Nov 222016
 
Marshall Newhouse, New York Giants (August 20, 2016)

Marshall Newhouse – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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MARSHALL NEWHOUSE HAS PARTIAL MCL TEAR?…
The New York Post is reporting that offensive lineman Marshall Newhouse partially tore the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his left knee during Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears. Newhouse told The Post that he hopes to be able to play with the injury.

PRACTICE SQUAD MOVES…
NJ.com is reporting that 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 was signed to the Practice Squad in September and October 2016 and then to the 53-man roster in October 2016 before being waived on Saturday. 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. Skinner is a big, instinctive linebacker with decent agility but who lacks speed.

Thomas has been added to and released from the Practice Squad multiple times in 2016. 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. Thomas has only played in two NFL games, completing one pass in nine attempts for an 81-yard touchdown.

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:

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The players return to practice on Wednesday in preparation for Sunday’s away game against the Cleveland Browns.

Nov 202016
 
Landon Collins, New York Giants (November 20, 2016)

Landon Collins – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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NEW YORK GIANTS 22 – CHICAGO BEARS 16…
The New York Giants defeated the Chicago Bears 22-16 on Sunday afternoon at a windy MetLife Stadium. With the win, the Giants improved their overall record to 7-3.

The Giants slightly out-gained the Bears in first downs (19 to 17), total net yards (329 to 315), net yards rushing (102 to 93), and net yards passing (227 to 222). Chicago was 4-of-12 (33 percent) on 3rd down while New York was 5-of-14 (36 percent) on 3rd down and 2-for-2 (100 percent) on 4th down. The Bears turned the ball over once while the Giants did not turn the ball over at all.

The Bears had four possessions in the first half and scored on their first three: a 9-play, 76-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown (extra point missed); a 7-play, 39-yard drive that resulted in a 40-yard field goal; and an 8-play, 79-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown. Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was 11-of-14 for 126 yards and a touchdown in the first half with tight end Zach Miller catching three passes for 61 yards and a 19-yard score. The Giants defense also had trouble stopping running back Jordan Howard as he rushed for 72 yards on 12 carries in the first half.

Meanwhile, the Giants only had three possessions in the first half, scoring on two of them. New York drove 78 yards in 11 plays on their first drive. The Giants went for it on 4th-and-2 from the Chicago 17-yard line as quarterback Eli Manning hit wide receiver Sterling Shepard for 15 yards down to the 2-yard line. On the next snap, running back Rashad Jennings scored. The extra point was missed by ex-Bears kicker Robbie Gould. New York went three-and-out on their second possession. Then on their third and final possession before the break, the Giants drove 57 yards in 14 plays to set up a successful 46-yard field goal by Gould. This drive also included a successful 4th-down conversion as Jennings caught a 5-yard pass on 4th-and-2 at the Bears 33-yard line. Manning was 11-of-18 for 100 yards in the first half with Jennings both the leading rusher (seven carries for 34 yards) and receiver (five catches for 44 yards).

Chicago led 16-9 at halftime.

The Giants defense shut out the Bears in the second half. Five of Chicago’s second-half possessions resulted in three-and-outs. Their third possession after the break gained 47 yards in nine plays but ended with a missed 51-yard field goal early in the 4th quarter.

The Giants offense scored touchdowns on their first two possessions of the second half. First, aided by a 46-yard kickoff return by Dwayne Harris, the Giants drove 56 yards in nine plays to tie the game at 16-16 on Manning’s 9-yard touchdown pass to tight end Will Tye. Then New York drove 79 yards in seven plays to go up 22-16 midway through the 3rd quarter. The big play on this drive was a 48-yard pass from Manning to wide receiver Victor Cruz. Three plays later, on 3rd-and-4, Manning hit Shepard for a 15-yard touchdown. Gould missed what could have been a very costly extra point, his second miss of the game.

Holding a 6-point lead, the Giants offense struggled for the remainder of the game as their next five drives resulted in only two first downs and five punts. Fortunately, the Bears were even more inept. Starting on their own 22-yard line, Chicago got the ball one last time at the 3-minute mark. The Bears gained 35 yards on their first play to the Giants 43-yard line. Then on 2nd-and-20, Chicago gained 23 yards to the Giants 30-yard line. But defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul sacked Cutler and a penalty pushed the Bears back into a 2nd-and-29 from the New York 49-yard line. On the next snap, safety Landon Collins saved the win with an interception at the Giants 21-yard line.

Offensively, Eli Manning finished 21-of-36 for 227 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions. His leading receivers were Sterling Shepard (5 catches for 50 yards and a touchdown), wide receiver Odell Beckham (5 catches for 46 yards), and Rashad Jennings (5 catches for 44 yards). Jennings finished the game with 85 yards rushing and a touchdown on 21 carries. The Giants did not allow a sack and did not turn the ball over.

Defensively, Jason Pierre-Paul accrued 5 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 tackle for a loss, 3 QB hits, 1 pass defense, and 1 forced fumble. Defensive end Olivier Vernon had 3 tackles, 1 sack, and 2 tackles for losses. Landon Collins had 6 tackles, 1 interception, and 3 pass defenses. Defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins had 6 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and 1 tackle for a loss.

Video highlights/lowlights are available at Giants.com.

INACTIVE LIST AND INJURY REPORT…
Inactive for the game were left guard Justin Pugh (knee), offensive lineman Brett Jones (calf), tight end Larry Donnell, wide receiver Tavarres King, quarterback Josh Johnson, defensive tackle Robert Thomas, and cornerback Leon Hall.

Wide receiver Roger Lewis suffered a possible concussion. Wide receiver Dwayne Harris (wrist) and offensive lineman Marshall Newhouse (sprained knee) left the game with injuries but returned.

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

POST-GAME NOTES…
The Giants won their fifth consecutive game, their longest winning streak since they won five in a row in 2010.

The Giants improved to 7-3 and have exceeded their victory total from each of the previous two seasons (when they were 6-10) – with six games remaining.

This is the Giants best 10-game start since they were 9-1 in 2008.

The Giants seven victories have been by a total of 27 points.

The Giants improved to 5-1 in MetLife Stadium, their highest total at home since they were 6-2 in 2012.

With the victory, the Giants concluded a 3-0 homestand. This is the first time the Giants won three games at home in consecutive weeks 1962.

The Giants did not commit a turnover, ending their NFL-long streak of 18 consecutive games with at least one giveaway.

Safety Landon Collins has intercepted at least one pass in four consecutive games, the first Giants player to do that since cornerback Phillippi Sparks also had a four-game streak in 1995.

ROSTER MOVES…
On Saturday, the New York Giants signed center Shane McDermott to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad. To make room for McDermott, the team waived linebacker Deontae Skinner. The Giants also signed quarterback Logan Thomas to the Practice Squad.

McDermott was signed to the Giants Practice Squad on Thursday. He also spent time on the team’s Practice Squad in September. McDermott originally signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2015 NFL Draft, but the Cowboys cut him in September that year. After a brief stint on the Panthers Practice Squad, the Giants signed McDermott to the Practice Squad in November 2015. McDermott is a blue-collar, overachiever who lacks ideal athleticism and strength.

Skinner was signed to the Practice Squad in September and October 2016 and then to the 53-man roster in October 2016. 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 in August.

Thomas has been added to and released from the Practice Squad multiple times in 2016. 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. Thomas has only played in two NFL games, completing one pass in nine attempts for an 81-yard touchdown. Thomas is a huge, athletic quarterback with a quick release and strong arm. He has been an inconsistent performer with decision-making and accuracy issues.

ARTICLES…

Oct 252016
 
Josh Brown, New York Giants (December 7, 2014)

Josh Brown – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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GIANTS CUT JOSH BROWN…
The New York Giants have released place kicker Josh Brown a week after new revelations about his past domestic violence issues. Brown was placed on the NFL’s Reserve/Commissioner Exempt List last Friday and did not play against the Los Angeles Rams in London on Sunday.

“We believed we did the right thing at every juncture in our relationship with Josh,” said Giants President/CEO John Mara in a statement. “Our beliefs, our judgments and our decisions were misguided. We accept that responsibility.

“We hope that Josh will continue to dedicate himself to rehabilitation, and to becoming a better person and father. We will continue to support him in his efforts to continue counseling, and we hope that Josh and his family can find peace and a positive resolution.

“We have great respect and feel strongly about our support for the good people who work tirelessly and unconditionally to aid the victims of domestic violence and who bring awareness to the issue. We have been partners with My Sisters’ Place (a domestic violence shelter and advocate based in Westchester, New York) for nearly 20 years. The leadership of that organization has provided invaluable insight as we have considered our decisions in this matter. We value and respect their opinion, and we look forward to continuing to work with them in the future.”

“The road to rehabilitation is a journey and a constant modification of a way of life,” said Brown in a prepared statement. “My journey will continue forever as a person determined to leave a positive legacy and I embrace the opportunities to show and speak about what has helped me to be that man.  I am sorry that my past has called into question the character or integrity of The New York Giants, Mr. Mara or any of those who have supported me along the way.  In the coming days and weeks I plan on telling more of the pain I had caused and the measures taken to get help so I may be the voice of change and not a statistic.  In the interim I am cooperating with the Giants and the NFL. Thank you to everyone that has supported me, I will not let you down.”

PRACTICE SQUAD MOVES…
The New York Giants have re-signed quarterback Logan Thomas to the Practice Squad and terminated the Practice Squad contract of long snapper Tyler Ott.

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. Thomas has only played in two NFL games, completing one pass in nine attempts for an 81-yard touchdown.

Ott was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the New England Patriots after the 2014 NFL Draft. He did not make the team, but spent time with the Patriots again and the St. Louis Rams before the 2015 season. The Giants signed Ott in late December 2015 and he played in the regular-season finale. The Giants waived Ott in late August and signed him to the Practice Squad last week.

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:

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The players will be off Wednesday through Sunday before returning to practice next Monday.

Oct 132016
 
Mike Sullivan and Eli Manning, New York Giants (July 30, 2016)

Mike Sullivan and Eli Manning – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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OCTOBER 13, 2016 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
Cornerback Eli Apple (groin), safety Darian Thompson (foot), safety Nat Berhe (concussion), wide receiver/returner Dwayne Harris (toe), and offensive tackle Marshall Newhouse (calf) did not practice on Thursday.

Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (groin), defensive end Olivier Vernon (wrist), cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (groin), linebacker Devon Kennard (concussion), running back Rashad Jennings (thumb), and tight end Jerell Adams (ear) were limited in practice.

Tight end Larry Donnell (concussion) fully practiced.

PRACTICE SQUAD MOVES…
The New York Giants have signed linebacker Eric Pinkins and cornerback Michael Hunter to the Practice Squad. To make room for these two, the team placed cornerback Donte Deayon on Practice Squad/Injured Reserve and terminated the Practice Squad contract of quarterback Logan Thomas.

Pinkins was originally drafted in the 6th round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. Pinkins was waived by the Seahawks in September 2016. He has played in six regular-season NFL games with no starts. Pinkins has a nice combination of size and speed, but his instincts have been questioned.

Hunter has spent time on both the Practice Squad and 53-man roster in 2016. The Giants originally signed Hunter as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2016 NFL Draft. Hunter has a nice combination of size and speed.

Deayon was signed to the Practice Squad in September 2016. The Giants originally signed Deayon as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2016 NFL Draft.

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.

THE COACHES SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following coaches are available in The Corner Forum and 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:

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Ben McAdoo and select position coaches and players will address the media on Friday.

Oct 112016
 
Coty Sensabaugh, Los Angeles Rams (September 12, 2016)

Coty Sensabaugh – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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GIANTS SIGN CB COTY SENSABAUGH AND LB DEONTAE SKINNER
The New York Giants have signed cornerback Coty Sensabaugh (who was cut by the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday) and Deontae Skinner (who was on the Giants Practice Squad) to the 53-man roster.

To make room for Sensabaugh and Skinner, the Giants waived defensive tackle Montori Hughes and cornerback Michael Hunter.

The Giants also re-signed quarterback Logan Thomas to the Practice Squad.

Sensabaugh was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. The Rams signed him to a 3-year, $15 million contract in March. Sensabaugh has played in 61 regular-season games with 29 starts. Sensabaugh is an average-sized corner whose strength is playing the slot nickel corner spot.

“My first three years in the League, I was mostly inside,” said Sensabaugh. “My last year in Tennessee, I was mostly outside. This year with the Rams D, in games that I played, I was outside.”

Skinner was signed to the Practice Squad in September and October 2016. 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. Skinner is a big, instinctive linebacker with decent agility but who lacks speed.

The Giants re-signed Hughes in September 2016 after cutting him the week before. Hughes was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. In his two seasons with the Colts, Hughes played in 16 games with one start. The Colts waived him in September 2015 and the Giants then signed him to their Practice Squad. The Giants signed Montori Hughes to the 53-man roster in November 2015. He ended up playing in seven games as a reserve, and finished the season with six tackles.

Hunter was signed to the Practice Squad and later the 53-man roster in September 2016. The Giants originally signed Hunter as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2016 NFL Draft.

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. Thomas has only played in two NFL games, completing one pass in nine attempts for an 81-yard touchdown.

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:

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants return to practice at 11:40AM on Wednesday.

Oct 062016
 
Landon Collins and Steve Spagnuolo, New York Giants (September 25, 2016)

Landon Collins and Steve Spagnuolo – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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OCTOBER 6, 2016 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
Safety Darian Thompson (foot), safety Nat Berhe (concussion), tight end Larry Donnell (concussion), and offensive tackle Marshall Newhouse (calf) did not practice on Thursday.

Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (groin), cornerback Eli Apple (hamstring), running back Rashad Jennings (thumb), and defensive end Olivier Vernon (wrist) were limited in practice.

“Taking it each day, trying to be a little cautious,” Apple said. “Of course you hear it all the time, guys come back too fast and they tweak (the hamstring) even more. That is how it gets worse. The tweak is probably worse than the initial injury. So you don’t want to do that. You want to be prepared, do everything they tell you to do in the training room and take it day by day, cautious.”

“(Vernon) is battling with that hand,” Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said. “I don’t think people realize that it is affecting him as much as it is and he battles with it all week and then goes out there and plays.”

Defensive tackle Robert Thomas (illness) fully practiced.

PRACTICE SQUAD MOVES…
The New York Giants have once again re-signed linebacker Deontae Skinner to the Practice Squad and terminated the Practice Squad contract of quarterback Logan 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.

THE COACHES SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following coaches are available in The Corner Forum and 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…
Head Coach Ben McAdoo and select position coaches and players will address the media on Friday.

Oct 042016
 
Orleans Darkwa, New York Giants (October 3, 2016)

Orleans Darkwa – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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TUESDAY BEN MCADOO CONFERENCE CALL…
New York Giants Head Coach Ben McAdoo addressed the media by conference call on Tuesday to discuss the team’s 24-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings:

McAdoo: I’ll start with a little bit about the defense and what we did well. Our first and second down run defense, stopping the run, was adequate. I thought our defense hung in there and gave us a chance to stay and hang in the ballgame. What we need to work on is our red zone defense. We were 0-for-3 there. Third and fourth down conversions, we were 50 percent. We had a drive really after we cut the score to seven. There was a big drive in the game. We enabled them to extend the lead.

On offense, what we did well, I thought our offensive line handled the noise. Zero sacks. We did have a false start, but we handled the noise well. I thought some running backs stepped up to fill the void of the loss of our number one and number two backs. Had a nice night. Some things we need to work on. We need to complete the ball better. Teams make it tough on us. They make us go a long way. We need to do a better job there. Five of six series in the first half, we stopped ourselves with penalties and other errors. We need to make the contested plays and connect on third downs. We were poor on third downs.

Special teams, what we did well, I thought we held a couple of explosive returners in check in the kicking game. What we need to work on, we need to handle the ball better and field the punt.

It’s a short week. It’s not going to get any easier for us, like I said last night. Playing at a tough venue against a good opponent. We need to have a great week of preparation in a short week.

Q: You mentioned that you guys didn’t take advantage enough of one-on-one matchups yesterday. When you reviewed the tape, what did you see there?

A: I think it’s a combination of a little bit of everything. A combination of the call, possible throws, possible reads, one-on-one matchups and making contested plays. I don’t think you can ever just say it’s one thing. I think it’s a combination of a lot of things. Again, give the opponent credit, that’s a pretty good defense.

Q: When you go back and watch the tape and see that Odell doesn’t get targeted until 22 minutes into the game, is that something you have to correct? How do you go about that?

A: Well, first thing is we have to be smart with the quarterback and his decision making. You don’t ever want him to have to force balls. That can make a lot of things worse. At the same point in time, it’s my responsibility to make sure a playmaker like Odell has the opportunity to touch the football. We’re going to continue to work at it.

Q: How do you do that? What kind of ways can you make that happen?

A: I’m not going to give you an answer to that question. That’s a game plan type question. We have to keep him in our thoughts.

Q: Were you concerned at all with what Odell said after the game about officials “targeting” him? Is that something you will talk to him about?

A: I think as an offense we need to get all the penalties and turnovers out of our play. We need to execute better as an offense and understand that the penalties are drive killers. They hold us back. We need to eliminate them from our play. Every game is officiated differently. Not all crews officiate games the same way. You have scouting reports on officials just like you do on opponents. We need to understand how the games are going to be officiated. You usually find out pretty early.

Q: What did you see when you went back and looked at the tape on that penalty?

A: I saw contact on the boundary. I thought it was going to be offsetting. They called it one way. We accept responsibility for it and we move on.

Q: Does it concern you that your player reacted like that? Especially that he has had a history of this?

A: He did not have any unsportsmanlike conduct penalties last week. The one yesterday was one that we have to eliminate from our play. We can’t have 15-yard penalties. One 15-yard penalty in a close game is usually enough to cost you a game.

Q: Odell told ESPN that he’s not having any fun right now with his role. What is your response to that?

A: I have no response.

Q: Is it concerning when your star player is coming out and saying that he’s not having any fun?

A: When we execute better, spread the ball around and everyone gets their opportunities, we’re going to have some fun. Until we execute better, hang onto the football and eliminate the penalties from our play, no one is going to be having any fun.

Q: I know you talked about how it was just one penalty, but Odell and Rhodes had other run-ins on the plays after. Was it a distraction?

A: No. It was not a distraction. Two competitive players playing the game.

Q: You guys were the only game last night and everyone is talking about Odell Beckham today. Do you recognize that this is something that you’ll have to deal with and talk about as the season goes on?

A: The most important thing for us right now is to eliminate the penalties and play as an offense. When we do that, our offense is going to have an opportunity to come to life. Right now, we’re sixth in the league in offense and we’re not executing anywhere near where we are capable of executing. We need to eliminate the mistakes, the penalties and the turnovers from our play so we have chance to showcase the type of offense we can be.

Q: Odell also said that when I’m communicating, I’m not getting the opportunity to contribute. What do you think he means by that exactly?

A: He’s a talented player who works hard in practice. It’s important to him. His teammates are important to him. He wants to win and he wants to make an impact.

Q: Do you feel like he’s unhappy that he’s not getting the ball?

A: Yes. He’s one heck of a player that wants the football.

Q: Are you guys looking into adding any type of free agent as a defensive back? Are those conversations happening?

A: Our conversations on the roster are ongoing. We worked out some players last week. We’ll look at that when the week unfolds.

Q: Do you think you have to make a move on a safety or are you optimistic Nat Berhe will be ready?

A: We’ll see. I don’t have anything new to report on that. He’s still in the concussion protocol. I’m confident in the players we have at safety right now.

Q: Are you going to talk to the NFL about what Odell said about officials potentially targeting him?

A: I’ve not been a part of any discussions like that, no.

Q: Do you have an update on Larry Donnell?

A: He’s in the concussion protocol.

Q: No other serious injuries coming out of that game?

A: Just some bumps and bruises. Nothing to report.

Q: Do you like the chances of getting at least one of your cornerbacks back this week?

A: I would like to think so. We’ll see how it goes. DRC will be limited and Eli will be limited when we hit the field tomorrow.

Q: The Dwayne Harris fumbled punt, is that just a mistake or just completely careless?

A: I do not consider it completely careless. He’s a player who wants to make an impact in the football game and do what he does best. That’s making plays on special teams. He’s very aggressive doing so. We just have to make sure we field the punt first.

Q: Do you have any intentions of talking to Odell about some of these things that he said?

A: Odell and I talk every day. We’re around each other all the time. We speak a couple times a day on different things. We’re always going to have conversations.

Q: Do you think you need to air anything out with him in regards to the targeting by the officials comment?

A: All conversations I have with Odell will be private.

Q: Eli said the penalties are brought upon by Odell himself. Is that something that you have to address with the both of them together?

A: I think that we need to get the penalties out of our play. Eliminate the turnovers, execute better as an offense. That’s the most important thing for us to be focused on right now.

PRACTICE SQUAD MOVES…
The New York Giants have once again re-signed quarterback Logan Thomas to the Practice Squad and terminated the Practice Squad contract of linebacker Deontae Skinner.

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.

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.

NOTES…
The Giants fell to 23-37-1 on Monday nights, including 15-28-1 on the road and 2-3 vs. the Vikings (0-2 in Minnesota).

QB Eli Manning’s 25 completions increased his career total to 3,796, and moved him past Vinny Testaverde (3,787) and into ninth place on the NFL’s career list.

WR Odell Beckham has not scored a touchdown in a career-long five games.

WR Sterling Shepard caught four passes for 30 yards. That pushed his season total to 20 receptions, a record for a Giants rookie in his first four games. Beckham held the previous mark with 18 two years ago.

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants return to practice at 4:05PM on Wednesday.

Sep 192016
 
Rashad Jennings, New York Giants (September 18, 2016)

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…

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

Sep 182016
 
Jonathan Casillas and Janoris Jenkins, New York Giants (September 18, 2016)

Jonathan Casillas and Janoris Jenkins – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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NEW YORK GIANTS 16 – NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 13…
The New York Giants gutted out a 16-13 win over the New Orleans Saints at MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The game-winning 23-yard field goal was kicked by Josh Brown as time expired on the clock. The victory improved the Giants record to 2-0, the first time the team has started the season with two wins since 2009.

Remarkably, the Giants beat the high-powered Saints without scoring an offensive touchdown. The Giants dominated the stat sheet, out-gaining the Saints in first downs (22 to 16), third-down efficiency (47% to 23%), total net yards (417 to 288), net yards rushing (64 to 41), and net yards passing (353 to 247). But the Giants fumbled the ball away three times (for a -3 turnover differential) and were halted on a 4th-and-goal attempt.

The story of the game for the Giants was their defense and special teams. In seven first-half possessions, the Saints only gained six first downs. They punted the ball away five times, had a field goal blocked, and kicked another field goal with their only productive drive of the first half (11 plays and 54 yards).

Meanwhile, the Giants offense bumbled and stumbled in the first half even though the team punted the ball away only once (on their first drive). The Giants had an impressive 14-play, 80-yard possession end on 4th-and-2 at the 3-yard line with an incomplete pass to wide receiver Odell Beckham. Then came three straight offensive possessions with fumbles – one each by running back Shane Vereen, wide receiver Victor Cruz, and quarterback Eli Manning.

The drama began after Manning’s fumble which gave the Saints the ball at the New York 25-yard line. The defense held and forced New Orleans to attempt a 38-yard field goal. Defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins blocked the attempt. The loose ball was picked up by cornerback Janoris Jenkins who then raced 65 yards for the first score of the day for either team with 2:30 to play in the 2nd quarter. The Saints then responded with their one scoring drive of the first half. At the break, the Giants led 7-3.

The Giants missed a 53-yard field goal and the Saints punted early in the 3rd quarter. The Giants then put together an 11-play, 54-yard drive that ended with a 48-yard field goal by Josh Brown. The Saints responded late in the 3rd quarter/early in the 4th quarter with a 9-play, 74-yard drive that ended with 17-yard touchdown pass by quarterback Drew Brees. The score tied the game at 10-10.

The Giants immediately followed this up with an impressive 11-play, 74-yard drive that unfortunately stalled at the 1-yard line after facing a 1st-and-goal from the one. Brown’s second field goal of the day gave the Giants a 13-10 advantage with 8:46 to play. After both teams exchanged punts, the Saints tied the game after an 8-play, 47-yard drive set up a successful 45-yard field goal with 2:54 to play.

Then came the game-winning possession by the Giants as New York drove 70 yards in 11 plays. They converted two 3rd downs, including a 6-yard pass on 3rd-and-1 to wide receiver Sterling Shepard and a 34-yard pass to Cruz on 3rd-and-8 down to the Saints’ 2-yard line. After three kneel downs by quarterback Eli Manning, Brown kicked the game-winning 23-yard field goal with no time left on the clock.

Offensively, Manning finished the game 32-of-41 for 368 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions. His leading receivers were Shepard (8 catches for 117 yards), Beckham (8 catches for 86 yards), and Cruz (4 catches for 91 yards). The leading runners were Vereen (14 carries for 42 yards) and Rashad Jennings (13 carries for 27 yards).

Defensively, the Giants did not force a turnover for the second game in a row. The first sacks on the year were generated by safety Landon Collins and cornerback Leon Hall.

Video highlights/lowlights are available at Giants.com.

INACTIVE LIST AND INJURY REPORT…
Inactive for the game were defensive tackle Robert Thomas (illness), quarterback Josh Johnson, running back Bobby Rainey, running back Paul Perkins, wide receiver Roger Lewis, offensive tackle Will Beatty, and defensive tackle Montori Hughes.

Safety Mykkele Thompson injured his knee and right tackle Marshall Newhouse strained his calf in the game. Neither returned. Newhouse was seen after the game with his right foot in a boot. Running back Rashad Jennings had x-rays after the game and his hand was heavily wrapped.

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

POST-GAME NOTES…
The Giants have won six consecutive games when holding the opposition to fewer than 20 points.

The Giants improved to 50-39-3 in home openers, including 3-4 in MetLife Stadium.

Ben McAdoo joined Dan Reeves (1993) and Joe Alexander (1926) as the only head coaches in franchise history to win their first two games as a Giants head coach.

This was the 30th game in which quarterback Eli Manning led the Giants to victory when they were tied or trailing in the fourth quarter.

Manning’s career yardage total increased to 44,762. That moved him past Drew Bledsoe (44,611) and into 10th place on the NFL’s career list.

The Giants scored on a blocked field goal for the first time since December 7, 2008, when cornerback Kevin Dockery scooped up a blocked attempt by Philadelphia’s David Akers and returned it 71 yards for a score.

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

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.

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.

ARTICLES…

Sep 132016
 
Montori Hughes, New York Giants (January 3, 2016)

Montori Hughes – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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GIANTS RE-SIGN DT MONTORI HUGHES, CUT PK RANDY BULLOCK…
The New York Giants have re-signed defensive tackle Montori Hughes, who the team waived on September 4th when it claimed defensive tackle Randy Thomas off of waivers from the Carolina Panthers. To make room for Hughes, the Giants released place kicker Randy Bullock.

Hughes was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. In his two seasons with the Colts, Hughes played in 16 games with one start. The Colts waived him in September 2015 and the Giants then signed him to their Practice Squad. The Giants signed Montori Hughes to the 53-man roster in November 2015. He ended up playing in seven games as a reserve, and finished the season with six tackles.

Bullock was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. He played in 35 consecutive regular-season games for the Texans until he was released in late September 2015. Bulluck then served as the New York Jets place kicker for eight games in 2015. The Giants signed Bullock in August 2016. He missed one of three extra point attempts against the Cowboys on Sunday.

GIANTS PRACTICE SQUAD MOVES…
The New York Giants have signed linebacker Deontae Skinner to the Practice Squad. To make room for Skinner, the Giants terminated the Practice Squad contract of quarterback Logan 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. Skinner is a big, instinctive linebacker with decent agility but who lacks speed.

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.

NEW YORK GIANTS COLOR RUSH UNIFORMS REVEALED…
The New York Giants have revealed their Color Rush alternate jerseys, which the team will wear for the December 22 Thursday night game against the Eagles in Philadelphia. The Color Rush jersey concept began last season for four Thursday Night Football games to commemorate 50 years of NFL games being broadcast in color. The games featured opposing teams wearing one-color matching jerseys, intentionally designed to clash with their opponent. The concept has now been expanded for all 32 teams. The Giants Color Rush jersey is modeled on the team’s 1980’s away uniform.

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:

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants return to practice at 11:40AM on Wednesday.