September 19, 2016 New York Giants Injury Update

Rashad Jennings – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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SEPTEMBER 19, 2016 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
New York Giants Head Coach Ben McAdoo provided injury updates on the following players who were injured during Sunday’s 16-13 win over the New Orleans Saints:

• Running Back Rashad Jennings (hand): “We’ll see how it goes this week. We’ll see how practice goes. We’ll know more when we see him out there on Wednesday… He will be limited in some form or fashion.”

• Right Tackle Marshall Newhouse (calf): “Right now we’re going to evaluate him as the week goes on. See how he does and recovers. We don’t know how significant it is or how long he’ll be out at this point or whether he’ll be able to play or not this week. It looks like he’ll be out of practice, especially early on. We’ll take a look at it. It’ll be up to between Bobby (Hart) and William (Beatty) if he can’t go.”

• Safety Mykkele Thompson (knee): “He’ll be out for a few weeks.”

MONDAY BEN MCADOO CONFERENCE CALL…
New York Giants Head Coach Ben McAdoo addressed the media by conference call on Monday to discuss the team’s 16-13 win over the New Orleans Saints.

McAdoo: I thought we showed some discipline, poise and resiliency like we talked about last night. It’s a game that many teams would’ve let the frustration show through and take over. We showed some great leadership in the locker room in all three phases there. Having three penalties in the game also was a major factor for us.

I thought what we did well, the defense was physical and heavy-handed. We challenged everything they did in the run game and the pass game. We had some big pass breakups in the secondary. We got off the field on third down, which was encouraging. The sudden change defense was awesome yesterday. It was a big part of the game. Defensively, there were some downs we could’ve been better whistle to snap. There was a shot in two-minute there on a third down call where we should’ve been off the field in the first half. Have to get the offense the ball back.

The offense, what we did well was hit the rule 53. We had 65 runs and completions. We held the ball for about 34 minutes and change. We were close to 80 percent completing the ball. In two-minute, when we needed it the most, we had timely production in the pass game. We had a good pocket to throw from there as well. What we need to work on, obviously handling The Duke better and finishing drives. We had six drives that ended in either drops or fumbles, which is unacceptable. We left a lot of points on the board. We had too many zero and negative yards rushing with six. We need to do a better job after the catch getting north and south, playing physical.

Special teams, I thought Tom Quinn did a great job getting these guys ready on the field goal rush this week. Hankins did a great job coming through making a block and Jackrabbit scooping and scoring. It was a major play in the game after a sudden change stop by the defense. What we need to work on, the kick return blocking. We still need some work there. We didn’t have any opportunities but we still need to work on it. Also, long stride, short stride on our punt coverage.  With that, we’ll open it up.

Q: Regarding the running game, it doesn’t seem that the running game is in rhythm. Is that affecting the overall offense?

A: I thought the first week we ran the ball well. This week we struggled getting it off the ground. We need to be going forward. Again, it’s one week and we’ll work to improve it this week.

Q: You inserted Orleans Darkwa in for that one series in the fourth. What led to that decision?

A: We had a lot of plays out there. Rashad had his hand banged up a little bit in the second half. When you play 79 plays, not including the penalties and everything but 79 graded plays, that’s a lot of plays. You play a couple of backs.

Q: How’s Rashad?

A: We’ll see how it goes this week. We’ll see how practice goes. We’ll know more when we see him out there on Wednesday.

Q: You expect to see him out there on Wednesday?

A: Yes. He will be limited in some form or fashion. We’ll know more when we see him.

Q: What does it do for you as a play caller to have three extremely reliable wide receivers?

A: It helps. What it does is it creates great competition in the room. It lets those guys know that every time they get an opportunity, they better cash in on it. The ball could go to any of the three spots. The quarterback has to have confidence at all three spots. It makes you very versatile.

Q: You don’t have a ton of sacks; does that concern you or are you satisfied with the pressure on the quarterback so far?

A: We’ve been very aggressive attacking the receivers. Getting up and challenging the receivers to throw off the timing and rhythm of the quarterback. Yesterday you saw a quarterback that does a great job of getting the ball out of his hand quickly. When you can disrupt the timing and rhythm, it throws him off a little bit. We feel the sacks will come.

Q: What do you see that has allowed you to limit the big plays?

A: We may not be getting the sacks, but we’re getting some pressure on the quarterbacks. We’re doing a nice job challenging receivers in coverage. They may have to hold it a tick longer with some pressure in their face. It’s hard to be explosive that way.

Q: Do you have an update on Marshall Newhouse and his calf? Do you have an idea of what direction you’ll go in if he can’t play?

A: Right now we’re going to evaluate him as the week goes on. See how he does and recovers. We don’t know how significant it is or how long he’ll be out at this point or whether he’ll be able to play or not this week. It looks like he’ll be out of practice, especially early on. We’ll take a look at it. It’ll be up to between Bobby (Hart) and William (Beatty) if he can’t go.

Q: Beatty is ready to play this week?

A: Yes, he will compete to be up this week.

Q: What have you seen from him so far?

A: I see a guy that’s getting his legs underneath him, his football legs underneath him. He’s working well with his pads. The Thursday practices have been great for him.

Q: Any update on Mykkele Thompson?

A: Mykkele has a knee. He’ll be out for a few weeks.

Q: What was your thinking on the fourth down early in the game? Why didn’t you take the points instead of going for it early in the game?

A: We’re aggressive on offense. I want to make sure these players know we have faith in them. I like the call right there where we were. I felt we had a chance to get a good look at it.

Q: The third down pass to Cruz wasn’t the highest percentage. If you don’t complete that, what would you’ve done?

A: There were a couple of options. I’m not going to deal in hypotheticals. I thought Eli made a great decision there. Victor did a nice job of ripping the ball away from him.

Q: You didn’t look to take a lot of deep shots down the field prior to late in the fourth quarter. Was it something they were doing?

A: They changed up a little bit on how they were playing. They were playing a lot of zone converge. Whether it was Tampa 2 or a one-high zone, a buzz coverage or a sky weak coverage. They were playing a little bit soft on us, giving us opportunities to complete the ball underneath.

Q: Will you talk to Odell about Josh Norman?

A: We’ll hit more on the next opponent on Wednesday.

Q: Specifically with Odell, do you feel you need to talk to him about controlling his emotions?

A: We’ll talk more on the next opponent on Wednesday.

Q: Do you feel you have to talk about that with your team?

A: We’re still on the Saints. We’re cleaning up the Saints right now. We’ll move on to Washington later on.

Q: What have you seen out of Devon Kennard these past two games?

A: Physical edge setter. That’s what he does a great job of. It showed up again yesterday.

PRACTICE SQUAD MOVES…
The New York Giants have re-signed linebacker Deontae Skinner to the Practice Squad and terminated the Practice Squad contract of quarterback Logan Thomas. Skinner had been cut from the Practice Squad on Saturday to make room for Thomas.

Skinner was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the New England Patriots after the 2014 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Patriots (2014-2015) and Eagles (2015-2016), the latter waiving him on August 22.

Thomas was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. The Dolphins claimed Thomas off of waivers from the Cardinals in September 2015 and the Giants claimed him off of waivers from the Dolphins in June 2016.

ARTICLES…

• Eli Apple emerges as Giants’ No. 2 cornerback | Snap count analysis by Dan Duggan for NJ.com
• Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie’s playing time dips in Giants’ win by Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com
• Giants’ defense has limited the big plays through first two weeks by Tom Rock of Newsday

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Player interviews will be held late Tuesday afternoon. The Giants return to practice at 11:40AM on Wednesday.