Jan 112022
 
Joe Judge, New York Giants (July 29, 2021)

Joe Judge – © USA TODAY Sports

The New York Giants officially announced on Tuesday that they have fired Head Coach Joe Judge, who compiled a 10-23 record in his two seasons with the franchise. Yesterday, the team also announced that General Manager Dave Gettleman had “retired.”

“Steve (Tisch) and I both believe it is in the best interest of our franchise to move in another direction,” said team President/CEO John Mara in a prepared statement. “We met with Joe yesterday afternoon to discuss the state of the team. I met again with Joe this afternoon, and it was during that conversation I informed Joe of our decision. We appreciate Joe’s efforts on behalf of the organization.

“I said before the season started that I wanted to feel good about the direction we were headed when we played our last game of the season. Unfortunately, I cannot make that statement, which is why we have made this decision.

“We will hire a general manager and that person will lead the effort to hire a new head coach.”

Not counting Steve Spagnuolo, who served as interim head coach for four games in 2017, the Giants have fired four head coaches since January 2016, including Tom Coughlin, Ben McAdoo, Pat Shurmur, and now Joe Judge.

 

Jan 092022
 
New York Giants Fan (January 9, 2022)

© USA TODAY Sports

WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM 22 – NEW YORK GIANTS 7…
The New York Giants ended yet another dismal season on yet another dismal note. In a dreary, mostly empty MetLife Stadium, the Giants were once again pummeled by their opponent, this time the Washington Football Team, losing 22-7. The Giants lost their final six games of the season and finished with a 4-13 record, dead last in the NFC East. The Giants were 1-5 in the division, being swept by both Washington and the Dallas Cowboys.

The game was an unwatchable mess in the first half, with both teams struggling. Washington was less incompetent, beginning and ending the first half with field-goal drives that resulted in a 6-0 halftime advantage. In between those two possessions, Washington punted four times.

New York was worse. The Giants’ first possession gained 45 yards on 10 plays, but ended with a turnover on downs on a wide receiver end-around on 4th-and-1 that lost three yards. The Giants did not gain another first down for the rest of the half, punting four times.

The comical low point came late in the 2nd quarter. Facing a 2nd-and-10 at their own 3-yard line after a terrible pass from quarterback Jake Fromm, the Giants were first forced to call a timeout because they didn’t have enough men on the field. Then came a false start. Unbelievably, on 2nd-and-11 and 3rd-and-9, the Giants ran quarterback sneaks just to set up a punt and prevent disaster.

At the break, New York had only accrued 48 yards of offense (38 rushing, 10 passing) with just two first downs.

The teams exchanged punts to start the 3rd quarter. Then Washington went up 12-0 when cornerback Bobby McCain intercepted Fromm and returned the pick 30 yards for a touchdown (the 2-point conversion attempt failed).

The Giants did manage to stay in the game a little longer by finally putting together a scoring drive, moving the ball 69 yards in 14 plays, including converting on two 4th-down plays. Fromm finished the possession with a 22-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Darius Slayton, who was left uncovered on the play. Washington 12 – New York 7.

But in typical Giants’ fashion, it was now the turn of the defense to disappoint as Washington responded with an easy 8-play, 72-yard drive that extended the lead to 19-7 with just under six and a half minutes to play. Washington immediately got the ball back when an untouched Fromm fumbled the ball away out of his throwing motion. The “Football Team” recovered at the New York 12-yard line. Four plays later, Washington kicked a 23-yard field goal to make it a 22-7 game.

Both teams punted once more. The game ended on a Fromm interception at the Washington goal line.

Offensively, the Giants only gained 10 first downs and 177 total net yards (94 rushing, 83 passing). Fromm finished 15-of-31 for 103 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, and one lost fumble. His “leading” receiver was tight end Kyle Rudolph who caught four passes for 17 yards. Fromm was the leading rusher, carrying the ball five times for 53 yards. Running back Saquon Barkley was held to just 30 yards on 11 carries; running back Devontae Booker only had 14 yards on eight carries.

Defensively, the Giants only allowed 16 first downs. But Washington did gain 325 total net yards with 226 of those coming on the ground. The defense did not force a turnover.

Video lowlights are available at Giants.com.

ROSTER MOVES, PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, the Giants signed WR David Sills from the Practice Squad to the 53-man roster. In addition, QB Brian Lewerke and WR Alex Bachman were activated from the Practice Squad to the 53-man roster for this game. The team also re-signed QB Clayton Thorson to the Practice Squad.

Inactive for the game were QB Mike Glennon (wrist), WR Kadarius Toney (shoulder), and WR John Ross (knee).

RG Will Hernandez left the game in the first half with an ankle injury and did not return.

POST-GAME REACTION…
Transcripts and video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Joe Judge and the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

POST-GAME NOTES…
In their final four games, the Giants scored just two touchdowns on 46 offensive possessions.

The Giants passed for less than 200 net yards in each of their last nine games, their longest streak since going 12 games in a row spanning the 2004-2005 seasons.

The Giants lost their sixth consecutive game, their longest season-ending losing streak since they lost their final eight games in 2003.

2022 NEW YORK GIANTS OPPONENTS SET…
The New York Giants will face the following teams in the 2022 regular-season:

Home:

  • Dallas Cowboys
  • Philadelphia Eagles
  • Washington Football Team
  • Chicago Bears
  • Detroit Lions
  • Carolina Panthers
  • Houston Texans
  • Indianapolis Colts
  • Baltimore Ravens

Away:

  • Dallas Cowboys
  • Philadelphia Eagles
  • Washington Football Team
  • Green Bay Packers
  • Minnesota Vikings
  • Seattle Seahawks
  • Jacksonville Jaguars
  • Tennessee Titans
Jan 072022
 
Will Hernandez, New York Giants (August 29, 2021)

Will Hernandez – © USA TODAY Sports

JANUARY 7, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants practiced on Friday at Quest Diagnostics Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Not practicing were QB Mike Glennon (wrist), WR Kadarius Toney (shoulder), and WR John Ross (knee). All three have been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Washington Football Team.

Limited in practice were RB Saquon Barkley (ankle), FB Cullen Gillaspia (knee), WR Darius Slayton (shoulder/COVID ramp up), WR Collin Johnson (hamstring), TE Kyle Rudolph (ankle), OT Andrew Thomas (shoulder), OG Will Hernandez (ankle), NT Austin Johnson (foot), and LB Lorenzo Carter (illness).

Gillaspia, Johnson, and Hernandez are “questionable” for the game.

DL Dexter Lawrence (personal/COVID ramp up), NT Danny Shelton (COVID ramp up), and OT Korey Cunningham (COVID ramp up) fully practiced.

HEAD COACH JOE JUDGE…
The transcript of Joe Judge’s press conference on Friday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.

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 availability to the Giants on Saturday. The team plays the Washington Football Team on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

Jan 052022
 
Jake Fromm and Mike Glennon, New York Giants (December 5, 2021)

Jake Fromm and Mike Glennon – © USA TODAY Sports

JANUARY 5, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants held a light, walk-thru practice on Wednesday at Quest Diagnostics Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Not practicing were QB Mike Glennon (wrist), FB Cullen Gillaspia (knee), WR John Ross (knee), WR Collin Johnson (hamstring), NT Austin Johnson (foot), DL Dexter Lawrence (personal/COVID ramp up), and LB Elerson Smith (neck).

The Giants revealed on Tuesday that Glennon’s wrist injury will require surgery he is done for the season. Jake Fromm will start in his place.

Limited in practice were RB Saquon Barkley (ankle, WR Kadarius Toney (shoulder), WR Darius Slayton (shoulder/COVID ramp up), TE Kyle Rudolph (ankle), OT Andrew Thomas (shoulder), OT Korey Cunningham (COVID ramp up), OG Will Hernandez (ankle), and NT Danny Shelton (COVID ramp up).

ROSTER MOVES…
On Tuesday, the Giants waived TE Chris Myarick and terminated the Practice Squad contract of OL Isaiah Wilson.

On Wednesday, the Giants placed LB Elerson Smith on Injured Reserve with a neck injury. The team also placed Practice Squad player DL Woodrow Hamilton on the Reserve/COVID-19 List.

The Giants activated WR Darius Slayton, OT Korey Cunningham, DL Dexter Lawrence, NT Danny Shelton, LB Omari Cobb, and CB Ka’Darr Hollman from the Reserve/COVID-19 List.

HEAD COACH JOE JUDGE…
The transcript of Joe Judge’s press conference on Wednesday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.

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 again on Thursday. The coordinators and select players will also address the media.

Jan 052022
 
Devontae Booker, New York Giants (January 2, 2022)

Devontae Booker – © USA TODAY Sports

JANUARY 3, 2022 JOE JUDGE PRESS CONFERENCE…
New York Giants Head Coach Joe Judge addressed the media on Monday to discuss his team’s 29-3 loss to the Chicago Bears:

Q: Were yesterday’s comments intended for the fans, the Giants administration, the media, anyone in particular?

A: I was asked a specific question about what the fans are asking and I responded to it. People ask me a direct question, I give direct answers. Whoever’s listening is going to get a dose of the truth and I was honestly answering to the question to the fans – that’s what the question was asked for – but, obviously, the response can apply to a number of different areas.

Q: Do you have any regrets about any of yesterday’s comments?

A: No.

Q: Obviously, you would want a better result Sunday, but what do you think is the best thing you can hope for and the best way you can demonstrate that the foundation exists on Sunday in your finale?

A: My expectations for the team are the same every week. I tell the guys come here to work every day, work hard, be attentive, pay attention to the details of what’s going on, put the team first, just always make sure you’re doing your job to the best of your ability. That’s what I expect to see throughout this week of practice. Our guys have responded and over two years every week the same way, come back to work. I expect to see these guys go out there and play for each other with a high motor and play with good energy, and we’re going to do everything we can to put a plan together to give these guys a chance for success on Sunday. What I want to see is the team go out there and play with the right demeanor and play with the right intensity, and go out there and execute the game plan. That’s what I’m looking for.

Q: When you guys were looking at backup quarterbacks this offseason, what was it about (Quarterback) Mike Glennon that appealed to you? Has he been what you thought when you signed him?

A: I’m really pleased with the way Mike has come to work every day this year. He’s played through a number of things, he got thrown into a different role. I like the way Mike prepares, the way he’s a team player. Obviously, there have been some times this year he’s been up and down. We started (Quarterback) Jake (Fromm) a week ago over him. I thought he handled that the right way as a professional, put the team first and then he stayed ready and when his number was called and went back in. I’m pleased with what Mike’s done for the team and how hard he works. It’s a shame, Mike got hurt in the game yesterday. He’s going to have surgery coming up soon and he won’t be available for the game this week. That’s really the one injury of note. There’s a lot of other bumps and bruises in there. I know Mike wanted to go out there yesterday and compete and do everything he could for the team, and that’s the way his season will end.

Q: Can you share what his injury was?

A: It was a wrist injury.

Q: I’m guessing Jake is going to start for you or do you have other options?

A: Right now, it would be Jake. We have (Quarterback) Brian Lewerke with us all year, including some of the preseason. He’s been with us and familiar with our schemes. We’ll work both those guys in practice this week. Right now, based on reps and games, Jake would have the nod. I would anticipate getting him prepared that way, but like any other week we’ll get both guys ready and make sure they’re both prepared and ready to play.

Q: How hard is it to prepare a game plan and just prepare a team mentally when you struggle to have an acceptable level of production from that position? You can hide other positions, but at quarterback you kind of need somebody to lead the team. How hard is that for the entire team?

A: Everyone’s focus is to come in and do their job. Our defensive players come in every week, they get prepared to stop the opponent’s offense, they know what the big targets are and the focuses are. The kicking game knows they have to produce field position through different ways. They come in and stay focused on the other team’s strengths and what they have to go ahead and neutralize and how they can make a play to give us some field position. Offensively, everyone’s got their individual jobs. The offensive line protects and opens holes for the run. The receivers block when they don’t have the ball. They get open and work to get the ball their way, and their focus is to catch it when it comes their way. Whoever prepares to play quarterback, their job is to facilitate the offense and move it around. It’s not everyone’s job to worry about other positions. It’s their job to come in and focus on what their assignment is, how they can execute and how they can help the team.

Q: Just to get back to Mike really quick, was it a fracture in his wrist or what happened?

A: I’m not going to go through the specific diagnosis, but it was an injury to his non-throwing hand. It’s something that has to be handled probably sooner than later, but he’ll be unavailable to play this week.

Q: Yesterday, obviously you were asked a question and answered it in great detail. You said things very honestly. If you look at the Giants or if you were scouting the Giants and watching all the tape, would you say that they’re a well-coached team and why?

A: I would. There are obviously some things we have to do better and I’m not going to sit here and hide behind anything, I’m not going to sit here and say that we’re perfect in anything. There are a lot of things that I – now am I going to go through a diagnosis or an analysis of our team and every unit and every situation? No, I’m not going to do that and I say that very openly in a lot of ways. I’m not going to go ahead and throw players under the bus or try to isolate coaches and look for a scapegoat. That’s not my style, that’s not what I’m going to do. But I’ve seen a lot of improvement from our players in a lot of different ways. Sometimes not all that is magnified, but I look at different things that show up with our team, I know the direction that we’re going. I know other teams as well in this league of how they scout us and what we do when we share information-wise sometimes with common opponents and things that happen. I’m very confident in the way that we’re pushing forward right now. There are things we have to improve on. Obviously, the most important thing in this league is winning, so we’ve got to do a better job putting ourselves in position to finalize and finish out some games with a win.

Q: You say I think we’re a well-coached team. You talked yesterday at length about the culture and the foundation you think you’re building. You don’t call out players and things, but is it fair to say that you believe the roster needs an injection of different and better talent? Because if the culture is there and the coaching is there, then the only thing left is to get better players. Is that something you would agree with?

A: I’m not going to make any statements right now that’s going to put any one of my players under the bus. I think you understand how I’m answering that question based on how it was phrased. I appreciate the job you have to do and the things you have to look for, but I’m going to tell you right now, if you’re looking for someone to go ahead and find a scapegoat and point a finger at someone, I’m not the guy who’s going to be the one to give you that answer you’re looking for, but I appreciate the question.

Q: Yesterday you did indicate that a couple of players from last year who were no longer with your team are still reaching out to you. By just the process you go through, there are only a couple of guys that could be – (Ravens Guard) Kevin Zeitler was cut, (Vikings Defensive Tackle) Dalvin Tomlinson obviously did leave in free agency. I know you say you don’t call out players, but do you feel like in any way by using such a specific example yesterday you perhaps left the two of them to hang out there in terms of speculation?

A: I wouldn’t want to try to identify names and I think that would be pure speculation. It’s a small league, I keep in touch with a lot of players I’ve coached elsewhere because, obviously, there are things that we’re very careful with tampering and we never try to get anything in that mix. But, everyone supports each other. You have guys who have good games from across the way, you may shoot them a text and say, ‘Hey man, I liked the way you played. A certain technique or a certain play, keep it going.’ Guys will reach back out to you. There are a number of players who have been here through the years. I’m not going to go into individuals right now, I’m not going to try to open up that kind of chapter of guessing of what it may be, but I just know that we have a strong culture, as players from other teams that I know reach out to our players currently and have reached out to me as well through different avenues. Nothing that needs to be looked into or anything of that nature, but I know this is a place that players want to play. I know this is a place that players want to play. It’s a place that a lot of players are going to want to play for a long time. I’m going to leave it at that.

Q: On a positive note out of yesterday, (Running Back) Saquon (Barkley) had his first 100-yard game in a while. What did you see from him in his running style that maybe he wasn’t doing earlier in the year?

A: I don’t want to say this in comparison to what he was or wasn’t doing earlier in the year. That’s not what this answer is in response to, so let’s make that clear. I’d say in terms of what I saw from him, he really ran tough and aggressive yesterday. He ran with good ball security, he ran downhill. He was very productive for us in a game that a team knew that we were going to just run the ball and run the ball. We were able to run the ball when they knew we had to run the ball and a large part of that – obviously, it takes everybody – but a large part of that was his ability to find a seam, push vertical, run tough, create extra yards. Some of his best runs were only two-, three-yard runs where he was able to go ahead and make someone miss in the backfield and certainly make something productive out of it. When something was blocked up in front of him, he didn’t miss on that. He got vertical with it and he did a good job getting downhill. Again, yesterday, the marks we really wanted to hit in this game were run the ball, stop the run, cover kicks. In terms of running the ball, I thought him and Book (running back Devontae Booker) both did a good job of getting the thing downhill aggressively. Our offensive line was able to generate enough lanes to get these guys going and get us an opportunity to be productive in that phase.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The players are off on Tuesday and return to practice on Wednesday.

Jan 022022
 

CHICAGO BEARS 29 – NEW YORK GIANTS 3…
The Chicago Bears, one of the NFL’s worst teams, absolutely bitch-slapped the pathetic New York Giants 29-3 on Sunday at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. It was the fifth loss in a row for the Giants, who are now 4-12 on the season with one game left to play. The Giants have been out-scored 141-49 in their last five games.

You want to know how bad the day was for the New York Football Giants? Starting quarterback Mike Glennon played the entire game and completed FOUR passes for 24 yards. He threw two interceptions and fumbled the ball twice, losing two to the Bears. In other words, he was responsible for as many turnovers as completions.

The Giant finished the game with -10 passing yards, the lowest in franchise history!! The team’s longest play from scrimmage was a 13-yard run by Glennon in the 4th quarter. Chicago players were spotted literally laughing at the Giants.

For all intents and purposes, the game ended on the first play from scrimmage. On 1st-and-10, Glennon was sacked by an unblocked rusher. He fumbled and the Bears returned the loose ball 12 yards to the New York 2-yard line. On the very next snap, the Bears scored the game-winning points with an easy 2-yard touchdown run. The game was basically over in 18 seconds.

The rest of the “contest” was just viewing punishment for fans of the Giants. Five plays after the Bears’ first touchdown, Glennon threw his first interception. Two drives, two turnovers. Seven plays after that, Chicago scored their second touchdown on 4th-and-1. Bears 14 – Giants 0.

After both teams exchanged punts twice, the Giants’ only scoring drive of the game came in the 2nd quarter with a 10-play, 35-yard drive set up a 38-yard field goal. All ten plays on this drive were running plays. Bears 14 – Giants 3.

With less than eight minutes to play in the 2nd quarter, the Bears responded with a 14-play, 69-yard drive that took 6:44 off of the clock and ended with a 21-yard field goal to extend the lead to 17-3.

If you already thought the game was an embarrassing for the Giants, it got worse in the last minute of the half. Returner Pharoh Cooper misjudged the kickoff that he thought was going to bounce into the end zone. It didn’t and he was forced to scramble for the loose ball at the 2-yard line and was tackled at the 5. The Giants lost four yards on the next two offensive snaps before running back Devontae Booker was tackled in the end zone for a safety. Then, after the free kick, the Bears were able to drive 39 yards to set up a 44-yard field goal with no time left. And for those keeping track, the Giants have now been out-scored 76-0 in the final two minutes of games this season.

At the half, the Bears led 22-3.

The Bears received the ball to start the 3rd quarter and immediately proceeded to put the final points of the day for either team on the scoreboard. Chicago drove 75 yards in 11 plays, tacking on another touchdown. Bears 29 – Giants 3.

New York’s final six possessions of the game resulted in two punts, two turnovers by Glennon (another interception and another fumble), a turnover on downs, and the end of the game when the Giants were just running out the clock to end their misery.

On the day, the Giants ran just 55 offensive plays. They were 1-of-11 on 3rd-down conversion attempts (9 percent) and 0-of-1 on 4th down. The Giants finished the game with just 151 total net yards (-10 passing, 161 rushing).

The Bears’ last five possessions resulted in three punts and two interceptions. The Bears were held to 249 total net yards (87 rushing, 162 passing).

Video lowlights are available at Giants.com.

ROSTER MOVES, PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, the Giants activated S Julian Love from the Reserve/COVID-19 List to the 53-man roster.

WR Alex Bachman and DL Woodrow Hamilton were activated from the Practice Squad to the 53-man roster for this game. In addition, the team activated WR Pharoh Cooper, WR David Sills, OT Derrick Kelly, and DL David Moa from the Practice Squad as COVID-19 replacements.

Missing the game due to COVID-19 were WR Darius Slayton, OT Korey Cunningham, DE Dexter Lawrence, and NT Danny Shelton.

Inactive for the game were WR Kadarius Toney (shoulder), WR John Ross (knee/COVID ramp), WR Collin Johnson (hamstring), OL Billy Price (personal), and LB Oshane Ximines.

POST-GAME REACTION…
Transcripts and video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Joe Judge and the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

POST-GAME NOTES…
The Giants did not score a touchdown for the third time this season and the third time in their last five games. They have scored 72 points in their last seven games and four touchdowns in the last five games.

The Giants lost their sixth consecutive road game and finished 1-8 as visitors.

The Giants finished with minus-10 net passing yards, which is the lowest in franchise history.

DAN REEVES PASSES AWAY…
Dan Reeves, who served as head coach of the New York Giants from 1993 to 1996, passed away on Saturday at the age of 77. In his four seasons with the Giants, Reeves was 31-33  in the regular season and 1-1 in the playoffs. Legendary quarterback Phil Simms and linebacker Lawrence Taylor played their last seasons on his 1993 playoff team.

“Dan Reeves had a legendary NFL career as both a player and a coach,” said team President/CEO John Mara. “He made an indelible mark on the League and all of the people he played with, coached and worked alongside. He was one of the finest men I have ever been around in this business.”

“He was a great coach, great man,” said former running back Rodney Hampton, who rushed for 4,161 yards in four seasons under Reeves. “He’s going to be truly missed… He was a teacher, too. He taught us how to be men.”

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

Dec 312021
 
Darius Slayton, New York Giants (November 28, 2021)

Darius Slayton – © USA TODAY Sports

DECEMBER 31, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants practiced on Friday at Quest Diagnostics Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Not on the official injury list, but also not practicing due to being placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 List were WR Darius Slayton, OL Korey Cunningham, NT Danny Shelton, DE Dexter Lawrence, and S Julian Love.

We’re still expecting Love back in the building on Sunday,” said Head Coach Joe Judge. “Danny Shelton, we’ll see where he is in terms of the game. I wouldn’t rule him in or out at this point. We’ll see how he is and the trainers will deal with him.”

Not practicing were WR Kadarius Toney (shoulder), WR John Ross (knee/COVID ramp up), WR Collin Johnson (hamstring), and OL Billy Price (personal). Toney, Ross, and Johnson have officially been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears; Price is “doubtful” for the game.

I know (Price) posted something on social media,” said Judge. “That’s his to disclose, that’s not mine to talk about. We fully support Billy, fully support Billy as an organization, him and his wife as just individuals and their family and what they’re going through right now. We left the door open to Billy in a lot of ways in terms of whatever he needs from us… He’s dealing with something that a lot of us have been blessed that we haven’t had to deal with. He’s going through something personally that we’ve got to make sure we account for and give him support as an organization, as a person. I wouldn’t fully rule him out at this moment, but he has not been at practice with us. He’s not been in-person in the meetings. The Zoom’s been available to him, but we’re letting him and his wife right now have the time they need and fully supporting him in what they’re going through.”

Limited in practice were RB Saquon Barkley (ankle), TE Kyle Rudolph (ankle), TE Chris Myarick (hip), OT Nate Solder (COVID ramp up), OL Ben Bredeson (ankle), DL Austin Johnson (foot), CB Adoree’ Jackson (quad/COVID ramp up), and CB Keion Crossen (COVID ramp up). Myarick, Solder, Johnson, and Jackson are “questionable” for the game. The rest are expected to play.

FB Cullen Gillaspia (shin), DL Raymond Johnson (illness), and PK Graham Gano (illness) fully practiced and are expected to play.

HEAD COACH JOE JUDGE…
The transcript of Joe Judge’s press conference on Friday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.

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 availability to the Giants on Saturday. The team plays the Bears in Chicago on Sunday.

Dec 292021
 

DECEMBER 29, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants held a light, walk-thru practice on Wednesday at Quest Diagnostics Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Not on the official injury list, but also not practicing due to being placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 List were OT Nate Solder, NT Danny Shelton, DE Dexter Lawrence, and S Julian Love.

Not practicing were RB Saquon Barkley (ankle), RB Gary Brightwell (neck), WR Kadarius Toney (shoulder), WR Collin Johnson (hamstring), TE Kyle Rudolph (ankle), OL Billy Price (personal), DL Austin Johnson (foot), DL Raymond Johnson (illness), and PK Graham Gano (illness).

Limited in practice were FB Cullen Gillaspia (shin), WR John Ross (knee/COVID ramp up), OL Ben Bredeson (ankle), CB Adoree’ Jackson (quad/COVID ramp up), and CB Keion Crossen (COVID ramp up).

ROSTER MOVES…
On Tuesday, the Giants terminated the Practice Squad contracts of cornerbacks Sam Beal and Darqueze Dennard. The team also re-signed TE Jake Hausmann and LB Omari Cobb to the Practice Squad.

On Wednesday, the Giants placed DE Dexter Lawrence on the Reserve/COVID-19 List. Head Coach Joe Judge has already ruled Lawrence out of Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears.

The team also activated WR John Ross, CB Adoree’ Jackson, and CB Keion Crossen from the Reserve/COVID-19 List.

LB Trent Harris was designated for return from Injured Reserve, where he was placed in early December with an ankle injury.

HEAD COACH JOE JUDGE…
The transcript of Joe Judge’s press conference on Wednesday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.

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 again on Thursday. The coordinators, position coaches, and select players will also address the media.

Dec 272021
 
Joe Judge, New York Giants (December 26, 2021)

Joe Judge – © USA TODAY Sports

MATT PEART TEARS ACL; JULIAN LOVE TO RESERVE/COVID LIST…
The New York Giants have announced that offensive tackle Matt Peart has torn the ACL in his left knee. His season is obviously over and his availability for the 2022 season is now in question. Peart did not have the year expected of him. Heading into training camp, it was anticipated that Peart would be the opening-day starter at right tackle. However, he was beat out by Nate Solder. Peart ended up playing in 15 games with five starts in 2021 (three at left tackle, two at right tackle) and was up-and-down in his play. The offensive line coach has publicly questioned his toughness.

Meanwhile, safety Julian Love is yet another Giant to test positive for COVID. He has been placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 List. CB Ka’dar Hollman, who is currently on the Practice Squad/Injured List, also tested positive for COVID.

The Giants terminated the Practice Squad contract of center Evan Boehm.

DECEMBER 27, 2021 JOE JUDGE PRESS CONFERENCE…
New York Giants Head Coach Joe Judge addressed the media on Monday to discuss his team’s 34-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles:

Q: I wanted to ask you about (Running Back) Saquon (Barkley), the way he’s been playing, and if you have any thoughts on maybe kind of shutting him down for the year and having him come back healthy next year.

A: In terms of shutting him down for the year deal, that’s more something that our medical team has not approached me about. At this moment, there wouldn’t be any medical reason, at least that they brought to me, about shutting him down. Anytime we have those conversations that’s for a player’s immediate and long-term health consideration. I know Saquon has been battling through a number of things this year. Came off a traumatic injury last year – that’s a tough recovery. He’s dealt with a number of other things, as well. The ankle in the Dallas game, that’s really been lingering throughout the year. I see this guy go through a lot of things preparation-wise in the week, treatment-wise, and extra recovery-wise trying to get his body back to it. I’ve seen a lot of flashes lately that this guy has really had some good games for us in previous weeks, and he’s out there battling and playing really hard and going through some tough circumstances. He’s out there, he’s playing. He’s dinged up in a lot of ways, as most of the players in the NFL are this time of year. No one’s really 100 percent, but he’s battling through a lot of things for us. In terms of the long-term question for the rest of the year, no one on our medical staff has talked to me about anything related to that at this point.

Q: I just wanted to ask you about a specific situation. On the punt coverage yesterday, the one that ended up as a touchback when it looked like (Cornerback Darqueze) Dennard kind of lost the ball or just let it go into the end zone. Your guys kind of reacted like they were confused as to what happened. After watching it on film, do you have any clarification as to what happened in there, what Dennard saw?

A: I could’ve told you exactly yesterday what happened. It was a plus-50 punt, so we’re looking to go ahead and down that ball on or inside the 10-yard line. We’re working for that range. In Darqueze’s defense a little bit, it’s been a handful of years since he’s played gunner. He’s done a good job. Did a good job for us yesterday. He got a little fogged up on the rules – you cannot be the first toucher if you go out of bounds. The second he ran out of bounds in that situation, I was actually walking down the sideline yelling in his ear ‘Don’t touch it, don’t touch it, don’t touch it,’ because that’s an illegal touch penalty and inside the five it becomes a touchback anyway right there. So, in that situation, the other players have to have an opportunity if the ball kicks back to go ahead and have a chance to make that play the way it bounced, went right into the end zone. (Linebacker) Cam (Brown) after he reacted to playing through the returner didn’t have an opportunity to really make that play. It’s something that we’ve got to make sure that we don’t make that mistake as a guy in our gunner and downing position, but anytime a guy gets knocked on the white, I always do a job or special teams coaches always do a job of just reminding him to make sure you don’t be the first toucher, especially in a plus-50 situation. You have a lot of communication in a game with guys on the perimeter, whether it’s your advice to your gunners because they’re close enough to you. You try to help them out and give them some coaching points with the ball in the air, ball location, whatever it may be. It’s amazing how much communication you can have in the middle of a play with somebody.

Q: So, in that situation, it wasn’t an effort thing, it was really more of execution that since he was out of bounds, he did what you wanted him to do, not touch it.

A: It was absolutely not effort. He got knocked out of bounds, he knew he couldn’t be the first toucher and he made sure that he didn’t get the first toucher penalty, especially inside the five-yard line where there would be no chance of having anything better than a touchback.

Q: You guys had (Offensive Lineman) Isaiah Wilson on the active roster the other day. What has he shown you over the course of the year behind the scenes? And do you view him as an option at right tackle or are you guys only choosing him at guard right now?

A: We’ll go through the week. I think he obviously is an option for us possibly at tackle along with some other players, but really he’s been plugging away in here and he’s made some progress. We’ve flexed him between guard and tackle through some drill and team work. As we go through this week, we’ll look at a number of guys on our practice squad in terms of flexing them up as who can be that next tackle up for the game.

Q: I was just wondering if you could evaluate how (Punter) Riley Dixon has played for you this year, including yesterday.

A: Riley is a guy that works unbelievably tirelessly and he’s a great teammate, he’s a fun guy to coach. He really does a great job of going out and the biggest thing with Riley is knowing when you’ve got to pull the balls away from him because he’ll kick his leg off when he has a bad ball. He’s going to chase that until he feels it’s perfect and gets it fixed. Riley’s got a lot of ability and obviously, yesterday wasn’t his best day punting. It doesn’t mean that we’ve lost confidence in him as a player, it doesn’t mean that we’re going to do something as far as moving on from him as being our punter, but obviously, we expect a little bit more out of him as a player. The one thing that’s tough for Riley is he does everything he can do to prepare for it, and he has great results in practice and through warmups, and he’s just got to carry it over to the game. I could go through the technical things and the things you can coach him on film, whatever it may be. But you see the week before, Riley has had some phenomenal punts for us, done a lot of things to help our field position. He’s been a strength of our team; our coverage unit has been very good this year overall. But when you don’t have good execution from the specialists, the coverage also isn’t going to have good execution, as well. We’ve got to tie those two aspects together and make sure that we eliminate mistakes on the field.

Q: You put in a lot of hours coaching and everyone on your staff does, too. Does it ever reach a point though – I mean, you’re out of the playoff picture officially now – that you sit back and say, ‘I’m disgusted, I’m frustrated,’ something like that?

A: And infer that we would go home early and take more time off?

Q: No, I’m just saying get fed up and say, ‘It hasn’t gone the way I wanted. I’m sick.’

A: No, I think you come back every week and you go to work. That doesn’t mean there’s not frustrations within it, whether you’re winning or losing. There’s been a lot of times where I’ve come in from winning postseason games and you sit down and you feel disgusted with the way you played or your units may have played, and all you’re thinking about as a coach is what you did wrong. I don’t think there’s ever been a game that I sit back afterward and say, ‘Man, that was really, really good. We did this well.’ It could be a great win, it could be a terrible loss, but what you’re thinking about are the things you have to improve on. Coaching is teaching and that’s eliminating mistakes and making sure that you can give someone something that’s going to help them go out there and perform. The thing that we really enjoy as coaches is when you have the opportunity to work with someone, give them a tool to incorporate into the game, and see them have success with it. That’s really the addiction you have. That’s really the adrenaline kick you really have as a coach, that high you get from really working with the team and being able to share in their success. That’s really what you live for, as far as what a coach lives for. In terms of the flow of the season, no, you’ve got to show up and go to work all the time. That’s what we preach to our players, but you’ve got to really go ahead and walk that walk. You can’t just tell the players they have to show up and do that. I’ve coached in all different realms. I’m very, very fortunate to be at the level I am and the position I am in. I’ve coached at Division III Birmingham Southern where we played in front of close friends and family only, high school stadiums where I could look out of the press box and I knew when my wife walked up exactly with my son. You see them walk because there’s no one else in the stadium, but I enjoy that every bit as much as I enjoy this. You have to love the coaching, you have to love the process, you have to love the players, you have to love the team aspect of it. It’s not about the results of the season. You play to have team success. You perform to have team success, but the week-in and week-out work, you have to enjoy that process. You have to really thrive and enjoy those long hours. It truly has to be something you love. This can’t be just a job, it has to be more of a lifestyle in terms of you can’t just say I have to show up, work these hours, and then go on home. It’s got to be something that when you leave, you think about it driving home the entire time. When you wake up, you think about it driving in the entire time. You get excited in the middle of the night and you text your defensive coordinator a good idea you have for a scheme. You text your special teams coordinator an idea you have for a blocked punt, whatever it may be. It’s got to be something that’s always on your mind and you’re always thinking. At least the ones I’ve been around that have been pretty good, that’s the way that their minds always work. One thing that’s in common with guys that are good coaches is they’re always talking ball. You ask me all the time about what we do hobby-wise, what we do away from ball. The reality is, most of us don’t do much because our hobby is ball and that just happens to be what you get paid for.

Q: We talked to you last night about (Tackle) Matt Peart, but obviously the news was bad that he has the ACL. What have you seen from him this year? I would think you guys wanted him to challenge for the starting right tackle spot and play a lot more than he has. Now that he’s out for the year, how do you assess what he’s done, and does he have a place here moving forward?

A: Absolutely, but his number one priority right now is getting healthy. You talk about Matt’s year this year trying to build in that second year, I think one thing is he’s dealt with a number of setbacks from injury. He showed up to training camp, had to go on PUP, had an issue with his back that set him back a good bit. That was something that kind of snowballed and kind of rolled into early in the season as far as him being able to go out there and really play at a top-level. There’s been a number of other things that kind of crept up on him this year in terms of bumps and bruises, that have kind of carried over. To see his season end the way it is with the ACL and how he was really plugging forward – one thing about Matt is he’s a really, really good team player and the guys really like him and respect the way he works and goes out there every day and prepares and challenges and competes. You hate seeing any player get hurt, you hate seeing guys who truly love the game and love their team being injured. One thing that we’re certain of is we know he’s going to get great medical attention and he’s going to get great attention to the rehab process and get him back on the field. He’s still a young player, he’s got a bright future ahead of him. You hate seeing a guy struggle through a number of injuries that set him back throughout the year, but I saw a lot of things that (inaudible). Obviously, he’s still developing in his position, there are a lot of things he can build on and grow on and can improve on, but his number one priority right now is just to get healthy.

Q: I don’t know if this falls under your job questions policy – last year, you had (Former Outside Linebackers Coach) Bret Bielema leave for a college job towards the end of the season. Any chance (Offensive Line Coach) Rob Sale doesn’t finish out this season? There’s a report out there that Florida is targeting him for their offensive line job and obviously it’s recruiting season in college.

A: This absolutely ties into my job policy and I’m absolutely not going to answer it. It’s a hypothetical.

Q: (Quarterback) Mike Glennon, obviously a veteran. Are you surprised that he has struggled as much as he has given his experience? Did you expect a little more from him if put in this spot when you signed him?

A: I like the way Mike puts the team first and comes out and works. There are some things collectively that we have to do better as an offense all around. I like the way that Mike comes in with a positive attitude every week and stays ready. I know he’s going to do that this week and he’ll go into Chicago. It’s going to be a tough challenge for all of us and I know Mike and (Quarterback) Jake (Fromm) will both be getting ready for the opportunity.

Q: Last year, your team came on pretty strong in the second half winning five of your last eight games. Outside of the obvious loss of your starting quarterback this year, is there something you have identified on tape watching your team play that is consistently not done late in the year that it did do last year?

A: I think there are a number of things that we’re looking to focus on that we have to improve collectively going into next season and there’s a lot of things that we have to improve on. I’m not one that’s going to sit here and make excuses, so I’m not going to go ahead and list a bunch of things that people are going to turn around and misinterpret, but obviously, as a coaching staff, we’ve got to make sure that we go ahead and we build on things that have shown we’ve done well. I’ve seen a lot of things and aspects of this team really improve throughout the second half of the year. We’ve seen a lot of things that have been better in the second half than the first half of the year and collectively in all three phases. That being said, it hasn’t been good enough overall, and we’ve got to do a better job in all three phases to keep having success and have to eliminate mistakes.

Q: Anybody coming off the COVID list in the next couple of days before you hit the field on Wednesday? I know you don’t like to talk about individuals and symptoms and stuff, but Nate Solder’s situation is pretty well-documented. How is he doing? How is he holding up, and his family?

A: I’ve got to reach out to Nate myself today and see how he is doing today. I haven’t gotten a report from our medical staff today in terms of Nate being in any severe or negative situation, but I don’t want to speak for Nate on that. I can’t tell you exactly how he’s feeling, but you’re right, Nate having more of a documented situation, there’s definitely a heightened awareness with his situation with his family and himself. Other than that, we’ve got a number of guys that have returned in the building and then really nobody before Wednesday unless they go ahead, and they get the two negative tests to get back in the building. The earliest we’d see anybody would be (Defensive Back) Keion Crossen back on Thursday, but we’re just going by timetables.

Q: I’m curious if you have any thoughts on Saquon. He’s a team captain and he’s obviously one of the key players on your team, and he hasn’t made himself available after the game yesterday and he’s not going to be available today. Does that bother you that he doesn’t take that responsibility to talk publicly and other guys like (Running Back) Devontae Booker was up there yesterday speaking for the offense and young guys like Jake Fromm? Is that something you look at as a coach?

A: I’m going to be completely transparent and honest with you right now, I don’t pay a lot of attention to who gets asked to speak after games or appear through weeks. I know that I see him at the podium a lot of times when I’m walking off the field from practice. I know I see him a good deal dealing with the media. I don’t know his individual schedule. I can tell you – because (Senior Vice President of Communications) Pat Hanlon and I talked about this kind of walking in the hallway earlier – but I guess there are some reports about him not being available. I can tell you for a fact after the game was over that he was getting his normal treatment and was with the trainers for a good amount of time. Between that, shower, getting dressed, we were obviously driving back on buses, there was a kind of hurried emphasis of getting everybody out of the locker room yesterday. But I saw Saquon in the training room myself, so I can tell you right now –

Q: To be fair, every player is supposed to be available to talk after the game. There’s a lot of time where he can be available to talk. (Former Quarterback) Eli Manning was a guy who used to talk on Monday so his other teammates after a loss didn’t have to sit up there and answer questions. This is supposed to be one of your leaders and team captains.

A: I’m going to be honest with you, I don’t really pay a whole lot of attention to who the players are talking to media-wise, but I’ll make sure Pat addresses that and we’ll see if there’s anything that needs to be adjusted based on league policy.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The players are off on Tuesday and return to practice on Wednesday.

Dec 262021
 

Clown World

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 34 – NEW YORK GIANTS 10…
There is bad. And then there is really, really, really awful. And that’s what the New York Football Giants were in their 34-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Giants utterly embarrassed themselves with their comically pathetic play in a game that was often painful to watch because of the ineptitude of both teams. New York is now 4-11 on the season and getting worse with each passing week. It’s also becoming increasingly clear that the franchise has no idea what they are doing. Welcome to Clown World.

Officially, the Giants were eliminated from playoff contention.

The Giants started Jake Fromm at quarterback. A few weeks ago, he was on the Practice Squad of the Buffalo Bills. Now we know why. Behind a poor offensive line, Fromm struggled with his decision-making and accuracy. He finished the game 6-of-17 for 25 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception. He was also sacked twice.

The Giants had six offensive possessions in the first half, including two that started with outstanding field position at their own 41 and 49 yard lines. Five of these resulted in a total of three first downs and five punts. Their only scoring drive came at the of the 1st quarter and beginning of the 2nd quarter when the Giants “drove” 39 yards in 11 plays. This resulted in a 54-yard field goal and their only lead of the game, 3-0.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia struggled on offense in the first half as well. Poor offensive execution by the Eagles and solid first-half defense by the Giants resulted in only two first downs and four straight punts by Philadelphia to start the game. The Eagles began moving the ball in the 2nd quarter. One 9-play, 53-yard drive ended with a missed 41-yard field goal. That was followed up by a 7-play, 56-yard drive that ended with a successful 22-yard field goal at the 2-minute warning.

At the break, the game was tied 3-3.

The roof collapsed in the 3rd and early 4th quarters. What had been an ugly 3-3 game quickly turned into a 34-3 embarrassment for the Giants. Counting their field goal in the first half, the Eagles scored 34 unanswered points. At one point in the 3rd quarter, the Giants had more punts (8) than first downs (7) in the game.

Fromm was benched in the 3rd quarter after two more possessions, the first ending with a bad interception . He was replaced by Mike Glennon, who was benched by the team this week after his dreadful performance against Dallas Cowboys and his 0-3 record as a starter in place of the injured Daniel Jones. Glennon wasn’t much better. His first two drives resulted in one first and two punts. He then threw an interceptions that was returned returned 29 yards for a touchdown and the 34-3 advantage.

The combination of incredibly poor offense, highlighted by two terrible interceptions, and atrocious punting by Riley Dixon helped to cause the defensive collapse. Fromm’s interception put the ball on the New York 21-yard line to start the 3rd quarter. Five plays later, the Eagles scored a touchdown that made the game 10-3.

After another three-and-out with Fromm at the helm, Dixon’s poor punt traveled just 33 yards and was returned 39 yards to the New York 21-yard line again. Four plays later, the Eagles settled for a 37-yard field goal. 13-3.

In came Glennon. Three-and-out. A 31-yard punt by Dixon set up the Eagles at their 43-yard line. Five plays later, quarterback Jalen Hurts threw a 4-yard touchdown on 3rd-and-goal. 20-3.

Glennon picked up one first down and the Giants punted again. This time only 36 yards by Dixon. The defense had largely given up by this point as Philadelphia drove 75 yards in 10 plays to take a 27-3 lead on Hurts’ touchdown pass to a wide-open offensive lineman. Then came the pick-6 making it 34-3 with about 10 minutes left in the game.

Glennon “led” the Giants on a garbage-time, 17-play, 75-yard drive that took 6:29 off of the clock and ended with a 9-yard touchdown pass to tight end Evan Engram. The onside kick failed. Each team had the ball once more in the final four minutes, but neither scored.

Offensively, the Giants finished with 15 first downs, seven of which came after the score was 34-3. 102 yards of the team’s 192 yards came on these last two meaningless drives as well. In other words, the Giants had 90 yards of offense before the score was 34-3. Glennon finished 17-of-27 for 93 yards, one touchdown, and a pick-6. No receiving target had more than four catches of 28 yards. Running Back Saquon Barkley carried the ball 15 times for 32 yards (2.1 yards per carry average).

Defensively, while New York started strong, they weakened as the game progressed. The Giants only gave up 17 first downs, but they missed chances at a number of turnovers and did allow 324 yards of offense and three second-half touchdowns.

On special teams, Dixon was dreadful.

Video lowlights are available at Giants.com.

ROSTER MOVES, PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, the Giants activated LB Cam Brown and CB Aaron Robinson from the Reserve/COVID-19 List to the 53-man roster. The team also activated S Natrell Jamerson from the Reserve/COVID-19 List to the Practice Squad.

NT Danny Shelton and OT Nate Solder were placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 List.

In addition, the team activated WR David Sills, OL Isaiah Wilson, DL David Moa, and CB Darqueze Dennard from the Practice Squad as COVID-19 replacements.

The Giants terminated the Practice Squad contract of LB Omari Cobb.

Missing the game due to COVID-19 were WR John Ross, OT Nate Solder, NT Danny Shelton, CB Adoree’ Jackson, and CB Keion Crossen.

Inactive for the game were RB Gary Brightwell (neck), WR Collin Johnson (hamstring), OG Ben Bredeson (ankle), and LB Oshane Ximines.

RT Matt Peart left the game with a left knee injury in the first half and did not return. FB Cullen Gillaspia and CB Jarren Williams also left the game in the second half with undisclosed injuries.

POST-GAME REACTION…
Video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Joe Judge and the following players are available in The Corner Forum at Giants.com:

  • Head Coach Joe Judge (Video)
  • QB Jake Fromm (Video)
  • QB Mike Glennon (Video)
  • RB Devontae Booker (Video)
  • LB Lorenzo Carter (Video)
  • S Julian Love (Video)

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