August 13, 2014 New York Giants Training Camp Report

Curtis Painter, Ben McAdoo, and Eli Manning – © USA TODAY Sports Images

[contentblock id=1 img=html.png]

AUGUST 13, 2014 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The Giants held a practice that ended abruptly as today was a recovery stretch day. In this year’s training camp, the Giants have about once a week a practice that runs a little over an hour. After the hour is up, the team moves inside the Quest Diagnostics Training Center for a 30-minute stretch.

The Giants have devices on the back of each player’s jersey that monitors each step they take. That information is then read by doctors who can determine if the players are in need of a day off, or, in this case, a recovery stretch day.

The Giants ran some special teams drills, one-on-ones, 11-on-11 and a red zone drill before jogging inside to the air conditioned practice fields. Players then removed their shoulder pads and shoes and stretched.

On to the report…

Xavier Grimble – © USA TODAY Sports Images

THE WALKING WOUNDED…
The same players are still out: Xavier Grimble (hamstring), Peyton Hillis (ankle/foot), Trindon Holliday (hamstring) and Daniel Fells (knee). Zack Bowman (knee) joined the group on the bikes. John Conner (concussion), Mike Patterson (shoulder) and Odell Beckham Jr. (hamstring) were both limited. John Sullen sat out with an undisclosed injury.

SPECIAL TEAMS…
Punt and punt return’s day at practice today. Some new faces got some opportunities to run punts back.

• Punt returners were as follows: Preston Parker, Victor Cruz, Odell Beckham Jr. and Rueben Randle. No Charles James II in the group, despite working with coordinator Tom Quinn on his punt catching after yesterday’s practice.

• The order, by the way, of punt returners was Parker-Beckham Jr.-Randle-Cruz.

• It was Josh Brown’s day to kick after Brandon McManus went 2-of-4 yesterday. Brown went 3-of-4 today. His one miss was a bad one sailing wide left.

Jay Bromley – © USA TODAY Sports Images

INDIVIDUALS…
There were a few interesting/new drills run during the individual portion of practice. The Giants were on the side field, so the only observations that were able to be made here were in reference to the defense. The Giants practiced an awful lot of fade-route defense.

• Jay Bromley has been playing some good football during the preseason and looks to have been rewarded for it. During practice, Bromley was lining up with the second unit next to Markus Kuhn. That may change when – if ever – Mike Patterson gets healthy.

• Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie got a chance to play a little receiver while his teammates worked as defensive backs. With Perry Fewell at quarterback, Rodgers-Cromartie made a few impressive grabs. His best was a slant in which he extended his hands to make the grab, then kept the ball away from his body so Trumaine McBride couldn’t knock it out. It was nice, very nice.

TWO-MINUTE DRILL…
The Giants quarterbacks may have had their worst practice to date today. Zero big plays, zero excitement. In fact, they started the first three team portions of practice a combined 1-of-10. Yes, in practice, the Giants managed one completion in 10 attempts. It didn’t exactly get off to a hot start, either, as the pick-birds were out in full force in the two-minute drill.

• Curtis Painter was the Giants No. 2 quarterback again, but threw interceptions on his first two pass attempts. The first came from Chandler Fenner and the second Mark Herzlich. After the second, Manning came back onto the field. Curtis Football (the nickname given to him by a twitter follower) may see his time as the Giants’ No. 2 coming to an end.

• Jerrel Jernigan returned and was running with the starters, relegating Marcus Harris and Corey Washington to the second- and third-team respectively.

• Really, really nice pass defense by Walter Thurmond on a drag route intended for Victor Cruz. Manning threw it to Cruz and Thurmond reached in front to bat it down.

ONE-ON-ONE…
It was pretty cool to watch the Giants’ receivers and defensive backs go one-on-one in a goal line drill. The ball was placed inside the five yard line and the receiver had to get past the defender in order to score. Some fades were thrown, some slants were thrown. It was fun to watch the athletes compete.

• Rueben Randle made a very impressive catch over the top of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie on a fade route.

• It may be a trip back down to earth for Corey Washington as the receiver didn’t look great in practice today. Washington dropped two passes in this drill that should have been touchdowns.

• Victor Cruz matching up against Charles James, Cruz made the defensive back look silly on a pair of double moves.

ELEVEN-ON-ELEVEN…
Truly, it was an uneventful offensive day for the third time this week. It’s just been very…blah. Maybe it’s the fact this was a light practice, but things didn’t improve in the 11-on-11 drill.

• Damontre Moore continues to make a push for time against the starters. On one play versus the twos, Moore was double teamed by both Charles Brown and Weston Richburg. The result? He bull rushed both of them into the face of Curtis Painter, causing the quarterback to rush a throw.

• Nice toe-tapping grab from Preston Parker on the sideline on a pass from Painter. Looked like a corner route and the receiver went up and got it.

• On an out route, Corey Washington dropped an easy one. The rookie didn’t have his best practice today. Then again, no one did.

Odell Beckham and Zack Bowman – © USA TODAY Sports Images

RED ZONE DRILL…
After the Giants ran through one series of 11-on-11, the team switched sides of the field and went into a red–err, I mean green zone. There was one notable play that stood out for a big, big reason.

• Odell Beckham Jr. caught his first touchdown pass of training camp. On a slant on the first play of the green zone drill, Beckham hauled in one from Painter while being guarded by Trumaine McBride. He was in the second play as well, but the ball wasn’t thrown his direction.

• I don’t think anyone wants to be Eli Manning’s backup. Seriously. With Curtis Painter looking as bad as he was, Ryan Nassib looked no better. On a perfect snap, Nassib just dropped the ball in the shot gun formation. He scrambled to grab it before throwing it away. He would have been sacked on the play.

• Devon Kennard got a real nice piece of Andre Williams, knocking his fellow rookie to the ground. Williams then popped back up and ran into the endzone.

The last training camp practice will be  held on Thursday from 1:20-3:30pm.