August 25, 2014 New York Giants Practice Report

Eli Manning – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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AUGUST 25, 2014 NEW YORK GIANTS PRACTICE REPORT…
While it was far from perfect, Monday’s practice may have been the best for Giants quarterback Eli Manning.

Again…it wasn’t perfect, but it was better.

Manning handled himself well in the pocket and connected on several deep throws. He marched the Giants up and down the field a few times and, if it wasn’t for drops, may have added two-to-three touchdowns to his practice. He didn’t work much against the starting defense, but he did a solid job against the second team.

On to the report…

Marcus Harris – © USA TODAY Sports Images

THE WALKING WOUNDED…
Odell Beckham Jr. did not practice again today and has been ruled out of Thursday’s game versus the New England Patriots. The receiver has not played at all this preseason and has yet to make it through an entire training camp practice. This isn’t anything new for Giants rookies, either.

Joining Beckham on the ‘Bike Squad’ was Charles Brown (shoulder), Trindon Holliday (hamstring), Justin Anderson (unknown) and Spencer Adkins (unknown). Brandon Mosley (back) and James Brewer (back) were at the doctors, so was Geoff Schwartz (toe). Prince Amukamara (groin) was dressed but worked with trainers.

Cooper Taylor (foot), Jon Beason (foot), Markus Kuhn (ankle), Marcus Harris (shoulder) and Xavier Grimble (hamstring) did not go.

SPECIAL TEAMS…
Well, the Trindon Holliday experiment seems to have been an utter fail for the Giants as the speedy returner has made little strides in returning to the field. It’s a shame, too. I had very high expectations for him.

• With Holliday and Beckham sidelined, the Giants worked Victor Cruz, Rueben Randle and Preston Parker as the team’s punt returners.

• Early in training camp, Bennett Jackson hurt his foot and missed some time. Since he’s returned, he really hasn’t done much to impress. His ticket to the team was supposed to be special teams, but he hasn’t shown much as a gunner. Working on downing punts inside the five, Jackson misjudged one and it bounced into the endzone. I’ve seen that happen before.

HURRY-UP OFFENSE…
The first-team offense didn’t work much with the first-team defense, but Manning looked good with the reps he had. The other player that continues to shine is Ryan Nassib. The zip he punts on the ball just continues to impress.

• I really believe the Giants got the steal of the draft in linebacker Devon Kennard as he just continues to show he’s a player each and every day. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him starting even when Jon Beason gets healthy. On the first play of the drive, Kennard came up in the hole to stop a draw play perfectly.

• Eli Manning went deep down the seam to Victor Cruz for a would-be touchdown. Nice ball to get it just over the safeties head. The next play Manning should have had a second touchdown when he threw a perfect ball to Jerrel Jernigan on a streak. The only issue? Jernigan dropped the ball.

• Once the Giants moved the ball into the red zone, things got a little iffy. Rueben Randle got open on a double move, but dropped the ball in the back of the end zone. On the next play, Manning threw behind an open Victor Cruz on I believe a wheel route. Both plays should have been scores.

Curtis Painter – © USA TODAY Sports Images

SEVEN-ON-SEVEN…
This drill and segment is officially dedicated to Curtis Painter who went deep again..and again…and again…and again. Every single throw seemed to connect, or come close to doing so.

• Manning and Randle connected a bunch yesterday and did so a few times today, too. Manning found the LSU alum on a deep in.

• As I mentioned above, it was the Curtis Painter show. It started on his first rep when he threw a perfect deep bomb to Michael Cox on a wheel route. Should of been a touchdown, but Cox dropped it. Then, Painter went deep to Julian Talley, who had gotten past Bennett Jackson, for a score. Then, he went to Travis Harvey who had gotten past Chandler Fenner. It was a nice day for him.

• Walter Thurmond III had an impressive pass breakup on a deep bomb from Ryan Nassib to Peyton Hillis. He lunged forward and batted the ball away.

• I didn’t see it, had my head turned away, by Ryan Nassib overthrew his receiver on a deep ball and Zack Bowman came up with the interception.

ELEVEN-ON-ELEVEN…
Not too much went down in the eleven-on-eleven portion of practice. Few completions, few incompletions. Below are the highlights:

• Jerrel Jernigan made up for his drop earlier in practice with a pretty nice grab on a flag route from Manning. With Beckham out, the Giants need Jernigan to rekindle his end-of-2014 magic desperately.

• ‘The Missile,’ Nat Berhe, continues to fly all over the place and hit people. His latest came when he threw his shoulder into Kendall Gaskins on a screen pass. Gaskins tapped Berhe on the helmet after that one letting him know it was a pretty good hit.

• Speaking screens, the Giants worked on a lot of them today. Receiver, running back, tight end and full backs all caught the ball and then turned it up field.

• Eli Manning made the play of practice on an absolutely gorgeous throw to Rueben Randle on a flag route down the left sideline. Manning dropped the ball over the head of Antrel Rolle and in front of Walter Thurmond. It fell, literally, right into the hands of Randle.

Damontre Moore – © USA TODAY Sports Images

TWO-MINUTE DRILL…
It was the starters versus the starters in the two-minute drill today. It was not the best showing from the starting offense. Also, Damontre Moore was kicked off the field during this drill. He was HOT about something that happened the drill before and continued talking when he re-entered the game. Coughlin threw him off the field and offered little after practice other than saying things got “heated.”

1st and 10 (1:08)
Eli Manning goes down the seam to Daniel Fells but throws behind him. Stevie Brown dropped a should-have-been interception.

2nd and 10 (1:04)
Eli Manning hits Jerrel Jernigan on an in four a first down.

1st and 10 (:49)
Eli Manning looks for Victor Cruz deep down the right sideline, pass is broken up by Walter Thurmond III and nearly intercepted. It would have been a difficult juggling/diving pick if Thurmond came up with it.

2nd and 10 (:43)
Eli Manning completes a swing pass to Rashad Jennings.

3rd and 8 (:38)
Eli Manning incomplete pass to Rueben Randle [this is where Moore was thrown off the field].

4th and 10
Eli Manning pass complete to Rashad Jennings, but he doesn’t pick up the first down. Turnover on downs.