Jul 252014
 
Eli Manning, New York Giants (June 18, 2014)

Eli Manning – © USA TODAY Sports Images

[contentblock id=1 img=html.png]

JULY 25, 2014 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
With the three-day acclimation period in the rear view mirror, the New York Giants began the transition to contact football. For the first time, shoulder pads were strapped on, the players hit each other and the ‘crunching’ sound of helmets smacking each other filled the air.

Below you will find our complete practice report. Wanna recap any of the days events? Be sure to check out our Live Updates from camp practice No. 4.

Odell Beckham, New York Giants (July 22, 2014)

Odell Beckham – © USA TODAY Sports Images

SETTING THE SCENE…
Odell Beckham Jr. did not practice, he caught some balls from a jug machine in the distance. William Beatty, Jameel McClain, David Wilson and Mario Manningham all seemed to be full participants. Manningham at one point did hop on the bike, but it looks like that was just because it was a special teams drill taking place at the time. Also, Giants’ head coach Tom Coughlin held another ‘water break.’

SPECIAL TEAMS…
The Giants wasted no time in getting the contact juices flowing on Friday, opening up with a full-contact punt return blocking drill. Essentially here’s what happened: Two players lined up roughly seven yards apart facing the same direction. When the whistle was blown, each player ran in the same direction towards a box set up with four cones. When the front player got inside the box, he instantly turned around and attempted to block the player coming at him. As can be expected…there was some hitting.

  • Jacquian Williams made the first loud ‘pop’ of camp when he engaged with I believe Kendall Gaskins. The two matched up two additional times and each time it was a show. Looks like Williams came out on top both times.
  • Peyton Hills and Terrell Manning hit each other pretty good in the drill. Hillis came up on the winning side and the two went at it a bit after the whistle.
  • Devon Kennard made the ‘Play of Camp’ when he pancaked Kyle Sebetic. The hit brought on a screaming and jumping reaction from  several of Kennard’s defensive teammates. BBI’s friend Art Stapleton got it on tape:

  • Dan Fox, acting as the behind man looking to avoid the blocker, did so but lost his balance. As he was falling he grabbed a hold of someone to regain control. That person? Giants’ general manager Jerry Reese. The scene got a laughing reaction out of both parties.
  • Brandon McManus went 4-for-4 on field goals today. He’s now a perfect 8-for-8 in camp.
Eli Manning, New York Giants (July 22, 2014)

Eli Manning – © USA TODAY Sports Images

ONE-ON-ONE…
For the first time in camp, the Giants matched up the wide receivers and tight ends with the corners and safeties in a full-contact, one-on-one matchup. Essentially the receiver either got open, or the defender broke up the pass. The defense held a strong advantage.

  • Prince Amukamara undercut a pass intended for Rueben Randle and disrupted it perfectly. Real nice instincts for Prince displayed on the play.
  • Highly anticipated matchup saw Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie go up against Victor Cruz. Rodgers-Cromartie came out on top, batting one away. The Giants’ coveted free agent made another physical stop when going up against Julian Talley. Talley had Rodgers-Cromartie fooled on a curl, but the corner cut up the field and ran through Talley as the ball was delivered. The result? An incompletion.
  • Mario Manningham beat Walter Thurmond III on a slant, but then Thurmond punched the ball out of Manningham’s hands. Mario had already made a ‘football’ move, so that was a fumble.
  • Charles James read a slant perfectly by Trindon Holliday, but fell as he went to make the interception. James bounced back though. He made a great pass defense on one intended for Rueben Randle.
  • Cooper Taylor batted the ball out of Kellen Davis’ hands. Taylor had nice coverage on the play.
  • Daniel Fells beat Antrel Rolle badly for a touchdown. Rolle jumped the route, thinking it was a slant, then Fells cut up the field and turned it into a deep post. Nice double-move from the big man.

TWO-MINUTE DRILL…
Let’s get this one out of the way early, neither Eli Manning or Ryan Nassib had very good practices today. Manning missed a few throws deep and bounced others. Ryan Nassib, on the other hand, missed far more than he connected on while also throwing a pick-six to Charles James. It was a rough outing for Nassib, his second in a row. The same tendencies displayed during the offseason conditioning program were on display again. When in the pocket, Nassib looks flustered. Once he gets flustered, he makes bad decisions.

  • Bennett Jackson had a very good practice, his best of the summer. The corner made a diving deflection on a Jerrel Jernigan comeback route, then jumped in the air to bat down a streak later on the same drive.
  • Rueben Randle made a jumping grab over the head of Charles James down the far sideline. Manning threw it high and had Randle go up and get it.
  • Tom Coughlin blew a fuse when Kendall Gaskins fumbled the ball. The coach was irate screaming up-and-down the sideline.
  • Robert Ayers batted down a pass in Eli Manning’s face. We’ve seen that a few times from Ayers in camp.
  • Manning hit Victor Cruz for a touchdown on a fade route to end this portion of practice.
Rueben Randle, New York Giants (July 22, 2014)

Rueben Randle – © USA TODAY Sports Images

11-ON-11…
This is where things got interesting. No quarterback looked good and the defense dominated. Two interceptions, several bat downs and a few sacks. Full readout below.

  • Victor Cruz beat Prince Amukamara badly on a streak, but Manning overthrew him by about five yards. Nice move by Cruz to leave Amukamara behind him.
  • The Giants blitzed the middle pretty hard and Jameel McClain ran over Charles Brown. Nice display of power by McClain. Could also say ‘physical.’ Something the Giants are trying desperately to establish.
  • Damontre Moore continues to have a very strong camp. He came in from his defensive end spot to stop a running back dive. He also recorded two sacks on Nassib and had another pressure. All sacks came against James Brewer.
  • On a Michael Cox run, the back bounced it to the outside which did not make Ben McAdoo very happy. The coordinator was livid that the Giants gave up on the ‘A Gap’ so easily.
  • Marcus Harris continues to flash. He made back-to-back catches that had his teammates yelling.
  • Charles James recorded an interception on Nassib who overthrew his intended receiver. Highlight below:

  •  Mark Herzlich had a very nice one-handed interceptions when he deflected the pass to himself. He also took it back for a score. This one Curtis Painter threw.

The Giants will have off tomorrow and return for practice on Sunday.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Connor Hughes/BBI

Connor Hughes has been working in both the broadcasting and journalism fields for the last seven years. His work has been heard on WMCX, WBZC and Lenape District Television, while read on the pages of The Star-Ledger and The Burlington County Times. Connor can be reached via email ([email protected]) or on twitter (@Connor_J_Hughes)

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.