Sept
14 Eli
Manning at this moment - given the state of the offensive line, given that
underachieving weapons around him - is hardly the only problem. He is, however,
the only solution.
They
don't need to be the Green Bay Packers. They just need to find a way to win.
The more Eli Manning ponders this new Giants offense, the more he comes to that
conclusion.
Victor
Cruz made the very strong point that the Giants' success hinges on the ball
being thrown in his direction, and in the direction of Rueben Randle, too.
The
Giants threw to Jerrel Jernigan and Larry Donnell a lot Monday because those
guys were open, so the question becomes whether Randle and Cruz can get separation
from defenders in short range better than they have so far.
Since
the Giants are learning a new offensive system, how well the players are communicating
has become a hot topic. Interviews with Giants players last week about what goes
on in the 40 seconds between plays revealed a world of nonstop, esoteric interaction.
When
the Giants' defense is on the field for a big play Sunday against the Cardinals,
the megaboards in the corners of MetLife Stadium will start pulsing and flashing.
Video images of Giants defensive players will remind the fans to get up out of
their seats, get rowdy and make some noise. Jon Beason wishes they wouldn't.
Sept
13 The
Giants will try and right the ship against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday
in a game that could seriously alter the fortunes of both teams. Since 1990, the
rate at which teams made the playoffs after starting 0-2 is 11.6 percent. At 1-1,
teams make the playoffs at a rate of 41.1 percent.
Though
we did anticipate the offense failing last week, we didn't see all three units
spitting the bit. It was a bad match-up all around that realistically had little
chance of turning out well for this team that is very much in transition, if not
rebuilding. This week the situation is better.
The
Giants have an entirely new offense, a new system and a ton of new faces.
They have a new coach overseeing the offense, too. It's not an excuse for finishing
with under 200 yards of total offense and two turnovers in the opener.
Cornerback
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was brought to the Giants to help stop some of
the league's top receivers, not enable them to run wild in front of a national
audience. Rodgers-Cromartie was too often left in the dust by the league's top
receiver in Detroit. Calvin Johnson had seven catches on 11 targets for 164 yards
and two touchdowns.
They
play the same position, wear the same number and share the same last name.
Yet Sunday's game between the Giants and Arizona Cardinals will mark the first
time that brothers Daniel and Darren Fells will be on the same football field
together.
NFC East News
Redskins
- Robert Griffin III is off to a slow start in his bid to become primarily a pocket
passer, and his frequently questionable judgment - both in and out of the pocket
- has stirred concern on the coaching staff.
Cowboys
- Not too long ago, the Cowboys viewed the defensive line as the strength of their
team. The four-man front was populated by accomplished veterans and a couple of
stars. DeMarcus Ware, Jay Ratliff, Jason Hatcher and Anthony Spencer were an intimidating
bunch.
Eagles
- Chip Kelly: We don't always get replay views on the road in press box Kelly
explained that NFL rules prohibit the team from taking a portable television set
into the coaches box and teams are restricted to the feeds provided to the coaches.
Sept
12 Tom
Coughlin keeps Giants after practice for remembrance, moment of silence. Like
so many people, Tom Coughlin has a connection to Sept. 11, 2001 that stays close
to his heart.
Damontre
Moore went from the Giants' sacks leader and best pass-rusher in the preseason
to forgotten man in Monday's loss. He got just 10 snaps in Detroit, a glaring
lack of playing time that had even Tom Coughlin befuddled and deflecting questions
to his defensive coordinator.
Damontre
Moore should have played more. The lasting image of Damontre Moore from Monday
night's Giants loss in Detroit was him being juked by Lions quarterback Matthew
Stafford on the opening drive of the season. The play resulted in a touchdown
to Calvin Johnson.
Ben
McAdoo: The encouraging thing is that offense's mistakes are different each
week. It is unrealistic to think that all of the mistakes made by the Giants offense
on Monday night are fixable, at least in a period of six days.
Ben
McAdoo sounds as if he wants to be bold and assured, but those darn lousy
results make it difficult to keep making promises that cannot be kept. He says:
"We need to take the system and tailor it to the players and their strengths."
From
the day he arrived with the Giants this spring, Corey Washington has been
looking forward to Sunday's game. The receiver was originally signed as an undrafted
rookie by the Cardinals but unceremoniously waived 10 days later before signing
with the Giants.
Giants
defense vs. Lions: 5 takeaways from DC Perry Fewell including calling it a
'comedy of errors'. After getting three full days to absorb the opening game letdown
in Detroit, defensive coordinator Perry Fewell talked about what went wrong and
how the Giants intend to turn it around.
Sept
11 Some
people may be losing faith in Eli Manning, in the wake of a poor 2013 season
and an equally disappointing 2014 debut. Eli Manning isn't one of them. "No, no
doubts," Manning said.
Five
weeks and five preseason games. That should be plenty of time for a new quarterback
to work out all the kinks, learn all the new terminology, develop the rapport
with his receivers and compensate for a flimsy offensive line right? Not even
close, says Cardinals coach Bruce Arians.
Arizona
Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer understands the growing pains that his
Giants counterpart Eli Manning is enduring as he struggles to adapt to a new offense.
After
five shaky preseason games and one ugly season opener, Tom Coughlin knows
exactly one thing about this new Giants offense: The unit has no clue what it
wants to do or how it wants to attack its opponents.
Coughlin's
patience usually runs out sooner than later. And as it turns out installing
a new offensive system that doesn't resemble the old offensive system takes a
lot longer than the Giants led everyone to believe.
Josh
Brown hasn't punted in an NFL game since 2004, but the New York Giants' placekicker
was practicing it Wednesday just in case he needs to do it Sunday.
Steve
Weatherford's high ankle sprain is the type of injury that normally would
sideline a football player for weeks, not days. But a few days is what Weatherford
expects it to take for him to return.
Victor
Cruz wants the damn ball. Alright, he didn't say it quite like that, or publish
a book with the same title, but the Giants receiver was pretty clear in the aftermath
of the opening-season loss. What Victor Cruz really needs: Another receiver to
emerge as a threat in the passing game.
For
the first time in weeks, Giants first-round pick Odell Beckham Jr. was catching
punts at practice on Wednesday. He was seen running more last week despite a hamstring
problem that ruined his summer.
Sept
10 Victor
Cruz: I thought Giants offense would be in rhythm by now.
Victor
Cruz: Need more targets in my direction.
Victor
Cruz says for Giants to succeed, Eli Manning needs to get ball to him and
Ruben Randle.
Antrel
Rolle: 'We need more fight'.
Tom
Coughlin won't bring up 0-6 start with 2014 team.
Giants
want that first win so they don't have to worry about another start like last
season.
Giants
president John Mara will make changes if necessary.
Tight
end Larry Donnell was the lone bright spot in ugly opening-night loss
Damontre
Moore admits being 'out of control' vs. Lions and that Giants don't trust
him.
No
time for a blue attitude after rough opener.
Jon
Beason called it "a lack of collective execution".
Giants
to monitor Jason Pierre-Paul's neck, list him as limited this week at practice.
Jason
Pierre-Paul should be on the field when the Giants hold their first practice
of the week.
Sept 9
Giants lose to the Lions, 35-14 |
Photos
| Video
On
The Game: Game
1 Gamegirl
- "I was hoping the preseason I saw was just a rough work in progress and
that the finished product would look way much better." Mikefan.
- "The Giants showed they are not ready for primetime in more ways than one.
Now they have to get it together for Arizona on Sunday." |
ESPN
- Rapid Reaction: Giants 14, Lions 35.
ESPN
- Top stats to know: Lions 35, Giants 14.
ESPN
- Tom Coughlin: 'A nightmare performance'.
ESPN
- Eli Manning in Giant need of help.
ESPN
- Giants with nothing to like about opener.
ESPN
- Big Blue Morning: Big Blue Bummer.
Giants.com
- Instant Analysis: Lions 35, Giants 14.
Giants.com
- How concerned are the Giants after loss to Lions?
NYDailyNews
- Giants lose to Lions, 35-14: Instant analysis.
NYDailyNews
- New-look Giants still the same, put up Week 1 dud vs. Lions in 35-14 loss.
NYDailyNews
- Giants offensive line can't help Eli Manning out.
NYDailyNews
- Eli Manning and Giants look terrible in Ben McAdoo's West Coast offense.
NYPost
- Giants confirm all your worst nightmares in dreadful debut.
NYPost
- Eli Manning insists he isn't concerned -- but he should be.
NYPost
- Calvin Johnson makes absolute mockery of Giants.
NYPost
- These brand-new, shiny Giants...look a lot like the old ones.
StarLedger
- Eli Manning off the mark, defense lost as Giants fall to Lions.
StarLedger
- Offensive line as troublesome as expected.
StarLedger
- Giants look every bit as bad as fans feared they'd be this season.
StarLedger
- Eli Manning: Blame both those interceptions in Giants loss on me.
StarLedger
- Tom Coughlin calls loss to Lions 'a nightmare performance.
StarLedger
- Calvin Johnson touchdowns: What happened to the Giants secondary?
Newsday
- Same old Giants in opening loss to Lions.
Newsday
- Lions' Calvin Johnson too much for Giants' secondary.
DetroitNews
- Matthew Stafford, Lions start fast to roll past Giants in opener
DetroitFreePress
- Matthew Stafford's big day highlights Lions' rout of Giants.Giants
(0-0) vs Lions (0-0)
The Giants and Lions both finished up last season
with 7-9 records. For whatever reason both these teams are playing in the opening
prime time Monday night slot of our 2014 NFL season. You'll go back to 2011 to
find when the Lions and Giants were last in the playoffs.
The Lions lost their
wildcard game and the Giants won theirs and went on to win it all, but there's
been nothing to spark any real national prime time excitement since then for either
team. Maybe the NFL is trying to pump some life into these two underachievers
by featuring them in the spotlight of Monday Night Football.
Sept
8 Now
it counts for new offense as Giants open at Lions on Monday Night Football.
Giants
ready to take field, prove doubters wrong in Week 1 vs. Lions.
Giants
new tandem eager to prove itself.
Giants
offense may not be a force, but maybe it doesn't need to be.
Giants
vs. Lions: 8 things to look out for as the Giants face the Lions on Monday
Night.
Giants
vs. Lions injury report: Who didn't make the trip.
NFC
East News
Eagles
- After ugly start, Eagles win opener 34-17. - More.
Redskins
- Self-inflicted damage in 17-6 loss to Houston ruins Jay Gruden's debut. - More.
Cowboys
- Nightmare opener (28-17 loss) a sign of what's to come. - More.
Sept 7
Stevie
Brown's return is part of the reason the Giants will open with one of the
best secondaries in the NFL. He, along with free safety Antrel Rolle and cornerbacks
Prince Amukamara and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will be charged with shadowing
the Lions' All-Pro wide receiver Calvin Johnson. Containing the man they call
Megatron is a large part of the Giants' game plan.
Giants
look mired in mediocrity, unless you're willing to take a leap of faith. These
are two teams with a lot of theoretical offensive juice and defenses that potentially
could be very good. But they've both recently underachieved on offense and the
Lions have been underachieving on defense for years.
The
Giants prepare to open their season without an established starter of any
pedigree at tight end. Entering the final practices last week, the starter still
wasn't clear. When Coach Tom Coughlin was asked if he had identified a No. 1 tight
end, he shook his head. "No," he said.
If
the Giants miss the playoffs again, co-owner John Mara may have no choice
but to take a good, long look at Coughlin's complicated resume - two wondrous
Super Bowl championships, but no playoff victories in any other season.
Most
NFL players spend their meetings going over X's and O's. The Giants' running
backs? They spend a good deal of time on the Whys. Starter Rashad Jennings opens
every day's gathering with a philosophical thought, a hypothetical question or
an idiom or proverb to discuss. These aren't just running backs. They're thinking
backs. And they're going deep.
Sept
6 Ben
McAdoo's processed and handled a difficult preseason where the first-team
offense managed just three scoring dives on 19 possessions. He's processed it,
learned from it and then left it in the film room. "The preseason is over," McAdoo
said sternly on Friday.
He
conceded that the Giants didn't get things done in preseason. Still, he insisted,
he had seen enough progress this week to believe that Eli Manning & Co. are ready.
"I feel that we've made progress," he said. "We're making progress.
We're starting to click in practice."
Several
of McAdoo's players said they agree that practice recently has been a lot
more encouraging than the five preseason games were. And if there's one positive
they intend to build on, it was that the first-team offense committed just one
turnover in the entire preseason.
Right
up until kickoff, Ben McAdoo will remain a mystery. In the final question
Friday during his media availability, he was asked if he will script the first
few plays he plans on calling Monday night when the Giants face the Lions. The
new offensive coordinator nodded and said, "No." With a smile.
Victor
Cruz can hear it in Eli Manning's voice. He can see it in his posture. And
Tom Coughlin recognized it simply by looking at his quarterback's face. Manning
has something to prove. The two-time Super Bowl MVP seeks redemption. Manning
begins his quest Monday night in front of a national TV audience when the Giants
open their season in Detroit.
Former
Giants
Justin
Tuck will be looking to help Oakland end a 13-game losing streak in the Eastern
time zone when they face the Jets on Sunday.
Sept
5 Expectations
of the New York Giants are low, and the poor performance of the first-team
offense in the preseason is largely to blame. Lost in all the panic, however,
is that the Giants' defense may be among the best in the NFL, thanks in large
part to the revamped secondary.
The
Lions have one of the league's most prolific passing attacks, one that will
present a formidable challenge to the Giants defense. The Lions' passing offense
was third in the NFL in 2013, averaging 280.1 yards a game. The great unknown
for the Giants is exactly what the Lions will present.
The
Giants know exactly what you think of their offense: They know you think it
stinks. With the regular-season opener awaiting Monday night in Detroit and a
preseason of offensive angst in the new system behind them, some Giants players
had messages for the stressed-out fans who already are in a state of panic.
Tom
Coughlin said he won't bug Ben McAdoo much during games . . . unless he has
to. The head coach of the Giants said he will mostly allow the new offensive coordinator
and first-time play-caller to run the show during games.
It
does bother Manning a bit that, after all he's done, the narrative going into
the 2014 season is about what he still has to prove. Manning had a rotten year
in 2013, and he's not denying that. He just would like everyone to know he's as
disappointed about it as they are.
During
the 2006 season, with Manning struggling, Coughlin replaced offensive coordinator
John Hufnagel with quarterbacks coach Kevin Gilbride, who turned around Manning's
career and wound up winning two Super Bowls.
Sept
4 Thanks
to a relatively new rule, the Giants were able to add offensive lineman Adam
Snyder to their roster on Wednesday while managing to not lose Geoff Schwartz
for the season.
The
28-year-old Schwartz was supposed to be the centerpiece of the Giants' rebuilding
project along a line that was a disaster last season. Schwartz will be eligible
to return to practice in six weeks.
Adam
Snyder has started at every position on the line but works best as a guard,
a spot that has been problematic for the Giants.
The
Giants open the regular season Monday night in Detroit. Schwartz and Snyder
were once teammates at the University of Oregon.
Tom
Coughlin has only self to blame for uproar over Beckham injury. If he did
not rush back prematurely, perhaps he would have been on the field come Monday
night against the Lions, rather than back home, watching on the tube.
The
Lions finished 28th in the NFL in sacks last season, and they've underachieved
on defense for several seasons, but there's no doubt they're loaded with talent.
Former
Giants.
Giants
top 10 players in franchise history as selected by Daily News. Lawrence Taylor
tops the list of immortal Giants, both old and new, as selected by the scribes
of New York's Hometown Paper.
Sept
3 NFL
Nation reporters: Giants will go 6-10. Based on the game-by-game predictions
of the team reporters covering the Giants' opponents, the Giants will have a 6-10
record this year.
Of
the 64 ESPN experts issuing predictions, 53 picked the Philadelphia Eagles
to win the NFC East. Of those 64, only five picked the Giants to reach the playoffs.
While
the Giants, who were 5-0 in the preseason, prepare for Week 1 against the
Detroit Lions, Giants.com takes a look at how national media outlets are stacking
up the team.
Giants
game-by-game picks for the 2014 season. Predicted Record: 8-8.
There
wasn't a lot to like about the Giants' offense this summer, but Tom Coughlin
found one positive. The three Giants quarterbacks did not throw a single interception.
They were the only team in the NFL without one, and they (and the Bills) played
one more game than anyone else.
The
statistics were comically poor for Eli Manning, except no one was laughing.
He did not complete half his passes in the preseason, his yards-per-attempt (4.59)
were miniscule, and the only reason he was not charged with two interceptions
was because penalties wiped them out.
The
Giants need to figure that out soon, because on Monday in Detroit against
the Lions the mistakes will finally start to count. And for most of the preseason,
Eli Manning and Rueben Randle have struggled to get in concert.
Giants'
O-line will determine Eli Manning's success, Kevin Gilbride says. One element
of the offense certainly should be improved. "The running backs are far superior
to what we had last year," he said. "It's not even close." The biggest key, Gilbride
said, figures to be the line.
To
be perfectly clear, linebacker Jon Beason is going to play on Monday night,
assuming he doesn't have any setbacks between now and kickoff. However, if you're
planning on seeing him take every single snap in this game, you can probably forget
about that.
Former Giants
Justin
Tuck has two stops on his itinerary when he gets to town this weekend to begin
his Raiders career back at his old home at MetLife Stadium against the Jets: He
wants to catch a Yankees game and pick up his two Super Bowl rings at his house
in New Jersey.
Sept 2
Tom
Coughlin flips out after Odell Beckham question, admits first-round pick could
miss up to three more weeks.
When
a reporter asked about Beckham's status, the coach snapped: "Let's just let
this kid get better, OK? Everybody, settle down. Let the kid get better. I went
up to him yesterday.
Please
stop bothering Tom Coughlin about Odell Beckham. The coach said regular questions
about him have become exasperating.
Tom
Coughlin said he'd prefer not to answer questions on Odell Beckham Jr.'s status
until the Rookie returns to the field.
Eli
Manning, Ben McAdoo under microscope for opener vs. Detroit Lions. Throughout
the spring and summer, it's been a feeling-out process for a two-time Super Bowl
MVP quarterback and an offensive coordinator who'd never called an NFL play. Now
it's time.
Eli
Manning says he doesn't care what the outside perception of the Giants' offense
is. The fact that the passing game didn't show much in the preseason doesn't thrill
him, but he is not bothered by how much it's worrying the fans.
From
the moment he injured his foot on June 12, Jon Beason's goal was to play in
the season opener in Detroit on Sept. 8. Beason practiced for the first time since
he suffered a ligament tear and a small fracture to the sesamoid in his foot during
an OTA workout.
Giants
welcome return of middle linebacker Jon Beason. Jon Beason passed his first
test. When the whistle blew and the defense was called to the field early in Monday's
practice, Beason won what usually is a daily footrace with coordinator Perry Fewell
to reach the football.
The
Giants were without their defensive leader all of training camp. They expect
to have him back for the regular season opener on Monday night in Detroit.
They
do not know yet how much he will be able to play in next Monday Night's season
opener in Detroit. But tthe Giants were excited to see their defensive team leader
practicing with them Monday morning.
Giants
know false start to new season is unacceptable. Of all the harsh lessons the
Giants learned last year, perhaps the most important was the significance of a
fast start.
On
Opening Night, Sept. 8, in Detroit, they're going to be put to a difficult
immediate test. "Exactly," cornerback Prince Amukamara said. "The
Lions offense likes to sling it. It's definitely going to be a great challenge
for us."
The
Giants defense has quietly gone about their business -- dominating on a daily
basis at practice-- in preparation for what they believe will be a big season.
The talent may be there, but unless it is maximized, their strength on paper means
little.
Here's
the list of the Giants practice squad players as they are revealed: (Note:
DT Kelcy Quarles
was claimed off waivers by the Patriots so he was not available for the Giants
practice squad.).
Sept
1 Special
Report - The Giants named seven of their possible 10 practice squad players
Sunday and six of them spent the summer with the team. Those with summer-long
familiarity were running back Michael Cox, cornerbacks Chandler Fenner and Bennett
Jackson, linebacker Dan Fox, defensive end Jordan Stanton and wide receiver Julian
Talley.
The
owner can love you, the general manager can respect you, and there will inevitably
come a time when the winning has stopped for whatever reason and you will be asked:
What have you done for us lately? And so, as the calendar turns to September,
Rex Ryan and the Jets intensify preparations for the Raiders, and Tom Coughlin
and the Giants intensify preparations for the Lions. That said, it's time for
each of them to coach a playoff team again.
Due
to the Odell Beckham Jr. injury and the inability of Mario Manningham to make
the team, the New York Giants ended up having to carry six wide receivers,
Giants.com
staff writer Dan Salomone highlights 3 things you need to know about each
member of the Giants practice squad.
Embarking
on a new path the Giants enter 2014 with an overhauled roster and a pass-friendly
offense. Seeking someone to redesign and lead the new offense, the Giants eschewed
conventional choices and handed the reins to a little-known coach from Green Bay,
Ben McAdoo.
Predicting
the Giants season record in 2014. In striving for objectivity, we need to
use a tool that can assess the Giants chances for wins and losses in each game
without interjecting an opinion.
The
owner can love you, the general manager can respect you, and there will inevitably
come a time when the winning has stopped for whatever reason and you will be asked:
What have you done for us lately? And so, as the calendar turns to September,
Rex Ryan and the Jets intensify preparations for the Raiders, and Tom Coughlin
and the Giants intensify preparations for the Lions. That said, it's time for
each of them to coach a playoff team again.
Aug
31 The
Giants made 22 roster moves to reach the regular-season limit of 53 players,
and coach Tom Coughlin said many of the decisions were difficult to make.
On
the eve of his 68th birthday, the Giants coach said he was touched not only
by the improbable storylines of the players he kept, but by the emotions of those
he had to cut.
Corey
Washington and defensive end Kerry Wynn are the only two undrafted rookies
who made the team. "They're great stories and that's what this thing is all about,"
coach Tom Coughlin said.
The
Giants cut four players, waived 14 others, placed two on injured reserve,
two more on the reserve/suspended list and activated linebacker Jon Beason from
PUP. That's a lot of action. And guess what? They're not done yet.
Breaking
down the defense/special teams on cut day. The defense is expected to be the
strength of the Giants team this season. Maybe that is why there were few surprises
on that side of the ball.
The
team is now ready to open the season next Monday in Detroit against the Lions.
Here's a quick overview of the final 53-man roster, along with a few thoughts
on the final group at each position.
The
Giants placed wide receiver Mario Manningham and kick return specialist Trindon
Holliday on season-ending injured reserve Saturday. Manningham strained a calf
muscle in Thursday's preseason finale, and Holliday struggled with a hamstring
injury throughout training camp. There was no point during August at which either
player appeared likely to make the team.
He
was the bright star of the Giants' dismal preseason, the touchdown machine
on the team that struggled to find the end zone. And now, Corey Washington is
officially a Giant.
Corey
Washington made everyone scramble for their rosters this preseason and ask
themselves, "Who is No. 6, and how tall is he?" But after the 6-foot-4,
214-pound wide receiver caught four key touchdowns in four consecutive games,
no one needed a cheat sheet any longer.
Aug
30 Eli
Manning: Giants offense will be a season-long 'work in progress'.
Eli
Manning admits it could take all season to master Ben McAdoo's West Coast
offense.
Eli
Manning is only fooling himself with his confidence.
Ben
McAdoo said earlier this month, "we need to be 100 percent ready to go."
Giants
will practice four more times before their Sept. 8 "Monday Night Football"
opener.
Mario
Manningham may have missed his chance to prove he should be on the Giants
roster.
Henry
Hynoski era may be over after shoulder injury.
Giants
have a decision to make on linebacker Jon Beason by Saturday's 4 pm deadline.
One
final projection of the Giants' 53-man roster before the final cuts are made
Saturday.
Aug 29 Five
preseason games weren't enough for Eli Manning and the Giants' passing game
to show anything, and they will go into the regular season still wondering about
the state of their offense.
Eli
Manning shaky, running game promising as Giants beat Patriots 16-13 in preseason
finale The only thing working in the 16-13 preseason win was Rashad Jennings and
the run game.
Eli
Manning finished the preseason 20 of 41, for 188 yards and one touchdown.
In what was basically 1 1/2 games of football, it's not what the Giants were expecting.
That being said, the word throughout the week was progress.
The
Giants had a rare five preseason games this year. Plenty of time to answer
any questions about the team you'd think. By the time Thursday night's matchup
with the New England Patriots was complete, everything was supposed to come into
focus. Uh, not so much.
Aug
28 Patriots
will try to tarnish Giants' perfect record -- in preseason. Seven years. That's
how long the Patriots have waited for Thursday night's preseason game. A chance
to exact revenge on the Giants for the most soul-crushing loss in their franchise's
history.
The
Giants are playing the Patriots on Thursday night in a game that means little
outside of the final injury report.
Struggling
Giants should focus only on avoiding more injuries heading into final preseason
game vs. Patriots. The goal for Thursday's preseason finale vs. the Patriots is
to avoid Eli Manning taking any more hits.
Victor
Cruz doesn't need this game. Eli Manning doesn't. And Antrel Rolle certainly
doesn't. The starters will play 15-18 snaps, honing the Giants' inconsistent offense
one final time.
None
of the five running backs was sent packing, but one of them will have to go
on Saturday when the final cuts trim the roster from 75 players to 53.
Mario
Manningham may be a Super Bowl icon, but he still has to make the Giants.
So far he probably hasn't done enough to, so Thursday night will be his final
opportunity. .
The
fine-tuning continues, as most of the Giants starters will get 15-18 snaps
on Thursday night in the preseason finale against the Patriots.
Wanna
bet? The NFL season is almost upon us, and that means, if you are so inclined,
time is running out to get down those prop bets. Several interesting numbers have
been established for the Giants this season, all courtesy of Bovada Sportsbook.
The
Giants didn't want to keep kicker Brandon McManus. But they didn't want to
play against him either. That's a big reason why they traded him to the Denver
Broncos on Tuesday afternoon for, possibly, absolutely nothing, according to an
NFL source. They got word that the Philadelphia Eagles might claim him. So instead
of allowing that, the Giants sent him to Denver for a conditional seventh-round
draft pick.
Aug 27 Coach
Tom Coughlin expects Eli Manning and the rest of the Giants' offensive starters
to play 15-18 snaps in Thursday's preseason finale against the Patriots.
The
Giants made 15 transactions to reach the NFL roster limit of 75 players in
advance of the deadline. Two players were placed on injured reserve: safety Cooper
Taylor, who injured the sesamoid bone in his left foot in Indianapolis, and wide
receiver Marcus Harris, who has a hip injury.
Mario
Manningham was not one of the 15 players on the cut-down list Tuesday when
the New York Giants reduced their roster from 90 to 75 players, but that doesn't
mean he's making the team.
Charles
James is gone. And Antrel Rolle is not happy about it. The Giants on Tuesday
trimmed 15 players off their roster to go from 90 players to 75, and the mild
surprise was the departure of James, a 23-year-old cornerback who played in 12
games last season.
On
both sides of the ball, players with championship pedigree and the Super Bowl
rings to show for it sounded a warning that, although the Giants might be having
a rough summer, there's every reason to view them as worthy title contenders.
Mathias
Kiwanuka, Victor Cruz have Super expectations for Giants this season. Cruz
stressed the off-the-field bonding that has taken place this summer. He said it
happened naturally as guys clicked with their personalities -- often before they
clicked on the field with the new offense -- and started spending time together.
Josh
Brown wins Giants' kicking job; CB Charles James 'shocked' by release. Brown
may not have had the strongest kicking leg in Giants camp this summer, but the
team decided he had the best.
Josh
Brown was the veteran who had earned Giants coach Tom Coughlin's trust with
a strong season last year. That trust proved to be the deciding factor when the
team needed to make a decision.
Brandon
McManus looked good on kickoffs during the preseason, but Brown did nothing
to lose the job with the Giants.
Injured
Giants guard Geoff Schwartz got good news on Monday when he learned his toe
injury was "just a minor setback" and that he may even be back sometime
next month.
Schwartz
visited Monday with Dr. Robert Anderson, a foot specialist in Charlotte, N.C.
and the Giants were braced for ominous news - possibly the loss of Schwartz for
the entire season.
Aug
26 There
could be a lot of different ways to describe what went down at Giants practice
on Monday at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
There's
one more person getting fed up with Ben McAdoo's new offense: Ben McAdoo.
McAdoo was heard yelling at his offense to make a play, only using a bit more
colorful language.
'Make
a f--king play!': McAdoo is frustrated with Giants, too. From the limited
sample of Ben McAdoo as an offensive coordinator, it is easy to tell he is not
shy about stating his case.
The
Giants don't open the season for two weeks. However, they look no closer to
resembling a polished product on offense now than they did back when this whole
process started.
You
can expect to see more of Kevin Gilbride's old system folded into McAdoo's
new one. "That are routes that Victor's run a bunch over the years that you're
going to try to put him in those positions to run those routes that he can win,"
Manning said.
The
Giants' hope, when training camp began, was that someone from their group
of unproven tight ends would emerge as a clear starter -- a do-it-all tight end
who could be used in a variety of roles.
Tom
Coughlin admitted the Giants do not have one player who can be considered
a complete tight end and so it will have to be a tight end by committee.
Aug
25 As
the regular season approaches, it becomes more and more apparent that running
back Rashad Jennings could be the most important part of the New York Giants'
offense.
Rashad
Jennings pledges to protect Eli Manning. Jennings not only brings that game
awareness and studiousness in his own career but is rubbing off on rookie Andre
Williams.
With
Andre Williams showing positive signs, the Giants think they've got a potent
1-2 punch. Jennings is trying to teach Williams and the other backs to use their
eyes as well as their legs.
RB
Peyton Hillis (ankle) returned to practice and looked like he was moving well.
Head coach Tom Coughlin said that Hillis "did okay" in his first practice
back, but did look a little rusty.
We've
gone hoarse calling for Corey Washington to get more (or any) reps with the
first string. He's eager to prove what he can do against first-string defensive
backs and he's become too much of a household name to slip through waivers.
Washington
is tied for the team lead with nine receptions this preseason. He leads the
team with 152 yards and four touchdowns. He may be raw, but he has rare size (6-4,
214) and a skill that has stood out on a daily basis at Giants training camp and
practices.
If
Corey Washington does not turn out to be the new Victor Cruz, tell me who
the second-most reliable wide receiver is after Cruz. Tell me how much you think
the Giants are going to get out of tight end.
In
an offseason in which fixing the offensive line was the Giants' clear No.
1 priority, Geoff Schwartz was their first call. They targeted Schwartz early
and signed him as soon as free agency began.
Two
days after losing left guard Geoff Schwartz to a toe injury, the Giants practiced
Sunday without starting right guard Brandon Mosley. "His back tightened up," Giants
coach Tom Coughlin explained after practice.
If
anyone knows what it's like to be a rookie offensive lineman pressed into
service due to an injury, it's Justin Pugh. It happened to him last summer.This
year it's Weston Richburg who is getting the battlefield promotion.
Richburg
will almost certainly start the season-opener at left guard. "As an offensive
lineman, you have to be ready for something like that," Richburg said Sunday.
The
second-round pick was solid in rookie camp and seems to have a grasp of the
new offense. He has improved from a poor preseason opener against Buffalo. If
he can handle bigger defensive tackles, he might be a viable option.
Aug
24 Hours
after his team's most complete victory of the preseason, Tom Coughlin spent
most of his conference call with the media discussing subjects he'd prefer to
avoid - injuries and penalties.
Tom
Coughlin has taken issue with some of the illegal contact calls, which are
a point of emphasis for officiating crews this season. "The one that is difficult
right now is the illegal contact when in fact there isn't any disruption in the
receiver's route or whatever after five yards."
Tom
Coughlin ticked over penalty flags After four penalty-filled preseason games,
Coughlin says his defenders need to stop worrying about the officiating and start
playing within the new rules.
Don't
be fooled. Numbers can sometimes be deceiving. In this case, 35 points and
a 4-0 preseason record might be just that. The Giants problems in their exhibition
games -- including their 35-24 victory over the Jets on Friday night -- should
not be overlooked.
As
veterans such as Eli Manning, Will Beatty and Jason Pierre-Paul try to return
to form, the Giants are going to need help from those with far less experience
and far smaller paychecks.
Giants
offense fueled by rushing duo of Rashad Jennings and Andre Williams Together
they have provided an impressive, although not entirely consistent, 1-2 punch
since the very beginning of the summer.
Giants
may reshuffle offensive line. Geoff Schwartz was brought in to be a stabilizing
force on the Giants' revamped offensive line. Now the Giants may have to play
the season without him.
Giants
guard Geoff Schwartz will be heading to Charlotte this week to visit foot
specialist Dr. Robert Anderson in order to get more information on his dislocated
toe, a person familiar with the situation confirmed to The Star-Ledger.
Aug
23 Giants
defeat Jets, 35-24, but first-team offense struggles again.
Statistical
nightmare ends for Giants, but Big Blue still doesn't look like contender.
Manning,
Giants show signs of life in win over Jets.
Giants
quarterback Eli Manning finally threw a touchdown pass Friday night.
Giants
had their best offensive showing of the preseason.
Eli
Manning finally seems to be grasping new offense.
Eli
Manning, Giants 'O' show some life in 35-24 win over Jets.
Giants
hit hard by injuries in win over Jets.
Jets
look ready to start season; Giants don't.
Giants
vs. Jets: 5 positives from Friday's win.
Aug
22 Special
Report - It is rapidly approaching the time when experimentation is over,
when fiddling with starting lineups has come to an end, when head coach Tom Coughlin
has to scan over his potential starters and, well, just pick 'em. He should know
enough about all his players by now, and he knows how the veterans have performed
not only this summer by last season, and, well, it's time.
Making matters
more crucial, Friday night's opponent (7:30) is the other franchise that called
MetLife Stadium its home, the New York Jets, and while there is less love lost
than years ago, it is still essential for the mental well-being of the players
that they win. The players on both teams, that is.
As
Eli Manning and the Giants' first-team offense currently try to embrace the
sense of urgency involved with getting things together against the Jets, Victor
Cruz remains confident the new system will click - perhaps suddenly, too, just
as he did back in the summer of 2010..
There
has been an ebb and flow between the Giants and Jets in almost every aspect
throughout the years, from overall success to quarterback play to number of headlines
garnered. But for the last three decades, one advantage has remained virtually
constant. The Giants have almost always had the more established, more feared,
more decorated and flat-out better defensive line.
It
never seemed like a dream marriage. And now, things are on the verge of a
nightmare. This is what it has come down to for Eli Manning and the Giants' new-but-hardly-improved
offense.
The
Giants do not own exclusive rights to summer offensive struggles, but they
lead the league in preseason angst. Their newly installed attack is: 1) getting
out the kinks but on the right track, or 2) a total disaster.
Eli
Manning can say what he wants about not being worried over the Giants' sluggish
offense so far in the preseason. Phil Simms isn't buying it. If Simms were wearing
McAdoo's headset, he'd be calling in as many plays as necessary that will give
Manning some confidence that he can operate an offense that has taken even the
best quarterbacks years to master.
Giants
coach Tom Coughlin keeps getting asked over and over, day after day. What's
going on at the tight end position? The answers seem to get vaguer and vaguer.
Coughlin's latest gem provided, well, nothing of substance.
Jerome
Cunningham could provide the pass-catching threat at tight end the Giants
have lacked. Cunningham certainly stood out in practice on Wednesday, catching
a short touchdown pass from backup quarterback Ryan Nassib, and later a much longer
TD toss from starter Eli Manning, earning audible praise from head coach Tom Coughlin
on multiple occasions.
Jon
Beason wasn't just rehabbing this summer. He was researching. He wanted to
find out the Giants' single-season record for tackles and who held it. It seemed
like a simple task. With 89 years of franchise history he was certain he'd come
across a mythic number attached to a mythic name. Sam Huff. Lawrence Taylor. Harry
Carson. One of the all-time greats.
Former
Giants
Kevin
Gilbride confident in Eli, new Giants offense. "My feeling is they're kind
of fighting through this, and once they start paring down the offense for a specific
opponent, they'll be much better than they've shown to date," said former offensive
coordinator Kevin Gilbride.
Jared
Lorenzen - How the hefty' ex-Giants quarterback, tried to avoid Tom Coughlin's
fines for being overweight. He's the subject of an ESPN The Magazine feature by
Tommy Tomlinson in which his battles with his weight were revealed.
Aug
21 First-round
pick Odell Beckham Jr. was on the sidelines for the second consecutive day
Wednesday, but fellow wide receivers Corey Washington and Marcus Harris continue
to impress.
Odell
Beckham may add to NY Giants GM Jerry Reese's draft duds. This was a critical
draft for Reese, who has had far too many misses among his picks in recent years.
After
three weeks of focusing on the long shots and the rookies, this is the week
where the starters need to start defining the look of this year's team. Sustained
drives on offense and getting off the field on defense are what we're hoping to
see from the starters.
The
offense did look crisper Wednesday, with Eli Manning connecting with his receivers
more often than he has in many practices thus far. More telling will be Friday
night's game against the Jets, in which Giants coach Tom Coughlin plans to play
his starters the entire first half, or close to it.
This
week at practice, the Giants continued to tinker with the line's lineup, in
the hopes of finding a five-man combination that works. Though rebuilding the
unit was supposedly the franchise's No. 1 priority this offseason, it remains
very much a work in progress with just 2 1/2 weeks to go before the regular-season
opener.
Jason
Pierre-Paul concedes that Giants have issues to work on with two preseason
games left, but still proclaims that Big Blue is better than Jets.
Disregarding
the fact it's a preseason game, Pierre-Paul vowed the Giants are "going
to make a statement" in Friday night's annual exhibition with the crosstown
Jets at MetLife Stadium.
Aug
20 Giants Practice Reports: ESPN
| NJ.com |
Giants.com
| BBI
| InsideFootball
| Video
Most
of practice was spent working against plays that the Jets are expected to
run in Friday's preseason game. The Giants call it a "carded" practice because
the scout team runs plays off cards with the opposing team's schemes printed on
them.
The
big topic of conversation at Giants camp Tuesday was the absence of first-round
draft pick Odell Beckham Jr., who is back on the sideline and was ruled out for
Friday's game against the Jets.
Tom
Coughlin is hopeful the talented rookie will quickly make up for lost time.
"He's been in every meeting," Coughlin said.
Practicing
one day and sitting out the next while being scratched from an upcoming game
does not appear to be progress under anyone's definition.
The
latest setback, er, issue with the 12th overall pick only further enhances
the possibility he may not be ready for the Giants' season opener at Detroit on
Sept. 8.
Count
Giants general manager Jerry Reese among those who were excited about the
64 new jobs added in the NFL on Tuesday. The league announced the expansion of
practice squads from eight to 10 players through the 2016 season.
Aug
19 Practice
report: More Beckham intrigue.
The
biggest question on people's minds is, naturally, the offense.
Eli
Manning: Despite sluggish offense, we're making progress.
Giants
stars exuding confidence in imminent offensive turnaround.
Giants
head coach Tom Coughlin has concerns about new offense.
Giants
offense: What the players are saying about the struggles.
Preseason
game against Jets gives Victor Cruz chance to reflect on breakout moment with
Giants
Jon
Beason targets Giants opener: 'I feel like I'm really close'.
Boomer
Esiason sounds the alarm about Eli Manning's struggles with new Giants offense.
Former
Giants
David
Wilson's new goal: 2016 Olympic triple jumper.
David
Wilson is already on to his next athletic pursuit, competing in the 2016 Rio
Olympics.
Aug 18 Tom
Coughlin concerned offensive woes will spill over into regular season.
Salty
Coughlin on Giants offense: 'They better' get it together.
Tom
Coughlin frustrated by poor Giants offense with preseason winding down.
Coughlin
report: Don't get comfy, offense.
D-pressing:
Giants need Fewell's crew to pick up the slack.
Ask
the Official: Commentary on the Officiating.
Aug
17 TG Note - Some did not get it
right (unless it's fixed up by the time you see this).
Eli
Manning, Giants offense awful in exhibition loss to Colts.
Giants
Edge Colts, 27-26, but Starters Struggle.
Giants
come back from 26-point deficit, score four touchdowns in fourth quarter to
edge Colts 27-26.
Giants'
starting offense struggles in 27-26 win over Colts.
Eli
Manning: Grading the Giants QB's performance vs. Colts.
Manning,
Coughlin frustrated by offense.
Eli
Manning and new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo remain way off target.
Offensive
showing leaves Tom Coughlin, Giants feeling incomplete.
Hakeem
Nicks taunts, shreds Giants: They miss him already.
Hakeem
Nicks waves goodbye, says he's finally healthy and tired of the Giants questions.
Nicks
gives exciting glimpse of Colts' potential on offense.
Giants
defeat Colts, 27-26: Takeaways from the comeback. - Photos
Aug
16 The
Giants' secondary has been saying the right things this preseason. On Saturday
night, its members will see if they play the right things. The revamped unit will
face its biggest test of the preseason against Andrew Luck and the Colts in Indianapolis.
After facing E.J. Manuel and Ben Roethlisberger for one series each, the Giants
figure to get at least a quarter of work against this starting quarterback and
his playmaking receivers.
For
the last few months, the talk has been fast and furious from Jason Pierre-Paul.
The Giants' boisterous defensive end has proclaimed that he is "110%"
healthy, that he is headed for an absolutely "crazy" year and that all
those who doubted his greatness are about to be "shut up." And now,
it's time to prove it. On Saturday night in Indianapolis.
The
Giants, who had a mere 34 sacks last season, are trying to replace longtime
defensive end Justin Tuck, who had 11 of them and is now with the Raiders. Ayers
is among the candidates to be that replacement, but so is longtime Giants defensive
lineman Mathias Kiwanuka, who ranks first on the depth chart right now at left
defensive end and believes it's his time to be the man opposite right defensive
end Jason Pierre-Paul.
Will
this be the game the Giants finally open up the offense? Everyone is aching
for the Giants to throw the ball down the field. Their starting offense has been
inept at doing so in the first two preseason games and all the talk this week
is about it being time for Eli Manning to get his right arm limbered up for some
deep passes.
Look
for Eli Manning and most of the starters to play well into the second quarter,
and to try to get Victor Cruz more involved. The running back situation looks
to be in pretty good hands. Rashad Jennings and Andre Williams should form a solid
one-two punch. At fullback, Henry Hynoski seems to have the early edge over John
Conner, who might not play due to concussion protocols resulting from the big
hit he delivered last week.
In
the Giants' last preseason game, the starting offense picked up one first
down. In two preseason games, Eli Manning has completed six passes for 43 yards.
The best receiver, Victor Cruz, does not have a catch. No starting wide receiver
has more than one reception. Last year's offense was 28th in the NFL, which is
why the team revamped its system, changed coordinators and ushered in six new
starters. This is the new-look Giants offense?
There
was a buzz in training camp that Jacquian Williams is on the verge of having
a breakout season. Beason praised the youngish linebackers on the roster and used
the word "especially'' to express his belief in Williams. Beason, once he
returns from the foot injury that kept him out of camp and will keep him sidelined
for Saturday night's preseason game against the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium, is
a proven commodity.
Rueben
Randle looked up the other day during training camp practice and spotted on
the sideline what he admits was an NFL receiver's all-time snapshot. He saw Plaxico
Burress talking with David Tyree talking with Mario Manningham, a three-way conversation
that got Randle dreaming.
Aug
15 Giants Camp Reports: ESPN
| NJ.com |
Giants.com
| BBI
| InsideFootball
| Video
A
typical preseason builds to the third game, where starters will typically
get an entire half of football; their best dress rehearsal before Week 1. But
because the Giants are on a different scale with the added Hall of Fame game,
this year's team will have to wait until Week 4.
Eli
Manning might still be the prize pupil, but he's learning the ways of Ben
McAdoo's West Coast offense just like everyone else. In some cases, those around
Manning are more comfortable with the change than he is.
The
party line, from Tom Coughlin and from Eli Manning, is the changes have re-energized
them. But never before has Coughlin been asked to integrate as many as a dozen
free agents, while counting on as many as four second-year players to make an
impact.
As
the Giants wrapped up training camp Thursday, two days before their third
preseason game, Victor Cruz proudly let it be known that the new offensive playbook
has been fully installed. Now the Giants have to figure out how to use it.
Key
to Giants' offensive line is if Will Beatty can return to the player he used
to be For Beatty to really be back, he needs to turn the clock all the way back
to 2012.
A
new name in Giants tight end mix: fullback Henry Hynoski. Tom Coughlin mentioned
that Hynoski can at times be considered a running back, though he's only carried
the ball five times in his NFL career. Hynoski also has added some responsibilities
at tight end this summer and hopes the increased versatility helps him become
a more desirable player.
Giants
QB Curtis Painter to play ahead of Ryan Nassib vs. Colts. This doesn't look
good for the second-year quarterback to fall behind Painter in the QB rotation.
NFL
News
Within
the headquarters of NFL Films in Mount Laurel, N.J., resides more than 100
million feet of film stored in tens of thousands of metal canisters. But that
era is about to end: starting this season, NFL Films will shoot all regular-season
and postseason games with digital video cameras.
Aug
14 Giants Camp Reports: ESPN
| NJ.com |
Giants.com
| BBI
| InsideFootball
| Video
Rookie
wide receiver Odell Beckham caught a pass from quarterback Curtis Painter
in live drills on Wednesday and ran into the end zone.
Here
are some thoughts from and/or about the three men likely to be the Giants'
starting linebackers on Monday, Sept. 8 in Detroit: Jacquian Williams, Devon Kennard,
Jameel McClain.
There
are only 11 players on the New York Giants' current roster who played for
them in Super Bowl XLVI, which is a bit startling considering the game was only
30 months ago.
Mario
Manningham in tough spot as he returns to Indianapolis near the cut line.
He has spent the past three years distancing himself from the play that made him
famous.
Super
Mario's Super Bowl moment rocketed neither him nor the Giants to greater things.
Since then, Big Blue has had two playoff-less seasons.
Former
Giants
Hakeem
Nicks - Of all the disappointments in the New York Giants' hugely disappointing
2013 season, wide receiver Hakeem Nicks may have stood out the most.
Ahmad
Bradshaw, like recently retired running back David Wilson, underwent neck
surgery in the offseason. But unlike Wilson, the former Giants runner will return
to the field for the Colts.
Aug
13 Giants Camp Reports: ESPN
| NJ.com |
Giants.com
| BBI
| InsideFootball
| Video
Ben
McAdoo wants a player he doesn't have to sub out during no huddle situations.
He needs a tight end that plays wide receiver, traditional tight end and fullback
so that he can play fast. So far, Larry Donnell is the closest thing he's seen
to that player.
Ben
McAdoo's "we're-not-in-Green-Bay-anymore" moment came the first time he left
the New York Giants' facility at rush hour, turned his car on to Route 3 and stared
at four stopped lanes of westbound traffic coming out of Manhattan. "Lot more
people here," the Giants' first-year offensive coordinator said Tuesday.
Ben
McAdoo is a busy man. He's installing a new offense, forming opinions on personnel,
and preparing himself for his first season as an NFL play-caller. But hanging
over his head all summer has been a deadline that is fast approaching. In less
than four weeks, the Giants open their regular season against the Lions and McAdoo,
the Giants' offensive coordinator, wants the system to be at 100 percent of its
capability by then.
Ben
McAdoo feels like he's still on pace with the Giants offense despite the fact
that his passing game hasn't gotten very far off the ground. On Saturday against
the Steelers, Eli Manning dropped back three times but did not complete a pass.
He was sacked once. The week before against Buffalo, the first-team offense did
not complete a pass of more than 10 yards.
Giants
first-round pick Odell Beckham Jr. still hasn't completed a full practice
at training camp. He's making progress, but was limited again Tuesday by a hamstring
problem aggravated during the first practice of the summer.
Odell
Beckham Jr. has only taken a few snaps with the Giants' offense, but that
hasn't stopped the rookie receiver from dreaming big. "[The offense] has potential
to be, if not the best, one of the best in the league," Beckham said at the team's
training facility on Tuesday.
Former
Giants
Plaxico
Burress made a rare guest appearance at Giants practice today. It is believed
to be Burress' first visit to the facility since a meeting he had with the team
following the end of his prison sentence back in 2011, one that helped clear the
air before Burress signed with the neighboring Jets.
Aug
12 Bet
on Eli Manning in weak NFC East. I would take Manning over Nick Foles, Tony
Romo or Robert Griffin III, who have combined for one playoff victory, one fewer
than Manning's two Super Bowl rings. And because this is a quarterback league
now more than ever, I think Manning gives the Giants a very good chance to win
the NFC East.
There's
Eli Manning, who threw 27 interceptions in the worst season of his career,
and defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, who struggled through back and shoulder problems
and recorded just two sacks in the 11 games he played. They are the biggest keys
to potential success on each side of the ball for the Giants, and each has a fresh
energy in this camp.
With
every snap Jason Pierre-Paul takes this preseason, every play he makes in
training camp and every smile he flashes on the field, there is a phrase that
runs through the minds of all associated with the Giants.
It
was just a glimpse, but Odell Beckham Jr. finally gave the Giants reason to
be excited. Sidelined with a hamstring injury since the first day of training
camp, the first-round pick appeared on the field for individual drills during
Monday's practice, catching passes on undefended routes.
Odell
Beckham Jr. participated in only a few reps in a minimal number of drills
Monday, but it was enough to show the Giants what they have been missing. During
one of those routes, a pass from Eli Manning seemed to be overthrown, but Beckham
sprinted, caught up to it and made a one-handed grab.
Victor
Cruz isn't concerned about being a non-factor in the Giants' offense through
two preseason games. But that doesn't mean he wouldn't mind a pass or two coming
his way. "I would love some," he said with a big smile Monday.
To
begin their last week of training camp open to the public, the Giants practiced
in only shoulder pads in front of the fans that came to watch. Wide receivers
Victor Cruz and Jerrel Jernigan did not practice today. Jernigan has a knee injury,
but is expected to be back playing tomorrow.
The
Giants meet the Colts in their third preseason game on Saturday, which means
seeing former offensive linchpins Ahmad Bradshaw and Hakeem Nicks. It means Mario
Manningham seeing the sideline he tight-roped to win a championship.
Corey
Washington wowed again. The 6-4, 214-pound receiver has used his size to score
late, go-ahead touchdowns in back-to-back preseason games for the Giants. Well,
he plays like he practices.
Curtis
Painter was first off the bench just two days after leading the Giants downfield
on a game-winning drive in their preseason win over the Steelers. On one hand,
Tom Coughlin made it seem like a planned switch even though Ryan Nassib hasn't
taken any third-string reps all summer. Could there be some trouble brewing for
the 2013 fourth-round pick?
There
were times last year when it looked like Hakeem Nicks had become a shell of
the No. 1 receiver he used to be. It was hard to tell if he was hurt, or just
not trying. Whatever it was, he looked off. It turns out, his now-former Giants
teammates could see that too.
Victor
Cruz believes all the criticism Hakeem Nicks received last season took a "toll"
on his former teammate. Many critics felt Nicks wasn't giving his all in order
to protect himself from injury with free agency looming.
Stadium
News
Your
comments: NJ.com users critical of MetLife Stadium. Typically, fans are very
protective of anything and everything to do with their teams, stadiums and franchise
pride. For Giants and Jets supporters, MetLife Stadium doesn't bring about that
kind of emotion.
Aug 11
The
Giants' first-team offense didn't show enough Saturday night in the preseason
game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but there's a chance this week that it gets
reinforcements.
Paging
Odell Beckham Jr. Please exit the trainer's room and report immediately to
the practice field at your earliest possible convenience, sooner rather than later,
even if it has gotten late early.
The
Giants drafted Odell Beckham Jr. to play football. On Monday he'll be able
to. Beckham's return coincides with the installation of the next phase of the
Giants offense, which will feature more down-the-field opportunities.
The
Giants offense may be operating at a quicker pace than it did under former
coordinator Kevin Gilbride, but it's not enough for coach Tom Coughlin's liking.
Giants'
offense getting better, they promise. There's no sugarcoating the fact that
the New York Giants' offense looks lousy right now.
While
Eli Manning stood on the sideline listening to the play calls being relayed
to his backup Ryan Nassib, his offensive line remained on the field. They still
had more work left to do.
Tom
Coughlin said there was "obviously" an issue on Saturday. "We
obviously have some issues with the signal system from the quarterback to the
receiver," he said.
The
unit had one memorable play, Rashad Jennings' 73-yard touchdown run on the
second possession. Jennings took a handoff from Eli Manning, stepped through a
hole in the line and was never touched.
NFL
officials have made it a point of emphasis this season to reduce contact between
defensive backs and receivers 5 yards beyond the line of scrimmage.
In
the first two preseason games, the Giants have been flagged 10 times for defensive
holding or illegal contact - five in each game.
Aug
10 Giants
defeat Steelers, 20-16, but passing game sputters in second preseason game
Despite
Rashad Jennings touchdown, new offense still looks slow in 20-16 win over
Steelers.
Eli
Manning fails to complete a pass in second preseason game.
Giants
new-look offense struggles in win over Steelers.
Giants
offense not sharp in win over Steelers.
Giants
vs. Steeers observations: Ben McAdoo plays it safe again with new offense.
Giants
beat Steelers, 20-16, but new offense struggles again.
Giants
lackluster offense becoming a problem in preseason action.
Rashad
Jennings, Andre Williams are filling in nicely after loss of David Wilson.
Eli
Manning was on the field for 12 snaps and threw two passes, completing neither.
Instant
Analysis: Giants top Steelers, 20-16.
Giants'
defense falling into place.
Giants
rally for 20-16 win over Steelers.
Eli
to Big Ben "Can you believe its been 10 years already?" after the game.
Aug
9 Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Giants,
August 9, 2014 - 7:30 PM:
Giants.com
- 8 things to watch for.
Inside
Football : Folger's Forecast.
BBI
- Preseason Game Preview.
After
getting thrown through a car windshield during a car accident a few years
back, a horrifying moment Charles James detailed to The Star-Ledger last season,
James decided he wouldn't look back if the Giants kept him.
Despite
Giants' excess of defensive backs, undrafted corner James making self known.
Everyone gets a kick out of James, but he won't stay around for his entertainment
value. He's in a dogfight to hang on to his roster spot.
With
several Giants receivers nursing injuries, Marcus Harris has taken advantage
of his opportunities to stand out. What has stood out most about Harris is --
his ability to make the right cut, create space from defenders and get open to
catch the ball..
In
the midst of a stellar training camp, which included leading the Giants with
four receptions for 49 yards in their first preseason game, the wide receiver
has certain coaches calling him by his nickname -- "Soup".
Of
the numerous tattoos Corey Washington has gotten through the years, the one
that means the most remains unfinished. Upon scoring the game-winning touchdown
in the Hall of Fame Game on a 73-yard strike from Ryan Nassib on Sunday, Washington
pointed to the sky in celebration.
On
Saturday night at MetLife Stadium, Jacquian Williams will make his second
preseason start against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the latest step in securing a
starting job. It's something the Giants want him to win.
In
Prince Amukamara's first NFL game, on one of the first passes thrown in his
direction, he jumped and made an interception against the Eagles. With Amukamara
now in his fourth season, the Giants would like to see more of that first impression.
Eric
Herman will open the regular season serving a four-game suspension for a violation
of the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances.
Herman
was in the news recently as the player whom David Wilson accidentally ran
into last week during practice, causing a neck burner that led to Wilson being
forced to retire from football.
Aug
8 Giants Camp Reports: ESPN
| NJ.com |
Giants.com
| BBI
| InsideFootball
It's
been a while since the Giants had a solid linebacker group. Oh sure, they've
had some good ones. But when you're talking about the last time they had three
solid starting linebackers-guys who are potentially every down linebackers-you'd
have to go way back in the team's history to find that.
Perry
Fewell says Giants 'look good' on paper. The Giants secondary has already
made it known that they don't just think they can be good, they think the talent
is there to be the league's very best.
The
fifth-year defensive coordinator seemed particularly pleased prior to Thursday's
practice, discussing a group he thinks looks good on paper and has improved in
several areas.
The
best cornerbacks in the NFL also tend to be the ones with the biggest mouths.
Attitude and edginess are the hallmarks of the position. As a group, they are
flashy and colorful and loud. At least most of them. Just not Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.
Forget
about catching touchdowns. Odell Beckham Jr. wasn't even healthy enough to
celebrate when other people scored. On Sunday, the rookie wide receiver watched
the Giants' preseason debut on television, Beckham had to restrain himself.
When
fellow rookie wide receiver Corey Washington scored that 73-yard touchdown,
Beckham's first thought was that he'd better be careful. "I remember trying not
to celebrate too much, but I was so excited for him," Beckham said before Giants
practice on Thursday. .
The
Giants first-round pick still feels like he is stuck in neutral. Despite more
than two weeks of rehab, Odell Beckham, Jr. hasn't seen the progress in his tweaked
hamstring that he'd like.
Marcus
Harris led the team with four receptions for 49 yards in Sunday's preseason
opener against the Bills, but it was Wednesday's practice when he truly made his
mark. With Jerrel Jernigan sidelined by a right leg injury, Harris stepped into
a starting role lining up alongside Victor Cruz and Rueben Randle. And it looked
every bit like he belonged.
Harris
has a big admirer in Victor Cruz, who knows a thing or two about becoming
an NFL star after going undrafted out of college. "Marcus Harris, from the
game he had and streaming into practice, he's been really taking advantage of
his opportunities, with a couple guys being down and things like that," Cruz
said.
The
Giants will be without their (hopeful) starting left tackle again on Saturday
night against the Steelers. Will Beatty, who has been easing back into the rotation
following offseason surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation process on his broken
leg, will make a start the following week agains the Colts barring any setbacks,
Tom Coughlin said. Charles Brown will continue to get the primary reps.
Aug
7 Giants Camp Reports: ESPN
| NJ.com |
Giants.com
| BBI
| InsideFootball | Video
David
Wilson exits the NFL with same style, class as he entered with. When asked
what the next step was, he just smiled and told us to follow him on Twitter. That
is Wilson, whose locker was always reverberating with jokes and teammates doubled
over in laughter.
He
was a Giant for only two years, and yet he all but wrote a sign for all to
see that would have read: I want to thank the Good Lord for making me a Giant.
Wilson
wouldn't say what his future holds, but said he is blessed to have a "head
start" in the rest of his life thanks to being a first-round draft pick.
Eric
Herman would feel a lot worse about the play that ended David Wilson's career
if not for a pep talk from the man himself.
One
day after losing running back David Wilson, the Giants backfield took another
hit when Peyton Hillis walked off the practice field without his shoe on Tuesday.
Tom
Coughlin said the oft-injured Hillis will be out "a little while"
after the veteran power back suffered his latest malady early in Tuesday night's
practice and did not return.
Former
Giants
Jake
Ballard, injured in Super Bowl victory, finally calls it quits. On the day
that Giants running back David Wilson tearfully said goodbye to the NFL in a press
conference at the team facility, former Giants tight end Jake Ballard retired
quietly -- with a press release.
Martellus
Bennett, now with the Chicago Bears, was suspended indefinitely for conduct
detrimental to the team after he body-slammed rookie cornerback Kyle Fuller in
practice Monday.
Aug
6 Giants Camp Reports: ESPN
| NJ.com |
Giants.com
| BBI
| InsideFootball | Video
| Photos
Tablets
on NFL sidelines get positive reviews from Giants. The Giants' coaching staff
will likely find more ways to use the technology as they move toward the regular
season. Prior to Sunday's game they were just given a 10-minute crash course in
using them.
Were
the Giants' DBs playing too rough? Four different Giants cornerbacks were
called for penalties in Sunday's game, and that's absolutely a point the coaches
are stressing in meetings this week.
Giants
DBs may actually be as good as advertised. David Merritt has an inside look
at the Giants defensive backfield and the longtime safeties coach is buying into
the hype about the new-look secondary, a unit he believes can be the best in the
league.
Antrel
Rolle is a three-time Pro Bowler and Stevie Brown had eight interceptions
in 2012, tied for second most in the NFL. But when asked if any of his players
stood out in the Giants' first preseason game, safeties coach David Merritt selected
neither Rolle nor Brown.
Giants
want Prince Amukamara to improve ball skills. Amukamara is willing and able
in run support, has excellent cover skills and is physical enough to get his hands
on a receiver to impede progress. But he hasn't shown much ability as a ball hawk.
David
Wilson's next career move could be return to track and field, former coach
says. In track circles, Wilson wasn't known as a burner among sprinters, but his
ability in the long and triple jump was extremely rare.
Eli
Manning watched neck injury end his brother's career. Eli's oldest brother,
Cooper, was an outstanding high school receiver all set to follow in famous father
Archie's shoes.
Andre
Williams figures that if he's going to pattern his game after anybody, he
might as well aim straight for the top. For a running back in today's NFL, that
unequivocally means Adrian Peterson.
Corey
Washington may be an undrafted free agent out of Georgia Military College
and then tiny Newberry College in his native South Carolina, but don't tell him
he doesn't belong in the NFL.
Aug
5 David
Wilson's promising career appears over at the age of 23. And while it's almost
certainly the right decision, because his life and health must absolutely take
precedence over his football career, it's still heartbreaking that it would come
to this.
Giants
place David Wilson on IR, advise him never to play football again; RB's career
likely over. Following a second trip to the Hospital for Special Surgery in as
many weeks, Wilson was told by team physicians and consulting spinal surgeon Dr.
Frank Camissa that he should retire, although the Giants have refrained from using
that word.
The
running game is the part of the Giants' offense that looked the best in Sunday
night's preseason opener. But quarterback is the position on which the spotlight
shines the brightest, so it's worth taking a look at the way the Giants' quarterbacks
played in this game.
Eli
Manning was a big part of Michael Strahan's induction speech. At one point
he teased Manning about being so stoic and unemotional. Manning played along and
stared blankly into the camera in front of him . . . for a few seconds, anyway.
Eventually he had to crack a smile.
Former
Giants
Hakeem
Nicks - Fans are excited to see Nicks on the field with the Colts. Those who
have seen Nicks on the field with the Colts, however, don't seem to be as impressed.
Aug 4 Giants
unveil new offense in 17-13 preseason win over Bills. Eli Manning was frantic.
The first snaps in the new offense were not smooth. The complex array of calls,
formations and alignments were less than a few months old.
It
didn't take long to see what's going to be different about the New York Giants'
offense this year. They played up-tempo. They went no-huddle. They shuffled tight
ends in and out of the game at a dizzying pace.
Obviously
the Giants' offense is a work in progress. But even in the starters' limited
action in their 17-13 win over the Buffalo Bills in the Hall of Fame Game, there
were signs that it's going to be good.
Although
it was just a preseason game, quarterback Ryan Nassib engineered his first
game-winning fourth-quarter scoring drive by connecting with receiver Corey Washington
on a 73-yard pass with 13:18 left in the game.
With
the Class of 2014 on hand for the annual Hall of Fame Game, a big second-half
play propelled the Giants to a 17-13 victory over the Buffalo Bills in Fawcett
Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
It
was like any preseason opener, a game full of bad and ugly play. But the Giants'
17-13 win over the Buffalo Bills in the Hall of Fame Game also featured a little
bit of hope for Big Blue.
The
spontaneous outward display of dislike for Giants coach Tom Coughlin that
occurred following Sunday night's Hall of Fame Game wasn't supposed to happen.
It doesn't even begin to make sense.
If
the first look at fourth-round pick Andre Williams is an indicator of what
he will be able to bring to the team on a regular basis, the Giants' offense should
look a lot less broken this season.
As
the organization, if not David Wilson himself, fears for his football career,
Rashad Jennings and Andre Williams took the opportunity handed them and ran with
it, ran hard and decisively with it, even if a good chunk of it came against the
Bills' second team.
The
Giants put Damontre Moore in the game against the Buffalo Bills' backups in
the second quarter Sunday night, which at this point in the preseason means he
was at left defensive end, matched up against rookie right tackle Cyrus Kouandjio.
Aug
3 For
those of you who can't get enough preseason, you get five exhibition games
this season, beginning with the Giants' opener against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday
night in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. And what could be better than
that? Don't answer.
Yes,
the Giants are opening the preseason on Sunday night in Canton. No, they will
hardly resemble the team that you should expect to see in September, because a
plethora of key players didn't even board the team plane on Saturday.
On
Sunday night in the Giants preseason opener against the Bills in the Hall
of Fame game in Canton, Ohio, the 23-of-26 field goals Josh Brown made for them
last season mean little as the competition between him and Brandon McManus.begins
in earnest.
If
Josh Brown were a quarterback, linebacker or wide receiver, there would not
be any discussion about his starting status. But in a tryout this year, the Giants
watched as McManus, a free agent from Temple, lofted towering kicks 10 feet over
the top of the goal-post uprights and 35 yards beyond them.
Dominique
Rodgers-Cromartie was talking to Stevie Brown about his ability to return
interceptions. An offseason addition to the Giants' secondary, Rodgers-Cromartie
wanted his new teammate to know that he may be known as a speed player, but he
can flash some moves, too.
Former
Giants
Michael Strahan's Hall of Fame induction:
Why
the Giants legend's biggest rival Jon Runyan had to attend.
Although
most of the statues in the Hall of Fame feature tight-lipped tough-guy stares,
he insisted that his include his well-known grin and the trademark space between
his front teeth.
In
a sprawling, 34-minute induction speech Saturday night at the Pro Football
Hall of Fame, former Giants defensive end Michael Strahan invoked Jane Fonda workout
tapes, said he still doesn't understand "Coughlin Time".
Michael
Strahan, under the lights at Fawcett Stadium, was officially inducted into
the Hall of Fame, his gap-toothed bust unveiled for all to see.
Being
inducted into the Hall of Fame comes with a lot of perks. Near the top of
the list are the famed specially-tailored gold jacket and diamond-studded ring.
Aug
2 Giants Camp Reports: ESPN
| NJ.com |
Giants.com
| BBI
| InsideFootball | Video
| Photos
Tom
Coughlin said his starters will play a "minimal" amount of snaps on Sunday
in the Hall of Fame Game against the Bills. The thing is, not all of his starters
are really starters yet.
The
Giants don't know exactly what to expect from their new offense in Sunday's
Hall of Fame Game. It may be good, it may be bad. It may score three touchdowns,
it may have three-and-outs. But one thing they seem fairly certain of is that
it will be fast.
When
the Giants hired new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, it was hoped that after
10 seasons in the same offense the change would re-energize quarterback Eli Manning.
It apparently has.
The
Giants will have a chance to show off the more up-tempo attack in the preseason
opener Sunday against Buffalo, where players like receivers Victor Cruz and Reuben
Randle expect it to be unveiled for the first time.
The
Giants are excited to finally hit someone else after beating up on each other,
even if the starters will likely not play for than a few series, if that. Cruz,
in particular, is amped up after missing the last three regular-season games of
last year because of a minor knee injury.
Rueben
Randle entered training camp as a starter for the first time in his career.
It meant more responsibility, which also meant higher expectations. Basically,
it's everything Randle has wanted since the receiver broke into the NFL with the
Giants two years ago.
Rueben
Randle, 23, showed flashes of being a playmaking wideout in 2013, hauling
in 41 receptions for 611 yards and six touchdowns. Still, eight of Eli Manning's
27 interceptions were intended for Randle. Miscommunication between the two was
a major problem.
Eli
Manning has not missed a game since becoming the Giants' starting quarterback
midway through his rookie season in 2004. His 151 consecutive starts represent
the longest active streak among all NFL players and the third-longest by a quarterback
in league history.
Mathias
Kiwanuka has faced the fear and uncertainty that is gripping David Wilson.
In 2010, he suffered a similar career-threatening neck injury and wrestled with
the dilemma of whether to continue playing or retire. Unlike Wilson, Kiwanuka
didn't have to undergo surgery.
Former
Giants
Michael
Strahan is going into the Hall of Fame Saturday night, but he's not sure he
could crack the lineup of defensive ends who have followed him with the Giants.
Michael
Strahan is back to feeling like a rookie during Hall of Fame weekend. Friday
afternoon brought the Nitschke luncheon, to which all of the current Hall of Famers
wear their gold jackets, but the class of 2014 wears light blue polo shirts.
Michael
Strahan considers himself with less natural ability as a player than Justin
Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Jason Pierre-Paul. "These guys are so talented, I don't
know if I would have started [with them]," Strahan said Friday, about 24 hours
before he will be inducted.
Will
Hill says he has only himself to blame. His release by the Giants and the
fact he'll be forced to sit out the first six games of the upcoming season as
a member of the Ravens.
Aug
1 Special
Report - Once in a while, admittedly not often, good things happen to good
people. Michael Strahan is one of those, and tomorrow night he'll be inducted
into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Few men if any deserve that honor more. He
played for 15 seasons with the Giants, who drafted him with their second round
pick in 1993.
Giants Camp Reports: ESPN
| NJ.com |
Giants.com
| BBI
| InsideFootball | Video
| Photos
The
Giants have five relatively unknown tight ends battling for the starting spot,
but the wide receiver situation could be of equal concern. Victor Cruz is the
clear-cut No. 1, but after him, it's wide-open.
Is
it possible to win a Super Bowl ring and still be disappointed? Yes -- just
ask Giants tight end Kellen Davis.
Stevie
Brown appears to be back to full strength after an ACL injury cost him the
2013 season. "I'm able to do everything right now," Brown said. "No limitations
to anything."
Tom
Coughlin characterized the running game in Thursday's training camp practice
as "a little sharper" than some recent sessions.
Opportunity
abounds in the Giants' backfield as the team faces the ever increasing possibility
of life without electric running back David Wilson.
With
David Wilson's availability in question, the rest of the Giants' running backs
are using training camp to prove themselves as they volley for an available starting
spot.
David
Wilson might need more than a favorable doctor's visit Monday to continue
his NFL career. One person with knowledge of the running back's medical condition
told NJ.com that Wilson "needs a miracle."
As
David Wilson spends the weekend staring at the possible end of his career
as he awaits an evaluation of his neck on Monday, Rashad Jennings is firmly entrenched
as the Giants' starter.
Former Giants
Michael
Strahan embraced what remains the most daunting challenge of his career. His
first day on the practice field with the Giants, Strahan was responsible for telling
Lawrence Taylor that he was taking his spot.
Michael
Strahan finished as the Giants' franchise leader in sacks (141 1/2 ), set
the single-season sack record (22 1/2 in 2001), and helped lead the franchise
to its first Super Bowl championship in 17 years.
NFL
News
The
NFL officials have been at Giants training camp this week hammering home the
new rules and points of emphasis they are focusing on this year.
July
31 New
offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo is the biggest difference around Giants training
camp this year. His new offense, what NBC analyst Chris Collinsworth called the
"Packers" offense on Tuesday, is what's expected to rejuvenate quarterback Eli
Manning.
Ben
McAdoo might be a first-time coordinator, but he has a plan and he's communicating
it effectively, and the same goes for the new coaches he brought in and the ones
he inherited. It has a chance to be fun. But it also has a chance to flop, at
least in its first year.
Antrel
Rolle talks about what it was like matching up with the offense's faster pace
for the first time and putting on the full pads for practice. "It's definitely
quicker," admitted the talented safety. "It is going to be a huge benefit
to our offense."
Daniel
Fells had turned 30 and had to re-imagine what his life would be. Though Fells
is the most experienced tight end (92 career receptions, eight touchdowns) in
the team's five-way fight at the position, the coaching staff said there has been
no real separation by any player.
Ryan
Nassib was drafted with the hope that he would never play a down for the Giants,
but with the expectation that he would edge Curtis Painter in the preseason. He
can be viewed as the ultimate value pick by the Giants, who scooped him up in
the fourth round after many projected him to get taken in the first, or a mistake
the team is beholden to for another few summers.
David
Wilson will not practice for the remainder of this week and will not play
Sunday night, in their preseason opener against the Buffalo Bills in the Hall
of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.
Walter
Thurmond III knows a winner when he sees one, and he loves what he sees in
the Giants. After four seasons in Seattle, Thurmond signed a one-year, $3.5 million
deal with the Giants in March, adding an immediate dose of swagger to their defense.
Damontre
Moore, like Michael Strahan, is a pass-rushing defensive end, and Moore, like
Strahan, envisions himself to be an engaging personality off the field and he
would love to mimic Strahan's multi-media success.
Former
Giants
Michael
Strahan: Giants scout recalls what sold him on the future Hall of Famer.
Michael
Strahan's scouting report that landed the Hall of Famer with the Giants.
Michael
Strahan: Steve Tisch saw something special in Strahan from the start.
July
30 Giants Camp Reports: ESPN
| NJ.com |
Giants.com
| BBI
| InsideFootball | Video/Photos
Odell
Beckham Jr. is frustrated a sore hamstring is preventing him from practicing
with his Giants teammates. Tom Coughlin isn't pleased about Beckham's continued
absence, either. Today, the team's first-round draft choice and head coach met
to discuss their shared aggravation.
The
Giants drafted Beckham with the 12th overall pick in May with the hope that
his speed would be an immediate boost to the offense and the return game. Their
intention is to use him at the split end position and ask him to beat press coverage
and stretch the field for Eli Manning and the offense.
Eli
may be the Mann for the Giants, but like a million others, he wants to be
Just Like Jeter. With much hype and fanfare, Manning took over as the Giants'
starting quarterback in the 10th game of his rookie year in 2004. He got off to
a miserable start, losing his first six games. In the middle of the streak, he
picked up his phone one day and it was Jeter, who owned four World Series rings,
calling to encourage him.
Quarterbacks
are usually judged by their arms. For Eli Manning, this year may come down
to his feet. For Manning, who has moved the same way for 10 NFL seasons, it's
like being asked to learn to walk a different way. So how has Manning been adjusting
to the new dance moves?
The
situation the Giants feared regarding running back David Wilson has become
reality, as Wilson - coming off neck surgery - was forced out of Tuesday's practice
with what Tom Coughlin described as a burner.
Wilson
caught a shovel pass from Curtis Painter, turned upfield with his head down
and ran into the back of guard Eric Herman. Wilson was surrounded by several defensive
players and when the scrum separated, linebacker Mark Herzlich had the football
and two athletic trainers were running toward Wilson.
The
location of the issue is a major source of concern for the Giants and for
their former first-round pick. Wilson suffered a "burner" last season against
Philadelphia that forced him on injured reserve and onto an operating table for
spinal fusion surgery.
The
Giants are not traveling to Canton, Ohio, this weekend just to play in the
Hall of Fame game. They're also going there to celebrate one of their own. Former
Giants defensive end Michael Strahan is one of seven players being enshrined in
the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, and Giants coach Tom Coughlin had plenty
of praise for Strahan following practice Tuesday afternoon.
Defensive
tackle Mike Patterson's ability to twist out of tough blocks has landed him
atop the Giants' depth chart. Offensive line coach Pat Flaherty described Patterson
as "Gumby" for his ability to bend and twist his way through blocks.
Daniel
Fells did not play in the NFL in 2013, but not by choice. Thirty-two teams
with 53-man rosters had zero room for the seven-year veteran. One year later,
he might be the starting tight end for the New York Giants. That doesn't speak
well of the Giants' depth at that position. But it's an incredible opportunity
for the 30-year-old from Anaheim, California.
July
29 Giants Camp Reports: ESPN
| NJ.com |
Giants.com
| BBI
| InsideFootball | Video
| Photos
Giants
quarterbacks coach Danny Langsdorf wants Eli Manning's competition percentage
to be 70 percent. Manning is aiming for at least the high 60s.
There's
no reason to set goals if they aren't lofty, but is completing 70 percent
of his passes reasonable for Eli Manning this season? It is remotely possible
or at all attainable?
Eli
Manning's career completion percentage is 58.5, and his career high for a
single season is 62.9, set in 2010. He would have had to complete an additional
69 passes in 2013 to get to 70 percent from the dismal 57.5 at which he finished.
Eli
Manning has been a lot of things for the Giants during his career. He's a
two-time Super Bowl MVP. He's the franchise's all-time leader in touchdown passes,
completions and passing yards. He has the second-most wins by any quarterback
in the 90-year history of the organization. One thing he's never been known as
is an exceptionally accurate passer.
The
Giants' new West Coast-style offense is one that purportedly will feature
quicker releases and shorter passes, which theoretically would increase a quarterback's
completion percentage. So perhaps a 70% rate is not an outrageous objective.
Wide
receiver and first-round pick Odell Beckham Jr. missed a portion of practice
to see doctors, according to head coach Tom Coughlin. Beckham will undergo tests
on his injured hamstring.
It's
possible an MRI and/or other tests could help the Giants determine the severity
of Beckham's hamstring strain, which would help them figure out how to proceed
with treatment or offer them a timetable on when they can expect him back.
Mario
Manningham, back with the Giants after two seasons with the 49ers, isn't sure
he'll make the team out of training camp as he works his way back from knee surgery.
Robert
Ayers wasn't thinking about a family reunion when he signed a two-year deal
with the Giants. The Jersey City-bred defensive lineman came back home - after
spending the first five years of his career in Denver - to get back to the Super
Bowl.
Michael
Strahan began his Hall of Fame career playing American football for the Mannheim
Redskins in Germany, but hardly anyone knows that. "It goes a little bit under
the radar," Giants' third-year defensive tackle Markus Kuhn told Newsday. Kuhn
was born in Mannheim.
July
28 Giants Camp Reports: ESPN
| NJ.com
| Giants.com
| Video
| Photos
The
Giants practiced in full pads for the first time in training camp at the Quest
Diagnostics Training Center. That made it a big day for the coaches - and the
players.
This
was the Giants' first day in full pads. Some teams around the league mark
the occasion with a showy contact drill that pumps the players up. But this was
one of the more low-key practices we've seen this summer.
We're
exactly one week away from the Giants first preseason game. "Two steps
forward, one back. That's where you are," Coughlin said of the offense's
progress.
The
Giants passing attack looks good early. But the running game? Manning had
arguably his best practice yet, making quick reads and connecting on a few deep
balls and had plenty of time to throw.
Training
camp is known for competition. One of the closest competitions of the 2014
Giants training camp is at the fullback position. It's Henry Hynoski versus John
Conner. The "Hynocerous" versus the "Terminator."
The
Giants are contemplating a fullback-less roster in their new offense. That
wouldn't bode well for Henry Hynoski and John Conner. They're the two fullbacks
on the Giants roster who would be without jobs if the team decided to go that
route.
According
to multiple people within the organization who requested anonymity in order
to speak freely on the matter, the Giants have informed their tight ends that
there is a good possibility that a fullback won't make the final 53-man roster
- leaving all of those duties up to the tight ends.
Signing
the 29-year-old running back Rashad Jennings was one of the first things the
Giants did in their incredibly busy free-agent season. Rather than let the market
sort itself out, they jumped to get Jennings, who tore them up a bit as Oakland's
starter in Week 10 last year.
July
27 Giants Camp Reports: ESPN
| NJ.com
| Giants.com
| Video
| Photos
The
first stock check of the summer has been submitted. Here are 10 players we
think made an impression, either positive or negative.
This
year will be different. Rueben Randle is sure of it. He knows what everyone
is thinking. He knows nobody has forgotten his two seasons of uneven play, or
the scary fact that seven of Eli Manning's 27 interceptions last year were intended
for him.
He
led the Giants with six touchdown catches in 2013 but got just as much attention
(if not more) for mistakes and miscommunications that helped lead to Eli Manning
interceptions. The third year is supposed to be a big one for wide receiver development.
There
were moments early in their careers - probably too early - when Spencer Paysinger
and Jacquian Williams started games at linebacker for the Giants. They made plays,
missed plays, stayed on the roster and did not do enough to seize control of a
job.
Adrien
Robinson hasn't made one catch in his two seasons in New York, but the Giants
expect big things from their 3rd-year tight end. Robinson senses a "huge
opportunity" with a revamped offensive coaching staff, a job up for grabs,
and a seemingly tight end-friendly offense.
Rookie
running back Andre Williams arrived at the Giants' training camp with a reputation
for a bruising rushing style and a workhorse mentality. He has since revealed
other talents.
How
Jason Pierre-Paul and Will Beatty motivate each other. Each was disappointed
in his performance in 2013, they were each injured when the season ended and they
are determined to return to their previous high performance levels in the upcoming
season.
The
Giants are hoping that Ryan Nassib wins the backup job. The question is whether
Nassib did anything to deserve the promotion. Even he's not 100 percent sure.
Former
Giants
Michael
Strahan, had it not been for an unusual set of circumstances, not the least
of which was his own problem with his pass rushing technique, might not be preparing
to stand before his teammates, coaches, family, friends and peers Saturday to
accept the greatest honor bestowed upon a professional football player.
July
26 Giants Camp Reports: ESPN
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Will
Beatty has practiced a lot more than anyone expected he would coming off the
broken leg he suffered in Week 17 last season. Beatty also has a bit more of an
edge to him when he talks to you this summer.
Looking
out at the practice field when the Giants are in the midst of 11-on-11 scrimmaging,
the fate of their 2014 season could lie in one simple matchup that takes place
daily on the Quest Diagnostics Training Center fields -- left tackle Will Beatty
vs defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.
When
former All-Pro right guard Chris Snee announced his retirement, it opened
up a starting spot on the Giants offensive line that hadn't been available heading
into a season for the past 10 years. Brandon Mosley, who as of Thursday was listed
at the top of the unofficial depth chart at right guard, is the frontrunner for
the job.
David
Wilson hadn't worn shoulder pads or taken a hit since Week 5 last season.
Wilson had a couple of carries, but only that one hit from from second-year safety
Cooper Taylor. Which was good.
The
goal for Giants starting middle linebacker Jon Beason has been to be ready
for the Sept. 8 opener in Detroit. That hasn't changed.
Beason
has been injury prone the past few seasons and was viewed as a bit of a health
risk when the Giants inked him to a three-year deal.
All
potential injuries aside, Mike Patterson and Cullen Jenkins will go into the
season as the team's starting defensive tackles in the base defense. But defensive
line coach Robert Nunn isn't set on letting them get a majority of the snaps.
He's put extra care into making sure Johnathan Hankins and Markus Kuhn were ready.
Zack
Bowman wound up spending his high school years in Anchorage, Alaska. Big-time
college football recruiters don't leave too many footprints in the snow up there.
Bowman wound up playing at Nebraska and his first six NFL seasons for the Bears.
Now Bowman is in a Giants secondary that is getting a lot of attentions.
Spencer
Paysinger has been a Giant for four years, which means he's been around long
enough to know what people think about his position group.
How
can you tell what mood Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is in? Look down and check
out his shoes.
Rodgers-Cromartie
came out and addressed the media today, and naturally one of the questions he
got was about how he decides which pair of superhero cleats to wear on a given
day. .
Former Giants
Will
Hill signed with the Baltimore Ravens on Friday. Hill is suspended for the
first six games of the 2014 season.
Will
Hill's signing comes at an awkward time for the Ravens, who already are under
scrutiny following running back Ray Rice's suspension for assaulting his then-fiancee.