Las Vegas Raiders 30 – New York Giants 6; Daniel Jones Hurt

 Posted by
Nov 052023
 

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS 30 – NEW YORK GIANTS 6…
The New York Giants were badly defeated 30-6 by the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Giants fell to 2-7 on the season.

However, the bigger story for the franchise is what is feared to be a season-ending ACL injury to quarterback Daniel Jones’ right knee. Jones was injured on the first play of the 2nd quarter when his knee buckled without contact. An MRI will determine the actual severity of the injury.

The Giants were not performing well in the game before the injury, trailing 7-0. New York went three-and-out on their first drive and turned the ball over on downs on a failed 4th-and-1 at the Las Vegas 34-yard line on their second possession. Meanwhile, the Raiders easily drove for a touchdown on a 6-play, 67-yard effort on their first possession before going three-and-out on their second possession.

It was on New York’s third drive that began late in the 1st quarter where Jones got hurt. After crossing midfield, Jones moved away from pressure on 2nd-and-17 and had his knee buckle underneath him without contact for what officially become a 10-yard sack. He was replaced by Tommy DeVito, with the team punting one play later.

After the Raiders and Giants exchanged punts, Las Vegas drove 65 yards in eight plays to extend their lead to 14-0 with just over five minutes to go before halftime. The Giants crossed midfield on the ensuing possession after a 26-yard run by halfback Saquon Barkley. On the very next snap, DeVito’s deep pass to wide receiver Jalin Hyatt was underthrown, intercepted at the goal line, and returned 40 yards. It took the Raiders just four plays to travel 60 yards and go up 21-0.

The situation got worse when DeVito’s very next pass went off the hands of wideout Darius Slayton and was picked off by the Raiders again, setting up Las Vegas on the Giants’ 25-yard line. The Raiders were forced to settle for a 24-yard field goal, but at the break, the game was already over with Las Vegas ahead 24-0.

The Raiders extended their lead on their first possession of the second half, driving 47 yards in 14 plays to set up 46-yard field goal. Raiders 27 – Giants 0. After exchanging three-and-outs, the Giants finally managed to get on the scoreboard with a drive that began with five minutes left in the 3rd quarter. New York gained 84 yards in 11 plays with DeVito throwing a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson early in the 4th quarter. The 2-point conversion attempt failed and the Giants trailed 27-6.

The rest of the 4th quarter was pretty uneventful. The Raiders punted twice more and added another field goal while the Giants turned the football over on downs on three straight possessions. The Raiders took it easy on the Giants at the end, running the ball on 4th-and-4 from the New York 34-yard line.

The final stats were oddly equal. Both teams gained 15 first downs. The Raiders out-gained the Giants in total yards 334 to 227, with rushing yards practically the same (125 for the Raiders and 123 for the Giants). However, the Giants turned the football over twice and allowed eight sacks. The Raiders had no turnovers or allowed sacks.

DeVito finished 15-of-20 for 175 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Jones as 4-of-9 for 25 yards. Barkley carried the ball 16 times for 90 yards. New York’s defense only had one hit on the quarterback and only two pass defenses.

GAME VIDEO LOWLIGHTS are available on YouTube.

ROSTER MOVES, PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, the Giants placed QB Tyrod Taylor (ribs) and TE Darren Waller (hamstring) on Injured Reserve. The team also signed TE Lawrence Cager to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad.

The Giants activated (standard elevation) OLB Justin Hollins and PK Randy Bullock from the Practice Squad.

Inactive for the game were RB Jashaun Corbin (hamstring), OT Joshua Miles, OL Sean Harlow, DL Jordon Riley, S Gervarrius Owens, and PK Cade York.

QB Daniel Jones (knee), CB Adoree’ Jackson (concussion), and RT Evan Neal (ankle) left the game with injuries.

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:

  • Head Coach Brian Daboll (Video)
  • QB Tommy DeVito (Video)
  • RB Saquon Barkley (Video)
  • LB Andrew Thomas (Video)
  • RT Evan Neal (Video)
  • DL Dexter Lawrence (Video)

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

Eleven New York Giants on Injury Report

 Posted by
Oct 252023
 
Leonard Williams, New York Giants (October 22, 2023)

Leonard Williams – © USA TODAY Sports

OCTOBER 25, 2023 GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The following two players did not practice on Wednesday:

  • RB Gary Brightwell (hamstring)
  • DL Leonard Williams (rest day)

The following nine players were limited in practice:

  • QB Daniel Jones (neck)
  • RB Saquon Barkley (elbow)
  • TE Darren Waller (hamstring)
  • LT Andrew Thomas (hamstring)
  • RT Evan Neal (ankle)
  • OC John Michael Schmitz (shoulder)
  • OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (knee)
  • CB Adoree’ Jackson (neck)
  • PK Graham Gano (left knee)

When asked about Daniel Jones, Head Coach Brian Daboll replied, “Same as he was last week. He’ll do stuff at practice, non-contact. Getting better, but same… no team reps (in practice).”

“There’s a number of tests that they’re looking to see improvement,” said Jones. “I can do pretty much everything. I can throw, I can run, I can lift. It’s just a contact thing… I think there are still some symptoms there.”

As for Thomas, he told the press after practice, “Not too bad today. First time I’ve put on a helmet in a while, so that was a good feeling being out there with my teammates again. More than I’ve been doing by myself with the trainers and stuff like that. Just continue to stress it and see how it responds… I think I’m just following the plans of the trainers like I think they just want me to kind of mimic what I would do if I was at practice, but they also want to limit and not just cut me loose because there is a chance you can make it worse with soft tissue, so that’s the plan I’m trying to follow.”

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Wednesday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available on YouTube.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice again on Thursday afternoon. The coordinators and select players will also address the media.

New York Giants 14 – Washington Commanders 7

 Posted by
Oct 222023
 
Deonte Banks, New York Giants (October 22, 2023)

Deonte Banks – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS 14 – WASHINGTON COMMANDERS 7…
It wasn’t pretty, but the New York Giants won their second game of the season by defeating the Washington Commanders 14-7 at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. The Giants snapped a four-game losing streak and are now 2-5 (1-1 in the NFC East).

The Giants were without starting quarterback Daniel Jones (neck) for the second game in a row, as well as three starting offensive linemen, including both offensive tackles. Cornerback Adoree’ Jackson (neck) also missed the game.

The contest should not have been as close as it was. Two fumbles and a dropped interception turned what should have been a blowout by the Giants into a nail-biter that was decided by a goal line stand at the end of the games.

The Giants out-gained the Commanders in first downs (16 to 14), total net yards (356 to 273), net yards rushing (106 to 76), and net yards passing (250 to 176). New York also held Washington to 1-of-15 (6.7 percent) on 3rd down. Washington won the time-of-possession battle (31:14 to 28:46) and turnover battle (2 to 1).

The two teams combined for 17 first-half offensive possessions. Washington’s eight possessions resulted in 46 yards, two first downs, seven punts, and an interception by cornerback Deonte Banks. Quarterback Sam Howell was also sacked five times, doubling New York’s league-low sack total entering the game.

Meanwhile, the Giants started off slowly with a three-and-out on their initial possession. They followed that up with a 9-play, 66-yard drive that ended with a missed 42-yard field goal by place kicker Graham Gano. Their third possession resulted in another three-and-out.

The Giants scored an offensive touchdown for the first time in the first half of game this year on their fourth possession. New York drove 88 yards in eight plays, as the team overcame a red-zone holding penalty, and quarterback Tyrod Taylor threw a 15-yard strike to tight end on 3rd-and-goal. The Giants led 7-0 early in the 2nd quarter.

The Giants’ fifth offensive possession resulted in their third three-and-out. But after Banks picked off Howell, the offense responded with their second and last scoring drive of the game. It took two plays, the first a 16-yard throw to Waller and the second a 32-yard catch-and-run by running back Saquon Barkley for the touchdown. With just under nine minutes to play in the first half, the Giants led 14-0.

The Giants could have put the game away had outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux held onto a pass thrown right to him. It should have been an easy defensive score, giving the Giants a 21-0 lead. Instead, both offenses sputtered for the remainder of the first half.

At the break, the Giants still led 14-0.

Washington received the ball to start the second half and promptly went three-and-out again. However, New York’s punt return woes now came to the forefront. Running back Eric Gray had muffed a punt (recovered by the Giants) early in the game and had left the contest with a calf injury. Wide receiver Sterling Shepard, who was now returning punts, muffed the Washington punt. It was recovered by the Commanders at the New York 21-yard line. Six plays later, including a 4th-and-1 conversion, running back Brian Robinson scored from four yards out to cut the score to 14-7 early in the 3rd quarter.

Neither team’s offense did much for the remainder of the quarter. Three New York possessions resulted in one first down and three punts. Two Washington possessions resulted in one first down and two punts.

However, the Commanders threatened to tie the game late in the 3rd quarter and early into the 4th quarter. They drove 81 yards in eight plays, reaching the red zone. There the Giants’ defense held and Washington’s 27-yard field goal attempt was blocked by defensive lineman Leonard Williams. The score remained 14-7 with 13:23 left to play.

The Giants’ offense responded with what looked like game-clinching drive. New York took 5:37 off of the clock and gained 72 yards in 10 plays. However, on 1st-and-goal from the 10-yard line, Barkley fumbled the ball away at the 8-yard line, giving Washington the chance they needed to tie or win the game with 7:46 left on the clock.

In a nearly 7-minute long possession, the Commanders gained 85 yards and six first downs in 17 plays, including another 4th-and-1 conversion. With a minute left in the game, Howell’s 4th-and-5 pass to wide receiver Jahan Dotson was dropped, sealing the victory for the Giants.

Taylor finished the game 18-of-29 for 279 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. He was sacked four times and rushed for 25 yards on eight carries. His leading receiver was Waller, who caught seven passes for 98 yards and a touchdown. Wideout Jalin Hyatt caught two passes for 75 yards. Barkley carried the ball 21 times for 77 yards and caught three passes for 41 yards and a touchdown.

The Giants’ defense came into the game with five sacks, but got to Howell six times, including sacks by defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence (2), Thibodeaux (1.5), Williams (1), safety Jason Pinnock (1), and linebacker Micah McFadden (0.5).

GAME VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS are available on YouTube.

PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, the Giants activated QB Tommy DeVito and OL Jalen Mayfield from the Practice Squad.

Inactive for the game were QB Daniel Jones (neck), LT Andrew Thomas (hamstring), RT Evan Neal (ankle), OC John Michael Schmitz (shoulder), OT Matt Peart (shoulder), CB Adoree’ Jackson (neck), and DL Jordon Riley.

Running backs Eric Gray (calf) and Gary Brightwell (hamstring) left the game in the first half. RB Saquon Barkley hyperextended his left elbow in the first half but remained in the game.

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 will address the media by conference call on Monday.

Offensive Line Roster Moves; Wednesday’s Injury Report

 Posted by
Oct 182023
 
Josh Miles, Arizona Cardinals (August 13, 2021)

Josh Miles – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS ROSTER MOVES…
The Giants have made the following roster moves:

  • Placed OL Joshua Ezeudu on Injured Reserve with a toe injury that he suffered in the game against the Buffalo Bills. Head Coach Brian Daboll said he did not know if Ezeudu will return this year; his season may be over.
  • Waived OT Jalen Mayfield from the 53-man roster and re-signed him to the Practice Squad. Mayfield was signed to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad on Saturday.
  • Waived TE Lawrence Cager from the 53-man roster.
  • Re-signed OL Tyre Phillips to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad of the Philadelphia Eagles.
  • Signed OT Josh Miles to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad of the Atlanta Falcons.
  • Signed OL Justin Pugh to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad.

The Giants originally claimed Tyre Phillips off of waivers from the Baltimore Ravens in early September 2022. He played in 12 games with five starts, including four games at right tackle when Evan Neal was out and the regular-season finale at left tackle. The 6’5”, 330-pound Phillips was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Ravens. He has experience playing both guard and tackle.

The 27-year old, 6’5”, 325-pound Miles was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. He has played in 17 games with no starts. Miles missed all of 2022 with an undisclosed injury and was signed by the Falcons in March 2023.

The Carolina Panthers signed S Alex Cook off of the Giants’ Practice Squad to their 53-man roster.

OCTOBER 18, 2023 GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The following five players did not practice on Wednesday:

  • OL Andrew Thomas (hamstring)
  • OL OL John Michael Schmitz (shoulder)
  • OL Evan Neal (ankle)
  • OL Matt Peart (shoulder)
  • WR Wan’Dale Robinson (knee – maintenance day)

The following seven players were limited in practice:

  • QB Daniel Jones (neck)
  • RB Saquon Barkley (ankle)
  • OL Mark Glowinski (quad/ankle)
  • OL Shane Lemieux (biceps/groin)
  • CB Adoree’ Jackson (neck)
  • CB Cor’Dale Flott (ankle/shoulder)
  • PK Graham Gano (knee)

The following three players fully practiced:

  • RB Gary Brightwell (ankle)
  • DL D.J. Davidson (knee)
  • CB Tre Hawkins (knee)

Daniel Jones has not yet been cleared for contact. “He’s doing better,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll before practice. “He’ll be out here today at practice doing some stuff. We’ll see where we’re at… He’ll be throwing, and I would say he’s eager to come back. He wants to play, but obviously, just like any player, if you’re not ready to play based on the doctor’s evaluation, we won’t put him out there, but he’s getting better. That’s why we’re going to have him out here today.

“Andrew Thomas will not participate but he is getting better. He’s going to be doing stuff with the trainers. He is getting closer… (Evan Neal’s ankle is) swollen a little bit, so we’re going to rehab him.”

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Wednesday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available on YouTube.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice again on Thursday afternoon. The coordinators and select players will also address the media.

Buffalo Bills 14 – New York Giants 9

 Posted by
Oct 162023
 
Darren Waller, New York Giants (October 15, 2023)

Last play of the game – © USA TODAY Sports

BUFFALO BILLS 14 – NEW YORK GIANTS 9…
The undermanned and underdog New York Giants put up a good fight, but the Buffalo Bills came from behind in the 4th quarter to defeat them 14-9 on Sunday night at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. The Giants’ own comeback effort fell just short. The Giants are now 1-5 on the season.

Tyrod Taylor started at quarterback for the injured Daniel Jones. And an offensive line already missing left tackle Andrew Thomas and center John Michael Schmitz took another hit when back-up left tackle Joshua Ezeudu left the game in the first quarter with a toe injury. Nevertheless, the Giants led 6-0 at halftime despite a serious brain fart by Taylor at the end of the half that cost the Giants almost certain additional points. The Giants also had an opportunity to win the game in the waning seconds but ran out of time and chances at the 1-yard line.

The Giants actually out-gained the Bills in total net yards (317 to 297), net yards rushing (132 to 128), net yards passing (185 to 169), and time of possession (31:24 to 28:36). The Giants also won the turnover battle (2 to 0). However, the most telling stat was the Giants were 0-of-5 in the red zone while the Bills were 2-of-2.

The offense seems to have forgotten how to score touchdowns. The Giants have yet to score an offensive touchdown in the first half of a game this year and have not scored an offensive touchdown in four of their six games. The last time the offense scored a touchdown was against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 3.

Despite each team having six possessions in the first half, the only points came on two field goals by place kicker Graham Gano. The Bills’ first-half drives resulted in three punts, a missed 52-yard field goal, a fumble forced by linebacker Bobby Okereke and recovered by linebacker Micah McFadden, and an interception deflected by Okereke and picked off by McFadden.

The Giants went three-and-out three times, each time punting the ball away. The first field goal drive came on a 12-play, 45-yard possession and the second came on a 9-play, 34-yard possession. Graham kicked field goals of 29 and 43 yards.

However, the big missed opportunity came at the end of the first half. The Giants got the ball back at their own 41-yard line after McFadden’s interception with 2:23 left on the clock before halftime. The Giants reached the 1-yard line with 14 second left, aided by a 9-yard pass interference penalty on the preceding play. With no timeouts left, Taylor mistakenly audibled to a run. Halfback Saquon Barkley was stuffed at the line of scrimmage and time expired. The Giants came away with zero points.

At the break, despite this snafu, the Giants led 6-0.

The entire 3rd quarter was taken up by each team’s first second-half possession. The Giants gained 39 yards and three first downs in just over five minutes, but punted the ball away. The Bills held the ball for almost 10 minutes, driving 89 yards in 17 plays and picking up eight first downs. The drive culminated with Buffalo’s first points of the game, a 3-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Josh Allen on 3rd-and-goal on the first play of the 4th quarter. The Bills now led for the first time, 7-6.

The Giants responded with their own scoring drive, moving the ball 79 yards in nine plays. However, after an incomplete pass on 3rd-and-1 at the 11-yard line, Head Coach Brian Daboll decided to have Gano kick the 29-yard field goal. The Giants regained the lead 9-7.

The Giants’ defense held the high-power Bills’ offense scoreless in the first half. Nevertheless, unfortunately, Buffalo again drove the field for a touchdown on their second possession of the second half. The Bills managed a 12-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a risky 15-yard touchdown pass in traffic. Buffalo was now ahead again, 14-9, with 3:48 left to play.

The Giants gained one first down, but the drive ended with two Taylor deep shots that fell incomplete, the final one being on 4th-and-8 from the Giants 38-yard line. The Bills now had the ball back with 1:45 left to play. Nevertheless, the Bills could not advance the ball more than a yard, and their kicker missed a 53-yard field goal.

The Giants were still alive. They had the ball back at their own 43-yard line with 1:25 left on the clock. The Giants were able to run 13 plays and gain 56 yards, including an 8-yard pass interference penalty on the second-to-last play of the game. This gave the Giants the ball at the 1-yard line with no time on the clock. With one final chance, Taylor threw to tight end Darren Waller in the back of the end zone. Waller was mugged by the defender, but no penalty was called. The game ended with the Bills victorious.

Taylor finished the game 24-of-36 for 200 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions. He rushed the ball five times for 24 yards and was sacked three times. His leading receivers were wideout Wan’Dale Robinson (8 catches for 62 yards) and Waller (5 catches for 43 yards). Barkley carried the ball 24 times for 93 yards.

The defense held the previously prolific Bills’ offense to 14 points and less than 300 yards. The two inside linebackers led the stat sheet. Okereke was credited with 11 tackles, two tackles for losses, two pass defenses, and one forced fumble. McFadden had seven tackles, one interception, and one fumble recovery. The Giants had two turnovers but did not sack Josh Allen.

GAME VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS are available on YouTube.

ROSTER MOVES, PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, the Giants placed OLB Azeez Ojulari (ankle) on Injured Reserve. To fill his roster spot, the team signed OL Jalen Mayfield from the Practice Squad. Also on Saturday, the Giants activated QB Tommy DeVito and OL Justin Pugh from the Practice Squad.

Inactive for the game were QB Daniel Jones (neck), LT Andrew Thomas (hamstring), OC John Michael Schmitz (shoulder), OT Matt Peart (shoulder), DL D.J. Davidson (knee), S Bobby McCain, and S Gervarrius Owens.

OL Joshua Ezeudu (toe) left the game in the first quarter 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:

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

14 Giants on the Injury Report; Daniel Jones Misses Practice

 Posted by
Oct 112023
 
Bobby Okereke, New York Giants (October 2, 2023)

Bobby Okereke – © USA TODAY Sports

OCTOBER 11, 2023 GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The following eight players did not practice on Wednesday:

  • QB Daniel Jones (neck)
  • WR Wan’Dale Robinson (knee)
  • TE Darren Waller (groin)
  • LT Andrew Thomas (hamstring)
  • OC John Michael Schmitz (shoulder)
  • OT Matt Peart (shoulder)
  • ILB Micah McFadden (ankle)
  • OLB Azeez Ojulari (ankle)

In addition, the following six players were limited in practice:

  • RB Saquon Barkley (ankle)
  • RB Gary Brightwell (ankle)
  • OG Marcus McKethan (knee)
  • OL Shane Lemieux (groin)
  • CB Deonte Banks (ankle)
  • CB Cor’Dale Flott (ankle)

“We’re day-to-day with (Daniel Jones),” said Head Coach Brian Daboll before practice. “I’d just say let’s let it play out here. Today, he’s not practicing. We’ll see how he is the next day, then the next day after that and then I think we’ll take this all the way to the end of the week… I’m not going to get into the exact details of (the injury), but he is a little bit more sore today so we’ll see where he is tomorrow.”

“Still a little bit sore but feeling better,” said Jones. “Felt better every day since Sunday, so just continuing to listen to the doctors and trainers and trying to get better as quick as possible… the goal is still to play Sunday, that’s certainly my goal and that’s what I’m working on. I’m preparing to play like I always would and taking the advice of the doctors and trainers.”

PRACTICE SQUAD MOVES…
The Giants have restored WR Cole Beasley to the Practice Squad from the Practice Squad/Injured List. They have also signed OT Yodny Cajuste to the Practice Squad. To make room for these two, the Giants terminated the Practice Squad contracts of WR Cam Sims and CB Amani Oruwariye.

The 27-year old, 6’5”, 310-pound Cajuste was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. In four seasons with the Patriots, Cajuste played in 17 games with five starts. In May 2023, he was waived by the Patriots and signed by the New York Jets, who then cut him in August.

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Wednesday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available on YouTube.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice again on Thursday afternoon. The coordinators and select players will also address the media.

Giants 2023 Positional Breakdown: Quarterbacks

 Posted by
Jun 172023
 
Daniel Jones, New York Giants (January 1, 2023)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

With New York Giants training camp beginning in late July, BigBlueInteractive.com (BBI) breaks down each of the team’s positional groups until the players report at Quest Diagnostics Training Center.

FIND A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL BREAKDOWNS HERE

POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN: Quarterbacks

2022 YEAR IN REVIEW: At this time last year, the Giants had refused the fifth-year option on Daniel Jones, the sixth overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. Most pundits and fans expected Jones to play out the final year of his contract and depart quietly in free agency, some predicting he would buckle under the pressure and be benched for Tyrod Taylor before the season ended. That didn’t happen. Instead, through hard work, perseverance, and top-notch coaching, Jones stayed healthy, dramatically cut down his mistakes, and led his team to a surprising playoff appearance. Indeed, the highlight of his season was his MVP-quality performance against the 13-4 Vikings in the first-round of the playoffs.

For the first time as a pro, Jones did not miss a game due to injury. He started 16 regular-season games, being held out of the season finale as a healthy scratch, and finished the season completing 67.2 percent of his passes for 3,205 yards, 15 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He also set a franchise single-season record for quarterback rushing yards with 120 carries for 708 yards and seven touchdowns. Not only were the five interceptions a career-low, but so were his fumbles (six). His improved play occurred despite a revolving door of subpar receivers to throw to and shaky pass protection.

In March 2023, Daniel Jones was re-signed to a 4-year, $160 million contract.

ADDITIONS/SUBTRACTIONS: The only change came at the third-string spot with Davis Webb retiring and moving on to become the quarterbacks coach of the Denver Broncos. Undrafted rookie free agent Tommy DeVito was signed after the 2023 NFL Draft.

TRAINING CAMP STORY LINES: Most pundits and many fans still do not have a lot of faith in Daniel Jones and believe he is a middle-tier quarterback at best. The derogatory “game manager” label is employed. At worst, palpable hostility is easily detected from those who seemed triggered by his mere existence. Strange times. The national media story line is easy to predict: Jones has to prove his worthy of his $160 million contract. Fans are more focused on him increasing his passing touchdowns while maintaining a low turnover rate.

However, one gets the sense that the coaching staff has much more faith in Daniel Jones and fully intend for him to be much more than a “game manager” in 2023. The contract, offseason acquisitions, spring practices, and rhetoric all suggest something more. Fans forget that last summer that Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka were employing a more pass-centric offense that used the short passing game to a variety of targets. Those plans quickly went by the wayside due to injury and performance issues at wide receiver. It was so bad at times that David Sills and Marcus Johnson were starting. This spring, reporters have noted an increased emphasis on throwing the ball down the field.

The real story line could be whether or not Daboll and Kafka can help mold Daniel Jones into another Josh Allen.

ON THE BUBBLE: Barring injury, the top two spots are locked up. The Giants are very likely to carry a third quarterback on the Practice Squad, just like they did in 2022 with Davis Webb. Whether Tommy DeVito or someone not yet on the team will be that guy remains to be determined.

FROM THE COACHES AND PLAYERS: Brian Daboll on Daniel Jones: “Daniel’s a true pro. I’m not going to compare him to other guys I’ve been around, but he is constantly working. There’re times where I’ve got to say, ‘Just take a little break here.’ He just wants to work, work, work, meet. He’s a true pro… We’ve added I’d say considerably new things these camps just to see how they look. But he’s got really good give-and-take with Kafka, seeing how different players look in different spots. He’s had a really good camp… He’s made right reads, he’s had good leadership, he’s communicating well, he’s good in the meetings.”

Mike Kafka on what he is expecting out of Daniel Jones in 2023: “When we did our scheme evaluation, each position group identified several things we can look to improve on. Nothing specific that I would share in a public forum. Those are things we have a plan for, trying to work through all the little fundamental things. Yeah, we definitely have a plan. The coaches are doing a great job of implementing that in the offseason.”

Quarterbacks Coach Shea Tierney on Daniel Jones: “Far as differences (from last year), none. He’s the same guy. I don’t think Daniel will change for anyone. That’s part of the reason why I love him. Same dude. Still shows up at 6AM. First guy in there. Last guy to leave.”

Parris Campbell on what he has learned about Daniel Jones since joining the team: “Yeah, the number one thing that I’ve learned is, man, he’s a hard worker. I don’t think just from the outside looking in he gets a lot of credit for that. Like from day one, he puts so much time and effort into his craft. As a quarterback, obviously that’s something you’ve got to do. He takes it to a whole other level. I respect and applaud him for that. It gets you up, makes you want to play for a guy like that when you see him put in all that time and that work.”

PREDICTIONS: The Giants added Darren Waller, Parris Campbell, and Jalin Hyatt to the team for a reason. Same with re-signing Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard. Assistant General Manager Brandon Brown was more open about it when he said, “We did our research. We know from the fringe red zone, red zone, being a mismatch piece, (Waller) is someone that you call the problem creator. You look at what he can do in terms of opening up the field for the rest of our guys, whether it’s adding Parris Campbell, adding Slayton in terms of bringing him back, what he can do from separating, I call it stretching a defense, whether it’s vertically and laterally. He adds to that. He’s going to open up the field, and we get Wan’Dale (Robinson) back and add those pieces in the slot, Shepard back. I think it’s one of those things where he’s a force multiplier.”

The Giants are going to push the ball down the field this year. The offense will look more like the ones Buffalo and Kansas City. Saquon Barkley will still have his touches and Daniel Jones will still have his runs (just like Josh Allen in Buffalo), but the coaches are going to take the training wheels off. I suspect the message to Jones will be, “don’t be careless with the ball, but we want you to take some chances. We’re OK with some turnovers if the decision-making is sound.”

It will be addressed more in the tight end preview, but the acquisition of Darren Waller is going to be huge both for this offense and Daniel Jones in particular. Not only will he will serve as a top-notch security blanket and play-maker, but he will open things up for everyone else who touches the ball. Daniel Jones threw 15 touchdown passes last year. It’s not unreasonable to expect Waller to have eight by himself in 2023. Combine that with the other pass-receiving upgrades and Jones’ passing touchdown totals could actually double.

FINAL DEPTH CHART: Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor

Wednesday New York Giants Injury Report

 Posted by
Jan 042023
 
Dexter Lawrence and Saquon Barkley, New York Giants (January 1, 2023)

Dexter Lawrence and Saquon Barkley – © USA TODAY Sports

JANUARY 4, 2023 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
OC Jon Feliciano (back), DL Leonard Williams (neck), DL Dexter Lawrence (rest day), and OLB Azeez Ojulari (ankle) did not practice on Wednesday.

CB Adoree’ Jackson (knee) was limited in practice. “He’ll do a little bit more than he did last week,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll before practice.

S Xavier McKinney (fingers) fully practiced.

PRACTICE SQUAD MOVES…
The Giants have re-signed wide receiver David Sills, who was waived from the 53-man roster on Saturday, to the Practice Squad. To make room for Sills, the Giants have terminated the Practice Squad contract of defensive lineman Jack Heflin, who signed to the Practice Squad in mid-December.

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Wednesday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available on YouTube.

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice on Thursday afternoon (12:45-2:30PM). The coordinators and select players will also address the media.

August 3, 2022 New York Giants Training Camp Report

 Posted by
Aug 032022
 
Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley, New York Giants (July 28, 2022)

Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley – © USA TODAY Sports

AUGUST 3, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their seventh summer training camp practice on Wednesday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

“(We will be working on) first, second down,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll before practice. “Back with the pads. We’re going to do 9-on-7 today. A run drill. So, defense knows it’s run. Offense knows it’s run. I think that’s important for the guys at the line of scrimmage to compete at that knowing that’s coming.”

INJURY REPORT…
The following players remain on injury lists:

  • Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List: WR Sterling Shepard (Achilles), OC Nick Gates (leg), and OT Matt Peart (knee)
  • Reserve/Non-Football Injury (NFI) List: LB Azeez Ojulari (hamstring)

RB Antonio Williams (knee), WR Robert Foster (unknown), TE Ricky Seals-Jones (unknown), RT Matt Gono (unknown), CB Rodarius Williams (returning from ACL), and S Dane Belton (broken left collarbone) did not practice.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • The Giants practiced in full pads.
  • DL Jalyn Holmes continued to receive first-team snaps and played the run well in 9-on-7 drills.
  • Both Joshua Ezeudu and Marcus McKethan continued to see second-team reps at left and right tackle, respectively. Ben Bredeson was the left guard, Jamil Douglas the center, and Max Garcia the right guard.
  • WR Collin Johnson saw some first-team snaps.
  • In 1-on-1 pass rushing drills, OLB Quincy Roche beat RT Evan Neal with a spin move. Neal also was flagged for holding against OLB Kavyon Thibodeaux. ILB Darrian Beavers beat OL Joshua Ezeudu.
  • Also in 1-on-1 pass rushing drills, OC Jon Feliciano was able to handle NT Dexter Lawrence twice.
  • LT Andrew Thomas had no issues blocking OLB Oshane Ximines.
  • DL Leonard Williams remained a problem for those trying to block him. He’s having a strong training camp.
  • DL D.J. Davidson made his presence felt with penetration into the backfield.
  • In 11-on-11 drills, running backs Gary Brightwell and Jashaun Corbin flashed some explosiveness.
  • RB Saquon Barkley made two sharp cuts and showed a burst on a long touchdown run.
  • DL Ryder Anderson blew up a play in the backfield.
  • WR C.J. Board mishandled a perfect deep throw from QB Tyrod Taylor. Board then caught a pass from QB Daniel Jones and picked up big yardage after the catch.
  • QB Tyrod Taylor completed long passes to wide receivers Darius Slayton for a touchdown and Alex Bachman.
  • QB Davis Webb threw a deep touchdown pass to WR Kadarius Toney.
  • In 1-on-1 drills, WR Kenny Golladay scored a long touchdown despite solid coverage from CB Adoree’ Jackson on well-thrown deep ball form QB Daniel Jones.
  • First-team offensive impressed with a long touchdown drive with two QB Daniel Jones completions to WR Kenny Golladay, including one on third down; another 3rd down completion to WR David Sills and then a swing pass to RB Saquon Barkley for a touchdown with WR Wan’Dale Robinson providing a key block. Jones was 6-of-6 on this drive and he finished 9-of-10 for the day with one drop (by Robinson).
  • RB Matt Breida was left all alone on a flat pass. He turned on the jets and raced for a long touchdown with WR Alex Bachman providing a key block.
  • QB Davis Webb found WR Keelan Doss on a deep fade for a touchdown.

https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1554852261540597762

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Wednesday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available on YouTube.

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
There is no media or public availability to the team on Thursday. The team holds its “Fan Fest” on Friday with an evening practice (6:15-8:30PM) at MetLife Stadium.

Giants Cut Logan Ryan and Re-Sign Korey Cunningham

 Posted by
Mar 172022
 
Logan Ryan, New York Giants (October 24, 2021)

Logan Ryan – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS CUT LOGAN RYAN…
The New York Giants have terminated the contract of safety Logan Ryan, who had two years left on his 3-year, $31 million contract (he initially signed a 1-year contract with the Giants in 2020). Ryan was not designated a post-June 1st cut and it appears that his release only created $775,000 in cap savings with $11.45 million in dead money.

The Athletic is reporting that $5.5 million of $9.25 million salary for 2022 was fully guaranteed. Another $3 million would have become fully guaranteed if Ryan was on the roster on Friday. So the Giants needed to cut him before tomorrow for any savings.

In his second season with the team, Logan Ryan remained an important presence in the secondary in 2021, especially after the loss of Jabrill Peppers early in the season. Ryan started 15 games at strong safety (98 percent of all defensive snaps in those games), missing two mid-season games with COVID. He finished the season with 105 tackles (second on the team), one sack, three quarterback hits, eight pass defenses, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.

The Giants signed Ryan in late August 2020. He ended up being a very important, jack-of-all-trades defensive back who was used at both safety and corner. Ryan also quickly became a team leader and solid presence in the locker room. In all, Ryan played in all 16 games with 15 starts in 2020.

The 5’11”, 195-pound Ryan was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. He has spent time with the Patriots (2013-2016) and Titans (2017-2019), playing 109 regular-season games with 85 starts. Ryan has spent most of his career at corner, but now prefers to play safety. While Ryan has history of being an instinctive, play-maker, he also still misses too many tackles and can be exposed in coverage at times.

GIANTS RE-SIGN KOREY CUNNINGHAM…
The Giants have re-signed unrestricted free agent offensive tackle Korey Cunningham.

Cunningham was signed to the Practice Squad in early September 2021 and the 53-man roster in October. He ended up playing in 12 games with no starts. His only significant playing time came in Week 16 at right tackle, filling in for the injured Matt Peart. Cunningham played 88 percent of the snaps in that game, but struggled as both a pass protector and run blocker.

The 6’6”, 311-pound Cunningham was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. He was traded to the New England Patriots in August 2019. The Patriots cut Cunningham in late August 2021. In four NFL seasons, Cunningham has played in 30 regular-season games, with six starts, all with the Cardinals in 2018. He has experience at both tackle positions.

MEDIA SESSION WITH TYROD TAYLOR…
The video of the media session with quarterback Tyrod Taylor is available on YouTube.

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