (especially one led by Martindale) wants that behind the starters.

-Tashawn Bower and Oshane Ximines both graded out well. Ximines hit the quarterback twice but was beat on the edge in the running game twice. The fact we have seen him play a lot of football leaves out at least some potential hope, but I am interested to see how he responds to multiple guys on his level. Bower played a better, more well-rounded game against second/third stringers. He finished with 5 tackles, 1 TFL, and 2 pressures. This guy came into the league in 2017 from LSU. He has stuck around quite impressively and performs his best in hybrid fronts. I can’t say I’ve seen a fifth-year backup that has already been on four teams fight for a spot at such an important position. They see something in him.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

-Inside is where the nucleus of this defense resides. I spoke of this a few times last year and I am glad that not only did both Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams return, but the A’Shawn Robinson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches signings give them such a strong spike in depth. None of the four played in this game.

-Rookie seventh rounder Jordon Riley played 43 snaps, third most on the defense. Ironically, I just got done watching two of 2022 Oregon defensive tapes for some 2024 NFL Draft work. Never thought I’d be watching three games of Riley’s within two days. The body is pro-caliber and when his leverage is on point, the upper body lockout and push can get the job done. This is a massive frame with good enough bend and forward lean to turn into a stout run defender. While I don’t think there is much to work with as a pass rusher, D.J. Davidson better realize his roster spot may not be there for long. Riley had a couple of ugly losses (again, stemmed from pad level) where he was trampled by a double team. But the one stop where he helped stuff the run after peeling off the block displayed what he can do at his size. There is real talent here on a frame that stands out.

– The trio of Donovan Jeter, Kobe Smith, and Brandin Bryant will likely produce one or two guys for the practice squad. Based on this game tape alone, Smith is the one that I am intrigued by the most. He has some penetrating skills from the 3-tech spot (where he played most of the night) and that is an area I think could use another body.

LINEBACKER

-The biggest free agency addition Bobby Okereke did not play, nor did Darrian Beavers.

-Micah McFadden got the start next to the versatile special teamer Carter Coughlin. Both are what they are until I see otherwise. Smart and physical but limited in space with minimal passing game impact.

-If there was a winner of the night from the position, it was Dyontae Johnson, an undrafted rookie. All of his action came against backups, and we see linebackers/safeties make plenty of tackles and impressive plays against the run with each preseason game. Johnson’s question will be like what we saw out of Tae Crowder. Can he make faster reads, and will he get off blockers? He did not look fluid in coverage either.

CORNERBACK

-Adoree’ Jackson did not dress for the game, as he remains one of the most important players on this team because there isn’t anything trustworthy behind him yet. In even better news, they did not have him return any punts either.

-Speaking of behind Jackson on the depth chart, the chatter is rightfully positive surrounding their two draft picks. First rounder Deonte Banks and sixth rounder Tre Hawkins got the starting nods on the outside. Take where they were selected out, and it was hard to see who the better player was. Hawkins really has started on the right foot and Banks showed the speed traits we know this team was hot after draft weekend. In this man-heavy scheme, both looked at home. Banks can clean up his ball location and Hawkins was a late to anticipate routes (more so in zone), but a very positive first look for both.

-Cor’Dale Flott and Darnay Holmes are going to be battling it out for the nickel spot, I think. Part of it could depend on the team’s plans for the first rounder Banks. Both Holmes and Flott saw most of their snaps inside and by this time, we know what Holmes is. If you can live with the inevitable penalties, he is a solid option. Watching Flott’s footwork and recovery speed with such little wasted motion was encouraging. He is undoubtedly more “natural” at covering receivers than Holmes.

-The fringe guys at the position need to be worried. The likes of Rodarius Williams and Zyon Gilbert are going to have a hard time making this team. Even former Lion Amari Oruwariye looked slow in pursuit after losing leverage on a crossing route. Aaron Robinson on the PUP will help one of their causes, but I also would not rule out another free agent being signed after preseason (like how they brought in Fabian Moreau and Nick McCloud last season).

SAFETY

-Xavier McKinney and Nick McCloud both did not play. I’m not sure how high the staff really is on McCloud, but these other safeties are making a name for themselves.

-If there was one position group that “won” the intra-roster position battle, it was right here. On just FIVE snaps, Jason Pinnock broke up two passes, intercepting one and breaking up a third down attempt on the other, and had a TFL. Talk about impact. There was not a single defender that played less than him, but he was the group’s top playmaker. He is an ascending player.

-Beyond him, it stayed strong. Undrafted rookie Alex Cook led the team with 7 tackles, 2 of which were near the line of scrimmage. Seventh round rookie Gervarrius Owens broke up a pass and added 2 tackles. His break up was a result of a fast read and react that had a break on the ball start before it was thrown. His size complements his game well.

-Bobby McCain is the closest thing to Julian Love this team has right now. While he does not (and the defense does not) need to fill those shoes the exact way Love did, McCain played multiple spots in the secondary and looked fast. He had 5 tackles and brings a physical brand. He is not as big and does not tackle like Love did, but this tape showed the quick reactions and ability to both close and cover in multiple forms.

-I hope nobody is overlooking Dane Belton. He added 2 tackles and an interception. The 2022 team leader in interceptions (along with Love) saw his share of ups and downs as a rookie, but now healthy and with a year under his belt, I would bet he is a huge part of the plans for the defense. I cannot remember a time with such a deep and versatile safety group on one NYG roster. This gives them such advantages week to week based on matchups.

SPECIAL TEAMS

K Graham Gano: 2/2 (Made 42, 47).
P Jamie Gillan: 5 punts / 47.6 avg – 28.2 net

3 STUDS

-S Jason Pinnock, CB Deonte Banks, OG Shane Lemieux

3 DUDS

-WR Bryce Ford Wheaton, OT Wyatt Davis, OT Korey Cunningham

3 THOUGHTS ON DET

1. Remember the name Ben Johnson. At this time next year, he will be a Head Coach in the NFL. The Offensive Coordinator for Detroit is just 37 years old and when it comes to getting the most out of personnel, there may not have been a more economic play caller in the league than him last season. Unless he falls apart in 2023, he will be the next young offensive-minded hire in the league. Washington seems like a real possibility to me, unfortunately. He has a few connections to that front office.

2. In the same breath, Detroit will not sneak up on anyone this season. And I question how smart the construction process of the roster was this past offseason. Running backs Jamaal Williams and DeAndre Swift? Gone. Wide receiver Jameson Williams is suspended 6 games. They are going to rely on a rookie tight end (odds are this will not work well) after trading T.J. Hockenson away last summer. Jared Goff has hit a peak and come crashing down a year later before. Can he create enough with the questions they have in the passing game?

3. Detroit is the hot pick to win the NFC North. We all know Minnesota was not near what their record said they were last season. Aaron Rodgers is finally out of Green Bay. Chicago was the second worst team in football last year. I believe the NFC North will be as close as any divisional race in football. I’m not ready to anoint the Lions yet, however. It’s been 20 years (!) since they won the North. The fact remains, this team was 3-6 against teams with winning records last year. They were 30th against the run. Their pass rush ranked 25th. They allowed the most first downs per game in the NFL. A few free agent signings won’t change all of that. I am keeping them in the 8-9 to 9-8 tier.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

1. The rule of preseason football: Do not react strong to anything (besides injuries). These games almost never mean anything at the end of the day. They can confirm a few things (like the thin offensive line) but they will not answer nearly as much as people think. Watch some new players, start to take in their skill sets, and check for surprises. Do not make the mistake of over-thinking a rookie (good or bad). They still have such a long way to go.

2. Someone asked me what position group excites me the most. Right now, it is the secondary (little cheating there, I know). Between the group of safeties that credibly goes six-deep (maybe seven) along with some promising young guys on the perimeter has to get you amped up. That is how a defense can win games, and with a pass rush, I expect the Giants to be top half of the league. We are not even close to the best version of defensive football under this new regime. They are going to be fun to watch.

3. What are the improvements or changes we want to see from preseason game one to game two? Personally, I would like to see Hyatt more involved. They need to try and script a couple deep shots to him so they can see how he tracks the ball, fights for it, and plays the body position game in real live situations. Defensively, seeing a few different personnel packages on third down would be my next thing. Whether the starters play or not isn’t as important. I want to see some of the edge guys shift inside, some of the defensive backs come up on the edge, and some of the inside linebackers blitz. Nobody plays as aggressive as Martindale and watching the Jets get home against Carolina in week one preseason opens the door for NYG to do the same.

Aug 112023
 
New York Giants (August 11, 2023)

New York Giants – © USA TODAY Sports

DETROIT LIONS 21 – NEW YORK GIANTS 16…
The New York Giants fell to the the Detroit Lions 21-16 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan in the first preseason game for both teams. Both teams sat the bulk of their starters.

The starting offense for the Giants was:

  • QB Tyrod Taylor
  • RB Matt Breida
  • WR Isaiah Hodgins
  • WR Cole Beasley
  • WR Jalin Hyatt
  • TE Daniel Bellinger
  • LT Matt Peart
  • LG Joshua Ezeudu
  • OC John Michael Schmitz Jr.
  • RG Ben Bredeson
  • RT Korey Cunningham

The starting defense for the Giants was:

  • DL Jordon Riley
  • DL Brandin Bryant
  • OLB Tomon Fox
  • OLB Oshane Ximines
  • ILB Carter Coughlin
  • ILB Micah McFadden
  • CB Tre Hawkins
  • CB Deonte Banks
  • Slot CB Darnay Holmes
  • S Jason Pinnock
  • S Dane Belton

The Giants actually led the game 13-3 at halftime due two interceptions and a turnover on downs that gave the team outstanding field position. The second half got away from New York due to a 95-yard punt return and very poor play by their back-up offensive tackles, specifically Korey Cunningham and Wyatt Davis. Detroit did out-gain New York 327 to 216 in total yards, with most of the discrepancy coming in the passing game (230 to 135).

The Lions received the ball to start the game and immediately turned it over when outside linebacker Tomon Fox hit quarterback Nate Sudfeld, forcing a bad throw that was picked off by safety Jason Pinnock near midfield. Pinnock returned the interception 17 yards to the 32-yard line. The Giants could not pick up a first down and settled for a 48-yard field goal by place kicker Graham Gano.

New York’s defense got the ball back again on Detroit’s next possession. The Lions went for it on 4th-and-1 on their own 32-yard line, but Pinnock broke up the pass, causing a turnover on downs. Once again, the Giants’ offense stalled and Graham kicked a 42-yarder, making the score 6-0.

The Lions gained 63 yards on 14 plays on their third drive, setting up a 39-yard field goal to cut the score to 6-3. The Giants then drove 50 yards in 12 plays, but lost a yard on their own 4th-and-1 conversion attempt at the Detroit 18-yard line, turning the ball over on downs.

After both teams exchanged punts, safety Dane Belton intercepted a deep pass from Sudfield at the New York 44-yard line and returned the ball 42 yards to the Detroit 14-yard line. Then on the first play after the turnover, third-string quarterback Tommy DeVito connected on a perfect strike to tight end Tommy Sweeney for the touchdown.

The Lions had the ball one more time before halftime and gained 71 yards down to the New York 4-yard line. However, on 4th-and-4, cornerback Cor’Dale Flott broke up a pass to cause another turnover on downs.

At the break, the Giants led 13-3.

A group of mostly third-teamers could not move the ball for the Giants in the second half. Four straight possessions resulted in a total of two first downs and four punts. Worse, one of those punts resulted in a 95-yard punt return that cut the score to 13-11 after a successful 2-point conversion. Detroit took the lead late in the third quarter after a 14-play, 46-yard drive set up a 28-yard field goal.

The Giants regained the lead 16-14 with just over eight minutes to play after a 6-play, 39-yard drive. But the third- and fourth-teamers on defense could not hold, allowing an 11-play, 69-yard touchdown drive that gave the Lions a 21-16 advantage with just under two minutes to play. The game ended when on 4th-and-14, DeVito’s desperation deep pass was picked off at the Detroit 29-yard line.

DeVito finished the game 15-of-24 for 155 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He was also sacked five times.

Video highlights are available on YouTube.

INJURY REPORT…
WR Wan’Dale Robinson (ACL), DL D.J. Davidson (ACL), and CB Aaron Robinson (ACL) remain on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List.

RB Gary Brightwell (leg?), RT Evan Neal (concussion protocol), OT/OG Tyre Phillips (unknown), OT Devery Hamilton (ankle?), DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches (groin), and DL Ryder Anderson (triceps) did not play. Neither did OL Marcus McKethan (knee) and DL A’Shawn Robinson (knee), who were both activated off of the PUP on Monday.

WR Collin Johnson (knee) and CB Cor’Dale Flott (abdominal) left the game and did not return.

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

JAYLON SMITH SIGNS WITH SAINTS…
Unrestricted free agent inside linebacker Jaylon Smith has signed with the New Orleans Saints. The Giants made no effort to re-sign Smith. In 2022, for the second season in a row, the Giants added Jaylon Smith to the roster during the year. The Giants originally signed Smith to the Practice Squad and then 53-man roster in December 2021. He ended up playing in the last four games of the season with two starts, finishing with 18 tackles, one sack, and one pass defense. The new regime chose not to re-sign him during the offseason, but oddly did so in September. Smith soon entrenched himself as a starter, playing in 13 regular-season games with 11 starts. He finished the season with 87 tackles, three tackles for losses, one sack, two quarterback hits, and one fumble recovery. Smith was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys.

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Brian Daboll will address the media by Zoom on Saturday.

Aug 102023
 
Collin Johnson, New York Giants (August 1, 2023)

Collin Johnson – © USA TODAY Sports

THE STORYLINE:
After a mostly futile decade, it’s an exciting time to follow the New York Giants once again. Not only did the team make the playoffs and actually win a road playoff game against a 13-4 team, but more importantly, there is a general sense that the team is in very good hands under the leadership of General Manager Joe Schoen and Head Coach Brian Daboll. The arrow finally appears to be pointing up.

However, potentially, there are dark clouds on the horizon. It is an annual fan right of passage to complain about the schedule, but truth be told, the schedule is a bitch. And it’s a bitch right out of the gate with the Cowboys, Cardinals, 49ers, Seahawks, Dolphins, and Bills in the first six weeks. Worse, four of those games are on the road and they play the 49ers only after four days of rest. Many Giants fans realize the team may actually be far better in 2023, but miss the playoffs, especially with the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys in the same division. The Giants were 0-5 against these two teams last year.

So despite the optimism, the New York Giants have some serious challenges in front of them. They have to get ready and get ready quickly. The Cowboys arrive at MetLife in one month.

THE INJURY REPORT:
The team has lost three players for the season already: ILB Jarrad Davis, OC Hassenauer, and NT Vernon Butler. Davis was the most significant because he was expected to compete for a starting job. The team also waived WR Jeff Smith with an injury, but he was not likely to make the squad.

RB Gary Brightwell (leg?), RT Evan Neal (concussion protocol), OT Devery Hamilton (ankle?), DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches (groin), and DL Ryder Anderson (triceps) all missed at least one practice this week and are not expected to play. Of this group, Neal is the most significant as he is missing valuable practice time against another team. OL Marcus McKethan (knee) and DL A’Shawn Robinson (knee), who just came off of the PUP and have yet to practice in team drills, also will not play.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON OFFENSE:
In the first preseason game last year, Brian Daboll actually chose to play most of the starters for a couple of series. It will be interesting to see what he does in year two, after two “productive” (his words) practices against the Detroit Lions in a more controlled (i.e., safer) environment. I could see him giving most of the starters a couple of series. I could also see him playing it safe. Players such as QB Daniel Jones, LT Andrew Thomas, TE Darren Waller, and RB Saquon Barkley may not see a single snap.

Regardless, as amped up as fans get for the first preseason game since it marks the return of football, these contests should not be over-emphasized. From a fan perspective, these contests are of more interest to the diehards who want to see the back-ups competing for 53-man roster spots. The most important work for the starters was already accomplished on Tuesday and Wednesday in the joint practices.

So what are we looking for on offense? Competency on the offensive line and an incredibly competitive battle at wide receiver.

The offensive line will be without one (Evan Neal) and probably two (Andrew Thomas) of their starting tackles. So much attention will be on the important swing tackle position. After-thought Matt Peart has re-entered the picture. His chief competition is Korey Cunningham. This is a very important game for both of these players.

Center and guard are more convoluted as Daboll has rotated players at both starting guard spots and center. John Michael Schmitz seems on track again to be starter, but he is green. It might make sense for him to play more than a couple of series. Ben Bredeson has received starting snaps at all three positions. He could end up being a starter on opening day at any of these positions or just the primary back-up. The most likely scenario is he is battling Josh Ezeudu for the left guard position. Nevertheless, it is interesting to note that he has received some starting snaps over Mark Glowinski in practices.

Taking all of this into consideration, it would not be surprising to see Ben Bredeson play quite a bit. Josh Ezeudu could see more than a couple of series. He needs the work. Tyre Phillips, who has seen reps at both tackle and guard, should play most of the game. Same with Shane Lemieux, Wyatt Davis, Jack Anderson, and Sean Harlow. Unfortunately, Devery Hamilton is missing valuable time.

The other spot garnering attention is wide receiver. There it is a number’s game. The likely starters – Darius Slayton, Parris Campbell, and Isaiah Hodgins – might not see the field. The Giants have also been careful with Sterling Shepard, who many feel is not a lock to make the team. 34-year old Cole Beasley may also rest. Many wondered why he was signed, but it’s interesting to note he’s played with the first-team more than expected right out of the gate.

So who will play? I expect to see a lot of Jalin Hyatt, Collin Johnson, Jamison Crowder, David Sills, Bryce Ford-Wheaton, Jaydon Mickens, and Kalil Pimpleton. Even if he lays an egg on Friday, Hyatt is going to make the team. In my opinion, the guy to watch here is Collin Johnson. He has developed quite a rapport with Tyrod Taylor. Johnson needs a strong performance to help his cause. He’s probably battling Shepard for a roster spot. Same with Crowder, who is likely battling Beasley for back-up slot receiver. (Remember, Wan’Dale Robinson is rumored to be coming off of the PUP soon too).

Some other passing thoughts: At running back, I would think we would see heavy doses of Eric Gray and James Robinson. It will be interesting to see how both perform. Is Tommy DeVito worth a Practice Squad spot? Tommy Sweeney seemed to flash in the joint practices. How do he and Lawrence Cager perform behind the likes of Darren Waller and Daniel Bellinger?

NEW YORK GIANTS ON DEFENSE:
I would not read too much into this side of the ball on Friday. Why? Mainly because of the situation up front. I’d be very surprised if NT Dexter Lawrence and DL Leonard Williams even see the field. The Lions had significant issues blocking both in practices this week. Furthermore, primary back-ups A’Shawn Robinson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches will not play. Even Ryder Anderson is out. That’s the top five guys on the team’s depth chart. So in effect, the Giants will likely be playing with third-teamers from the start of the game against one of the deeper offensive lines in football.

What this will do is provide us with a good look at guys who are fighting tooth and nail for possibly just one available 53-man roster spot. Jordon Riley, Kevin Atkins, Brandin Bryant, Donovan Jeter, and Kobe Smith will be the guys on the spot. Most of these players were only just signed off of the street in recent weeks. I can hear Giants fans now, “who the hell is that?”

Another player who is not likely to play or play much is Bobby Okereke. Since he was the team’s most expensive free agent acquisition, he was likely hand-picked by Wink Martindale to fix the primary weakness of the team’s defense. They won’t want to risk him getting hurt. So we should see more of Micah McFadden and Darrian Beavers, who are battling for a starting spot. Another to watch is Dyontae Johnson, who was targeted by the team as an undrafted free agent.

Another reason why not to expect much on Friday it is doubtful that Kayvon Thibodeaux, Azeez Ojulari, and Jihad Ward play or play much at edge/outside linebacker. Oshane Ximines, Tomon Fox, Tashawn Bower, and Habakkuk Baldonado will be the outside rushers.

The secondary is more interesting given the greenness of Deonte Banks and Tre Hawkins. Both could see playing time. I would expect Xavier McKinney to sit and Jason Pinnock may not play either. What about slot corner? Does Darnay Holmes sit or do the Giants put both him and Cor’Dale Flott on the field to continue their battle for the starting spot? At outside corner, the guys to watch for back-up spots are Amari Oruwariye and Rodarius Williams. And there is a heck of a battle at back-up safety with Dane Belton, Bobby McCain, Nick McCloud, and Gervarrius Owens.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON SPECIAL TEAMS:
Special teams are often a mess in the preseason because coaches are experimenting with so many new faces. There are usually breakdowns as it becomes clearer who can’t cut it on special teams, particularly on punt and kickoff coverage. Keep this in mind.

The League minimized the importance of kickoff returns in the offseason. Gary Brightwell, who is currently injured and might not make the team, was listed as the primary kick returner on the team’s unofficial depth chart released this week. His listed back-up is Eric Gray, who is also listed as the primary punt returner. So one of the more interesting things to watch is Gray’s ability as a returner. He only returned nine punts and four kicks in college.

THE FINAL WORD:
We all know the most important thing… no injuries please.

But beyond that, again, don’t expect much defensively. Too many important pieces in the front seven won’t be playing. On offense, focus your eyes on the offensive line and wide receivers who play.

Nov 222022
 
Julian Love, New York Giants (November 20, 2022)

Julian Love – © USA TODAY Sports

QUICK RECAP

Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell was drafted by NYG in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He started 34 games for them, 28 of which came over his final two seasons before he signed with DAL (and later DET) in free agency. A year-plus after his career ended, he became an intern-offensive coach for MIA. Working his way up, including a stretch where he was interim Head Coach for MIA and an Assistant Head Coach for NO, Campbell landed the top job for DET in 2021. In a time where owners are often chasing after specialty minds (offense/defense), DET did it different. They went after a culture guy. Campbell is leader of men. He wants to chew glass, get into fights, and give off the tough-guy persona to a league full of tough guys. His staff is filled with former players with similar backgrounds and mindsets. DET personifies “Blue Collar” as much as any team in the league. To be determined if this approach can work and DET. If you have not followed the team, DET has had some of the worst losses in the league since Campbell’s tenure began when it comes to blown leads and aggressive mistakes.

DET came into this one with the last-ranked defense in the NFL when looking at both yards and points allowed, respectively. What surprises many, however, is the fact they came into the league with a top-10 offense in both categories. They do not have star power on that side of the ball. They have a quarterback who would not start on 20 teams in the league. How are they doing this? NYG got a front row seat in their Week 11 matchup at windy MetLife Stadium. It is that time of year.

NYG began the game with the ball. Left Guard Shane Lemieux was on the field for the first time, giving the team 4 of their 5 starters up front on the field. Evan Neal remained inactive with a knee injury. Two of the first three plays resulted in losses. They went three-and-out and DET responded with three points via a field goal by Michael Badgley. A week after Saquon Barkley’s 30+ touch performance and four days prior to their next game against DAL, backup running back Matt Breida made his mark early. He converted a 4th-and-1 rushing attempt before a 16-yard gain on a 3rd-and-7 a few plays later. This set them up for their first touchdown of the game, a 3-yard run by Daniel Jones.

The game stayed at 6-3 (the extra point was blocked), NYG up, for the next three possessions as the two ground-and-pound offenses were playing the field position battle. DET punter Jack Fox, a 2020 All-Pro, had consecutive punts of 57 and 63 yards. NYG’s #1 corner and fill-in punt returner, Adoree’ Jackson, was injured on the 57-yarder. He did not return and will be out a month. Jones threw an interception on a zone blitz that he did not recognize, throwing it directly to DET defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, the second overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. With the DET offense starting their drive in the red zone, it took just four plays for them to score on a Jamaal Williams four-yard run.

Thanks to an illegal block in the back by Nick McCloud on the ensuing kickoff, NYG started their drive on their own 6-yard line. They had gains of 19, 13, and 4 yards. Because of the penalty, that only got them to their own 42-yard line. They were forced to punt again as the NYG offensive line, with four starters in, continued to get abused. Punter Jamie Gillian then shanked one 25 yards. DET needed just three plays before they were in the red zone again and with under a minute remaining in the half, Williams scored a 1-yard touchdown to make the game 17-6. Poor clock management by Jones ended the half with the NYG offense near midfield.

DET opened the second half with another touchdown-scoring drive on the back of Williams yet again, his third score of the day. There was urgency in the NYG offensive huddle on the next drive. Down 18, at home, but up against the worst defense in the league. Barkley had just 18 yards on 10 first half carries, and they were approaching the point in the game where they needed points, and fast. The way to do that in the NFL? Throw the ball. On 4th-and-5 from the DET 40, Jones threw his second interception on a poorly placed ball. Rookie Kerby Joseph brought it in, his third of the season as he has emerged as the league’s top rookie safety so far.

DET did not convert this into points. They went three and out two possessions in a row, but NYG’s offense remained stagnant themselves. However, as the game turned to the fourth quarter, their fortune started to change even though they lost their most targeted receiver, rookie Wan’Dale Robinson, to a knee injury. He did not return and will be out the rest of the year. Breida did end up scoring NYG’s next touchdown on a 3-yard run but kicker Graham Gano missed the extra point. 24-12 DET.

NYG got the ball back with under 9:00. This was it, they needed to score a touchdown on this drive and who better than DET to do it against, a team that has made a living on blowing fourth quarter leads since the start of the Campbell-era. Jones threw two incomplete passes, center Nick Gates forgot to snap the ball on 3rd-and-10, and the anemic passing game needed a huge play. Jones delivered a strike to recently picked up receiver Isaiah Hodgins for a 20-yard gain. First down. But on the next play, right before he went down, Hodgins fumbled, and it was recovered by Hutchinson who was all over the field. DET needed four plays before D’Andre Swift got his turn at crossing the goal line on a 4-yard touchdown run.

NYG did end up getting that touchdown, a drive and turnover too late, on the next drive. Jones hit Richie James on a 9-yard crossing route. They were down 13 points with under 5:00 left in need of a successful two-point conversion to make it a TD + 2-point conversion + FG margin. Tight End Lawrence Cager dropped the pass from Jones, NYG remained down 13, and DET recovered the ensuing onsides kick. NYG would not touch the ball again. DET’s offensive line paved the way for two first downs via run-only in run-only situations and sucked the remaining NYG timeouts out of Brian Daboll’s hands.

NYG loses, 31-18.

QUARTERBACK

-Daniel Jones: 27/44 – 341 yards / 1 TD – 2 INT / 74.1 RAT

Jones also added a team-high 50 yards on 7 carries including a touchdown. The 341 yards were the third-highest of his career and the 44 attempts were the second-highest. The DET defense, again the worst in the league because of how poor they perform against the pass, sold out on stuffing Barkley and the NYG running game. This will be what see week in, week out for the rest of year. Extra beef up front, defensive backs in the box, and sheer number advantages. Jones did make big throws. He did a fine job getting the ball out when receivers were open. He took what was there. He was productive (391 yards total). Checks in all of those boxes. But the interceptions were both on him. He did not read the zone blitz on the first one and he air-mailed the second one. While we can continue to pound the OL + pass catcher drum and rightfully so, this one will go in the negative bucket for Jones. He did not rise above.

RUNNING BACK

-Saquon Barkley: 15 att – 22 yards / 2 rec – 13 yards

Barkley looked like a guy who carried the team a week earlier. He had less pop and speed than what we have seen this season. After reviewing the All-22, I also noted three runs where Barkley’s lack of aggression caused no gain or a loss. All three were plays that had a strong likelihood of going for 5+ yards, one of which could have been much bigger. Daboll has done a fine job with Barkley and this running game when it comes to putting the head down and getting those 2-3-4 yard gains. But we saw the version of Barkley who had too much tip-toeing, lack of desire, and overall slowness. That margin in between in this league is enormous. A poor game for Barkley but he was strong pass protection. He has turned that around in a big way.

-Matt Breida: 3 att – 13 yards – 1 TD / 1 rec – 16 yards

We did not see a lot of Breida in this one and I wish we saw more. He brought more energy to the offense than Barkley did, and it was obvious on the early drive where he converted a 4th- and 3rd-down conversion, respectively. While it is hard to keep #26 off the field, this was something obvious to see early on. With where NYG’s receivers are, I think more looks with both guys on the field should be a priority.

WIDE RECEIVER

-The position group caught 22 passes for 292 yards, by far a season-high. Wan’Dale Robinson led the group with a line of 9/100 but suffered a torn ACL on the first play of the fourth quarter. Such an unfortunate blow for multiple reasons. One, it looked like Robinson’s role was starting to click here. He was the guy Jones could get the ball to on 3rd/4th down. He was the one who created the most on his own after the catch. Two, because of the nature of the injury and timing, this is something that could linger into 2023. My hope is he will be on the field Week 2 or 3.

-Darius Slayton came up with a few big plays. His 17.2 yards per catch in a game that he had 5 or more receptions were the most since Week 10 of 2020. The negative with Slayton continues to be drops. He added 2 more to his season total and double caught two others – meaning a slight bobble before bringing it in. On a team that lacks talent at WR – he is clearly the number one guy especially with Robinson out. He can make big plays in an offense that is begging for such in the passing game. But it is hard to rely on a guy with his caliber of hands and ball skills. He did come up with a key block on the Jones touchdown run early in the game.

-Maybe the loudest ovation of the day, whether it was genuine or sarcastic, came on the first Kenny Golladay reception. He had 2 catches on the day, both body-balls that he let come in to his numbers rather than attack it with his hands, for 29 yards. By default, Golladay will see more and more looks now.

-Richie James appeared out of the doghouse once Robinson went down. He responded with 3 catches for 48 yards and a touchdown, all coming in the fourth quarter. Isaiah Hodgins came up with 29 yards on 3 catches but lost a fumble that DET turned into a fourth quarter touchdown.

TIGHT END

-Another lackluster day for the group overall. It is one thing to see a lack of impact on the game, but when the negative plays start to pop up, it becomes frustrating to watch. Tight end was mishandled this past offseason and even in-season. Lawrence Cager allowed a TFL, was flagged for offensive pass interference, and dropped a big 2-point conversion attempt with the team down 13. He did have 2 catches for 20 yards, but that was it for the group as a whole.

OFFENSIVE LINE

-I have long discussed the issues the interior of this line would present as the year went on. It was one of the first things I saw at camp back in August. They’ve played better than I anticipated but that doesn’t mean much. It has still been a well-below average group that was somewhat overshadowed by the smoke and mirrors offensive scheme. With Shane Lemiuex on the field for the first time this season, I had some optimism. That ended quickly. He allowed 3 pressures and a sack before being benched in the second half for rookie Josh Ezeudu, who allowed a pressure himself. Mark Glowinski was man-handled by Alim McNeill repeatedly. He allowed 2 pressures and was flagged for illegally blocking downfield on a drive that had NYG approaching field goal range and ended with a punt. His penalty was the turning point of the drive.

-Center Jon Feliciano left the game with a neck injury. He allowed a TFL and one pressure before heading out. Nick Gates started off as a blocking tight end but then took over at center for Feliciano. He was flagged twice, one of which was declined. As I said a few weeks ago, Gates is the guy that should be at center. He sustains contact better than Feliciano and gets more push.

-Andrew Thomas allowed 1 TFL but was otherwise lights out again. On the other side, Tyre Phillips had to be relieved by Matt Peart because of a neck injury. Phillips allowed a pressure before departing and Peart struggled with 2 pressures and a TFL. His hands were all over the place and it threw off his body control. Peart clearly has not clicked yet. The tools were there, and it was worth the gamble, but he simply cannot pass block consistently.

EDGE

-Oshane Ximines had a solid game, pressuring Jared Goff 3 times and registering 1 tackle. He was flagged for a roughing penalty, however, on a 3rd-and-8 stop that gave DET an automatic first down on a 3-point scoring drive.

-Rookies Kayvon Thibodeaux added 2 tackles and 1 pressure and Tomon Fox had 1 tackle. Quiet and overall ineffective game for the two on limited looks, as Goff only threw 26 passes.

-Jihad Ward had 4 tackles, 1 pressure, and a pass break up. Martindale put him into coverage on a couple of occasions via the zone blitz and it hurt the defense. Ward moves more like a defensive tackle than a linebacker. Stiff and slow.

DEFENSIVE LINE

-Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams continue to play a ton of snaps. Lawrence had 3 pressures and a team-high 7 tackles while Williams added 1 pressure and 4 tackles. The DET interior is one of the best in football and these two won several matchups. The success DET had on the ground had very little to do with them.

-Henry Mondeaux remains ahead of the immobile Justin Ellis on the depth chart. He played 32 snaps while Ellis only saw 17. Both of them struggled against that OL.

LINEBACKER

-Rough day for the group. Rookie Micah McFadden got the start next to veteran Jaylon Smith and both were manhandled against the DET running game. McFadden is a step too slow especially in coverage. It keeps popping up and DET took advantage of it on the play-action crossing routes. He was also flagged for a pass interference. Smith had 6 tackles but 5 of them were assists. He was late to the running lanes and slow to fill. The lateral adjustments are worrisome, as he looks so stiff and rigid when he needs to adjust. He added 1 pressure.

-Tae Crowder saw an uptick in playing time late in the game and finished with 3 tackles and a TFL.

CORNERBACK

-Adoree’ Jackson missed most of the game because he was injured on a 3-yard punt return. He was recently put in that role because of the two Richie James fumbles in Seattle a few weeks ago. More on that below. Jackson will be out for a month, if not longer. I’ve said this a few times; Jackson is the one guy this defense could not afford to lose. Huge blow for the defense that has almost no margin left.

-Fabian Moreau suffered an oblique injury and may be out Thursday at DAL. That leaves the secondary with Darnay Holmes at nickel and a mixture of Nick McCloud, Rodarius Williams, and Cordale Flott on the outside as NYG is approaching a difficult slate of opposing offenses in the near future. Holmes and McCloud both had a TFL and were solid in coverage. They fit the aggressive scheme well and I feel good about them. The concerns are with Williams and Flott. Williams was beat in coverage multiple times in his first action of the season and Flott, a rookie who has played 22 snaps since Week 3, is raw. He dropped an interception but did force a fumble. These next few weeks will be huge for Flott when it comes to experience and learning from mistakes. It may be painful right now, but it could end up being beneficial to his future.

SAFETY

-Julian Love was the lone defender to play all of the snaps. Nobody else played 90% of the snaps. He tied for the team lead 7 tackles and added a TFL. He did miss a tackle on a 3rd-and-long conversion though and missed out on an interception late in the game, but it did end in a pass break up.

-Jason Pinnock was in and out of the game with a jaw/neck injury. He is very much an all-or-nothing type player on defense. He had a TFL and 3 tackles but added a missed tackle. I like the aggressive style and length he brings to the table. I hope he can stay on the field because NYG may have something in him.

-Rookie Dane Belton had 2 tackles but was ridden out of multiple plays by wide receiver and tight end blocks. That is a weakness in his game I’ve seen repeated a few times this season. He also allowed receptions on the two times he was targeted.

SPECIAL TEAMS

-K Graham Gano: 0/0 (One extra point blocked and he missed another)
-P Jamie Gillan: 4 punts / 38.3 avg – 38.3 net

3 STUDS

-DT Dexter Lawrence, WR Wan’Dale Robinson, RB Matt Breida

3 DUDS

-OG Shane Lemieux, LB Micah McFadden, RB Saquon Barkley

3 THOUGHTS ON DET

The Lions have passed their 2021-win total (3) with 7 games left on the schedule. They’re currently the 2nd place team in the NFC North. They have contests against JAC, NYJ, CAR, CHI, and GB remaining. Say what you want about the defensive and late-game struggles, but this team is on the rise. I believe in culture-building and I believe the resources DET has put into it will pay off. What is truly missing? They’re going to be limited with Jared Goff under center, that is the simple truth. The statistics are a bit misleading, as a lot of their production has come late in games against prevent-style coverages. But if their 2022 first rounder Jameson Williams, who may be back in December and was my second-ranked receiver behind Garrett Wilson last April, is a dude who checks every box. With next year being the vital third season of the Campbell-era, I can see them making THE aggressive move in the offseason for a quarterback. That can go in a few directions, but it is something I see happening one way or another.

The DET offensive line has been well built. Left tackle Taylor Decker, 1st round 2016. Left guard Jonah Jackson, 3rd round 2020. Center Frank Ragnow, 1st round 2018. Right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai, free agent signing in 2020 (currently on IR). Right tackle Penei Sewell, 1st round 2021. When I look at this offense that is top 10 in yards and scoring without a true number one receiver (or tight end now that they’ve traded T.J. Hockenson), Jared Goff at quarterback, and an overrated number one back in D’Andre Swift, it is impossible to not give most of the credit to their O-Line. It creates a strong notion in my head that adding yet another high pick to the group along the interior will very much be in the discussion next April.

The Dan Campbell experiment seems to be working. Now, the Colts seem to be re-energized by Jeff Saturday. Neither situation can be considered a full-blown win yet, but if they turn in to successes you can bet your bottom dollar other teams will follow suit. Coaching hires that have less to do with scheme, more to do with culture.

3 CLOSING THOUGHTS

Two losses in their last three games. One win since October 24. Is NYG simply regressing toward the mean? Meaning is this what they truly are? A thin roster that cannot handle the multitude of injuries. A team that was winning a bunch of one-score games, but the law of average has arrived? I think NYG has some “dark” days ahead, meaning more and more losses, but let’s not get it twisted. This team has already exceeded expectations in 2022. They are still very early in this new regime and way of doing things. They’re playing with house money and, as we have been saying since August, they are looking for things that will build this roster and the future. They need some answers, and they need their young guys to get the experience of ups and downs. Anything else that comes, which includes a very-possible postseason birth, is icing on the cake.

If NYG wanted to put a premium playmaker in the return game, why not put Saquon Barkley back there? Because you don’t want him getting hurt. Then why put Adoree’ Jackson, who in my opinion was the most important player on defense, in that role? This coaching staff has been amazing from the start and Daboll is in the running for Coach of the Year. But that was the wrong move and they’re going to pay for it. I understand some of the decision-making revolved around feeling safe with Jackson (catching the ball) but losing him is going to be a potential season-changer for this defense and team.

Injuries aside, I’m glad NYG has a short week against a team that just absolutely crushed the 8-1 Vikings on the road 40-3. One team riding a high. One team riding a low. Both teams have seen their fair share of peaks and valleys this season. It is a divisional matchup. This is the first time this new regime is playing a repeat-opponent. I think NYG will be in this game on Thursday as crazy as it sounds. It’s the way the NFL works more often than not.

Nov 202022
 
Daniel Jones, New York Giants (November 20, 2022)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

DETROIT LIONS 31 – NEW YORK GIANTS 18…
The New York Giants were soundly beaten by the Detroit Lions 31-18 on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. With the loss, the Giants fall to 7-3. Worse than the loss was a plethora of injuries suffered by New York, including starting cornerbacks Adoree’ Jackson (knee) and Fabian Moreau (ribs), offensive linemen Tyre Phillips (neck) and Jon Feliciano (neck), wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson (knee), and safety Jason Pinnock (jaw). An early report indicates that Jackson may miss 3-5 weeks with an MCL sprain. Robinson’s knee injury appeared to be serious.

Some of the overall team statistics were misleading. The Giants out-gained the Lions in first downs (25 to 23), total net yards (413 to 325), and net yards passing (324 to 165). But on a very windy day, the Lions out-rushed the Giants 160 to 89. Most importantly, they won the turnover battle 3 to 0 and were 4-of-5 in red zone efficiency.

The Giants received the ball to start the game, but quickly went three-and-out. On their initial possession, the Lions moved the ball 64 yards in 11 plays, being halted for the only time in the red zone and settling for a 24-yard field goal. The Giants impressively responded with an 11-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 3-yard touchdown run by quarterback Daniel Jones. The Giants converted on a 4th-and-1 near midfield and a 3rd-and-7 on this possession. However, the extra point was missed. Giants 6 – Lions 3.

Detroit punted twice and New York once in the next three possessions. However near the 6-minute mark in the 2nd quarter, Jones threw his first interception since Week 3. The pick was returned 20 yards to the Giants’ 18-yard line. It took the Lions just three plays to regain the lead for good as running back Jamaal Williams scoring from four yards out. Lions 10 – Giants 6.

The Giants continued to self-destruct as running back Gary Brightwell muffed the ensuing kickoff. He recovered but an illegal block by cornerback Nick McCloud moved the ball back to the 6-yard line. New York picked up two first downs and punted. However, Jamie Gillan’s punt traveled only 25 yards. With just 2:19 left on the clock, the Lions were able to drive 68 yards in seven plays with Williams scoring his second rushing touchdown of the game. The half ended with Jones being sacked on 3rd-and-15 near midfield.

At the break, the Lions led 17-6.

Special teams issues continued for the Giants as the second half began. The Lions returned the kickoff 36 yards to their own 44-yard line. Nine plays later, Williams ran for his third touchdown of the game and the rout was on, Lions 24 – Giants 6.

The Giants picked up one first down on their first drive of the second half, but then Jones was intercepted for a second time on 4th-and-5 from the Lions’ 45-yard line. The interception was returned 38 yards to the New York 41-yard line. The New York defense did force a three-and-out, but the Giants were pinned back at their 7-yard line. The Giants gained three first downs, but punted on 4th-and-10 from the Detroit 49-yard line.

Detroit went three-and-out again. The Giants finally responded with their second scoring drive, moving the ball 67 yards in nine plays with running back Matt Breida scoring from three yards out. Jones ran for 15 yards on 4th-and-1 on this drive. However, Graham Gano missed his second extra point. Lions 24 – Giants 12 early in the 4th quarter.

With the New York defense forcing another punt on the ensuing drive, things could have gotten interesting but the Giants gave the ball right back when wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins fumbling the ball away at the New York 33-yard line after a catch. Four plays later, running back D’Andre Swift rushed for Detroit’s fourth rushing touchdown of the game. Lions 31 – Giants 12 with just over six minutes to play.

The Giants made the scoreboard look a tad more respectable by driving 75 yards in six plays. Jones connected with wide receiver Richie James for a 9-yard score. However, tight end Lawrence Cager dropped the 2-point conversion attempt. Lions 31 – Giants 18.

The Lions recovered the onside kick. With 4:19 left in the game, Detroit picked up two first downs and ran out the clock.

Jones finished the game 27-of-44 for 341 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. He was also the team’s leading rusher with 50 yards on seven carries. Before he left with a knee injury, Robinson led all receivers with nine catches for 100 yards. Running back Saquon Barkley was held to 22 yards on 15 carries (1.5 yards per rush).

The defense allowed 160 yards rushing. They did not sack the quarterback and were credited with only three quarterback hits and three pass defenses. The defense also did not create a turnover.

GAME VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS are available on YouTube.

ROSTER MOVES, PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, the Giants activated OG Shane Lemieux from Injured Reserve. Lemieux suffered an unspecified foot or toe injury in the first preseason game and was placed on Injured Reserve at the end of August.

The Giants activated (standard elevation) TE Lawrence Cager from the Practice Squad to the 53-man roster on the same day.

Inactive for the game were TE Daniel Bellinger (eye), RT Evan Neal (knee), WR David Sills, OG Jack Anderson, ILB Austin Calitro, and OLB Quincy Roche.

RT Tyre Phillips (neck), CB Adoree’ Jackson (knee), CB Fabian Moreau (ribs), OC Jon Feliciano (neck), WR Wan’Dale Robinson (knee), and S Jason Pinnock (jaw) were injured and did not return. According to TheScore, Jackson suffered a sprained MCL and is expected to miss 3-5 weeks. Robinson was spotted on crutches after the game. Pinnock was taken to the hospital.

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will address the media by conference call on Monday.

Nov 182022
 
Brian Daboll, New York Giants (November 13, 2022)

Brian Daboll – © USA TODAY Sports

THE STORYLINE:
It’s usually unwise to make bold proclamations after a small sample size. After all, New York Giants fans were feeling pretty good about Dan Reeves during the 1993 season and Jim Fassel during the 1997 season. And views about those two coaches changed radically in subsequent years. On the flip side, fans were ready to run Bill Parcells out of New Jersey after 1983 and Tom Coughlin after his third season in 2006. Nevertheless, I came to the conclusion this week that there is some very Belichick-ian about Brian Daboll.

For years, I have envied the way that Bill Belichick was able to import ordinary players, immediately get them up to speed in a new system, and have them become not-so-insignificant contributors to a winning program. Not only did the Giants make sweeping roster changes in the offseason, but since the end of August, they have picked up the following players off of the street, waiver wire, or other teams’ practice squads: Jason Pinnock, Jack Anderson, Henry Mondeaux, Tyre Phillips, Jaylon Smith, Fabian Moreau, Landon Collins, Tony Jefferson, Lawrence Cager, Marcus Johnson, Isaiah Hodgins, Terrell Burgess, and Vernon Butler. Fast forward to last week’s game, and Pinnock, Mondeaux, Phillips, Smith, Moreau, Cager, and Hodgins all were factors in the victory. That’s SEVEN players. Astounding.

59-year old Don “Wink” Martindale, who has coached in the NFL since 2004, said on Thursday, “I’ve never seen a roster move around the way this roster moved around with injuries and things like that.”

Combine that with the way this coaching staff has adjusted to the strengths and weaknesses of this roster.  All coaches talk about doing this, but few actually do it. Last Sunday, the Giants employed formations with eight offensive linemen on the field. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that before. But it seems like something like Belichick would do if his roster was configured the same way.

Winning in the NFL is about acquiring talent. But it’s also about how you manage the talent you have. Few teams have security at head coach. It’s why we see so many coaches fired each offseason and why the Giants have fired four coaches in six years. Regardless of how this team finishes this season, it appears the Giants may have the head coaching position finally figured out again.

The 2022 New York Giants are a team living on the edge. They don’t have the pass catchers to score a lot of points. Every contest has been (and will be) a nail-biter decided in the 4th quarter. That formula usually is not conducive to sustained winning because the law of averages usually catches up with you. Thus far, that has only happened twice for the Giants. I keep expecting the other shoe to drop, but the Giants keep winning. That said, my instincts still tell me that every opponent is certainly capable of embarrassing the Giants.  And that includes the Detroit Lions. Don’t sleep on the Lions. They are better than their record indicates.

THE INJURY REPORT:

  • WR Wan’Dale Robinson (hamstring – questionable)
  • WR Kenny Golladay (hamstring – questionable)
  • TE Daniel Bellinger (eye – out)
  • RT Evan Neal (knee – doubtful)
  • OG Josh Ezeudu (neck – questionable)
  • DL Dexter Lawrence (back – questionable)
  • OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (illness – probable)
  • OLB Jihad Ward (thumb – probable)
  • S Dane Belton (clavicle – questionable)
  • PK Graham Gano (illness – probable)

NEW YORK GIANTS ON OFFENSE:
Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka came from pass-happy systems. It’s extremely likely that their long-term vision for the Giants is a team that can throw the ball 35-40 times per game if necessary and doing so at an elite level. The drafting of Wan’Dale Robinson supports that conclusion. Nevertheless, both coaches recognized the limitations of the current personnel and massively altered their approach, turning the Giants into a run-first team.

The Giants have played nine games. In six of those games (all wins), they have run the ball more than they have thrown it. In both of their losses, they have thrown the ball more than they have run it. The reasons for this vary and often can’t be rationally discussed by fans who have formed intransigent views on the quarterback, running back, receivers, and blockers. But the reality is the coaching staff has come to the conclusion that it is better to play more conservatively on offense, and the W-L record based on the run/pass ratio seems to support that position. Points come out of the passing game. And they come out of big-chunk plays in the passing game. But the Giants are not currently built for that approach. If the Giants attempt to veer too much away from their current formula, the team is likely to see more three-and-outs, penalties, sacks, and worst of all, turnovers.

Which brings us to another stat that is not receiving enough attention: the Giants’ offense has lowest turnover rate in league. Only 5.3 percent of their possessions have ended with a turnover. Daniel Jones has thrown only two interceptions (and none since Week 3 against Dallas when his intended receiver fell down on a pick). And the Giants only have five lost fumbles, three of which were by Richie James on punt returns. It’s no coincidence that Giants’ turnovers were an issue in both of their losses. When the Giants don’t turn the football over, they probably are going to win the football game.

So fans yelling at the top of their lungs that Daboll and Kafka are being too conservative and need to open it up more are completely missing the point. They don’t understand the team’s limitations and why they are winning. You can try telling them, but they don’t want to listen. Same thing with any pre-game predictions that the Giants are going to score 30+ points. Unless the defense and special teams score, they aren’t going to do that this year.

The Giants’ formula, which they are pretty much wed to until the roster improves in the offseason, is based on playing it safe and not making mistakes. The Giants are not beating themselves with penalties and turnovers, but they are also not scoring a lot of points. The red-zone defense has kept them in contests and the Daboll/Kafka commitment to the ground game has paid off dividends in the 4th quarter of close games. The 2-yard run in the 1st quarter becomes the 14-yard run in the 4th quarter. It’s why so many of New York’s 4th-quarter comebacks have come not only on the right arm of Daniel Jones, but his legs and the legs of Saquon Barkley.

Enter the Detroit Lions and a larger danger than their 3-6 record suggests. The Lions are not only 6th overall in offense, but 9th in scoring. They average over 24 points per game and have scored more than 30 points in four games (35, 36, 45, and 31). The Giants simply cannot match those numbers. So not only does the offensive braintrust have to pray that Wink’s defense can hold the Lions to field goals, but the offense has to play keep-away by putting together long, clock-eating drives that hopefully result in at least 2-3 touchdowns.

The good news is that Detroit’s defense is dead last in yards allowed (416 yards per game) and points allowed (over 29 per game). The Lions also are not good on 3rd down and in red-zone defense. The Giants were able to employ a heavy run-first strategy against Houston’s 32nd-ranked run defense. Don’t expect a big change as Detroit is 31st against the run. However, Daboll and Kafka may rightfully be more concerned about the Lions scoring more points than the Texans against the New York defense. If so, I would not be shocked to see more play-action in the first half of this game than we are accustomed to. Much depends on the weather (it may be very windy) and the health of the receivers (see above injury list).

NEW YORK GIANTS ON DEFENSE:
The loss of Xavier McKinney had a big, domino effect on the defense last week. A unit that largely kept Houston under wraps in the first half had trouble stopping 29th-ranked offense in the second half. McKinney was missed in coverage and as a tackler. His absence most likely will be noticed even more this week against the NFL’s 6th-ranked offense (8th passing, 10th running). Note the balance. Detroit can hurt you with run and the pass. And they are one of the top teams in the NFL in big plays, getting huge chunks of yardage (again, big plays are the key to point generation in the NFL). Not having McKinney in there for this game scares the heck out of me.

What makes Detroit so good on offense? First of all, they have one of the NFL’s best offensive lines. They are solid or better across the board, especially if their starting center plays this week as he is now expected to. Unbelievably, quarterback Jared Goff is only behind Patrick Mahomes in 20+ yard completions this year. WR Amon-Ra St. Brown is on pace for a near 100-catch season and is Goff’s go-to guy. Goff will also throw to wide receivers Josh Reynolds and Kalif Raymond, and running back D’Andre Swift. As for the ground game, it’s a 1-2 punch with Jamaal Williams being more of the workhorse and Swift being the more explosive, change of pace. This is a balanced, well-coached unit that has surprisingly performed well against quality teams.

Detroit’s big plays don’t come out of a reliance on the deep passing game but yards-after-the-catch (YAC) and big runs by their backs. When facing offenses like that, tackling become priority #1. Martindale and his staff will be preaching limiting the big play through gang-tackling. What is going to be tough is the play-action game. Because the Giants need to respect Detroit’s running game, the linebackers will be more vulnerable to run fakes, leaving gaps over the middle of the defense. This is exacerbated with the loss of McKinney with his instincts and range missing.

The match-ups I’m most curious to watch are up front. Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawrence are playing as well as any defensive linemen in the league. But the excessively high number of snaps is beginning to take a toll on Lawrence, who was limited this week with a back injury. These two also face one of the better OLs in the NFL. The Giants need Williams and Lawrence to be at their best along with Kavyon Thibodeaux making his presence felt. Detroit will likely target Dane Belton and/or Jason Pinnock in coverage. They will also have Swift test the linebackers in coverage.

I firmly believe this game is going to come down to red-zone offense and defense for both teams. Detroit is going to move the ball. But the Giants need to keep them from reaching the end zone in order to keep the game close.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON SPECIAL TEAMS:
Daboll and Special Teams Coordinator Thomas McGaughey have highlighted Detroit’s tendency so surprise opponents on special teams. “(Head Coach) Dan (Campbell) is real aggressive,” said McGaughey. “And at any point in time, you can get a surprise onside kick. You could get a fake punt. So, we’ll work on that stuff this week, and we got to stay ready for it.”

Punter Jamie Gillan is going through a rough stretch and needs to rebound. The Giants’ punt return game remains uneasily unsettled. McGaughey seemed to indicate a continuation of the Adoree’ Jackson/Richie James split. Neither seems like a good answer.

FROM THE COACH’S MOUTH:
Head Coach Brian Daboll on the Detroit Lions: “They create explosive plays. (Jared) Goff plays at a high level; he’s a very accurate passer downfield, intermediate, off the play action. And then their two runners have taken it to the distance a few times. They’re both a little bit different but both very good. They’ve scored 30 points four times. In six of their losses, four of them have been four points or less. The other one against the Cowboys it was 10-6 with 3:20 left. Explosive team. Good football team… Look, they create explosive plays. The other thing they’re really good at is down in the red zone, finishing drives… We’re going to have to do a good job of trying to slow them down and make sure we’re tackling and not giving up 50-yard runs that they break through, taking care of the deep part of the field and things like that on defense. Offensively, do our job in terms of executing and trying to go down and score points and then create field position in the kicking game – another good team. Dan (Campbell) has run a variety of fakes since he’s been there: onside kicks, surprise onside kicks, fake punts.”

THE FINAL WORD:
This is an important game for the Giants, especially with the upcoming short week before Dallas on Thanksgiving. This is a contest where the weather and fans could really work in the Giants’ favor if the wind does pick up and the fans remain loud. You already know my thoughts on the keys… turnovers, red-zone offense, red-zone defense. Both of these teams have played an inordinate number of close games. The difference is the Giants have been winning the close games while the Lions have been losing them.

Oct 282019
 
Darius Slayton, New York Giants (October 27, 2019)

Darius Slayton – © USA TODAY Sports

[contentblock id=1 img=html.png]

Detroit Lions 31 – New York Giants 26

QUICK RECAP

With the signs becoming more and more clear that the Giants 2019 season is a one-way street to the cellar yet again, Big Blue traveled to middle-of-the-pack Detroit just days after the Lions traded away their second best defensive back while also missing their top defensive back and starting running back. After an embarrassing loss at home against the Cardinals, NYG had to set the tone early and prove they were past it. Prove they are better than they were in 2018. Prove they are on the way up. All of that against a 2-3-1 team.

The Giants got the initial momentum with a Janoris Jenkins’ interception, his fourth of the year, from the volatile Matthew Stafford. However, as we have grown accustomed to, NYG turned it over just three plays later. The league-leader in turnovers, NYG has made this a habit we are all too familiar with. Jones was hit by an untouched blitzer who came directly up the middle, a major no-no for offensive line play, and the ball traveled backward out of his hand even though he was in a clear throwing position. Saquon Barkley didn’t seem to match the urgency going after the loose ball that former Giant Devon Kennard had. The result was a scoop-and-score for DET as the home team went up 7-0 early.

After a NYG 3-and-out, DET got the ball back and on a 3rd-and-15 from midfield, Stafford went deep to emerging big play threat Marvin Hall for a 49-yard touchdown as he got behind safety Michael Thomas. And just like that, NYG was losing by double digits in the first half for the fourth straight week and 7th time in 8 weeks.

As Daniel Jones has already proven multiple times, he was able to get this team back on track and stay unrattled. They opened the second quarter with a touchdown scoring drive, capped by a Jones-to-Darius Slayton pass. DET kicker Matt Prater missed a 53-yard attempt on the ensuing drive, giving NYG prime field position, and Jones once again connected with Slayton for the second score in as many drives. Kicker Aldrick Rosas missed the extra point, however, making the score 14-13 DET, but the momentum had clearly shifted.

The refs clearly hurt NYG with a poor call on the next drive. They forced a DET punt but David Mayo was flagged for running into the kicker. By running into the kicker, they actually meant he grazed the punter’s shoelace and thanks to an NBA-caliber flop job, the flag was thrown and DET had the ball back with a fresh set of downs at midfield. DET was able to move the ball up enough to give Prater another shot, this time from 52 yards, which he made to give DET a 17-13 halftime lead.

DET came out and scored on their opening drive in the second half. It was a 10-play drive that ended with a pass from Stafford to Kenny Golladay, one of the emerging young stars in the league. NYG was down 24-13 and if they were going to prove they had some fight, it had to be on this drive. NYG was aided by two DET penalties, one of which was on a failed 3rd-down conversion attempt that led to a Jones-to-Engram 2-yard pass for 6. With a 3-and-out forced on the next DET drive, NYG had their first real shot at taking the lead as the third quarter was closing out.

On 1st-and-10 from midfield, Jones hit Golden Tate for a 14-yard gain on a flea flicker. NYG was starting to step on the throat of DET, but the play was called back as Nate Solder, the second highest paid offensive tackle in football, was flagged for a hold. Instead of 1st-and-10 from the DET 38, it was 1st-and-20 from the NYG 38. The Giants punted three plays later.

DET took their shot at their own flea flicker/double pass-type trick play; they were able to convert it into a 41-yard touchdown. No holding on the left tackle, either. DET took a commanding 31-19 lead but there were still 12 minutes left in the game.

After a back-and-forth drive that included two sacks allowed by the second highest paid offensive tackle in football, NYG did cross into DET territory and were faced with a 4th-and-6 situation. Being down 12, they had to go for it because a long field goal would have still kept it a 2-score game. Jones was bombarded by a 7-man pass rush and threw an incomplete pass to Tate.

The defense remained stout as DET had issues getting a first down to keep the clock moving, but the Giants kept coming up short when it mattered most. Jones took two straight shots into the end zone to his man Slayton, neither of which was converted. Slayton was interfered with on the first attempt and even though the pass interference challenges almost never work, I thought it was puzzling why Pat Shurmur didn’t throw the red flag. That was a crucial play and not using the challenge was a poor decision.

NYG did get the ball back one more time, and thanks to a 25-yard pass interference penalty, they were able to get into the red zone. Jones connected with Barkley for a 4-yard touchdown, Jones’ fourth of the day. NYG got to within 5 but a failed onside-kick attempt led to a couple Stafford kneel-downs.

NYG lose 31-26.

QUARTERBACK

-Daniel Jones: 28/41 – 322 yards – 4 TD / 0 INT – 124.2 QBR. Jones also added 13 yards on the ground. He fumbled the ball twice, both on hits that occurred as he was throwing, one of which was returned for a touchdown. Jones has ball security issues to clean up but neither of these fumbles can be put on him, as they weren’t an issue of holding onto the ball during and after contact. Jones kept NYG in this one with several throws into tight windows. His confidence is growing every week and he is proving to be a guy who plays with no fear. He dealt with a dirty pocket most of the game and after seeing someone like Sam Darnold completely alter his approach because of pressure, it is an encouraging sign to see Jones playing with toughness in the face of adversity so often.

RUNNING BACK

-Saquon Barkley: 19 att / 64 yards – 8 rec / 79 yards / 1 TD. Barkley was just an inch away from breaking off a big play on two occasions. Even with that, Barkley gained 143 yards from scrimmage, which is above his career average. Looking at the numbers, it was a productive day. However after re-watching the game, I came away saying Barkley left some out on the field. His blocking was atrocious on two straight plays where he allowed a pressure and then a sack. There seems to be a lot of hesitation in his game right now, perhaps he isn’t fully mentally back from the ankle injury. He gets a pass because he did gut out some tough runs in the second half but as the guy this team is going to build around, he needs to, at least, make more impact without the ball as a blocker.

-Wayne Gallman, on the other hand, quietly had a solid game in limited snaps. He had a 20-yard run on a 3rd-and-26 play that put NYG in position to convert a 4th own late (which they failed). But his biggest impact came as a blocker. He really stuck his nose in there on a couple of occasions that enabled big gains.

WIDE RECEIVER

-Golden Tate: 8 rec / 85 yards. Really gutsy performance by Tate. He has turned into quite the 3rd-down weapon for Jones. He is playing tough and hard nosed as he approaches the ball and after the catch.

-It looked like it would be a big day for rookie Darius Slayton, as he caught 2 touchdowns in the second quarter on consecutive drives. Both catches were great adjustments to the ball with a corner draped all over him. Those ended up being his only 2 catches of the day, however, and he dropped an easy catch later on. Slayton also allowed a TFL and did not block well overall.

-Cody Latimer had 2 rec / 28 yards and Bennie Fowler brought in 2 rec / 21 yards. Latimer is a guy I wish got more looks because it seems he can make big-time catches in traffic when given the opportunity. He had a really nice one-handed catch in this one. Fowler was flagged for an offensive pass interference but also came up with a clutch catch.

TIGHT END

-Evan Engram: 4 rec / 40 yards / 1 TD. Not a bad day for the inconsistent, but high-ceiling Engram. He continues to flash the elite ability we know he has on all fronts as a pass catcher. Quickness, explosion after the catch, route running…etc. However his blocking received a really poor grade in this one. Many will point to the middle of the offensive line when trying to figure out why NYG had so much trouble inside, but the Engram had a really hard time sealing the edge. He allowed a TFL, and on a few occasions got squeezed to the middle which gave Barkley no wiggle room when the lanes were clogged. Really poor day in the trenches for him.

OFFENSIVE LINE

-The ugly gets uglier for Nate Solder. He completely fell apart in the second half and it had a major impact on this team’s comeback effort. It is now at the point where this offense may need to alter its approach and shift constant help in his direction. He allowed 2 sacks and 1 pressure and was flagged for a big holding penalty. His balance and footwork are very poor right now and good pass rushers eat that up with ease.

-Mike Remmers graded out average, which is better than what we have seen lately. He allowed 1 pressure but had a couple of key blocks in the running game.

-The interior got pushed around all game, as NYG just couldn’t get the inside running game going. They also were schooled by delayed inside blitzes. You are NEVER supposed to see an untouched linebacker up the middle on passing plays and it happened multiple times. Jon Halapio allowed a pressure and a TFL. In addition, any communication issues need to come back to him. Kevin Zeitler and Will Hernandez were good in pass protection for the most part, but they got minimal-to-no push in the running game.

EDGE

-Lorenzo Carter and Markus Golden both registered a sack and two TFLs, respectively. They combined for 9 tackles and both are emerging as consistent, reliable, yet limited threats. Golden has a lot of “gamer” in him, finding the ball often and making impact on contact. Carter is still very much a work in progress that gets stifled and rendered ineffective too easily, too often, but his talent is making things happen on occasion nearly every week.

-Really quiet day for Oshane Ximines, who has been struggling these past 2 weeks. We have known this for awhile – the lack of power and strength is an issue and this offseason will be huge for him.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

-Overall the trio of B.J. Hill, Dexter Lawrence, and Dalvin Tomlinson held the point-of-attack well. They were up against a group of backup running backs as DET tries to get past the injury of Kerryon Johnson. Tomlinson was the highlight of the group, finishing with 3 tackles, 1 sack, and 2 TFLs. The interior of the DET offensive line has struggled this year but their center, Frank Ragnow, is a quality player. Tomlinson schooled him with quickness and effective arm-over techniques a few times.

LINEBACKER

-Alec Ogletree had 5 tackles and made solid physical impact on a few occasions. Most importantly, he played 100% of the snaps and the play of the front seven was better because of it. A healthy Ogletree may be limited in some fashion still, but I think we got a reminder just how much better he is than the replacement players we had behind him.

-The debut of the newly-signed Deone Buccanon was lackluster. He was on the field for just 11 plays and he finished with a tackle and a missed tackle.

CORNERBACK

-Janoris Jenkins brought in his NFC-leading 4th interception of the season on the opening DET drive. The Lions avoided him much of the day afterwards, and it led to a really quiet day by Marvin Jones.

-Deandre Baker continues to impress, which is obviously stemming from an increase in confidence which is making him faster and more balanced. He was tested deep a couple of times and he stayed right on his man. While he did allow a touchdown to Kenny Golladay, he actually got a hand on that ball and I can’t fault him for it. He had really tight coverage on the route. Baker finished with a team-high 8 tackles.

-Grant Haley, a week after he made the “stud” list, was up and down in this one. He was picked on early as DET targeted him multiple times on third down and succeeded. He did remain active though and made a couple of nice tackles in space. Haley also had a sack.

SAFETY

-The big passing day for Stafford was largely a result of all three safeties getting torched downfield. All three were responsible for long touchdowns and all three had missed tackles on the day. Poor game for Antoine Bethea, Jabrill Peppers, and Michael Thomas. The one positive was a forced fumble by Peppers and recovered by Bethea, however. So those two did save face to an extent.

SPECIAL TEAMS

-K Aldrick Rosas: No FG attempts. Missed 1 out of 4 extra point attempts.

-P Riley Dixon: 3 punts / 45.0 avg / 43.7 net

3 STUDS

-QB Daniel Jones, DT Dalvin Tomlinson, CB Janoris Jenkins

3 DUDS

-OT Nate Solder, OC Jon Halapio, S Antoine Bethea

3 THOUGHTS ON DET

  1. During the game and during the re-watch I came away with the same thought on DET receiver Kenny Golladay. This kid is heading towards superstardom. At 6’4+ / 220+ with good speed and ball skills that are approach the elite level, he may be the next uncoverable target in the Mike Evans mold. He came from a lower level of college football, thus it took some extra time to initially develop but he is in the midst of becoming the league’s next big thing.
  1. There is often debate with Pro Football Focus and their grading system. For the most part, fans use their grades as proof when it supports their opinion and they think it is useless when it goes against their opinion. I lean towards the latter, as there is too much missing information when they grade players. I do use them for snap counts and other objective information, though. I bring this up because they have been very hard on DET linebacker Jarrad Davis. I have seen DET 4 times this year and I think he is a top 10 ILB in this league, at worst. He was a wrecking crew in this game on multiple fronts.
  1. How close is DET to contention? They have the QB. They have the CB. They have an above average OL. They have a balanced and deep pass rushing attack. They have a budding superstar at WR. There are a lot of pieces in place but I think they need more dependability at running back which has been a sore spot for years (yes RBs are important) and another piece or 2 along the interior of the offensive line.

3 CLOSING THOUGHTS

  1. The trade winds are in full force now. NYG is 2-6 and all but out of this divisional race. As I type this, NYG is acquiring DT Leonard Williams for an 8-week rental to see if he fits the system and is worthy of being signed to a long-term deal. If not, they will get a compensatory pick back for him in 2021, which somewhat offsets the early 3rd they are sending to NYJ and a day three pick in 2021. Next up? I think a team will come in and offer a 3rd-round pick for Janoris Jenkins, leaving NYG with the same volume of picks they entered the week with.
  1. Of all the scouting I do weekly, and knowing I watch 8-9 NFL games each week, there is something I am beginning to notice with Saquon Barkley. He tries really hard to avoid contact and there are times that I think he does this too much. He isn’t a soft player, although it looks like the fear of injury combined with the desire for the big play, hurts his inside running at times. Rarely do you see him shoot out of a cannon and make a quick decision to drive himself into a hole and gain the extra yard or two. He doesn’t fall forward like Ezekiel Elliot does and I think it holds this offense back a tad.
  1. What to do at left tackle? I disagree with the notion that Nate Solder may be traded. I can’t see it happening because he stinks and he is really expensive. How many teams would he actually help ? Not many, especially not the teams that are winning and aiming for a playoff spot. I’m not opposed to making a change and giving one of their young guys a shot. Both Chad Slade and Nick Gates did impress during preseason and while I know they may be slight drop offs from Solder’s current level of play, it wouldn’t be much. And then there is the possibility they could actually be better, don’t forget that.
Oct 272019
 
Daniel Jones, New York Giants (October 27, 2019)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

[contentblock id=1 img=html.png]

DETROIT LIONS 31 – NEW YORK GIANTS 26…
The New York Giants lost their fourth game in a row, falling to 2-6 on the season, with their 31-26 loss to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan on Sunday. On the plus side for the Giants, rookie quarterback Daniel Jones had a strong performance, throwing for 322 yards and four touchdowns.

The game started off in sloppy fashion. New York’s initial drive ended with a punt. The Lions responded by gaining 47 yards and moving to the Giants’ 40-yard line before cornerback Janoris Jenkins picked off an errant deep throw from quarterback Matthew Stafford. However, three plays later, Jones was hit as he attempted a throw to the flat to running back Saquon Barkley. The errant pass was ruled a lateral and returned for a touchdown by former Giants linebacker Devon Kennard.

After a three-and-out on New York’s third “drive,” the Lions appeared to take command of the game by driving 71 yards in six plays, culminating with a 49-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open wide receiver Marvin Hall. Detroit now led 14-0.

The Giants got back into the game early in the second quarter on their fourth possession with a 10-play, 88-yard drive that ended with a 22-yard touchdown pass from Jones to rookie wide receiver Darius Slayton. After the Lions missed a 53-yard field goal, the Giants tightened the game even further with an 8-play, 57-yard effort that finished with another touchdown pass from Jones to Slayton, this one from 28 yards out on 3rd-and-7. However, place kicker Aldrick Rosas missed the extra point and the Giants trailed 14-13.

Unfortunately for New York, the Lions were able to extend their lead before halftime. After it had appeared the Giants had stopped Detroit near midfield, linebacker David Mayo was flagged with a bogus running-into-the-kicker penalty on 4th-and-4. This kept alive a 14-play, 41-yard drive that ended with a 52-yard field goal with 20 seconds left. The Giants returned the ensuing kickoff 30 yards and might have had a shot at a long field goal, but Slayton dropped a deep pass from Jones.

At the half, the Lions led 17-13.

The Lions once again appeared to take command of the game on their initial possession of the second half, driving 75 yards in 10 plays with Stafford throwing a 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kenny Golladay. Lions 24 – Giants 13.

To New York’s credit, the team responsed with a 10-play, 78-yard effort of their own, with Jones throwing his third touchdown of the day, this one for two yards to tight end Evan Engram on 3rd-and-goal. However, the 2-point conversion failed. Lions 24 – Giants 19.

The Giants’ defense forced their first three-and-out of the day on Detroit’s second drive of the half. The Giants could not take advantage of the opportunity and punted the ball away as well. The Lions made the Giants pay by easily driving 80 yards in five plays, scoring on a 41-yard flea flicker from Stafford to Golladay. With just over 12 minutes to play, the Lions now led 31-19.

The Giants gained 52 yards in 11 plays on the ensuing drive but turned the ball over on downs at the Detroit 39-yard line with 6:25 left in the game. New York received a faint glimmer of hope when safety Jabrill Peppers forced Golladay to fumble, with safety Antoine Bethea recovering at the Detroit 38-yard line. However, the Giants once gain turned the ball over on downs, this time at the Detroit 14-yard line with 3:27 left to play.

After a three-and-out by the Lions, the Giants made things a little bit interesting by driving 50 yards in four plays with Jones throwing his fourth touchdown of the game, this one a 4-yarder to running back Saquon Barkley. With just over a minute left to play, the Giants onside attempt went out of bounds, effectively ending the game.

Offensively, the Giants gained 24 first downs and 370 net yards. Jones finished 28-of-41 for 322 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 124.2 quarterback rating. His leading targets were wide receiver Golden Tate (8 catches for 85 yards) and Barkley (8 catches for 79 yards). Barkley only rushed for 64 yards on 19 carries.

Defensively, the Giants allowed 17 first downs and 375 net yards, 316 of which came through the air. The Lions were 8-of-14 (57 percent) on 3rd-down conversions. The Giants did sack Stafford four times, with cornerback Grant Haley, linebacker Markus Golden, linebacker Lorenzo Carter, and defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson all picking up sacks. The Giants forced two turnovers, the interception by Jenkins and the forced fumble by Peppers.

Video highlights are available at Giants.com.

INACTIVES AND INJURY REPORT…
WR Sterling Shepard (concussion), CB Corey Ballentine (concussion), QB Alex Tanney, OT Eric Smith, OT/OG Chad Slade, LB Tae Davis, and LB Devante Downs were inactive.

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

  • Head Coach Pat Shurmur (Video)
  • QB Daniel Jones (Video)
  • WR Golden Tate (Video)
  • CB Janoris Jenkins (Video)
  • CB Deandre Baker (Video)
  • S Jabrill Peppers (Video)
  • S Antoine Bethea (Video)

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Pat Shurmur and select players will address the media on Monday. The players are off on Tuesday and return to practice on Wednesday.

Oct 252019
 
New York Giants Fans (October 20, 2019)

No Joy in Gotham – © USA TODAY Sports

[contentblock id=1 img=html.png]

Game Preview: New York Giants at Detroit Lions, October 27, 2019

THE STORYLINE

I miss the old days where BBI game previews used to be about Xs and Os and match-ups against the opponent. Instead, for years now, the previews have become a status report on the current messy state of the once-proud franchise that only a few short years ago had won their eighth NFL Championship. At that time, it looked like Tom Coughlin was ensconced for life as the team’s head coach and Eli Manning was halfway through a sure-fire Hall of Fame career and destined for more post-season glory.

Fast forward to 2019 and the Giants are now back near the 1960s-1970s nadir of the franchise, with a 40-63 record since 2013 and a 10-29 record since 2017. Let me say that again, the Giants have won 10 games in three years.

On paper, the Giants may have two important parts: (1) a potential franchise quarterback and (2) an impact player at running back. However, after a fast start and despite continued flashes of brilliance, Daniel Jones has become a turnover machine. It remains to be seen if he can clean that up. And as we approach the midway point, Saquon Barkley is having a sophomore season to forget.

Two regimes now can’t seem to fix what has been holding this team back: (1) atrocious offensive line play, (2) atrocious defense, and (3) subpar coaching.

With respect to the latter, I wrote last week:

Brewing in the background is growing fan discontent with Pat Shurmur, who continues to make questionable in-game decisions. While it is difficult to see the Giants parting ways with their third coach in five years, especially given his “quarterback whisperer” relationship with Daniel Jones, the franchise must decide if Shurmur is capable of becoming a winning head coach. This is a big game for Pat Shurmur too.

Against an Arizona Cardinals team that had been the NFL’s worst team in 2018 and facing a must-win situation, Shurmur’s 2019 New York Giants were not ready to play, sleep walking through the 1st quarter and quickly finding themselves in a 17-0 hole that they could not recover from. In addition, once again, Shurmur made questionable game-management decisions. His offense only scored 14 points against one of the NFL’s worst defenses. And his defensive coordinator continues to look overmatched, as some no-name back-up running back did what Saquon Barkley should be doing to opposing teams.

I hate being a debbie downer. It sucks. But this team sucks. They have a coaching problem. But barring a complete collapse with multiple blowout losses, it’s pretty easy to predict what will happen this offseason. John Mara will use 2006 as a guide. Like he did with Tom Coughlin, he will force coaching changes on Shurmur, and possibly also take away his play-calling responsibilities. Mara will hope that lightening strikes twice. Coughlin looked like dead man walking after 2006 and turned it around with two Super Bowl wins. I was wrong about Coughlin back in 2006 and I could be wrong about Shurmur now. But I don’t think so. By the end of 2006, Coughlin was a .528 coach whose teams had made the playoffs six times. Shurmur’s .304 winning percentage is below that of Ray Handley and Ben McAdoo. A Shurmur-led team has yet to win more than five games in a season.

The Giants don’t have the luxury of time. I hope a year from now I am not writing the same type of game preview. I said it before and I’ll say it again, welcome to year 8 of the team’s 20-year rebuilding program.

THE INJURY REPORT

  • RB Saquon Barkley (ankle)
  • WR Sterling Shepard (concussion – out)
  • WR Cody Latimer (quad)
  • LB Lorenzo Carter (ankle)
  • CB Corey Ballentine (concussion – out)

NEW YORK GIANTS ON OFFENSE

Last week, I wrote “…as long as the offensive line does a reasonable job, Jones should be able to do some damage against the Arizona Cardinals’ 30th-ranked defense. This will be a nice change for the Giants’ offense after facing the Cowboys (9th), Bills (3rd), Vikings (5th), and Patriots (1st).”

The result? The Giants offense scored 14 points as Daniel Jones was sacked eight times. Against the Arizona Cardinals!

Once again, the offensive line is playing like dog shit. They can’t pass block. They can’t run block. It’s worse than the band-aid line that finished the 2018 season. The Giants should bench both starting tackles and start playing the young guys. Yeah, they may do worse. But Nate Solder and Mike Remmers are not the answer. It’s time to move on.

Daniel Jones continues to make enough “wow” throws to cause fans to be hopeful. However, while interceptions for a rookie quarterback are understandable, the fumbles are getting ridiculous. In five starts, he has six fumbles, losing five. In all, Jones has turned the ball over 12 times (7 interceptions, 5 fumbles), the chief reason why the Giants are leading the league in give-a-ways with 18. You can’t win like that.

Barkley’s 2019 season has been sabotaged by a high-ankle sprain. But I’m not convinced that Pat Shurmur and Mike Shula know how to use him properly either, especially in the passing game.

Tight end Evan Engram remains inconsistent, one week looking like an All-Pro, the next week being invisible and dropping passes.

Sterling Shepard, in the first year of his current 4-year, $41 million contract, is having yet another season to forget. He’s never accrued more than 900 yards in his four NFL seasons. Cody Latimer has 10 catches.

The Lions have the NFL’s 31st-ranked defense. So what? Arizona had the NFL’s 30th-ranked defense. Expect more misery.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON DEFENSE

Some guy named Chase Edmonds ran for 126 yards and three touchdowns against the New York Giants last Sunday. So in addition to New York’s superlative pass coverage (sarcasm off), the Giants are now making no-name back-ups household names in the running game.

The Giants can’t stop the run. They can’t stop the pass. And they have only forced eight turnovers all year.

Management keeps importing Arizona Cardinal defenders for James Bettcher. At some point, you have to come to the conclusion that the guy isn’t a very good coach.

The Lions have the NFL’s sixth-ranked passing offense. Expect more misery.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON SPECIAL TEAMS

For the past two seasons, the best part of this team has been the special teams unit. Thomas McGaughey is the best coach on the staff.

FROM THE COACH’S MOUTH

Meh. I’ve started to tune this guy out. The media is starting to get under Pat Shurmur’s skin. Look for him to lose his cool soon.

THE FINAL WORD

One of the most important predictors of team success – perhaps the most important – is turnover differential. The Giants are second-worst in the NFL with a -10 turnover differential. Only the Miami Dolphins are worse at -11.

The Detroit Lions are 2-3-1, the same record as the Cardinals last week. Teams get well playing the New York Giants. Expect more misery.

Aug 202018
 

Wayne Gallman, New York Giants (August 17, 2018)

Wayne Gallman – © USA TODAY Sports

[contentblock id=1 img=html.png]

New York Giants 30 – Detroit Lions 17

QUICK RECAP

After a few days of practice in Detroit with the Lions, the two teams faced off in week 2 of the preseason. Eli Manning and Odell Beckham were close to full participants in practice, however both stayed on the sidelines during game action. Darian Thompson also missed the game with his hamstring injury along with Saquon Barkley.

Davis Webb got the starting nod and really turned around the overall outlook on him after a rough week 1. He engineered a beautiful 17-play drive that ended with a touchdown pass to Wayne Gallman. Davis converted two 3rd downs and one 4th down on the drive that included a couple high level throws.

The teams traded multiple 3-and-outs back and forth trying to win the field position battle. Aldrick Rosas was given an opportunity at a 55-yard field goal which he drilled through the uprights with ease. NYG entered halftime with a 10-3 lead as the defense seems to be coming together nicely.

Kyle Lauletta started the 2nd half. After a three-and-out on drive one, DET backup Matt Cassel was intercepted off a deflection. Two plays later, Lauletta juked and cutback his way into the end zone via a rollout. A signal caller that isn’t known for his athletic ability got the Giants a 17-3 lead.

Detroit drove the ball downfield but instead of going for their second field goal of the night, they sent LeGarrette Blount up the middle on 4th and 2 and he was stuffed by a dominating inside run defense. The Giants lengthened their lead to 24-3 early in the 4th quarter with another Gallman touchdown. The backup defenses let up quite a bit, as NYG scored another touchdown on the ground, and DET scored two more themselves. It was a sloppy end to an otherwise well played game.

Giants win 30-17.

QUARTERBACKS

Davis Webb: 14/20 – 140 yards – 1 TD/0 INT. Webb got the start in this week 2 matchup, as Eli Manning received the night off after an intense practice week. This game was very much about Webb’s ability to bounce back from a shaky week 1 outing, and that he did. This was a completely different quarterback in contrast to what we saw a week ago. He had multiple high-level throws from the pocket and on the move in multiple directions. He had better touch, better footwork, and seemed more confident in his reads and progressions. He still threw a couple of high balls on urgent throws, however. That is one reoccurring weakness that I see.

Kyle Lauletta: 2/5 – 27 yards – 0 TD/0 INT. Lauletta added 13 yards and a touchdown on the ground. While he didn’t get a lot of opportunities to throw in this game, he didn’t capitalize on his two downfield throws. His touchdown run showed surprising cutback ability and while he won’t ever be mistaken for Russell Wilson in space, there is a lot of “football player” in him. I am still intrigued by the advanced footwork, release, and decision making.

RUNNING BACKS

Wayne Gallman: 5 att – 26 yards – 1 TD / 2 rec – 9 yards – 1 TD. With Saquon Barkley on the sidelines for this one, Gallman took over the lead role. He ran an outstanding route on his touchdown. This kid really poses as a threat with the ball in his hands and as a route runner. He will be an important piece to this 2018 offense.

Jonathan Stewart: 4 att – (-1) yard. Very uneventful night for the veteran, who was in for just 11 plays. He didn’t have any room in this contest and obviously didn’t play enough to get into a groove, but one can’t help but notice heavy feet and tight hips. Stewart’s value may be as an extra player-coach type more so than a backup to Barkley, especially with Gallman looking as good as he does.

Jalen Simmons and Robert Martin both had impressive performances again. Simmons left the game after a perceived concussion, thus Martin got a few extra late looks and he impressed. If he can show some special teams contribution, I think he has a strong chance at making this roster. Fullback Shane Smith played just 14% of the snaps.

WIDE RECEIVERS

-With Odell Beckham on the sidelines again, Sterling Shepard and Cory Latimer got the starts. Shepard brought in an over-the-shoulder catch near the sideline on a great route, while Latimer made high-level reception across the middle where he laid out and extended himself. Both were out of the game early in the second quarter, and most importantly, are healthy.

Hunter Sharp continues to receive an opportunity to display his ability, leading the group in snaps played. He muffed one of his punt return attempts and dropped a pass. The tools are intriguing but he needs to show a more consistent skill set. Just like I said last week, Russell Shepard is an under-the-radar name to look out for. He made a big time catch on a 50/50 ball downfield from Webb. I think a roster spot is going to come down to Roger Lewis or Kalif Raymond. They are different kinds of players, where Lewis again showed some big play ability with a 31-yard catch but Raymond offers more return ability.

TIGHT ENDS

Evan Engram: 2 rec – 13 yards. It’s hard to believe this, but Engram looks even faster and more explosive than he did a year ago. Because of the position he plays and all of the attention devoted to Beckham and Barkley, he is going to see a ton of 1-on-1 matchups. Nobody will be able to stay with him on crossing routes and he has made a couple of impressive adjustment-catches so far. I think he is going to have a huge year.

Jerell Adams did have 3 catches for 31 yards, but he struggled again. He was getting beaten off the ball as a blocker and had a couple of mental mistakes. Unreliable is the word that comes to mind here and in year 3, that could lead to him getting cut. Matt Simonson on the other hand does a lot of little things right and makes a difference on special teams.

TACKLES

-Very impressive night by Nate Solder, who was up against one of the best defensive ends in the game in Ezekiel Ansah. He has shown a couple struggles when it comes to getting off the ball quickly, but his balance and technique are very consistent. Ereck Flowers allowed a tackle for loss and 2 pressures early, but bounced back and ended with a solid run. Once again, he doesn’t play the game with his feet enough, being too reliant on hands, which are often inaccurate.

Chad Wheeler struggled. It was actually one of the worst performances I have seen out of him in his two years here. He is over-committing to his initial read, getting too top heavy and lunging for his man. Nick Becton has been impressive and I think there is a chance he could grab the number three tackle spot. His run blocking as been exceptional.

GUARDS/CENTERS

-There is a very alarming trend occurring with the guys inside. They are letting blitzers through the A/B gaps go untouched. Delayed, not delayed, whichever. Will Hernandez and Jon Halapio both had terrible misses. Late to see, slow to react. It blew up a couple of running plays. At this time last year, I wrote about how poorly the NYG OL was dealing with stunts to the outside and it definitely made its way into regular season play. Let’s hope these guys get this figured out over the next two weeks. Patrick Omameh had a quiet game, not necessarily in a good way. He got beaten off the ball a few times that blew up running plays inside and right side.

-John Greco is the dark horse to win the OC job at some point. He has seen some snaps there in practice, and he was my highest graded backup Friday night. John Jerry and Brett Jones got good movement in the running game as well.

DEFENSIVE ENDS

-Good to see Olivier Vernon produce some game results in week 2. He really is a different kind of edge rusher. Not overly big, this guy plays with tremendous knee bend and derives a lot of power from his base. He doesn’t always make it look right, but the late and subtle movements in traffic can get him the proper angles to the QB. He finished with a sack and was very close on another. He beat 3 separate blockers on his sack.

Kerry Wynn has been one of the most impressive defenders on this team through 2 games. While we have been impressed with him in preseason before just to be let down when the games count, I see a guy that is going to fit like a glove in this scheme. He finished with a sack, two hurries, and a couple athletic looking special teams tackles. He is a great example for guys trying to make a team. Keep the engine on high and contribute in different ways. Same can be said for the gifted Romeo Okwara who also finished with a sack and a hurry. If these two can perform during the season, the outlook for this defense totally changes.

DEFENSIVE TACKLES

-Once again, the strong point of this team. Damon Harrison could make a “how to” for young DTs when it comes to playing the run. He simply creates a new line of scrimmage routinely. He pushed the DET interior linemen all over the place. B.J. Hill and Dalvin Tomlinson made plays in the backfield. Hill looks very athletic and light footed while Tomlinson has progressed nicely with his hand location. DET averaged 3 yards per carry and these guys were the main reasons why.

Josh Mauro had a nice game off the bench. He demands the double team consistently and knows how to crowd the running lanes. He also had a hurry and pass deflection. Robert Thomas and A.J. Francis are showing to be on a different level than the counterpart backups. Good signs for a scheme that will likely need to rest Harrison for a few stretches each week.

LINEBACKERS

-The whipping boy of this defense may be the newly signed Alec Ogletree. Two weeks, two times he has been exposed in space,  covering man-to-man. Last week he did a poor job against tight end David Njoku but I will say I don’t think there is a LB in football that would have stopped Theo Riddick on his 42-yard reception. He is the best receiving RB in the NFL and as we saw on the Webb-to-Gallman TD, that route is incredibly difficult to defend. He and B.J. Goodson simply haven’t played enough to really lean one way or another.

Ray Ray Armstrong continues to show he can be a player in this scheme with a couple tackles, a pass break up, and an interception. He is a very cheap version of ARI’s Deone Bucannon. I don’t see him breaking into a starting lineup unless there is an injury, but I do think he can be a piece to the puzzle. He has a very unique skill set and he looks like he really understands this scheme.

I think a roster spot may come down to Calvin Munson or Mark Herzlich. Both are one dimensional and I think there is room on this roster for one of them, not both. I could be wrong though. Herzlich led the team with 7 tackles and I think he has more range and better instincts. Not to mention he just bring more intensity and presence to the defense when he is out there.

CORNERBACKS

-I can understand the effort to keep Janoris Jenkins healthy by limiting his snaps, but I wish we could have seen more of Eli Apple. He is still very much an unknown. He seems to be struggling with some of the basic, must-have traits to the position in this scheme. Not enough footwork, too late on anticipation and reaction.

B.W. Webb and Leonard Johnson both lack the desired size but these guys compete hard. Webb did get flagged for a pass interference penalty, but I thought he did a fine job when covering the outside receivers who were much bigger than him. Johnson had one of the most physical hits of the game.

Grant Haley shows admirable footwork and quickness, but he just can’t handle the physical side of the game yet. He was tossed to the ground by T.J. Jones on a 4th quarter touchdown. He simply looked over-matched on that play and others.

SAFETIES

Landon Collins started along side Curtis Riley in this one. Neither were really tested. Collins still has that tendency to lose his angles on outside running plays and screen passes. He is the least of this team’s concern though. I hope to see Riley tested more often with Darian Thompson injured.

-Impressed with backup Michael Thomas. He had a really nice TFL on a play where he stood a tight end up at the point of attack, shed him, and made a physical tackle behind the line of scrimmage. He also had a near INT in the end zone. Andrew Adams had a couple of physical showings as well. Both guys can handle backup duty to Collins, but neither show the range needed to play next to him.

KICKERS/PUNTERS

Aldrick Rosas: 1/1 (55) – 1/1 XP. Impressive career-long kick for Rosas who put the ball through halfway up from that distance. All this after a bad snap and somewhat delayed approach. Wow.

-Marshall Koehn: 0/0 – 2/3 XP. Missing extra points is a quick way to get the boot.

-Riley Dixon: 3 punts – 43.3 avg – 40.7 net.

3 STUDS

-QB Davis Webb, RB Wayne Gallman, DE Kerry Wynn

3 DUDS

-OC Jon Halapio, CB Grant Haley, TE Jerell Adams

3 TAKEAWAYS FOR DET

-The make or break for this team will be the offensive line. Stafford is as close to the top tier QBs in this league of anyone that isn’t quite there. The weapons are there. The defense is improving and they have a brilliant mind calling the shots on that side of the ball. But the OL is a concern and it is time some of their recent draft picks pony up.

-Darius Slay might be in the discussion for top CB in the league. It is a tough position to evaluate when comparing teams and schemes. But I might put this kid up there with anyone, if not above everyone, when it comes to playing on an island 1-on-1 with any kind of WR in the league.

-LB and former Giant Devon Kennard appears to be a better fit for the Matt Patricia scheme than what he was with the Giants. Get him rushing the edge over and over will result in more sexy stats for him obviously, but I think his results are more than that. The inside-out versatility wasn’t used often enough during his NYG tenure.

3 CLOSING THOUGHTS

-We discussed last week how looking too deep into one week of preseason performance is foolish. However it happens every year. Those that wrote off Webb after the CLE game look silly now. That was the best we have seen out of him since he was under an NYG contract. Now, can he build off it? His next appearance will be very telling on where he’s at, much more so than the previous 2 weeks.

-I’ve seen all but 5 preseason games from around the league. And you know what? The backup OL here is outperforming most of the league’s backups. They are getting a lot of movement at the point-of-attack and providing more time in pass protection. Preseason football is often ugly late in games because of poor OL play. NYG has had 2 solid weeks in a row in comparison. Is it scheme based? Coaching? I don’t know yet. But it is a good thing, that’s for sure.

-I really do enjoy watching James Bettcher coach. It will take more time to really see the scheme and trends, but I am speaking more along the lines of his emotion and involvement on the sidelines. He is all in with these guys and yes, I do think it makes a difference with the players.