Mar 042016
 
Will Tye, New York Giants (January 3, 2016)

Will Tye – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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GIANTS TENDER SEVEN EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS…
The New York Daily News is reporting that the New York Giants have tendered seven of the eight players on their roster who were eligible to be tendered as exclusive rights free agents. The players tendered cannot sign with any team other than the Giants, thus guaranteeing their return unless the tender is revoked. The seven players are:

  • RB Orleans Darkwa
  • WR Myles White
  • TE Will Tye
  • TE Jerome Cunningham
  • OG Adam Gettis
  • S Bennett Jackson
  • P Brad Wing

The player not tendered was wide receiver Marcus Harris. Scouting reports on these players are available in the Scouting Reports section of the website.

VICTOR CRUZ STARTS RUNNING…
New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz revealed on Thursday that he has begun running as part of his rehab process recovering from calf surgery. Cruz did not play in any preseason or regular-season games in 2015. Cruz was placed on Injured Reserve in November 2015 due to a left calf injury suffered in August that never healed and required surgery. It is the third leg injury that Cruz has suffered since signing his big 6-year contract in July 2013, including arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in 2013 and career-threatening patellar tendon surgery on his right knee in 2014.

“I’ve been making a lot of progress,” Cruz said in a BleacherReport.com video. “The calf is feeling really, really good. I’m excited about the progress, I’m excited for what’s to come… I have a long journey ahead of me. I’m pretty much starting from scratch, building my legs up from scratch, which is what I want to do. Making sure they’re stronger than they were and they stay that way. No more setbacks.”

Cruz is currently set to count $9.9 million against the team’s 2016 NFL cap, the second most by a player after quarterback Eli Manning. It has been speculated that if Cruz does not accept a pay cut, he may be released from the Giants. Cruz recently said that he believed there was an “80 percent” chance he would return to Giants.

“I really feel like it’s paying dividends. The strength in my calf is starting to come back,” said Cruz. “Everything’s starting to come around. I’m excited to go out there with my teammates again. I’m excited to see Odell and those guys, I’m excited to play again. But I know I have a long journey ahead of me. I have some significant gains to make in terms of where I’m at with my calf, and things like that. I’m excited.”

ARTICLES…

Feb 222016
 


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HARRY HULMES PASSES AWAY…
Harry Hulmes III, who served in various roles with the New York Giants for 25 years, has passed away at the age of 88.

Hulmes joined the Giants in 1984 as an assistant to then-General Manager George Young. Hulmes later became the special assistant to the general manager until 1998. From 1998 to 2008, Hulmes served as a scout for the team.

“Harry was an instrumental part of our success under George Young,” said team President and CEO John Mara. “While he may have operated behind the scenes, he was an invaluable member of our front office and was George’s right hand man for many years. He was beloved by everyone at the Giants and around the NFL. It is s very sad day for all of us.”

“Harry was one of the true gentlemen in the NFL,” said General Manager Jerry Reese. “I loved hearing him read his very detailed game day scouting reports on players. Some of them would start like this, ‘It was a brisk, sunny fall afternoon and the wind was blowing out of the northeast at 10 miles-per-hour. Nonetheless, the stadium was packed, and both teams seemed ready to go.'”

“GIANTS INSIDER” Q&As…
Video clips of Q&A sessions with the following players are available at Giants.com:

ARTICLES…

Jan 192016
 
Will Tye, New York Giants (January 3, 2016)

Will Tye – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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BEN MCADOO ON ESPN AND SIRIUSXM NFL RADIO
The audio of Tuesday’s ESPN Radio interview with New York Giants Head Coach Ben McAdoo is available at ESPN.com. Some points of interest:

  • First coaching staff meeting was on Tuesday.
  • About half of the coaching staff positions are currently filled.
  • Interviews for vacant coaching staff positions are still ongoing.
  • The game plans for 2015 will be reviewed.
  • The self-scouting will determine the difference between who the Giants think they are and who they actually are as a team.
  • He expects quarterback Eli Manning to continue to improve and the offense to really take off in its third year in 2016.
  • He wants the Giants’ identity to be sound, smart, and tough, committed to discipline and poise.

McAdoo was also interviewed on SiriusXM NFL Radio and made the following points:

  • The team will not release the names of the coaching staff yet.
  • A decision has not been made yet on who will call the plays.

TWO GIANTS VOTED TO ALL-ROOKIE TEAM…
New York Giants tight end Will Tye and safety Landon Collins have been voted to the Pro Football Writers NFL All-Rookie Team. An undrafted rookie free agent, Tye played in 13 games with seven starts, and finished the season with 42 catches for 464 yards and three touchdowns. Collins, who was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2015 NFL Draft, started all 16 games and finished with 112 tackles, nine pass defenses, one interception, and one forced fumble.

ARTICLES…

Jan 122016
 


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(The Hue Jackson interview has reportedly been moved up to Wednesday now).

GIANTS TO INTERVIEW HUE JACKSON ON WEDNESDAY…
According to multiple press reports, the New York Giants will interview Cincinnati Bengals Offensive Coordinator Hue Jackson on Wednesday for the team’s vacant head coaching position. All New York Giants coaching interviews have been jointly conducted by team President/CEO John Mara and Senior Vice President/General Manager Jerry Reese.

The 50-year old Jackson was interviewed by the San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns on Sunday for their head coaching vacancies. The Browns are said to be very serious contenders for his services but the 49ers interest has apparently waned.

As previously reported, the Giants have already interviewed the following six candidates:

  • 38-year old New York Giants Offensive Coordinator Ben McAdoo, who interviewed on January 5th. McAdoo has also interviewed with the Eagles.
  • 56-year old New York Giants Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who interviewed on January 7th.
  • 50-year old Detroit Lions Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin, who interviewed on January 7th. Austin has also interviewed with the Browns.
  • 37-year old Chicago Bears Offensive Coordinator Adam Gase, who interviewed on January 8th, but was hired by the Miami Dolphins as their new head coach the following day.
  • 51-year old Jacksonville Jaguars Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line Coach Doug Marrone, who interviewed on January 9th. Marrone has also interviewed with the Browns.
  • 56-year old former Atlanta Falcons Head Coach Mike Smith, who interviewed on January 11th.

PAT FLAHERTY INTERVIEWS WITH VIKINGS…
FOXSports is reporting that New York Giants Offensive Line Coach Pat Flaherty interviewed with the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday for their vacant offensive line coach position. The Indianapolis Colts have also expressed interest in Flaherty and he may have interviewed with the Colts last week. Since Flaherty is still under contract with the Giants, teams must receive the Giants permission to interview him.

JIM HERRMANN INTERVIEWS WITH COLTS…
FOXSports is reporting that New York Giants Linebackers Coach Jim Herrmann is interviewing with the Indianapolis Colts for their vacant linebacker coach position. Since Herrmann is still under contract with the Giants, teams must receive the Giants permission to interview him.

49ERS INTERVIEW TOM COUGHLIN…
According to multiple press reports, the San Francisco 49ers interviewed Tom Coughlin on Tuesday for their head coaching vacancy. Coughlin resigned as the Giants head coach last week. He interviewed with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday. Since Coughlin still has one year on his contract with the Giants, other teams must receive permission from the Giants to interview him.

ARTICLES…

Dec 312015
 
John Mara, New York Giants (December 20, 2015)

John Mara – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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GIANTS OWNERSHIP DIVIDED ABOUT FATE OF TOM COUGHLIN?…
The New York Daily News is reporting that there have been “several high-level discussions” within the New York Giants’ organization this week about the fate of Head Coach Tom Coughlin. The Daily News says it is not known yet if a final decision has been made, but “there are several people in the Giants’ front office who believe a change is necessary,” including team chairman/executive vice president Steve Tisch. The Daily News reports that pressure is mounting on team president/CEO John Mara to make a change and “most people inside the organization believe Mara will eventually agree.”

“Do I want to come back? I don’t know if that’s a great question right now,” said Coughlin on Thursday. “What I want to do is win a game on Sunday, that’s the bottom line for this group right now. I always have the competitive spirit. Sometimes it takes me a day or two to figure it all out when it’s over. Right now, let’s stick with the game and let’s go win a football game.”

ROSTER MOVES…
The New York Giants have placed linebacker J.T. Thomas (ankle) and long-snapper Danny Aiken (thumb) on season-ending Injured Reserve. Thomas injured his ankle in last Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, while Aiken injured his thumb in practice on Wednesday.

The Giants now have 20 players on Injured Reserve, one player who spent the season on the Physically-Unable-to-Perform (PUP) List (left tackle Will Beatty) and one player on Injured Reserve/Designated-to-Return (defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa).

To fill the roster 53-man roster vacancies, the Giants signed linebacker Nico Johnson from the team’s Practice Squad, and signed long-snapper Tyler Ott.

Johnson was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs waived him in August 2014 and signed him to their Practice Squad. The Bengals signed Johnson to their 53-man roster in October 2014, but waived him in August 2015. The Redskins signed Johnson to their Practice Squad in September, but terminated his contract a month later. The Giants signed Johnson to the Practice Squad in November. Johnson has played in 17 regular-season games with three starts, accruing 22 tackles. Johnson is a big linebacker (6’2”, 249lbs) who plays the run well, but isn’t as adept in pass coverage. He is a hard worker.

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.

NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
RT Marshall Newhouse (concussion), DE Jason Pierre-Paul (ankle), LB J.T. Thomas (ankle), S Craig Dahl (concussion), and S Cooper Taylor (concussion) did not practice on Thursday. Thomas was later placed on Injured Reserve.

WR Dwayne Harris (back/shoulder) and LS Danny Aiken (thumb) practiced on a limited basis. Aiken was later placed on Injured Reserve.

HEAD COACH TOM COUGHLIN…
The transcript of Tom Coughlin’s press conference on Thursday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
The following transcripts and video of player media sessions on Thursday are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

ARTICLES

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
There is no media access to the Giants on New Year’s Day. The team will hold a 45-minute, up-tempo “walk-thru” practice on Saturday that is not open to the media. The Giants play the Philadelphia Eagles at home on Sunday.

Dec 202015
 


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CAROLINA PANTHERS 38 – NEW YORK GIANTS 35…
The 2015 New York Giants have turned heart-breaking losses into an art form. The Giants fell 38-35 to the undefeated Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. With the defeat, the Giants fell to 6-8, having lost four of their last five games. With the Washington Redskins beating the Buffalo Bills, the Giants’ playoff hopes are dead unless the Arizona Cardinals defeat the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, New York Giants (December 20, 2015)

Another Last-Second Heart-Breaker – © USA TODAY Sports Images

The Giants lost the game despite a valiant 28-point comeback that tied the game with 1:46 left to play. But as has been the case all season, the Giants’ defense could not prevent the opposition from scoring the game-winning points late in the game as Carolina kicked a 43-yard field goal with no time remaining on the clock.

“To go out there and just let them drive down the field is just mind-boggling,” said cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie after the game.

Aside from one drive, the Giants’ offense was largely inept in the first half. Their first seven possessions of the game resulted in five punts, one lost fumble, and a 10-play, 80-yard drive. Wide receiver Odell Beckham struggled for most of the game and he dropped a sure 52-yard touchdown pass on New York’s first possession. Beckham, losing his composure, was flagged with three personal foul penalties in the contest and did not have a catch until late in the third quarter. The Giants did tie the game 7-7 late in the first quarter when quarterback Eli Manning found wide receiver Rueben Randle for a 27-yard touchdown.

Defensively, in the first half, the Giants allowed three touchdowns drives of 88, 46, and 72 yards. Quarterback Cam Newton accrued 66 rushing yards and threw three touchdown passes before intermission. Rodgers-Cromartie dropped what should have been a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown.

What had been a tight 7-7 game turned late in the second quarter. It was here where Rodgers-Cromartie dropped the interception. Then running back Rashad Jennings fumbled the ball away at the New York 46-yard line. Three plays later on 3rd-and-1, Newton found a wide open tight end Greg Olsen for a 37-yard touchdown with 2:14 left in the first half. After a three-and-out, Carolina got the ball back at their own 28-yard line with 1:24 left to play. The Panthers drove the length of the field in 69 seconds to take a commanding 21-7 halftime lead on Newton’s 14-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Devin Funchess.

After both teams exchanged punts to start the second half, the Panthers went up 28-7 after a 7-play, 80-yard drive resulted in Newton’s fourth touchdown pass of the game, this one from 20 yards out to wide receiver Corey Brown. The Giants then went three-and-out again and the Panthers built what looked like an insurmountable 35-7 lead after a 36-yard punt return and a 7-play, 37-yard drive ended with Newton’s fifth touchdown pass of the game, and second to wide out Ted Ginn.

Will Tye, New York Giants (December 20, 2015)

Will Tye – © USA TODAY Sports Images

With less than six minutes to play in the third quarter, the Giants began their furious comeback. New York started with a 13-play, 64-yard drive in which the the Giants converted on 4th-and-2 on a 5-yard pass to Beckham after Manning passionately called off the punt team. The drive ended with an 8-yard touchdown throw to tight end Will Tye on 3rd-and-4. After a three-and-out by the Panthers, the Giants cut the score to 35-21 on Jennings’ 38-yard touchdown run, finishing a 4-play, 66-yard drive.

It looked like the Panthers put the game away on their ensuing possession when they drove 62 yards in 9 plays to set up a 34-yard field goal attempt with nine minutes left to play. But the field goal attempt was blocked by Rodgers-Cromartie and recovered by cornerback Prince Amukamara at the Carolina 46-yard line. The game looked over again when Manning was intercepted in the end zone with 7:33 left to play. However, two plays later, defensive end Kerry Wynn recovered a fumble off a botched hand-off and New York was back in business. Three plays later, Manning hit running back Shane Vereen for an 8-yard score on 3rd-and-4. The Giants now trailed 35-28 with 5:27 to play.

The Panthers went three-and-out and the Giants got the ball back at their own 34-yard line with 4:17 left to play. They drove the length of the field, 66 yards, in seven plays to tie the game 35-35 with 1:46 left when Manning found Beckham for a 14-yard touchdown on 4th-and-5. Beckham had also caught a 40 yard pass earlier on the drive on 3rd-and-3.

Odell Beckham, New York Giants (December 20, 2015)

Odell Beckham – © USA TODAY Sports Images

With 28 unanswered points and all of the momentum, the Giants could not seal the deal. The defense allowed the Panthers to easily gain 49 yard yards in eight plays to set up the game-winning field goal with no time left.

Offensively, the Giants gained 406 total net yards (161 yards rushing, 245 yards passing). The Giants lost two turnovers (one fumble and one interception). Jennings carried the ball 16 times for 107 yards and a touchdown. The leading receivers were Vereen (8 catches for 43 yards and a touchdown), Beckham (6 catches for 76 yards and a touchdown), Tye (5 catches for 43 yards and a touchdown), and Randle (4 catches for 47 yards and a touchdown).

Defensively, the Giants allowed 480 total net yards (171 yards rushing, 309 yards passing). The Giants recovered one fumble (by Wynn). Newton ran for 100 yards and completed 25-of-45 passes for 340 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. The Giants did accrue three sacks: 1.5 by defensive end Robert Ayers, 1.0 by defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, and 0.5 by linebacker J.T. Thomas. The Giants also had nine pass defenses.

Video highlights/lowlights are available at Giants.com.

INJURY REPORT…
Safety Cooper Taylor (concussion), WR Dwayne Harris (shoulder), and fullback Nikita Whitlock (knee) all suffered injuries in the game.

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

POST-GAME NOTES…
Inactive for the Giants were DE George Selvie (concussion), DT Markus Kuhn (knee), LB Devon Kennard (hamstring/foot), WR Geremy Davis, OG Adam Gettis, OT Emmett Cleary, and CB Jayron Hosley.

With eight losses, the Giants are assured of finishing no better than .500 for the third consecutive season.

Seven of the Giants’ eight losses have been by a total of 21 points, and six of them have been by four points or less.

The Giants have lost three consecutive home games for the second consecutive season.

According to Elias Sports Bureau, it is the first time in their history the Giants rallied from a 28-point deficit to tie a game.

QB Eli Manning’s four scoring throws increased his season total to a career-high 32, the third-highest figure in Giants history. Pro Football Hall of Famer Y.A. Tittle threw 36 in 1963 and 33 in 1962. Manning’s previous best was 31 touchdown passes in 2010.

Manning increased his career total to 291 touchdown passes. That moved him past another Hall of Famer, Johnny Unitas (290), and into ninth place on the NFL’s career list.

WR Odell Beckham’s streak of consecutive 100-yard games ended at six, a franchise record.

Beckham has 13 touchdown receptions this year, tying the single-season franchise record set by Homer Jones in 1967. He had 12 touchdowns as a rookie last season, and has scored 25 in his 26-game NFL career.

ARTICLES…

Dec 152015
 


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NEW YORK GIANTS 31 – MIAMI DOLPHINS 24…
The New York Giants ended their three-game losing streak on Monday night by defeating the Miami Dolphins 31-24 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Garden, Florida. With the win, the Giants improved their overall record to 6-7, keeping pace with the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles for first place in the NFC East.

In a wild game that featured five lead changes, the stars of the contest for New York were quarterback Eli Manning and wide receiver Odell Beckham. Manning only missed on four passes, completing 27-of-31 attempts for 337 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Beckham caught 7-of-9 passes thrown in his direction for 166 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The Dolphins received the ball to start the game, but quickly turned it over on the third offensive snap. Safety Landon Collins forced tight end Dion Sims to fumble the ball, which was recovered by defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul at the Miami 36-yard line. The Giants gained 19 yards to set up a 35-yard field goal by place kicker Josh Brown.

Jason Pierre-Paul, New York Giants (December 15, 2015)

Jason Pierre-Paul – © USA TODAY Sports Images

On their second possession, the Dolphins responded with an 11-play, 74-yard drive that culminated with a 14-yard touchdown run by running back Lamar Miller. Miami now led 7-3. After both teams exchanged punts, the Giants regained the lead 10-7 with a 9-play, 70-yard effort that ended with 6-yard touchdown pass from Manning to wide receiver Rueben Randle on 3rd down.

Back came the Dolphins as they quickly went back on top after a 7-play, 67-yard drive. Miller scored his second touchdown of the game, this one an impressive, tackle-breaking 38-yard run. Miami 14 – Giants 10.

After both teams exchanged punts, the Giants turned the ball over at their own 25-yard line when running back Andre Williams botched a hand-off from Manning. The Dolphins were forced to settle for a 36-yard field goal, however, and extended their advantage to 17-10. With just 1:52 to go before halftime, the Giants drove the length of the field in 68 seconds to tie the game. The big play was a 45-yard strike from Manning to Beckham. Two plays later, Manning hit tight end Will Tye for a 5-yard touchdown.

At the half, the game was tied 17-17.

After the Giants went three-and-out to start the second half, the Dolphins scored their last points by driving 61 yards in just six plays to go ahead 24-17. Wide receiver Kenny Stills beat cornerback Prince Amukamara for a 47-yard touchdown on 3rd-and-7.

The Giants tied the game 24-24 on their second possession of the half with a 9-play, 80-yard affair that ended with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Manning to Beckham. The play was originally ruled incomplete but overturned as Beckham did a marvelous job of keeping his feet in bounds.

Miami struggled to move the ball the rest of the contest. The Dolphins’ final four possessions of the second half only gained 55 yards and three first downs, as each drive ended with a Miami punt.

The Giants had a chance to go up by a field goal late in the 3rd quarter after a 51-yard drive, but Brown missed his 48-yard field goal attempt and the game remained tied. Nevertheless, on New York’s ensuing possession which began at their own 4-yard line, the Giants scored their game-winning points. On first down, running back Rashad Jennings gained 12 yards. On the very next snap, Manning found a wide open Beckham for an 84-yard score and a 31-24 lead that would hold up as the final score.

Odell Beckham, New York Giants (December 15, 2015)

Odell Beckham – © USA TODAY Sports Images

Miami’s last serious scoring thread came on the following possession. The Dolphins gained two first downs and reached the New York 31-yard line. But a holding penalty and three incomplete passes stalled the drive.

Both teams then went three-and-out. With 4:39 left in the game, the Giants were able to successfully run out the clock by gaining 35 yards and three first downs.

Offensively, the Giants gained 429 total net yards (92 rushing, 337 passing), were 5-of-11 on 3rd down (45 percent), and were 3-of-4 (75 percent) in the red zone. Aside from Beckham’s big night, Randle, wide receiver Dwayne Harris, and Tye had five catches each. Jennings carried the ball 22 times for 81 yards.

Defensively, the Dolphins gained 363 total net yards (128 rushing, 235 passing), were 7-of-16 on 3rd down (44 percent), and 1-of-2 (50 percent) in the red zone. Defensive end Robert Ayers had the Giants’ only sack of the game.

Video highlights/lowlights are available at Giants.com.

INJURY REPORT…
Left tackle Ereck Flowers re-injured his high ankle sprain in the 4th quarter and did not return. Defensive tackle Markus Kuhn suffered a knee injury in the 3rd quarter and did not return. Left guard Justin Pugh and right guard John Jerry suffered burners in the 2nd quarter but returned. Wide receiver Odell Beckham missed the first drive of the second half with cramps, needing an IV, but returned. LB J.T. Thomas tweaked his ankle but returned. Defensive end George Selvie left the game in the 4th quarter, being evaluated for a concussion.

POST-GAME REACTIONS…
Video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Tom Coughlin and the following players are available at Giants.com:

  • Head Coach Tom Coughlin (Video)
  • QB Eli Manning (Video)
  • RB Rashad Jennings (Video)
  • WR Odell Beckham (Video)
  • WR Rueben Randle (Video)
  • TE Will Tye (Video)
  • LG/LT Justin Pugh (Video)
  • CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Video)

POST-GAME NOTES…
Inactive for the Giants were LB Devon Kennard (hamstring/foot), S Brandon Meriweather (knee), WR Geremy Davis, DE Stansly Maponga, OG Adam Gettis, OT Emmett Cleary, and CB Tramain Jacobs.

GIANTS-VIKINGS FLEXED TO SUNDAY NIGHT…
The NFL has flexed the New York Giants-Minnesota Vikings game in Minnesota on December 27 from 1:00PM to 8:30PM EST. The game will now be televised on NBC.

DAMONTRE MOORE CLAIMED BY DOLPHINS…
Defensive end Damontre Moore, who was waived by the New York Giants on Friday, has been claimed off of waivers by the Miami Dolphins.

ARTICLES…

Dec 062015
 
Josh Brown, New York Giants (December 6, 2015)

Josh Brown Misses Game-Tying Kick in OT – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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NEW YORK JETS 23 – NEW YORK GIANTS 20 (OT)…
In pattern far too commonplace this season, the New York Giants lost a heart-breaker, 23-20 in overtime, to the New York Jets on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium. Once again, there was a questionable late-game coaching decision and the team surrendered another double-digit 4th quarter lead. The Giants had a chance to tie the game in overtime but place kicker Josh Brown, who had been perfect all season on field goal attempts, missed from 48 yards out.

With the defeat, the Giants fell to 5-7 overall. It was the fifth time this season the Giants have lost a game in the final two minutes – tying a single-season NFL record.

Statistically, the Jets out-gained the Giants in first downs (28 to 14), total net yards (463 to 355), net yards rushing (90 to 74), net yards passing (373 to 281), and time of possession (38:31 to 29:56). The Giants were 0-for-3 in red zone opportunities  and 4-of-15 (27 percent) on third down opportunities.

Dwayne Harris, New York Giants (December 6, 2015)

Dwayne Harris – © USA TODAY Sports Images

After both teams went three-and-out and exchanged punts on their first possessions, the Jets went up 3-0 after an 11-play, 78-yard drive that set up a 24-yard field goal. Both teams then gained one first down before having to punt. The Giants went ahead 7-3 when wide receiver/returner Dwayne Harris returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown.

The Jets and Giants exchanged punts again. The Giants got the ball back when linebacker Jasper Brinkley forced a fumble that defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul recovered. Despite beginning the possession at the Jets’ 10-yard line, the Giants were forced to settle for a 20-yard field goal by Brown to go up 10-3. Running back Andre Williams was stuffed for a 1-yard loss on 3rd-and-goal from the 1-yard line.

Odell Beckham, New York Giants (December 6, 2015)

Odell Beckham – © USA TODAY Sports Images

The Jets then proceeded to tie the game by driving 79 yards in nine plays, with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick hitting running back Bilal Powell for a 25-yard catch-and-run touchdown on 3rd-and-15. However, the Giants regained the lead on the third snap of their ensuing possession when wide receiver Odell Beckham sprinted for a 72-yard touchdown pass on 3rd-and-2. Giants were now up 17-10.

The Giants’ defense forced three-and-out with 1:42 left in the half. The Giants were able gain 50 yards in six pays, primarily on tight end Will Tye’s 45-yard catch-and-run, to set up a successful 35-yard field goal with 30 seconds left.

At the half, the Giants led 20-10.

Neither team scored in the 3rd quarter. After both teams punted, the Giants began a marathon, 17-play drive that continued midway into the 4th quarter and took an astounding 11 minutes and 21 seconds off of the clock. The turning point in the game came at this moment. Facing a 4th-and-2 from the Jets’ 4-yard line with 8:50 left in the game, Head Coach Tom Coughlin decided to go for it instead of attempting a short field goal that would have put the Giants up by 13 points. Manning’s pass intended for wide receiver Rueben Randle was intercepted and returned to the Jets’ 14-yard line.

The Jets then proceeded to cut the score to 20-13 by driving 80 yards in 12 plays to set up a 24-yard field goal with 4:24 left to play. Needing to run some time off of the clock, the Giants could not and were forced to punt after a three-and-out.

The Jets started their final drive in regulation at their own 29-yard line with 2:40 left to play. Just like the other five late-game collapses, the defense could not hold. The Jets drove 71 yards in 10 plays to tie the game 20-20. On this drive, the Jets converted on 4th-and-6 when Fitzpatrick scrambled for 15 yards. The game-tying touchdown was a 9-yard pass from to wide receiver Brandon Marshall with 27 seconds left.

The Jets won the toss in overtime and drove 61 yards in 13 plays to set up what would be the game-winning 31-yard field goal. Per the new overtime rules, the Giants were given one opportunity to tie or win the game. After a 43-yard kickoff return by Harris, the Giants could only pick up one first down on a 4th-and-6 pass to Beckham that gave the Giants the ball at the Jets’ 34-yard line. But the Giants could only gain four more yards before Brown’s 48-yard game-tying field goal attempt. That kick went wide left.

Offensively, Manning finished the game 18-of-34 for 297 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. Beckham caught 6 passes for 149 yards and 1 touchdown. No other receiver caught more than three passes and no running back rushed for more than 23 yards.

Defensively, while the Giants accrued 3 sacks and 9 quarterback hits, Fitzpatrick completed 36-of-50 passes for 390 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Both wide receiver Brandon Marshall (12 catches for 131 yards) and Eric Decker (8 catches for 101 yards) had over 100 yards receiving. Powell also caught 8 passes for 91 yards at running back for the Jets.

Video highlights/lowlights are available at Giants.com.

INJURY REPORT…
Left tackle Ereck Flowers was carted off of the field with a left ankle injury in the 3rd quarter and did not return. He was spotted in a boot and on crutches after the game.

Quarterback Eli Manning had x-rays after the game on an undisclosed body part but claimed he was OK. “Everything’s good,” said Manning. “Just to see if anything was broken, but all good. You can ask Coach about it.”

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

POST-GAME NOTES…
Inactive for the Giants were TE Larry Donnell (neck), RT Marshall Newhouse (back), LB Devon Kennard (hamstring/foot), S Brandon Meriweather (knee), DE George Selvie, WR Geremy Davis, and OT Emmett Cleary.

Rookie Bobby Hart started at right tackle.

Six of the New York Giants’ seven losses have been by a total of 18 points.

This was the third time this season the Giants led by at least 10 points in the fourth quarter and were unable to close out their opponent.

Quarterback Eli Manning increased his career yardage total to 43,073. That moved him past Hall of Famer Dan Fouts and into 11th place on the NFL’s career list.

Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. had his fifth consecutive game with at least 100 receiving yards. He is the first Giants receiver in history to do that in a single season. Beckham has 169 career receptions, the highest total in history by an NFL player in his first two seasons. Beckham has scored 10 touchdowns for the second consecutive season.

Wide receiver/returner Dwayne Harris is the third player in Giants’ history with kickoff and punt return touchdowns in the same season, and the first to do it in 60 years.

JAMES MORRIS PROMOTED TO 53-MAN ROSTER, LEON McFADDEN CUT…
On Saturday, the New York Giants signed linebacker James Morris to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad. To make room for Morris, the team waived cornerback Leon McFadden.

ARTICLES…

Nov 212015
 
Odell Beckham, New York Giants (October 11, 2015)

Odell Beckham – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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JAMES MORRIS RE-SIGNED TO PRACTICE SQUAD…
The New York Giants have signed linebacker James Morris to the Practice Squad. The Giants had previously signed Morris the Practice Squad in September, signed him to the 53-man roster in October, and waived him on November 17th. Morris was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the New England Patriots after the 2014 NFL Draft. The Patriots waived him in September.

GIANTS.COM INSIDER WITH CRAIG JOHNSON…
Video of a Giants.com “insider” interview with Running Backs Coach Craig Johnson is available at Giants.com.

ODELL BECKHAM ON ESPN RADIO
The audio of wide receiver Odell Beckham’s ESPN Radio interview on Thursday is available at ESPN.com.

ARTICLES…

Nov 092015
 
Giants fans in Tampa on Sunday - Photo courtesy of Tim Nargi

Giants fans in Tampa on Sunday – Photo courtesy of Tim Nargi

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JOHNATHAN HANKINS DONE FOR THE SEASON…
The New York Giants have confirmed that Johnathan Hankins, the team’s best defensive tackle, did tear his pectoral muscle against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Hankins will have surgery and be placed on season-ending Injured Reserve. It is a big loss for a defense that is already dead last in the NFL.

“Johnathan, unfortunately, did tear his pec and he will have to have surgery,” said Head Coach Tom Coughlin. “He’ll be placed on IR and hopefully he will rehab as fast as possible. I don’t have a calendar date in terms of how long it will take him to get back, but he does have time.

“John has been a guy that’s anchored in the middle of that defensive line for a few years. We’ll definitely miss his presence. He knocked the ball out yesterday, he’s the one that forced the first fumble recovered by Brinkley. He’ll be missed, there’s no doubt. He’s a strong, strong player inside and he can be a factor against the pass as well as the run. We will definitely miss him.”

HEAD COACH TOM COUGHLIN…
Tom Coughlin addressed the media by conference call on Monday:

Coughlin: We were obviously very pleased with the game, it was a tough football game. You’re talking about a game in the fourth quarter with a very, very tight points differential. Plays had to be made at the right time and I thought a lot of the critical plays were made at that time with the stop, the forced punt, the driving of the ball, the big third down conversion between Eli and Odell, the running of the ball late in the game. I would have liked to have gotten the first down there at the end and put it under two minutes and they had no timeouts and we could have knelt, but it didn’t work that way. We got the field goal and there was a minimal amount of time for Tampa Bay to maneuver the ball down the field at the end of the game. And so in effect, we accomplished what we had set out to do.

I thought our defense bounced back and you cannot ignore the 59-yard run or the 68-yard pass. Had we been able to defend those things better, and there were at least two missed tackles on the 59-yard run, those statistics would certainly have been different. I think against an outstanding running back, (Doug) Martin, gained 31 yards, I thought that was a huge plus for our team. Our ability to hold up after sudden change for defense to go out and force field goals and not touchdowns and to have done that on a couple different occasions throughout the game, that was a huge plus for us.

I think from a special teams standpoint, the 53-yard field goal by Josh Brown was outstanding—an excellent hold by Brad Wing on that particular play. The one punt, we punted once in the game, and he hit a bomb, it was a 64-yard punt, which forced a very, very good returner to go back and have to regroup, muffed a little bit and it became a net of 63, which is outstanding as well. The types of things that don’t go in the statistics—the punt that Dwayne Harris was able to finesse over to one side as if the ball was coming that way and the ball hit and rolled into the endzone, allowing us to start at the 20 instead of inside the 10. A very good job by the young defender that we had just brought up, (Tramain) Jacobs, who was able to work against a very, very fast gunner and still distracted enough along with Dwayne that the ball was allowed to go into the endzone. There were plays of that nature throughout the game.

The offense took advantage of turnovers when they were there, they put, I think 17 points on the board off of turnovers. We ran the ball well, we had some powerful runs. We had 35 minutes time of possession which was a huge plus. We did turn the ball over twice and that allowed them to have the ball, plus the fourth and two that we didn’t make, I would call that a turnover as well, in terms of just momentum shifting there. But we were able to overcome those things and to come away with a win.

Q: From a pass rushing standpoint, you did get a couple hits on Winston but nothing in the sack department. What did you make of the defensive line and particularly Jason Pierre-Paul?

A: Obviously the guy hadn’t played, so he was rusty in terms of that. But I thought he got some great jumps off the snap and I thought his inside move was an outstanding move. Late in the game when we needed to be able to rush the passer, he forced the passer to pull it down and run outside to the right on a couple of occasions, which made him a little bit more uncomfortable when he was not standing in the pocket releasing the ball in that way. He was having to throw the ball on the move. I thought that for the first time out of the box, obviously our players were happy that he was out there with us. And he’s going to do nothing but get better.

Q: Based on what you saw, are you comfortable with him having an expanded role once he gets back into football shape?

A: He’s in football shape and he’s in outstanding condition. Football role? He will assume whatever roles we need to design in order for us to be able to maximize his ability.

Q: What went into your thinking to use him pretty much exclusively on the right side?

A: That’s where he plays, he plays on the right side. That’s where he is.

Q: I know it’s a different year, different seasons and I know you’ll talk about the Patriots more on Wednesday. Is there a common denominator to why you guys have had success against them before? You’ve always faced them when they’ve been flying high.

A: I don’t know whether this is an attempt to get out in front of it…I really haven’t spent a whole lot of time thinking about the Patriots yet. As soon as we finish this (call) and I have one more meeting with the players, I will then switch gears and start to prepare myself for the Patriot game. But at this point in time, let me stick with this game, please.

Q: Anything on Johnathan Hankins?

A: Yes, Johnathan, unfortunately, did tear his pec and he will have to have surgery.

Q: So that’s a six-month thing sort of like Will Beatty at this point?

A: Well, he’ll be placed on IR and hopefully he will rehab as fast as possible. I don’t have a calendar date in terms of how long it will take him to get back, but he does have time.

Q: With Will Beatty, where do you stand with your offensive line and how do you plan to proceed with him? I believe the date is coming up the middle of the week.

A: Yeah, the date is later in the week and we’ll make a decision at that point in time.

Q: Is the decision whether he’s going to be placed on the roster or not or just what to do with him when he gets on the roster?

A: No, it doesn’t have anything to do with what to do with him, we know what to do with him. It’ll be whether or not he moves onto the roster.

Q: What, at this point, would prevent him from doing that?

A: Will didn’t play yesterday. Is there anything you want to ask me about the game? Will is going to practice this week and the decision will be made. That’s all you’re going to get, I’m sorry, but that’s it. Do you have any questions about the game?

Q: What did you think of your offensive line and how they played in that game?

A: The quarterback, I think, was hit twice and I believe we rushed the ball for 114 yards. They were very quick, they did penetrate with the linebackers, they came off of the edge with their pressure, but by in large, I think our guys did well.

Q: How big of a loss is Hankins? He’s been an anchor for you for a year and a half and where do you go next to fill that void, especially the run stopper?

A: Well, that’s the thing, John has been a guy that’s anchored in the middle of that defensive line for a few years. We’ll definitely miss his presence. He knocked the ball out yesterday, he’s the one that forced the first fumble recovered by Brinkley. He’ll be missed, there’s no doubt. He’s a strong, strong player inside and he can be a factor against the pass as well as the run. We will definitely miss him.

Q: Speaking of Jasper Brinkley, how did you think he did in the middle?

A: I thought he played well, I thought he did. I thought he benefited from having play time extended a week ago and he is a force in the middle. He’s a guy that has size and he is able to recognize things and he is physical.

Q: Was it just a matter of him having to catch up with the playbook? I know he got to the team late.

A: The idea of being ready to go when you’re needed is an essential part of this game and it just worked its way out that way.

Q: Do you see him taking that position on now going forward as the starter?

A: Well, we’ll see, we’ll see how that goes. He did play well.

Q: And we never got to ask you either, Jon Beason’s injuries…what was the extent of them? What led to the decision to IR him?

A: The decision was—Jon has been an outstanding leader here. He is a man of principle. He is a guy who loves to play, loves to compete. But the inability to really put the injuries to rest and be able to have some kind of an idea when, in fact, he could play and could be able to stay out there, there just wasn’t any answers to those kinds of things. So unfortunately the roster starts to churn and you need to be able to get some people in a position to help you play and win and so that decision was made.

Q: With seven games to go, how much different is the feeling for you knowing you’re in first place and you’ve got a shot?

A: Obviously, it’s a great thing. It’s a wonderful thing to be able to be in the hunt, to be relevant. And each week is extremely meaningful and the players are well aware of that. Like I spoke to them on Saturday night, we talked about the fact that, “Hey, you work a whole winter, you work all summer, you spend all your time preparing and if I was to tell you at the midpoint of the season that you were in first place in the division, had a very meaningful circumstance within the division, would it make a difference? You bet it would, you bet it would.” So obviously we have many, many important and big games to go, but it’s good to have that factor involved.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts of Monday’s media conference calls with the following players:

NOTES…
The New York Giants did not allow a sack against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was the third time this season QB Eli Manning was not sacked (also in home victories over Washington and San Francisco). It was also the third time this season, and second week in a row, the Giants defense did not register a sack.

The Giants’ defense has scored four times this season.

Eli Manning set a franchise record with his 96th regular-season victory as the Giants’ starting quarterback. He had shared the mark with Phil Simms, who won 95 games in 15 seasons from 1979-93.

WR Odell Beckham has 150 catches in 21 games, setting a new NFL record for fewest games needed to reach 150. WR Anquan Boldin previously held the mark with 25 games. Beckham also tied the NFL record for fewest games to reach 2,000 yards receiving with WR Bill Groman.

PK Josh Brown extended his team record to 23 consecutive field goal attempts, including all 19 this season.

ARTICLES…

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The players are off Tuesday and return to practice on Wednesday to start preparing for Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots.