Dec 252023
 
Adoree' Jackson, New York Giants (December 25, 2023)

Adoree’ Jackson – © USA TODAY Sports

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 33 – NEW YORK GIANTS 25
The New York Giants made a game out of it, but untimely letdowns on offense, defense, and special teams plus questionable officiating led to another defeat. The Giants lost to the Eagles 33-25 at Lincoln Financial Field on Monday, falling to 5-10 on the season. The Giants were also officially eliminated from playoff contention.

The overall team stats were one-sided in favor of the Eagles. They led in first downs (28 to 14), total net yards (465 to 292), net yards rushing (170 to 106), net yards passing (295 to 186), and time of possession 34:38 to 25:22). Philadelphia was also markedly better on 3rd and 4th down conversions. The Giants did win the turnover battle two to one.

The Eagles dominated the first half. The Giants went three-and-out on their first possession and then gave up a 54-yard punt return that set the Eagles up at the New York 13-yard line. Two plays later, quarterback Jalen Hurts rushed for a 1-yard touchdown. The Giants responded with their only scoring drive of the half, a 10-play, 41-yard affair that set up a successful 52-yard field goal by place kicker Mason Crosby. Eagles 7 – Giants 3.

Philadelphia’s second possession traveled 72 yards in 18 plays, lasting over eight minutes. Nevertheless, New York’s defense held in the red zone with the Eagles settling for a 28-yard field goal early in the 2nd quarter. The Giants went three-and-out, followed by a bad punt and 12-yard return. With the Eagles starting at their own 48-yard line, it took them only three plays to score on a 36-yard touchdown pass. Eagles 17 – Giants 3.

New York gained 12 yards and punted for the third time in four possessions. The Giants’ defense then forced their first three-and-out. The offense converted on two 4th-and-1’s, but were stopped on their third 4th-and-1 effort, turning the ball over on downs at the Philadelphia 25-yard line. The Eagles added another field goal before halftime with an 11-play, 72-yard drive. However, the officials handed the Eagles this field goal opportunity. Hurts was tackled in-bounds as time expired, but the officials called a bogus delay-of-game penalty on linebacker Bobby Okereke when he jumped on the loose football.

At the half, the Eagles led 20-3. Head Coach Brian Daboll also decided to bench quarterback Tommy DeVito in favor of Tyrod Taylor at the break.

The Giants caught a break at the start of the second half as two Eagles collided on the kickoff return, causing a fumble that linebacker Isaiah Simmons recovered at the Philadelphia 14-yard line. Three plays later, on 3rd-and-3, running back Saquon Barkley scored from seven yards out to cut the score to 20-10.

The Giants’ defense forced a three-and-out. The Giants picked up a couple of first downs and crossed midfield but were forced to punt. The Eagles then began a long drive from their own 6-yard yard line, gaining 76 yards and reaching the New York 18-yard line before an illegal block penalty pushed them back 10 yards. Then on 2nd-and-20, cornerback Adoree’ Jackson intercepted Hurts at the 24-yard line and returned the pick 76 yards for a touchdown. Barkley scored on the 2-point conversion attempt and the Giants were now only down 20-18 at the end of the 3rd quarter.

Unfortunately, the Eagles responded with an 8-play, 75-yard drive that resulted a 5-yard touchdown run by running back D’Andre Swift. On this possession, the Eagles converted on 3rd-and-20. Philadelphia was up 27-18 with 11 minutes to play.

The Giants crossed midfield on the ensuing possession, reaching the Philadelphia 42-yard line. But quarterback Tyrod Taylor’s 4th-and-1 pass fell incomplete and the Giants turned the ball over on downs. The Eagles gained 32 yards in seven plays, resulting in a 44-yard field goal that extended their advantage to 30-18 with six minutes to play.

The Giants made things interesting again as it took just two plays for New York to score a touchdown. Taylor threw a 69-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Darius Slayton. Eagles 30 – Giants 25. However, the defense allowed the Eagles to take over four minutes off of the clock, gain 50 yards in nine plays, and add another field goal. With 1:10 left to play, the Eagles led 33-25.

The Eagles were flagged with roughing the passer on the first play of New York’s last desperate drive. Taylor then hit tight end Darren Waller for 12 yards on 3rd-and-10 as the Giants crossed midfield. The Giants missed an opportunity when Taylor’s deep pass to wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson fell incomplete. On 4th-and-8 with 26 seconds left, Taylor and Waller connected again, this time for 20 yards. But Waller was hurt on the play and it took the Giants some time to spike the ball. With four seconds left, Taylor’s last pass from the 28-yard line into the end zone was intercepted.

DeVito finished the game 9-of-16 for 55 yards. Taylor was 7-of-16 for 133 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Tight end Daniel Bellinger was the leading receiver with four catches for 43 yards, although Slayton had 90 yards on three catches. Barkley carried the ball 23 times for 80 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, the Giants only were credited with one sack, split between safety Xavier McKinney and linebacker Jihad Ward. McKinney and Okereke were each credited with 10 tackles.

GAME VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS are available on YouTube.

ROSTER MOVES, PRACTICE SQUAD ELEVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
On Sunday, the Giants activated OT Matt Peart from Injured Reserve. To make room for Peart on the 53-man roster, the team placed RT Evan Neal (ankle) on Injured Reserve. The Giants also activated (standard elevation) OLB Tomon Fox and PK Mason Crosby from the Practice Squad.

Inactive for the game were TE Lawrence Cager (groin), DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches (knee), WR Parris Campbell, OC Sean Harlow, OLB Boogie Basham, OLB Benton Whitley, and S Gervarrius Owens.

CB Deonte Banks (shoulder) left the game in the second half and did not return.

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

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Brian Daboll will address the media on Tuesday.

Oct 242023
 
Jashaun Corbin, New York Giants (August 11, 2022)

Jashaun Corbin – © USA TODAY Sports

The New York Giants made five roster moves on Tuesday:

  • RB Eric Gray (calf) and OT Matt Peart (shoulder) were placed on Injured Reserve.
  • RB Deon Jackson was claimed off of waivers from the Cleveland Browns.
  • RB Jashaun Corbin was signed off of the Practice Squad of the Carolina Panthers.
  • OLB Justin Hollins was signed to the Practice Squad.

The 24-year old, 6’0”, 218-pound Jackson originally signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2021 NFL Draft. The Colts waived him in September 2023 and he was immediately signed to the Practice Squad of the Browns. The Browns signed him to their 53-man roster last Saturday and waived him Monday. Jackson has played in 26 regular-season games with three starts, carrying the ball 94 times for 281 yards and two touchdowns. He also has caught 35 passes for 223 yards and one touchdown.

The Giants originally signed Corbin as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2022 NFL Draft. He spent his rookie season on the team’s Practice Squad. The Giants waived Corbin in late August 2023 and he was then signed to the Practice Squad of the Carolina Panthers.

The 27-year old, 6’5”, 248-pound Hollins was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. Hollins has spent time with the Broncos (2019-2020), Los Angeles Rams (2020-2022), and Green Bay Packers (2022-2023). The Packers released him on Saturday. Hollins has played in 59 regular-season games with seven starts, accruing 115 tackles, 9.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.

Aug 052023
 
Parris Campbell, New York Giants (August 1, 2023)

Parris Campbell – © USA TODAY Sports

AUGUST 5, 2023 NEW YORK GIANTS TRAINING CAMP REPORT…
The New York Giants held their ninth summer training camp practice of the year on Saturday at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The team was in full pads for only the third time this summer. This was the final training camp practice open to the public in New Jersey.

INJURY REPORT…
WR Wan’Dale Robinson (ACL), OG Marcus McKethan (ACL), DL A’Shawn Robinson (meniscus), DL D.J. Davidson (ACL), and CB Aaron Robinson (ACL) remain on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List.

RT Evan Neal (concussion protocol), DL Ryder Anderson (triceps), and OLB Azeez Ojulari (rest day) did not practice.

“Yeah, he’s good. I mean he’s as good as can be, he’s just in the protocol,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll when asked about Neal. “I think he said he feels better than he felt yesterday, so again we will take it slow with those things and let the doctors and training staff go through all that but feels better than he did the day before.”

“Ryder will be out probably a few weeks here,” said Daboll. “The exact amount of time, I’m not sure but that won’t be a day-to-day, so I’ll just get that one out of the way. That will be a few weeks.”

“Azeez, we will give him another day,” said Daboll. “Kind of two like what we did with (Leonard Williams).”

WR Sterling Shepard, OL Jack Anderson, and DL Leonard Williams returned to practice.

PRACTICE NOTES…
Some snippets from various media sources:

  • The team was in full pads for the third time in training camp.
  • First-team offensive line was LT Andrew Thomas, LG Josh Ezeudu, OC Ben Bredeson, RG Mark Glowinski, and RT Matt Peart.
  • John Michael Schmitz was the second-team center.
  • RB Eric Gray handled most of the kickoff returns.
  • In 1-on-1 drills, LT Andrew Thomas knocked OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux on his ass. Thomas was 2-0 against Thibodeaux and 1-0 against OLB Oshane Ximines in these drills.
  • In 11-on-11 drills, QB Daniel Jones rolled out to his right and found WR Parris Campbell for a first down.
  • With WR Parris Campbell in the backfield and RB Saquon Barkley lined up wide, QB Daniel Jones hit Barkley over the middle of the defense for another first down. Jones then connected with TE Darren Waller for 20 yards.
  • OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux tackled RB Saquon Barkley for a loss on a left side run.
  • Wide receivers Sterling Shepard and Collin Johnson caught deep passes from QB Tyrod Taylor. Shepard’s reception was against CB Gemon Green.
  • WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton made a diving catch on a throw from QB Tyrod Taylor.
  • CB Deonte Banks broke up a pass intended for TE Daniel Bellinger.
  • QB Daniel Jones rolled out to his right and threw to TE Darren Waller for another first down.
  • Giants ran a fake field goal with holder Jamie Gillan rolling out to his right and tossing it to TE Daniel Bellinger for a touchdown.
  • QB Daniel Jones hit TE Darren Waller on a slant inside the red-zone and then found RB Saquon Barkley out of the backfield for a touchdown.
  • CB Amani Oruwariye was flagged for pass interference against WR David Sills.
  • QB Tyrod Taylor hit WR Jalin Hyatt on a deep pass for a touchdown against CB Amani Oruwariye.
  • QB Daniel Jones overthrew WR Parris Campbell on a deep pass into the end zone.
  • QB Daniel Jones threw deep to TE Daniel Bellinger, but he dropped the ball in the end zone.
  • After delay-of-game and false-start penalties on offense in the red zone, ILB Bobby Okereke broke up a pass intended for TE Darren Waller.
  • QB Daniel Jones finished practice 20-of-24 with throws to 10 different receivers.
  • OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux dominated his match-up with RT Matt Peart.

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Saturday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available on YouTube.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Practices are no longer open to the public at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. The players are off on Sunday. On Monday, the team will practice in the morning (10:00AM-Noon) before traveling to Detroit for joint practices with the Lions on Tuesday and Wednesday. Head Coach Brian Daboll and select players will also address the media on Monday.

Jun 292023
 
Andrew Thomas, New York Giants (January 2, 2022)

Andrew Thomas – © USA TODAY Sports

With New York Giants training camp beginning in late July, BigBlueInteractive.com (BBI) breaks down each of the team’s positional groups until the players report at Quest Diagnostics Training Center.

FIND A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL BREAKDOWNS HERE

POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN: Offensive Line

2022 YEAR IN REVIEW: The offensive line was not a disaster in 2022, but it did not play as well as expected or hoped for. While Andrew Thomas continued to develop, becoming one of the best left tackles in the game and earning second-team All-Pro Honors, there was a revolving door at left guard due to injuries, and inconsistent play at center, right guard, and right tackle.

Rookie offensive linemen often struggle, but more was expected from the 7th overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, Evan Neal, at right tackle. He missed a month with a knee injury and was seen favoring his left arm/shoulder in another game. Neal had issues in pass protection and was flagged with six false starts. He was replaced by Tyre Phillips for those four games. Phillips had issues in pass protection as well. Right guard Mark Glowinski was a bit too up-and-down for his 3-year, $18 million contract. The Giants also signed Jon Feliciano to a 1-year deal in March after he was cut by the Bills. They converted him to center, where he started 15 games. But he was also inconsistent.

The initial plan appeared to be to start Shane Lemieux at left guard, but he missed virtually the entire season with a toe injury that landed him on Injured Reserve twice. Ben Bredeson started the first seven games until a knee injury sidelined him for six games. Joshua Ezeudu started two games at left guard until he suffered a neck injury. Nick Gates then stunned everyone by returning to the starting line-up despite a career-threatening leg injury he suffered in 2021 that required seven surgeries. Including the playoffs, Gates started the last nine games at left guard.

Overall, this group did help the Giants become the NFL’s 4th-best rushing team, averaging 148 yards per game, more than the Eagles. On the other hand, the Giants allowed 49 sacks, which tied them for 5th-worst in the NFL. Daniel Jones was pressured on one-fourth of his drop backs, which was 4th worst in the NFL.

ADDITIONS/SUBTRACTIONS: The Giants re-signed Wyatt Davis and Jack Anderson as exclusive rights free agents. They also re-signed Practice Squad players Solomon Kindley, Devery Hamilton, and Korey Cunningham. (Kindley was waived in May).

However, both centers, Jon Feliciano and Nick Gates, somewhat surprisingly departed in free agency. Gates received a 3-year, $16.5 million contract from the Commanders and Feliciano a 1-year, $2.3 million contract from the 49ers.

The offseason additions were few, but one was significant, the drafting of center John Michael Schmitz in the 2nd round of the draft. The team also signed center J. C. Hassenauer from the Steelers. The team did not sign any rookie free agents after the draft at the position.

In short, the Giants stood pat at the position except at center where they exchanged Schmitz and Hassenauer for Gates and Feliciano.

TRAINING CAMP STORY LINES:  Most of the attention will be on Evan Neal. Some have lowered their expectations on Neal, saying he just has to play at an average level. Teams don’t draft right tackles with the 7th overall pick in hopes they will just be average. Neal is likely to still experience growing pains, but he needs to drastically cut down both pass blocking mistakes and penalties while becoming a stud in the running game. The better Neal becomes, the easier it will be for this team to run and throw the football.

That all said, the same could be said for each of the starters in the interior of the line. The Giants need Glowinski to become a steadier player at right guard. If he doesn’t, it will be interesting to see if Marcus McKethan or one of the other back-ups presses him for playing time. Assuming that John Michael Schmitz will start at center, he will have his hands full in a division loaded with stud defensive tackles. Expect rookie growing pains. The left guard position still is unsettled. The leading candidates are Ben Bredeson and Joshua Ezeudu. I would not discount Shane Lemieux. The now injury-prone lineman was an ironman in college, and had he not been hurt the past two seasons, he would have been the starter at left guard under two different coaching staffs.

One of the unexpected developments this offseason is how much the team stood pat at the position. No new tackles or guards were added to the roster. This at least partially suggests the team was not down on many of the lesser known back-ups. Tyre Phillips (former 3rd round pick), Wyatt Davis (3rd round), Jack Anderson (7th round), Matt Peart (3rd round), Devery Hamilton (undrafted), and Korey Cunningham (7th round) also factor into the competition and someone could surprise.

ON THE BUBBLE: There are currently 15 offensive linemen on the 90-man roster. The Giants will likely keep nine on the 53-man roster. The locks are Andrew Thomas, Ben Bredeson, Josh Ezeudu, John Michael Schmitz, Mark Glowinski, and Evan Neal. That leaves nine players fighting for three spots. The leading candidate for the swing tackle is probably Tyre Phillips. Bredeson’s flexibility to play both guard and center helps the team if they feel another guard is better than Hassenauer at center. Marcus McKethan was impressing before he got hurt last summer.

FROM TEAM GENERAL MANAGER/COACHES/PLAYERS: General Manager Joe Schoen on the center position before the draft: “We knew Jon (Feliciano) was on a 1-year contract last year at this time. We didn’t know if Nick Gates was even going to be able to play football again. Heck, we didn’t know that until midway through the season. We had contingency plans in place. We claimed Jack Anderson. He was with us in Buffalo. He’s been working at center. Ben Bredeson is a guy who we are very comfortable with playing center. Shane Lemieux was playing it as well before the injury… We’ll be patient. We’ll continue to look. But we have confidence in Ben Bredeson, Jack Anderson, and Shane.”

Offensive Line Coach Bobby Johnson on why the Giants offensive line has struggled to form an identity in recent years: “You look at our line, before I got here and even now, it’s different. I’m like the sixth or seventh coach in the last five years. There have been just a line of (players) who have come through here. What we need to do is develop our identity… you need to continue to develop guys… the fans don’t know everything in house. Some of the guys we have on the roster they’ve never seen play. And so they assume they are not good enough, that’s why they haven’t played. Well that’s not necessarily the case… We only have three players that are older than 26 out of the 15. It’s a young room. There’s a lot of potential, a lot of room for growth. I see these guys getting better every day.”

Offensive Line Coach Bobby Johnson on Evan Neal: “Evan’s a worker. So I have no reason to believe (he won’t improve) with the work ethic put in, the attention to detail, and pushing to be a really good player. We’ll see better results… Now it’s not new to him.”

Offensive Line Coach Bobby Johnson on Josh Ezeudu: “He’s rehabbed very well from the injury, he’s another year in the system, he’s got confidence in what we’re doing. Some things we decided to work on from a technique standpoint he’s really worked hard at. I’m seeing good results. I expect to see even more when we get to training camp.”

Offensive Line Coach Bobby Johnson on John Michael Schmitz: “He’s progressing quite well. He’s got all of the intangibles you look for. He’s got all of the physical traits you look for. We’ll find out more when we get to training camp… He’s progressing the right way… It will be an eye-opener for him when he has to block (Dexter Lawrence in training camp).”

Evan Neal on what he did this offseason to improve: “Really just everything. I want to get better across the board. I tweaked my stance. I got a lot healthier. I got a lot more flexible. I worked a lot on flexibility. Just being able to move throughout my lower body and my hips. Making sure that I am in a stance that I am comfortable in, that I can load up my front leg and press out of it and be explosive and also be balanced and under control at the same time… I’ve been doing a whole bunch of yoga.”

Marcus McKethan on his status: “Just trying to get healthy. That’s the main thing of my offseason so far. I’m pretty close, just getting over that final hump and I feel like that I’ll be there. My timeline right now is training camp… I (am still working at) guard and tackle.”

Offensive Line Coach Bobby Johnson on what Giants fans can realistically expect this year: “You’re going to see an improved offensive line in a number of areas. We are going to start to show an identity and some consistency… I think for the first time in a long time the fans are going to be proud of their lineman… I think we’re going to put a product out there on the field that the fans will have pride in. Because I know the players that are going to put those jerseys on will have pride in that jersey.”

PREDICTIONS/CLOSING THOUGHTS: If you told Giants fans in January that the team would not add any tackles or guards to the roster this offseason, they probably would have freaked out. But the confidence in this front office and coaching staff right now is so high that given that now-known outcome, fans are not now panicking in June. Not adding a tackle or guard in free agency, the draft, or the rookie free agent signing period is pretty telling. It seems to suggest the team wants to develop players already on the roster.

Giants fans are all thinking the same thing… we’re set at left tackle with Andrew Thomas. Now we need Evan Neal to rapidly improve at right tackle and for John Michael Schmitz to show signs he will be a long-term answer at center. There is also hope that the two second-year, North Carolina guards will eventually press for starting roles.

Assuming Schmitz starts at center, the only training camp battle for a starting spot is at left guard. In the spring, Ben Bredeson and Josh Ezeudu were splitting snaps with the first team with Bredeson also receiving first-team snaps at center. Glowinski is probably entrenched as a starter at right guard for at least one more season, unless he falters and someone like Marcus McKethan presses him. I’m in the minority on this, but I still would not count out Shane Lemieux. He started his rookie season. He was set to start in 2021 and 2022 before training camp injuries ruined both seasons. In four years in college as a starter, Lemieux never missed a game. The last two seasons seems like flukes.

Andrew Thomas has not reached his ceiling yet. Keep in mind this is the first offseason he did not have surgery and this is the first time he will have the same offensive line coach for two years in a row.

This brings us to Evan Neal. We all know Neal struggled as a rookie. But too many fans seem to be focused on him and not the interior line spots that were also an issue last year. Neal needs to improve but the team needs better center and guard play just as much. Especially in this division. My prediction is Neal will improve as the year progresses, but he will be nitpicked to death by fans in September and October. That’s OK. I’m old enough to remember Giants fans being sure that Brad Benson, Jumbo Elliott, David Diehl, and Andrew Thomas were crappy players. Neal will be better but I think the real dividends will come in year three and beyond.

FINAL DEPTH CHART: Andrew Thomas, Evan Neal, Tyre Phillips, Mark Glowinski, Ben Bredeson, Josh Ezeudu, Marcus McKethan, Shane Lemieux, John Michael Schmitz

Nov 132022
 
Jaylon Smith and Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants (November 13, 2022)

Jaylon Smith and Dexter Lawrence – © USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK GIANTS 24 – HOUSTON TEXANS 16…
The New York Giants defeated the Houston Texans 24-16 on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. With the win, the surprising Giants are now 7-2 on the season.

In terms of overall team statistics, the Texans actually held advantages in first downs (22 to 19), total net yards (387 to 367), and net yards passing (286 to 176). But the Giants were better on 3rd down (50% to 30%), rushing the ball (191 to 101), and time of possession (33:20 to 26:40). The Giants also won the turnover battle 2 to 0.

The New York defense completely shut down the Texans in the 1st quarter, forcing three separate 3-and-outs as Houston was held to -3 yards. Meanwhile, the Giants took an early 7-0 lead that they never relinquished by driving 68 yards in 10 plays on their first drive. Aside from two short third-down conversions, the big play on this drive was a 36-yard completion from quarterback Daniel Jones to wide receiver Darius Slayton. Two plays later, Jones connected with tight end Lawrence Cager for the 9-yard touchdown pass.

After that impressive opening drive, the New York offense slept walk for the remainder of the first half. The Giants punted four straight times before having their final possession of the half end with a sack. Houston wasn’t much better, punting two more times for a total of five times in six drives. However, early in the 2nd quarter running back Dameon Pierce broke off a 44-yard run. This set up a 38-yard field goal.

At the half, the Giants led 7-3.

After combining for just 10 points in the first half, both teams exploded for three straight touchdowns in the 3rd quarter. The Giants received the football after halftime and they needed just five plays to travel 75 yards for the score. On 3rd-and-9 from the New York 46-yard line, Jones threw a short pass to Slayton, who made man miss e route to a 54-yard catch-and-run score. Giants 14 – Texans 3.

But just as it seemed like the Giants had finally taken control of the game, Houston responded with a 7-play, 75-yard effort. The drive ended with a 12-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Davis Mills to wide receiver Nico Collins. Giants 14 – Texans 10.

Back came the Giants, this time driving 74 yards in 12 plays. New York converted on two 3rd-and-7 yard situations, the first being an 11-yard pass to wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson and the second a 26-yard pass to wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins. Running back Saquon Barkley finished the possession with a 2-yard touchdown run. Giants 21 – Texans 10.

The Giants’ defense began to bend again on the ensuing possession with tight end Jordan Akins breaking off a 46-yard catch-and-run as the 3rd quarter ended. But two plays later, on 2nd-and-goal from the 10-yard line, defensive lineman Leonard Williams forced Pierce to fumble. The loose ball was recovered by inside linebacker Jaylon Smith. The Giants went three-and-out with a 13-yard punt by Jamie Gillan. A 19-yard Houston touchdown pass was wiped out by a holding penalty against defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence. On the very next snap, Lawrence pressured the quarterback and his pass was intercepted in the end zone by safety Dane Belton.

The Giants picked up a couple of first downs and then punted. Starting from their own 8-yard line, Houston drove 76 yards in 12 plays, but could get no closer than the 16-yard line. The Texans settled for a 34-yard field goal with 2:22 left in the game. Giants 21 – Texans 13.

The ensuing onside kick was recovered by the Giants. The Giants did not pick up a first down, but they forced the Texans to use their remaining time outs and place kicker Graham Gano nailed the 49-yard field goal to extend the lead to 24-13 with less than two minutes to play.

The Texans gained 58 yards on three straight passes, but then Mills was sacked by safety Jason Pinnock on 1st-and-10 from the New York 17-yard line.With just 11 seconds on the clock, the Texans kicked the 46-yard field goal. They attempted another onside kick, but the Giants recovered that as well and the game ended on a kneel down by Jones.

Jones finished the game 13-of-17 for 197 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions, and a quarterback rating of 153.3. Slayton had three catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. Barkley rushed 35 times for 152 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, the Giants accrued four sacks: 1.5 by Pinnock, one each by Lawrence and outside linebacker Jihad Ward, and 0.5 sacks by Williams. Lawrence had a monster game, being credited with 5 tackles, 1 sack, 1 tackle for a loss, 5 quarterback hits, and 1 pass defense. Williams had 9 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and 1 forced fumble. Cornerback Adoree’ Jackson had 6 tackles and 2 pass defenses.

GAME VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS are available on YouTube.

ROSTER MOVES, PRACTICE SQUAD ACTIVATIONS, INACTIVES, AND INJURY REPORT…
On Saturday, the Giants activated OT Matt Peart from the Reserve/Physically-Unable-to-Perform List. Peart tore his left ACL in December 2021 and only returned to practice on October 25.

The Giants activated (standard elevation) TE Lawrence Cager and DL Henry Mondeaux from the Practice Squad to the 53-man roster on the same day.

Inactive for the game were TE Daniel Bellinger (eye), RT Evan Neal (knee), WR David Sills, OT Devery Hamilton, ILB Austin Calitro, and OLB Quincy Roche.

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

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

Oct 262022
 
Nick Gates, New York Giants (October 18, 2020)

Nick Gates – © USA TODAY Sports

NICK GATES ADDED TO 53-MAN ROSTER…
The New York Giants have added offensive lineman Nick Gates to the 53-man roster from the Reserve/Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List. Gates had returned to practice three weeks ago and Wednesday was the deadline for the team to decide to either activate him off of the PUP or keep him on the injury list for the rest of the season.

“We’ll put him out there,” said Head Coach Brian Daboll before Wednesday’s practice. “I think he’s improved every day since he’s been out there. He looks ready to go. We’ll see where that takes him. Just keep competing; whenever his number’s called, be ready… We’ve repped him at both (guard and center)… He can play all spots, but we’ve really worked him more at center and guard getting back here. I know he played tackle.”

The Giants placed Gates on Injured Reserve in September 2021 with a serious fracture to his lower left leg that he suffered in Week 2 after being shifted to left guard. The severity of the injury required seven surgeries and placed his career in jeopardy.

“It’s impressive,” said Daboll. “I mean, so many surgeries and so much rehab. You saw him when I first got here. Just a testament to the young man. It takes a lot of perseverance to go through what he’s been through and to be out here. Impressive young man.”

The Giants signed Gates as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2018 NFL Draft. He missed all of 2018 with a foot injury that caused him to be placed on Injured Reserve before the season started. In 2019, Gates was active for all 16 games with three starts (two starts at right tackle and one start at right guard). The Giants moved Gates to center in 2020. He started all 16 games and played well at the new position.

ELERSON SMITH, RODARIUS WILLIAMS, AND MATT PEART RETURN TO PRACTICE…
Outside linebacker Elerson Smith (foot), cornerback Rodarius Williams (knee), and offensive tackle Matt Peart (knee), all of whom are on Injured Reserve, have returned to practice. All three will have up to three weeks to practice with the team without counting against the 53-man roster. Once that timeframe ends, individually they must either be added to the roster or remain on Injured Reserve for the rest of the season.

Smith suffered an unspecified foot injury in training camp and was placed on Injured Reserve at the end of August. Williams tore an ACL in one of his knees in October 2021. Peart tore his left ACL in late December 2021.

GIANTS RE-SIGN DRE MILLER…
The Giants have re-signed tight end Dre Miller to the Practice Squad. The Giants originally signed Miller as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2022 NFL Draft. He was placed on Injured Reserve in August 2022 with a broken forearm that he suffered in training camp and later waived with an injury settlement. Miller was a big receiver in college with good overall athletic ability. The Giants converted him to tight end, where he was impressing and receiving first-team snaps before he was injured.

DANIEL JONES NAMED “NFC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK”…
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones has been named the “NFC Offensive Player of the Week” for his Week 7 performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In that game, Jones completed 19-of-30 passes for 202 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. He also ran the ball 11 times for 107 yards and one touchdown. Jones led the Giants to victory from a fourth-quarter deficit or tie for the fifth time this season.

This is the third time Jones has been selected “NFC Offensive Player of the Week.” He won the award once in 2019 and again in 2021.

OCTOBER 26, 2022 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
WR Kenny Golladay (knee), WR Kadarius Toney (hamstring), TE Daniel Bellinger (eye), RT Evan Neal (knee), LG Ben Bredeson (knee), OLB Oshane Ximines (quad), and CB Cor’Dale Flott (calf) did not practice on Wednesday.

OL Tyre Phillips (toe), DL Leonard Williams (elbow), and S Jason Pinnock (foot) were limited in practice.

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL…
The transcript of Brian Daboll’s press conference on Wednesday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available on YouTube.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:

  • QB Daniel Jones (Video)
  • NT Dexter Lawrence (Video)

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants practice on Thursday afternoon (12:45-2:45PM). The coordinators and select players will also address the media.

Aug 232022
 
Nick Gates, New York Giants (September 21, 2021)

Nick Gates – © USA TODAY Sports

In order to to reduce their roster to the mandatory 80-player limit on Tuesday, the New York Giants made the following roster moves:

Linebacker Darrian Beavers (torn left ACL), tight end Andre Miller (broken forearm), and tight end Ricky Seals-Jones (toe) were placed on season-ending Injured Reserve.

Center Nick Gates (fractured lower left leg) and offensive tackle Matt Peart (ACL) were placed on the Reserve/Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List. They cannot return to the active roster until after the fourth regular-season game. Both Gates and Peart had been on the Active/PUP List since the start of training camp, along with wide receiver Sterling Shepard (Achilles). Shepard remains on the Active/PUP List and could still be on the final 53-man roster at the start of the season.

The Giants drafted Beavers in the 6th round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He was impressing as an all-around defender and receiving first-team snaps before he was injured.

The Giants signed Miller as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2022 NFL Draft. The Giants converted Miller from wide receiver to tight end, where he was impressing and receiving first-team snaps before he was injured.

The Giants signed Seals-Jones in March 2022 as an unrestricted free agent from the Washington Commanders. The 6’5”, 243-pound Seals-Jones was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by Arizona Cardinals after the 2017 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Cardinals (2017-2018), Cleveland Browns (2019), Kansas City Chiefs (2020), and Washington Football Team (2021). Seals-Jones has played in 54 regular-season games with 15 starts, accruing 90 catches for 1,044 yards, and 10 touchdowns. Last year for Washington, Jones started six games and caught 30 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns.

The Giants placed Gates on Injured Reserve in September 2021 with a serious fracture to his lower left leg that he suffered in Week 2 after being shifted to left guard. The Giants signed Gates as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2018 NFL Draft. He missed all of 2018 with a foot injury that caused him to be placed on Injured Reserve before the season started. In 2019, Gates was active for all 16 games with three starts (two starts at right tackle and one start at right guard). In 2020, despite having no prior experience at playing the position, and after a rough start, Gates not only solidified the center position for the Giants but rapidly became the team’s best lineman. Gates started all 16 games at center. 

2021 was a very disappointing season for Peart. The Giants selected Peart in the 3rd round of the 2020 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Peart played in 11 games with one start at left tackle. He did play in 15 percent of all offensive snaps, receiving some quality playing time. Heading into training camp in 2021, 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 publicly questioned his toughness during the middle of the season. Peart tore the ACL in his left knee in late December, ending his season and putting into doubt his availability for the 2022 season.

Dec 302021
 
Kadarius Toney, New York Giants (December 5, 2021)

Kadarius Toney has a lot of boo-boos

DECEMBER 30, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants practiced on Thursday 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.

Not practicing were RB Gary Brightwell (neck), WR Kadarius Toney (shoulder), WR John Ross (knee/COVID ramp up), WR Collin Johnson (hamstring), OL Billy Price (personal), and DL Austin Johnson (foot).

“Billy and his family are dealing with a family matter,” Head Coach Joe Judge said. “I’m not going to go into it. It’s not mine to disclose, but his family has our full support as an organization. We’ve all talked to him. Our concern is for the personal wellbeing of Billy as a person, and his family’s well-being is a primary concern right now. We’ll deal with Billy as we go through the week, and we’ll know more as we go.”

Limited in practice were RB Saquon Barkley (ankle), FB Cullen Gillaspia (shin), TE Kyle Rudolph (ankle), TE Chris Myarick (hip), OT Nate Solder (COVID ramp up), OL Ben Bredeson (ankle), DL Raymond Johnson (illness), CB Adoree’ Jackson (quad/COVID ramp up), CB Keion Crossen (COVID ramp up), and PK Graham Gano (illness).

ROSTER MOVES…
The Giants have placed WR Darius Slayton, OL Korey Cunningham, and LB Omari Cobb on the Reserve/COVID-19 List. Slayton and Cunningham will likely miss Sunday’s game; Cobb is on the Practice Squad. The team activated OT Nate Solder from the Reserve/COVID-19 List.

The Giants also placed OT Matt Peart (knee) and RB Gary Brightwell (neck) on Injured Reserve. Their season is over.

The Giants waived LB Trent Harris.

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…
The Giants practice again on Friday. Head Coach Joe Judge 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.

Oct 282021
 
Saquon Barkley, New York Giants (October 3, 2021)

Saquon Barkley – © USA TODAY Sports

OCTOBER 28, 2021 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants practiced on Thursday at Quest Diagnostics Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Not practicing were RB Saquon Barkley (ankle), WR Kenny Golladay (knee), WR Kadarius Toney (ankle), LB Lorenzo Carter (ankle), and S Nate Ebner (ankle).

Limited in practice were WR Sterling Shepard (hamstring), TE Evan Engram (calf), TE Kaden Smith (knee), and NT Danny Shelton (pectoral).

GIANTS RE-SIGN DAVID SILLS TO PRACTICE SQUAD…
The New York Giants have re-signed wide receiver David Sills to the team’s Practice Squad. Sills was added to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad last week. The team waived him from the 53-man roster on Tuesday.

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…
The Giants practice again on Friday. Head Coach Joe Judge and select players will also address the media.