Giants (1-2) vs Saints (2-1) Game Preview
Last week the New Orleans Saints battled it out with the Falcons in a high scoring game in Atlanta. It was a 37-37 tie at the end of regulation. The Saints started off with the ball in overtime, and their long drive finished with a one yard touchdown run by quarterback Drew Brees for a 43-37 win.
The Giants were on the road in Texas for the second week in a row. They had lost to the Cowboys the first time and had better luck with the Houston Texans. They scored on their opening drive, and led throughout the game to finish up with a 27-22 win, their first of the season.
Giants - Texans Wrap-Up

Six active quarterbacks rank in the Top 10 in NFL history in passing touchdowns. Two of them will be on opposite sidelines Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium when Eli Manning and the New York Giants play host to Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints. Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers are the others.

New Orleans is famous for its recipes, whether it is gumbo, jambalaya and Po-boys. The Giants need a recipe for an upset today, as the Saints come to MetLife Stadium for a 4:25 p.m. kickoff as three-point favorites over the home team.

Eli Manning laments Saints game when his best was not enough. He threw a career-high six touchdown passes, but Drew Brees threw for seven and the Saints beat the Giants, 52-49. With Manning set to face the Saints on Sunday at MetLife Stadium, it is impossible not to recall that shootout.

Saquon Barkley is the centerpiece addition to a team that needs every playmaker it can get. With the Giants' front office convinced that this team is good enough to win now, if only it surrounds 37-year-old quarterback Eli Manning with the right talent, Barkley's early emergence is essential to that formula.

Sept 29 The receptions are impressive. So is the yardage. Both rank No. 1 in the league through three weeks. The percentage, however, is what really stands out. When Drew Brees targets Michael Thomas, a completion follows, and frequently a big play. Forty times the Saints quarterback has looked for his No. 1 receiver, and 38 times they have connected.

Secret to Saints offense? Giants have an insider hidden on roster and ready to debut. The Giants spent a week studying for one day against arguably the NFL's deadliest offense. Kamrin Moore spent his first four months in the NFL trying to crack the same code.

Olivier Vernon, Eli Apple out for Giants against Saints. The Giants will be without their starting cornerback Sunday as they try to contain Drew Brees and the Saints' explosive offense - a move that initially seemed to surprise Apple as much as anyone. As for Vernon (foot), the linebacker practiced Wednesday and Thursday, only to be held back Friday and ruled out for Sunday.

Sept 28 Odell Beckham Jr. described his performance through the first three weeks as "efficient" on Thursday, but believes that both he and the Giants' offense are on the verge of breaking out in a big way Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.
Because his longest gain is 30 yards and he has yet to score a touchdown, Odell Beckham, Jr. is still waiting for that otherworldly play or game-changing performance that have distinguished his Giants tenure.

Giants know they probably will have to light it up this week. The Brees-led Saints enter the meeting second in the NFL in points scored (104) and fourth in total offense (428.0 yards per game). Big Blue showed significant progress in Sunday's win over the Texans - notching season highs in total yards (379), first downs (21) and points (27).

Sept 27 The Saints may be coming to MetLife Stadium averaging 34.6 points per game, but the Giants think they have one big edge to slowing them down. Location. Sunday will be the Saints' first outdoor game this season after opening with two at home and beating the Falcons in Atlanta under a closed roof in Week 3.

It was just one week, but the results were telling. The Giants' reconstructed offensive line gave Eli Manning more time to pass Sunday and the veteran quarterback responded. Now the challenge for the offensive line is figuring out what worked so well and finding a way to do it again.

New York Giants coach Pat Shurmur got the chance to meet franchise legend Mark Bavaro for the first time at the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Champions for Children Gala last Friday night. Not that Shurmur was looking to compare them as players, but Bavaro did remind him of someone he coached in Minnesota and now will rely on even more with the Giants: Rhett Ellison.

Sept 26 What Eli Manning must do to beat Brees in battle of vet QBs. If he can keep possession of the ball and sustain a few long drives Sunday at MetLife Stadium, it will go a long way toward keeping Drew Brees and his merry band of Saints off the field, which might be the only way to slow them down.

Two days after Evan Engram suffered a knee injury that will sideline him for an undetermined time period, the Giants today signed tight end Garrett Dickerson off their practice squad. In a corresponding move, wide receiver/return specialist Kaelin Clay was waived/injured with an ankle injury.

Former Giants
Phil Simms won two Super Bowl rings with the Giants, but with the addition of rookie running back Saquon Barkley, the studio analyst for "The NFL Today" on CBS believes Eli Manning has a better collection of dynamic offensive weapons than he ever had in his career.

Sept 25 Special Report - It is possible that Pat Shurmur circled the date on his desk calendar Monday. It was, after all, the first time he was going to hold a telephone press conference with the media after a regular-season Giants' victory.
And he sounded pleased to have the opportunity. First, he outlined the injuries - not to worry, he intimated, about tight end Evan Engram's knee. It's not torn, just a sprained MCL, and if he isn't back this week (at home against New Orleans) it won't be much longer.

Giants offense needs to play fast in both halves vs. Saints. As good as the Giants looked on offense at times in Sunday's 27-22 win over the Texans, they'll have to perform even better to keep winning.

The Giants squeezed everything out of five exhausted starters. Tired was not an option. Playing every single snap in a game is not easy. Most games, the entire offensive line stays in every play, if possible. On defense, a player or two in the secondary never comes off the field.

Giants defensive end Kerry Wynn is off to the best start to a season in his career. Wynn logged six total tackles with a forced fumble in Week 3, and has already picked up 13 tackles, 0.5 a sack, and the forced fumble so far this season, while playing a pivotal role in the Giants' pass rush.

Giants (0-2) vs Texans (0-2) Game Preview
After starting off the season with two straight games on the road, the Texans have fallen to an 0-2 record. They started in New England, and then last week they were in Tennessee. The Texans were at midfield and had 17 seconds left to try to tie the game up with a field goal. Quarterback Deshaun Watson scrambled around and completed a downfield pass, but the clock ran out, leaving them with a 20-17 loss.
The Giants have also opened the season losing in their first two games. What was thought to be a talented offense, working behind a strengthened front line, hasn't translated to the field. Last week the Cowboys were ready for their arrival and scored first. The Giants trailed the entire game, kicked a field goal after a successful onside kick, but their next one failed, and the game ended 20-13 in favor of the Cowboys.
Giants - Cowboys Wrap-Up

Sept 23 Giants bench Ereck Flowers after three years as starter. The Ereck Flowers experiment finally appears to be ending after three-plus year as a starter on the New York Giants offensive line. The 2015 first-round pick is being benched in favor of Chad Wheeler at right tackle on Sunday against the Houston Texans, a source confirmed.

Pat Shurmur has been around long enough - not with the Giants, but certainly around the NFL - to understand what happens early is not necessarily an indication of what happens late. Until the offensive line gets its act together, exploiting Odell Beckham Jr. and Saquon Barkley's gifts will be a weekly struggle and Eli Manning will look older than his 37 years. With his players, he assures all who will listen outside the circle, he is forceful. "Don't misunderstand the calm," he said.

Sept 22 We've been down this road too many times before with the Giants, who have started 0-2 in four of the past five years. It might not seem like much in the span of a 16-game season, but anyone familiar with the NFL knows that 0-3 is the start of nothing to play for.

This year, Landon Collins seems a step behind for the Giants. Through two games, Collins has been almost invisible on the field, far from the standout performer many projected, or even the one he's been in the past. He's had an unremarkable 11 tackles through two games and only one pass defensed.

Texans expect Jadeveon Clowney to play, and that's bad news for Giants. After a back injury limited him all week in practice, the Houston Texans expect outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney to suit up.

Former Giants
Tom Coughlin says hot seat could benefit Giants coach Pat Shurmur.

Sept 21 It doesn't get any easier now for Giants' embattled offensive line. John Greco, who'll start his first game for the Giants at center on Sunday replacing the injured Jon Halapio, understands the caldron he's entering.

Despite the fact that the Giants possess one of the most dynamic collections of skill players in the league, the offense ranks in the bottom-five in scoring heading into Sunday's Week 3 showdown between 0-2 teams in Houston against the Texans.

Close. That's the word that has been bandied about for most of the past two weeks as the Giants have slipped to 0-2 and have struggled to score points. They're close to winning, close to connecting, close to turning this around they say. They're also close to football oblivion.

Sept 20 Giants could be without two key defensive starters. Eli Apple's injured groin hasn't improved since Sunday and Olivier Vernon's high ankle sprain doesn't seem to be making much progress, either.

John Greco takes over at center for Giants after Jon Halapio's injury. A year ago, John Greco this week was at home wondering if his NFL career was over. He'd been released by the Browns after training camp and was coming to peace with the possibility of involuntary retirement while waiting to see if any teams would call. On Sunday, he'll be starting at center for the Giants.

The Giants released fullback Shane Smith on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after signing Elijhaa Penny off the Arizona Cardinals practice squad. Smith struggled with blocking assignments against the Dallas Cowboys, in a game Sunday night that saw quarterback Eli Manning sacked six times and hit eight more during a 20-13 loss that was never really that close.

Sept 19 Pat Shurmur did not create this Giants mess, but he must fix it. The offensive line woes are new to Shurmur but painfully familiar to those inside the building and the paying customers.
One move cannot fix what ails the Giants' offense. One small one was made Tuesday, as fullback
Elijhaa Penny was signed off the Cardinals practice squad. Fullbacks are not an integral part of Pat Shurmur's offensive system, used mostly as an extra blocker in the backfield, and also as special teams contributors.
Both of the Giants' games have been within reach in the fourth quarter and both have been decided by one score. That can create a dangerous imbalance in the locker room where the defense may grow frustrated by the offense.

Sept 18 The Giants are ruining what's left of Eli Manning. The whole idea, the Big Blueprint from the very top of the franchise, was to win now with Eli Manning. It was an organizational strategy steeped in romance and nostalgia and more than hope: Shore up the offensive line, get your 37-year-old quarterback a generational running back, and worry about securing your young franchise quarterback, your Next Eli Manning, sometime in the future.

After the Giants struggled to pick up blitzes and stunts and it resulted in six sacks of quarterback Eli Manning and a 20-13 loss to the Cowboys, the first-year head coach was grilled on his offense's ugly numbers during an 0-2 start. The Giants have two touchdowns on 22 offensive possessions.

Eli Manning, Pat Shurmur: These are not last year's Giants The Giants coach says the focus is on getting the starters to improve, not on looking for replacements. In many ways, it was as if last year's 3-13 record simply carried over to this season. The problem wasn't only that the Giants were 0-2 again, but that to fans, it felt a whole lot like 3-15.

Giants (0-1) vs Cowboys (0-1) Game Preview
In their season opener the Cowboys were unable to put points on the board until the fourth quarter was closing in on the halfway mark. The Cowboys trailed for the entire game and ended up with a 16-8 loss to the Carolina Panthers.
The Giants opened at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Any thoughts the fans had of seeing an explosive offense were squashed, as the Jaguars top defense played as well as they did last year. The Giants lost to the Jaguars with a 20-15 score.
Giants - Jaguars Wrap-Up

Sept 16 It might be time for the Giants to go from trip to chip. One week after a tripping penalty against right tackle Ereck Flowers on the first play of the season set the tone for an ugly offensive line performance, the Giants could have to fall back today on chip-blocking Cowboys pass-rusher DeMarcus Lawrence so he doesn't wreck the game.

The Giants are better than the Cowboys. This is a Cowboys team built with a low ceiling on its 2018 season, with an incomprehensibly anonymous skill position group assembled by Jerry Jones that affords little help to young quarterback Dak Prescott, who is not going to beat the Giants by himself.

Deal with Ezekiel Elliott on the ground and contain Dak Prescott's legs on designed and impromptu scrambles. Those are the Giants' marching orders on defense. They do not believe Prescott can beat them if he is forced to throw it 30-plus times, targeting Allen Hurns, Terrance Williams and the pesky Cole Beasley, a slot receiver pest, meaning nickel back BW. Webb is on the hot seat.

The Giants and Cowboys both lost their opening contests, meaning that (barring a tie) the loser of Sunday's clash of division rivals will have a miniscule chance of making the playoffs. Since 1990 there have been 231 teams that started a season 0-2. Only 28 of them, or 12 percent, have advanced to the postseason.

It is right there, on the highlight film, and will remain there in perpetuity. Whenever anyone views Saquon Barkley's first NFL touchdown, they will see Sterling Shepard leading the way with his lingering downfield block of Jaguars cornerback A.J. Bouye.

Sept 15 Odell Beckham Jr. said the Giants have a "one-play-away offense." Meaning that wherever they are on the field, wherever they are in the game, they can reach the end zone.

The film was familiar, yet foreign. There were routes Alec Ogletree remembered. There were schemes he had seen. It was the fourth time Ogletree had prepared to face the Cowboys. But it was the first time in eight years the Giants linebacker had seen Dallas' offense operating without Dez Bryant and Jason Witten.

Jerry Jones still trusts Dak Prescott. The heat is on Dak Prescott to bring the Cowboys back from the dead Sunday night against the Giants, but the quarterback was given a vote of confidence - for this season and beyond - from the most important voice in the organization.

Sept 14 Dak Prescott had two words for Landon Collins. "Challenge accepted." Actually he had four words since he said it twice. But the meaning was certainly clear.
Prescott had already been itching to get back on the field Sunday after a disappointing season opener, but Collins served up an extra bit of motivation.

Odell Beckham Jr. has his huge contract. He has his health and his speed back after undergoing ankle surgery last October. He has his production, having caught 11 passes for 111 yards in the opener and contributing even more yardage on plays when the Jaguars were penalized trying to cover him.
Continuing with the Cowboys on Sunday night in Arlington, Texas, opponents will give a little and play some Hold-ell Beckham if the alternative is watching the blond-haired dynamo erupt and rejoice in jubilation as only he can. "They don't like that," Beckham said.

Sept 13 If Odell Beckham Jr. vs. Jalen Ramsey commanded the spotlight last week, the showdown of star running backs Saquon Barkley and Ezekiel Elliott will take center stage when the Giants and Cowboys meet in prime time Sunday.
Rarely does a game contain such singular focus on one individual as the way the Giants' defense is fixated on Ezekiel Elliott. There are, of course, other players of concern for the Giants to consider, but this version of the Cowboys offense seems to be more of a one-man band than any other.
If the Dallas Cowboys offense seemed to funnel through Ezekiel Elliott the last two seasons, the Giants say that it pales in comparison to the running back's role in 2018. "Zeke's the guy," Giants safety Landon Collins said prior to Wednesday's practice. "He's the guy."

Sept 12 Giants hopeful Olivier Vernon can play Sunday vs. Cowboys. The Giants used rookie Lorenzo Carter and Connor Barwin to replace Vernon in the 20-15 loss to the Jaguars. Shurmur said he thought the Giants' pass rush was "pretty good." The Giants had one sack in the game.

Sunday's 20-15 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars brought out the worst in the Giants' offensive line, and exposed some of the team's weaknesses that head coach Pat Shurmur and the rest of the staff must correct in short-order leading up to Sunday night's nationally televised game in Dallas.

Giants cornerback Eli Apple truly began to make his way back from his disastrous 2017 season. There were no major highlights, just quality and consistency across the board in a 20-15 loss to the Jaguars, no small feat considering the lack of depth in the Giants' secondary.

Sept 11 Giants and Cowboys face much more than a rivalry game. These ancient rivals will gather at Jerry's World with matching 0-1 records. Given the schedules facing both teams, it makes getting square next Sunday night almost an imperative.

Giants need to get Ereck Flowers and the offensive line fixed, or it will be another long season. Manning was under fairly consistent duress against one of the NFL's best defenses, and while there were some positive moments, there was enough offensive line ineptitude to bear out the concerns heading into the season.

The Giants should improve simply by virtue of having played a game. This is still a team with a new coaching staff teaching a 53-man roster with 30 new players, who are in turn still learning new offensive, defensive and special teams systems. It can take a game for it to become a smooth-running operation.

Giants (0-0) vs Jaguars (0-0) Game Preview
The Jaguars are the defending AFC South champions. They finished 10-6 and won their division for the first time since 1999. The Tom Coughlin influence was certainly felt after he became the executive vice president of football operations last year. They hadn't won more than 5 games since 2010, but managed to win two playoff games and fell just short of going to the Super Bowl. The Jaguars season finally came to an end with a 24-20 loss to the Patriots in the AFC championship game.
The Giants are coming off a disastrous 3-13 season. They started off losing five games before traveling to Denver to surprise the Broncos with a 23-10 win. The Giants took three more losses before notching their first home game win against the Kansas City Chiefs with a 12-9 overtime score. Following that, a five game losing streak included Eli Manning's consecutive starting streak being broken, and the head coach and general manager being released. Steve Spagnuolo acted as interim head coach and the team managed to close out the season with a 18-10 home win over the Washington Redskins.

Sept 9 Possibly the largest disagreements about any NFL team in preseason punditry involve the Giants. Eli Manning and company open their season Sunday at home against the Jaguars.

Tom Coughlin has since moved on from that time he "stepped down" from the Giants' head coaching job, even though he was forced out the door by the team's co-owners, John Mara and Steve Tisch. But if it were up to him, he'd still be coaching the team in blue at MetLife Stadium.

Sept 8 If the Giants are able to run the ball on Jacksonville's stout defense Sunday, in the words of one Giants player Friday, "it's over with." If the offensive line cannot win its battle with the Jaguars' formidable front, however, it will be a long day for Saquon Barkley and Big Blue's offense in Week 1 at MetLife Stadium.

After spending months installing and practicing their new defense, the Giants will waste no time getting to see how it holds up. Leonard Fournette is knocking. The Giants will get an immediate gut check in Sunday's season opener when Fournette - who shouldered the Jaguars' top-ranked rushing offense last year all the way to the AFC Championship - comes to MetLife Stadium.

Sept 7 Eli Manning's Giants season of redemption begins against Coughlin. They were The Odd Couple, peas in a Big Blue pod, the General Pattonesque coach and the easy-like-Sunday-morning gentleman quarterback, as Tom Coughlin will be peering down from the press box at his Jaguars, Eli Manning will try to turn back the clock, to a time when no one worried that he was 37 years old.

Saquon Barkley only logged five carries during the Giants' preseason, busting one 39 yards in his debut against the Cleveland Browns, which has caused quite a dilemma for the Jaguars defense ahead of Sunday's season opener.

The chances of Olivier Vernon being able to play in the season opener are dwindling each day he misses practice, which he did again Thursday. So, look for veteran newcomer Connor Barwin and rookie Lorenzo Carter to pick up the slack at outside linebacker for the Giants against the Jaguars.

Sept 6 There is no reason to believe the 2018 Giants will be a great team, and perhaps they will not even be a very good one, but they figure to light it up some days and nights, and that will be worth the price of admission.
Kurt Warner wanted to pick the Giants to win the NFC East Division this season. But every time the Hall of Fame quarterback tried, the same thing kept stopping him. The schedule. "Gosh, their first eight games are just brutal," Warner told NJ Advance Media at a season preview event with NFL Network analysts.

Back in April, the Giants chose Saquon Barkley with the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft despite the opportunity to take a potential successor for 37-year-old quarterback Eli Manning, one year after the Jaguars stuck by inconsistent signal caller Blake Bortles and took Leonard Fournette No. 4 overall in 2017.
Eli Manning has finally done his research. The Giants' two-time Super Bowl MVP quarterback not only knows of Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey is, but he was able to offer a scouting report when asked by reporters at his locker Wednesday.

As Odell Beckham Jr. prepares to face an outspoken cornerback who loves to taunt opponents on the field and through the media, the Giants' receiver insists he won't make the same mistake twice. No, Beckham vs. Jalen Ramsey will not turn into another Beckham-Josh Norman fiasco.

Tight end Evan Engram was a full participant in Wednesday's workout, having been cleared from the concussion protocol, with no indication that he'll be anything but available for Sunday's opener against the Jaguars.

Former Giants
Tiki Barber will get a firsthand view of the new-look Giants on Sunday as he handles sideline duties for Fox at MetLife Stadium with his brother Ronde and Kenny Albert in the booth.

Sept 5 Special Report - Now that the Giants have turned in a so-called final 53-man roster, then tweaked it afterward in an effort to build a Week 1 depth chart, we have to look at the surprise picks, the unclear motives and the personnel strategies employed by general manager Dave Gettleman, head coach Pat Shurmur and his staff.
First, though, a moment captured in time that should be known by all. There was Alex Tanney, young but still six years removed from his college days, sitting at the locker after the Giants' final preseason game, talking about how he planned to spend the weekend of final cuts.

Davis Webb got a new job Tuesday, and he did not even have to look for a new place to live. The Jets signed the former Giants quarterback to their practice squad two days after Big Blue shockingly cut him. Webb signed with the Jets in the morning and was on the practice field a few hours later.

Giants 2018 game-by-game predictions: Will they catch Eagles in NFC East? After decades in the NFL, Giants co-owner John Mara had an important lesson reinforced last season. You never know.

Sept 4 Waiver players try to adjust quickly to new home with the Giants. Six players claimed this weekend have to learn all about the team and the facility with six days left until the opener.
Will the additions of Saquon Barkley and several starters at key positions lead the Giants back to the postseason for the first time since 2016, or is this destined to be a rebuilding year for a team that failed to meet sky-high expectations last season?

Davis Webb, the one-time heir apparent at quarterback to New York Giants veteran Eli Manning, is now looking for an NFL job. This preseason, the 23-year-old Webb completed 52.8 percent of his passes for 283 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.
Pat Shurmur gave the most direct and blunt answer he could when he was asked why Davis Webb was cut by the Giants. He just wasn't good enough. "I feel like they are better choices for us now," Shurmur said of the two backup quarterbacks the Giants did keep on their roster, Alex Tanney and Kyle Lauletta.
But the spot might not be Tanney's just yet. The Giants are bringing in Matt McGloin for a workout, according to NFL Network. McGloin, who played in 13 games with seven starts from 2013-16 with the Raiders, was just released by the Chiefs.

Sept 3 Why the Giants parted ways with Davis Webb, once viewed as possible Eli Manning successor. On a wild Sunday, Webb was the headline, but there were others, including the release of former starting guard John Jerry, who was relegated to backup duty.
What transpired Sunday with the Giants, Davis Webb and several other players is a lesson on what happens when a new regime takes over. That regime wants its own players and is loyal to its own players.

Giants go crazy on waiver wire after roster purge. They owned the No. 2 waiver priority, behind only the Browns, based on their 3-13 record last season, and made use of that lofty position by putting in six claims. They were awarded all six players. Only the Browns, with seven claims, were awarded more players on a busy day of transactions.

Team leader Mark Herzlich a most unkind Giants cut Inspirational linebacker was Big Blue's third-longest-tenured player behind Eli Manning and Zak DeOssie.

Former Giants
Mark Herzlich's long Giants tenure comes to an end. In 88 career games with the Giants, Herzlich recorded 173 tackles, seven stuffs, one sack, one forced fumble and three passes defensed.

Sept 2 Davis Webb's Giants future in doubt as Big Blue keeps 4 QBs with roster in flux; Mark Herzlich cut. The Giants are believed to have gauged the trade market for backup QB Davis Webb, according to sources.
Webb would seem to be the most likely to go. He's the only one of the three backups who is a leftover from the previous regime, a player Pat Shurmur and general manager Dave Gettleman inherited and did not select.

New York Giants announce 53-man roster. The roster will continue to evolve, and almost certainly before the Giants open their season. Because of their 3-13 finish in 2017, they are second in line behind the Cleveland Browns in claiming players who are waived by other teams.

NFL roster cuts: 15 players Giants could target immediately on waivers, free agency. NFL teams have until noon Sunday to put in a waiver claim, and players will be awarded at 4 p.m. The Giants hold the No. 2 waiver priority - just like the original 2018 NFL Draft order - so they will get at least one of their top choices.

Sept 1 Eli Manning and the Giants already preparing for Jaguars. Manning admitted he has been looking at the Jacksonville defense "the last couple of days," watching film of the Jaguars from this summer and last season. This is not a familiar foe for Manning or the Giants.

After Eli Manning, the Giants' QB depth chart is up in the air Coach Pat Shurmur has been vague about the depth chart behind Manning all summer. There is a good chance that, after the Giants trim their roster to 53 players, they'll have only one quarterback who has ever taken a regular-season snap.

Aug 31 New England Patriots 17 - New York Giants 12.
Giants give third-string QB a long look with mixed results.
Donte Deayon makes his case for Giants roster with two interceptions.
Instant Analysis: Final auditions as starters sit.
Etling TD pass, run lead Pats over Giants to end preseason.

Aug 30 The practices during training camp are all important. The preseason games are more important, which is why Thursday night's finale against the Patriots at MetLife Stadium is the last chance for several players to prove they belong on the Giants' roster.
Davis Webb was hopped up a few weeks ago when he played his first game in almost a full year. Imagine how he'll feel when he plays what might be his last game for another full year. Webb isn't thinking about that (he says) as he and the Giants approach Thursday night's preseason finale against the Patriots.

Nate Solder didn't just join a new team this year when he left the Patriots and signed with the Giants in March. He began a new relationship. "Having Nate there for as long as I did, someone I could always count on, rely on, depend on, he was so consistent day to day," Tom Brady said last week on WEEI. The Patriots made him a first-round pick in 2011, he started 95 games over seven seasons as Brady's blind-side protector, and he appeared in four Super Bowls, winning two.

Aug 29 This is an important game for Davis Webb. In his final opportunity to showcase how the Giants would handle the ever-durable Eli Manning finally breaking down at age 37, Webb said he expects to show management - which didn't draft him - that he can be trusted.

Odell Beckham Jr. wants his legacy to be defined by more than the impressive numbers for which he is responsible in the NFL thus far. At 25, Beckham has earned mention among the league's best wide receivers. And at his best, it's debatable as to whether there is an equal to his combination of flair and productivity.

Can Giants afford Eli Manning in 2019 salary cap after paying Odell Beckham? Timeline for tough decision just sped up. The strategy for winning while fitting 53 players under the NFL salary cap is to only have one or two salary cap hits at or above the $17 million mark,. In 2019, the Giants are scheduled to have four: Manning ($23.2 million), Beckham ($21 million), linebacker Olivier Vernon ($19.5 million) and left tackle Nate Solder ($17 million).

Aug 28 Odell Beckham is now Giants' pride - and NFL's Public Enemy No. 1. And with his new five-year, $95 million deal - $65 million guaranteed - that makes him the highest-paid receiver in the game, a new responsibility will confront Beckham, as early as Week 1 against elite Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
The fact that the Giants and Beckham were able to come to terms on a deal Monday ensured that the negotiations wouldn't linger over the start of the season on Sept. 9 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. What are the salary cap implications of Beckham's deal?

While the record-setting deal raises the bar for future NFL receiver contracts, it also does something on a much deeper level: it proves that there is more than one way to get a new deal that doesn't include holding your breath until your face turns blue or taking your ball home out of frustration.
Beckham has been impressive on and off the field since training camp began July 25, making an impact with just how good he looks between the lines and how comfortable he appears despite the glaring spotlight that comes with his desire for a new long-term contract.

Aug 27 Eli Manning will never pick up the nickname "Crazy Legs," but he is going to have to move around more in coach Pat Shurmur's offense than he has in past systems.

To the naked eye, Saquon Barkley looked like, well, Saquon Barkley on Sunday. In the Giants' first practice since defeating the Jets in the third preseason game on Friday night, the second overall draft choice returned to team drills in the wake of tweaking his hamstring on Aug. 13.

The Giants unofficially named their starting center on Monday by trading away his backup and main competition for the job. Brett Jones, who had been getting second-team reps behind Jon Halapio all training camp but had played well in the recent preseason game against the Jets, was shipped to the Vikings in exchange for a seventh-round pick in next year's draft.

Olivier Vernon, the Giants' top pass rusher, an elite run stuffer and one of their premier players, left Sunday's practice on a cart with a left ankle injury and didn't return.

Aug 26 For the Giants who are not already penciled in as starters or key reserves for the regular season, there is one more chance. The final chance to make a case begins with practice today and continues through Thursday's preseason finale against the Patriots.

Chief among the "unsettled" positions was finding a partner for two-time Pro Bowl safety Landon Collins. Coming out of Friday night, the Giants have a better idea after Curtis Riley made his second consecutive start.
Pat Shurmur hasn't yet called the battle in favor of Riley, but the job is his to lose entering the final week of training camp and Thursday's preseason finale against the Patriots.
Shurmur also noted that the hamstring injury suffered by Darian Thompson, Riley's primary competition at free safety, is "really lingering."

Giants receiver hopeful has one last chance to prove himself. Hunter Sharp said he planned to catch more than 200 passes Saturday, an off-day for the Giants.

Aug 25 Instant Analysis: Deep passes, special teams lift Giants.
12 random observations after Giants' 22-16 win vs. Jets.
Starter Sam? Darnold solid again, Jets lose to Giants 22-16
3 reasons Giants should be optimistic ... and concerned after beating Jets.
Big plays in pass game highlight "W"
This is close to what 'A' game from Eli Manning looks like.
Who's to blame for Giants' anemic rushing game without Saquon Barkley?
What is Giants RB Jonathan Stewart's reaction to jarring preseason numbers?
Giants lose Evan Engram to concussion.
Special teams stands out in Giants' 22-16 win.
Giants' offense flops without Beckham and Barkleys.
Aldrick Rosas' 4 field goals push Giants past Jets, 22-16.
New York Giants 22 - New York Jets 16.
Giants impressed by Darnold, but don't have buyer's remorse.

Aug 24 Don't expect a fiery pregame speech from Pat Shurmur in the Giants' locker room Friday night about the importance of beating the Jets.
Much is made about the third preseason game in the NFL. That goes double when it comes to Giants vs. Jets. Inside the Quest Diagnostics Training Center, though, Pat Shurmur simply sees it as another opportunity to get better and evaluate personnel.
The Giants play their annual MetLife Stadium Bowl against the Jets on Friday night, in Week 3 of the NFL preseason, with plenty at stake for players outside the starting lineup.

Friday night, the Giants reconnect with Sam Darnold, the player, after much analysis, they passed over as Eli Manning's successor. Instead, the Giants' new hierarchy recommitted to the 37-year-old Manning and gifted him a prize running back, Saquon Barkley, a selection with the No. 2 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft that allowed the Jets, gleefully, to grab Darnold.

Aug 23 The Giants appear to be easing Saquon Barkley back into the thick of things. In the non-padded practice, he participated in individual drills and took a few 7-on-7 reps.
The second overall draft pick has been sidelined since he tweaked his hamstring while stretching out for a long reception in practice on Monday, Aug. 13.

Can Saquon Barkley convince his Jets fan dad to be a Giants fan for a night? Alibay Barkley has no plans to change his NFL loyalties, at least not yet, and maybe never.
The Giants have largely downplayed the opponent in Friday's game, insisting they're just focused on their own team, but Landon Collins is looking forward to lining up across from Jets rookie QB Sam Darnold. Collins said he expects the Giants starters to play about three quarters.

Alec Ogletree is new to the Giants defense, but that doesn't mean he will stay quiet. The inside linebacker will be heard from plenty on a unit that hopes to be one of the best in the league.

Aug 22 Special Report - He was a breath of fresh air both on the field and off. He smiled more than most pro football players, he truly appeared to enjoy the game he was playing and the adulation he received, And now wide receiver Victor Cruz, a native of Paterson, N.J., has announced his formal retirement from the game and will immediately become part of the ESPN broadcasting team.

Eli Manning seems to be finding playing in the NFL at 37 years old easier than being in an NFL locker room at 37 years old. "There is a lot of dancing going on, which I find curious," Manning said of being a decade and a half older than some of his teammates. "I miss out on some of the music and stuff. Social media, some of the things they're on. But for the most part I can figure it out."
Manning admitted there are conversations around him in the locker room when he simply feels out of the pop culture loop. The Giants have two younger quarterbacks, Davis Webb (23) and Kyle Lauletta (22), who can help him stay fresh as he helps them learn to navigate the NFL. One thing that crosses generations? A need to keep working until getting things just right.

B.J. Goodson has yet to finish a season how he envisioned. His rookie season ended with him tallying just nine tackles in 15 games and primarily being utilized on special teams. Last season began with a promotion to starting middle linebacker and ended with Goodson on injured reserve.

Former Giants
Victor Cruz left lasting impact on Giants. Cruz, who will become an NFL analyst for ESPN, played in only 70 regular-season games. But his 303 receptions place him 11th on the franchise list.

Aug 21 The growing pains of the New York Giants offensive line have been highly visible in recent days. There have been shaky moments throughout training camp, and part of the reason for that is Giants defensive coordinator James Bettcher keeping his foot on the gas, no matter the drill.
There is no doubt this line is better than the putrid 2017 version, but upgrades come in degrees. In limited work in two preseason games, the run-blocking has been so-so and the pass blocking has been better than so-so.
One of the first things Pat Shurmur did when he became the Giants' coach was to reorganize the locker assignments and put all of the position groups together. That included, perhaps most importantly, the offensive linemen, who now sit together in the same area.
Head Coach Pat Shurmur is banking on Ereck Flowers and the rest of the line developing the requisite chemistry necessary to unlock the potential of one of the more dynamic collections of skill-position players in the league.

Aug 20 It seems as if Davis Webb has the job locked up as Eli Manning's backup, but the depth chart at quarterback isn't that clear for Giants first-year coach Pat Shurmur.
Pat Shurmur insisted Sunday that when it comes to the hierarchy at the most important position on the field, "We have Eli [Manning] and then there's really no depth chart there."

The Giants were back on the practice field for the first time since the team's win against Detroit on Friday night. Head Coach Pat Shurmur had them in shorts and scheduled a slightly shorter practice in overcast conditions.
With Saquon Barkley and Jalen Simmons sidelined, and Jonathan Stewart's practice legs under monitoring, the Giants came up with an unusual solution Sunday to their short-handedness at running back. Wide receiver Kalif Raymond.

Aug 19 Pat Shurmur's simple blueprint paying dividends for Giants. Shurmur said the Giants made a "boat load" of mistakes against the Lions. Whenever real adversity hit, they managed to weather it.

It is difficult not to focus on the inner-workings of an offense that has the potential to be highly-potent. Tucked into the first two preseason games is the less-heralded work of the Giants on defense.

Cornerback B.W. Webb 's addition didn't generate much buzz when the Giants signed him early in free agency, but he looks like the answer for addressing one of the team's biggest concerns.

If there were a Most Valuable Player trophy handed out by the NFL for preseason excellence, Kerry Wynn might already have a few on a shelf at home. There is a significant difference between his past summer performances and those like the show Wynn put on Friday night in the Giants' 30-17 preseason victory over the Lions at Ford Field.

Aug 18 Giants beat Lions 30-17 | Reasons to be optimistic.
Giants preseason stock report after win vs. Lions.
Davis Webb was sharp in his second preseason game.
Giants' defense off to dominant start in preseason.
Kyle Lauletta shows a skill you didn't know he had.
Davis Webb bounces back and helps Giants beat Lions 30-17.
Davis Webb delivers bounce-back the Giants were hoping for.
Saquon Barkley-less Giants get big lift from two ex-roommates.
Ereck Flowers exposed by a former Giants teammate.
Davis Webb rises to occasion in second chance for Giants.
Giants will celebrate Pat Shurmur's first win of any kind as head coach
Davis Webb gets start and bounces back in big way after last week's struggles.
Davis Webb impresses in 30-17 win over Lions.
Giants top Lions 30-17 as Webb, Gallman and the defense shine.

Aug 17 New York Giants at Detroit Lions: What to watch. Unlike last week, when the Giants didn't engage in game planning for the Cleveland Browns, this week, it sounds as though that is going to change, at least based on what some of the players have indicated.
With it appearing likely that neither Giants running back Saquon Barkley nor wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. will play against the Detroit Lions, the stage is set for several players to play extra and extra valuable snaps in Friday night's NFL preseason game.

Odell Beckham Jr.'s injury advice for Saquon Barkley: Take your time. On Friday night, Barkley will miss his first game with an injury since his freshman year at Penn State when an ankle kept him out of two contests.
When Giants CO-owner John Mara decided to open contract negotiations with Odell Beckham, he pointed to how the star wide receiver "personally is moving in the right direction."

Odell Beckham Jr. is not in a rush to do either of the two things that the rest of the world is frantically waiting for from him. Those would be playing in an actual game and signing a long-term contract extension. Ask Beckham "When?" regarding either topic and he answers with Zen.
With three weeks to go before the opener, there is plenty of time to get the deal done. Eli Manning signed an $84 million extension two days before the season opener in 2015. The Giants need to have a similar result with Beckham before it gets messy.

Aug 16 Calling the Giants defense a "3-4" is like describing James Bettcher as a "coordinator." Accurate, but only on a basic level. Bettcher is a creative schemer who has shown the Giants will offer multiple looks across the front seven rather than sticking with three on the line of scrimmage and four linebackers.

Eli Apple flashes the talent and mindset the Giants want to see. If it is not how you start but how you finish that is most important, Eli Apple had a good day Wednesday as the Giants and Lions went through a second joint practice.
Eli Apple felt as if the Lions were picking on him a bit in Wednesday's joint practice. It may have been just coincidence that many of their passes were thrown in his direction, but the third-year cornerback still felt it.

Saquon Barkley's hamstring injury might not seem like a big deal, but Giants learned hard way with Odell Beckham. Barkley sat out the second straight day of the Giants practice sessions with the Lions here Wednesday, in full uniform with no shoulder pads.

Aug 15 The Giants competed in their first of three practices in Detroit on Tuesday afternoon. Running back Wayne Gallman got a few more first-team reps than usual with fellow running back Saquon Barkley sidelined with a mildly strained hamstring.
Despite his flashes of promise, Gallman is right back at No. 3 on the depth chart thanks to fate. Playing in 13 games with one start, Gallman finished his rookie season with 476 yards on 111 carries, a respectable 4.3 yards per carry, and added 193 yards on 34 receptions with one touchdown in the passing game.

Why the Giants offense stood out in a muted practice with Lions. The entire Giants offense got the better of the Lions defense most of the day. In particular, the protection from the first-team offense was solid.
The Giants first-team offense broke the huddle midway through Tuesday's joint practice with the Detroit Lions and Odell Beckham Jr. sprinted out wide left. For the first time this summer, Beckham was ready to test himself head-to-head against a star corner from another team.
Odell Beckham's first real test of camp couldn't have gone better. For the first time since Pat Shurmur took over as head coach, Beckham was on display, operating against a defense wearing a different jersey.

Aug 14 Pat Shurmur lays down the law to prevent Jets-like brawl. Shurmur and Lions coach Matt Patricia have already discussed the pace and tempo they want to see in these three joint practices, so there should be no misunderstandings.
Shurmur has repeatedly pointed out that he and Lions head coach Matt Patricia worked together in joint practices when they were coordinators with the Eagles and Patriots, respectively, so they have an understanding of expectations regarding tempo and intensity.

Saquon Barkley made a spectacular play during Monday's practice and then came up a little gimpy after hauling in a long pass thrown by Kyle Lauletta, rookie to rookie.
Barkley did not return to action and had his leg wrapped on the sideline. He walked off with teammates (not trainers) and without the wrap.

The most intense part of Sterling Shepard's season is already over. The Giants wide receiver and his model wife, Chanel Iman, welcomed their first child on Friday and as of Monday the 3-day-old infant had more than 7,000 followers.

Aug 13 Giants backup QB competition heats up between Davis Webb, Kyle Lauletta as Eli Manning rests. Shurmur has yet to determine the quarterback pecking order beyond Manning.
Davis Webb eager to make up for preseason dud as Giants' backup QB competition heats up. Kyle Lauletta had a solid debut and, if Webb continues to struggle, has a shot at the No. 2 job.

Landon Collins knows Giants will put the right person beside him. Landon Collins has played next to a different starting safety in each of his first three seasons with the Giants, so a new partner every day in training camp hasn't been too jarring.
Safety Andrew Adams was among the team leaders in overall snaps and led Big Blue with six tackles in Thursday's preseason premiere against Cleveland. Now, as the Giants prepare for dual practices in Detroit and a game against the Lions, Adams hopes to continue his impressive play.

James Bettcher's example of sacrifice and dedication last week made a mark on his Giants defensive players. Bettcher's mother, Karen F. Bettcher, passed away on Aug. 4, at age 76. But five days later, the Giants' new defensive coordinator was on the MetLife Stadium sideline anyway, making his Big Blue debut with a heavy heart.

Aug 12 With one preseason game already in the books, this is a good time to look back at whether Pat Shurmur's first training camp as Giants head coach was a success, by revisiting the four goals that NJ Advance Media set out prior to the first practice last month.

Giants' new-look offensive line has room to improve. Building cohesion takes time and throwing five guys together for a spring and summer is not all it takes. So, for the first time out, the Giants did not expect, and certainly did not receive, a vintage performance.

Giants have a true ground weapon in Saquon Barkley, but the offensive line still needs to do more. Pat Shurmur proved early in Thursday's preseason opener that he wants to commit to the run. Now the offensive line needs to give him a reason to stick with it.

Pat Shurmer at home in Motown - Giants coach will be going back to his roots when the Giants spend this week in Michigan. The Giants will spend most of this week in Michigan, flying out on Monday evening before three days of practices and workouts with the Lions and then a preseason game against Detroit on Friday night.

Aug 11 Giants have 'plenty to learn from' after preseason loss to Browns, Shurmur says. Shurmur said the Giants' passing game needs improvement. "We ran the ball well. We need to complete more passes," he said after his four quarterbacks went a combined 22-for-45 for 193 yards.
If there was one positive to take away from the play of Giants backup quarterbacks Davis Webb and Kyle Lauletta, it is that the fourth-round rookie showed plenty of poise in his first taste of NFL game speed. Lauletta completed six of his nine passing attempts for 48 yards.
Davis Webb knows he must calm down in next outing. Webb did not quiet those who have doubts about his ability and wonder who will be the quarterback of this team in a year or two. He was constantly out of the strike zone, launching passes too hard and too high. He ended up completing just 9 of 22 for 70 yards.

Pat Shurmur has told us preseason games are important "because you learn about your team." Well here's what we've learned about Shurmur after the Giants' 20-10 loss to the Browns on Thursday night at MetLife Stadium, his first preseason game as head coach.

The return of Mark Herzlich to the football field. On Thursday night, Herzlich played middle linebacker with the second-string defense. Herzlich played 38 defensive snaps with one tackle and one quarterback pressure. He also played 10 special-teams snaps.

Giants' Olivier Vernon, Michael Thomas put protests on hold as discussions with NFL continue. "Right now we're waiting to see how everything goes with the league and we've just been engaging in talks and seeing what everybody is talking about and seeing where everything is going to lead to," Vernon said of his decision. "For right now, it's just football right now."

Aug 10 Giants preseason stock report after 20-10 loss to Browns.
Saquon Barkley says hello to the NFL in style with eye-popping first Giants carry.
One dynamic run and a Giants' star is born.
Barkley shows why Giants picked him on very first play of preseason.
Instant Analysis: Top draft picks on display in Giants vs. Browns.
Giants backup QB Davis Webb off target in preseason opener.
Giants defense looks just as bad as last season.
Pat Shurmur: I never 'intended to play' Odell Beckham vs. Browns.

Aug 9 Three things Giants fans should watch for in the preseason opener. Be it one snap or three or seven, this is Saquon Barkley's preseason debut. Is there anybody out there old enough to remember when the Giants used a 3-4 front as their base defense? Let's see what Webb brings to the field.
It's the dawning of a new era in Giants football, not just for the rookies but for the seasoned veterans. They may have played in numerous preseason openers, but none has played for new coach Pat Shurmur in MetLife Stadium in the home uniforms.
Based on what the offense has shown on the field at practice, fans should expect to see a lot more two tight end (12) personnel this season featuring Rhett Ellison and Even Engram.

Odell Beckham Jr. will be limited in how much he plays this preseason, starting with Thursday night's opener against the Browns. Likely, he will not play at all in this first game.
The easiest decision Pat Shurmur will have to make this preseason is to sit his all-world wide receiver in the preseason opener. Why would they even dream of risking their best player while he's still technically recovering from ankle surgery in this completely meaningless game?

Aug 8 Which Giants will play in the preseason opener? Pat Shurmur says players will get the time 'they need'. Folks want to know how much if any they'll get to see of Odell Beckham Jr., Saquon Barkley, and Eli Manning.
A year ago, Manning did not play at all in the first preseason game. He has said he would like to play some, as this is a new offense and Shurmur is a new play-caller.
Shurmur needs to start his first unit against the Browns and let it get in a couple of series, if not the entire first quarter. Here's why: Beckham needs to get hit. He needs to run a pattern, catch a pass, get knocked down and get back up.

When Davis Webb takes his first snap in the Giants' preseason opener Thursday night vs. the Cleveland Browns, it will have been 343 days since he last played in a game.
Davis Webb revealed to WFAN's Chris Carlin and Maggie Gray that he was scheduled to play the final three games of last season before head coach Ben McAdoo was fired and replaced on an interim basis by then-defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

NFL News
NFL rule changes: Answers to 11 key questions | How will new helmet rule be called? Is the catch rule simpler?

Aug 7 Eli Manning has yet to miss a snap as the Giants approach the end of their second week of camp. It's a different approach than the previous regime had last summer when they sometimes limited his throws in an effort to preserve his strength.
The Giants haven't really scaled back Eli Manning's preseason reps yet, like they have for rookie Saquon Barkley. But they admit they're going to start keeping a watchful eye on the 37-year-old quarterback's workload.
Rookie running back Saquon Barkley returned to practice on the hottest day of Giants training camp, but wide receiver Sterling Shepard was a spectator during a practice that featured big plays on both sides of the ball.

New Giants defensive coordinator James Bettcher has brought more than just a 3-4 scheme; he's brought an all-in, pedal-to-the-metal attitude, fostering completion and detail on enough little things to add up to big improvement.
With the new systems have come new roles for players such as Olivier Vernon, who in the last two seasons has mostly lined up at right defensive end in the Giants 4-3 defense. This year, his primary responsibility will be as an right outside linebacker.

Aug 6 Giants' 53-man roster projection: Which training camp stars make the cut? Head coach Pat Shurmur and his staff continue to evaluate which players are destined for jobs on the 53-man roster, and who might be looking for work next month following cutdown day.

How Giants young stars handle the pitfalls and profits of social media. Sterling Shepard admits his existence, both professional and personal, is intertwined with social media.

Aug 5 It was a fourth straight day of training camp practice for the Giants, the third of those four with full pads on a hot, steamy day at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
Between his brief scuffle with Evan Engram and leaving practice with an apparent left knee injury, it was an eventful practice for Eli Apple.

Odell Beckham Jr., speaking to the media for the first time since the Giants hired Pat Shurmur, says the offense can be even better than before under the new coach - possibly even Super.
He was most compelling when he talked about himself -- not the contract stuff, but the personal struggles with dealing with a serious injury for the first time in his athletic career.
As Odell Beckham Jr. runs around on the field at Giants training camp this summer, his mind will sometimes flash back to the times last year when he was furthest away from doing so.

The 'Carolina' Giants | 8 players who created a pipeline under Dave Gettleman. The Giants have eight players who played for Gettleman during their general manager's previous job with the Panthers.

Aug 4 Michael Thomas doesn't feel like he has it made. In fact, the Giants' newcomer will never have that mentality. Thomas is one of several players hoping to win the starting free safety job. Thomas will have a pivotal role on the Giants, anchoring special teams and being used in some capacity as a defensive back, whether it's as a safety or as an extra cornerback.

You don't know B.W. Webb. Not yet anyway. This camp, Webb has been practicing as the Giants' top backup outside corner behind starters Janoris Jenkins and Eli Apple. On Friday, Webb intercepted a pass for a second straight day, picking off second-string QB Davis Webb.

After practice, the Giants announced they had signed veteran cornerback Leonard Johnson, adding another player general manager Dave Gettleman had in Carolina. The 28-year-old defensive back, who started seven games for the Bills last year, was part of a group of cornerbacks who tried out for the Giants in the afternoon.

Mark Herzlich is facing another comeback head on. Mark Herzlich's current experience is simultaneously identical and dissimilar to one he had eight years ago. The Giants' veteran inside linebacker has again returned to the field after a forced year in exile. Herzlich suffered a burner in training camp last year and spent the entire 2017 season on injured reserve.

Aug 3 Throughout the course of Thursday's practice, quarterbacks Eli Manning and Davis Webb frequently aired it out, including a 50-yard bomb from Manning that Russell Shepard ran under for a long touchdown.
Even though the overall play from the team wasn't the sharpest, Eli Manning was on his game throwing the football. Manning was sharp and looked ready for the first preseason game next Thursday.
Saquon Barkley might be in for 350 touches once the regular season starts, but the Giants are being careful not to burn out their heralded rookie during training camp. Barkley watched the final approximately 45 minutes of Thursday's practice from the sideline, but it wasn't a case of injury.

There is an overwhelming consensus among virtually everyone in pro football that doing as much as possible to protect players from head injuries is a good thing. Toward that end, the recent adoption of a new helmet rule is a welcome measure.
Under the new rule, it is illegal for a player to lower his head to initiate and make contact with the helmet on an opponent ... to the head and neck area and torso, hips and lower body as well.

Aug 2 If the Giants win the Super Bowl this season, Zak DeOssie knows exactly what he's going to do with his championship ring. "It will definitely go straight in the safety deposit box, that's for sure," DeOssie told The Post on Wednesday. "Any and all rings are going in there from now on."

Giants tackle Damon Harrison is not comfortable with the new defensive scheme. From the players to the coaches to the scheme he's going to be playing, Harrison is grappling with the adjustment.
The seven-year veteran whom everyone calls Snacks is entering his third Giants season as the team's most experienced and accomplished front seven defender. And since he is never shy about offering his opinions on almost any subject, Harrison is the unit's leader in both deeds and words.

The Giants came back from their day off with another fully padded practice. There were fewer full speed team portions than usual, but there was still plenty to see from the sideline.
Landon Collins intercepted an Eli Manning pass tipped by Alec Ogletree, intended for Evan Engram, and took it to the house during the Giants' sixth training camp practice on Wednesday as the NFL calendar turned to August.

Aug 1 It's not just Josh Norman who wants a piece of Odell Beckham. Jalen Ramsey -- ranked No. 2 at his position by NFL.com and considered the best cornerback in the league by some -- eagerly is anticipating his Week 1 matchup against Beckham.

The Giants' free safety battle runs four deep. Through the first five days of practice, the Giants had four players line up at free safety with the starting unit: Curtis Riley, Michael Thomas, Andrew Adams and Darian Thompson.

Alex Tanney spent exactly three days unemployed this offseason. While other quarterbacks with dozens of career starts and even some with Pro Bowls on their resume remain unsigned, Tanney was scooped up by the Giants almost immediately after he cleared waivers.

July 31 Special Report - And you thought Olivier Vernon was a defensive end, didn't you? Well, not any more, at least not under the new Giants' staff whose head coach is Pat Shurmur and whose defensive coordinator is James Bettcher. And that's just one of the major differences you'll see this year as the team tries to crawl out from under the 3-13 burden left for them by the departed Ben McAdoo.
Vernon is now an outside linebacker in Bettcher's 3-4 defense, and his job will be more to rush the passer and disrupt running plays to the wide than to simply sack the quarterback. And just to confuse you a little more, Vernon might wind up at strongside outside linebacker while rookie Lorenzo Carter gets the chance to start there. Got it?

Saquon Barkley isn't the correct answer. And neither is Will Hernandez. The question is: Which Giants rookie has received the most first-team reps? Going back to spring workouts, that title, actually, belongs to B.J. Hill, the defensive lineman from N.C. State who has seamlessly blended in up front in the new-look Giants defense. He's even surprised himself by how fast it happened.

Davis Webb is having a blast. "You're playing football for a living," Webb said. "There aren't many things better than that." What really makes Webb grin, though, is actually playing football. It's been a while since he's seen this much action on a daily basis in a team setting.
Kyle Lauletta was fading away when he fired a pass headed to the back of the end zone, where tight end Rhett Ellison, completing his fade route, caught the ball for a touchdown. This happened the other day at Giants training camp, a nice moment for the rookie quarterback from Richmond. Or was it? There was an all-out blitz on the play called by James Bettcher, the defensive coordinator. "Didn't see it,'' Lauletta said.

The one-handed catches, game-breaking speed and stop-on-a-dime cuts have of course left an impression on Pat Shurmur through six practices. But the new Giants coach seems just as impressed by Odell Beckham Jr.'s actions away from the cameras and the adoring fans.

July 30 Is this the new Eli Manning? Giants' QB hits every target in strong practice. It was only one practice, but Manning seemed dialed in and more than ready to maximize the talent that the Giants put around him this offseason.

Saquon Barkley and Wayne Gallman have relished getting to pick the brain of veteran running back Jonathan Stewart, but the young Giants aren't the only ones who are gaining knowledge from the experience.

Most rookies spend their first week of training camp trying to keep up with the mental challenges that are put before them. They have to learn assignments, responsibilities, schemes. At a sleek 6-5 and 252 pounds, Lorenzo Carter seems almost custom-built for the role of pass-rusher in defensive coordinator James Bettcher's system.

July 29 The pads came on for the first time Saturday at Camp Shurmur. "You'll definitely have to embrace the thud," running back Jonathan Stewart said before practice at East "Thuderford." So it was time for Saquon Barkley to embrace the thud.

The Giants practiced in full pads for the first time Saturday, and there are plenty position battles and storylines surrounding Pat Shurmur's first training camp with the team. Here are 10 noteworthy nuggets to consider entering the first weekend of Big Blue's 2018 season.

Olivier Vernon, Connor Barwin dominate first practice in pads as offense struggles. The Giants are counting on Olivier Vernon's move to pass-rushing outside linebacker to be a foundation of the defense this season, and on Saturday, Vernon gave every reason to be optimistic.

After two strong showings in practice, there is significant buzz building about Etta-Tawo, and he appears an early front-runner for the mantle of fan favorite to make the team out of training camp and the preseason.

Teams coming off losing seasons often poach players from more successful programs in an effort to infuse a winning mentality. But besides just adding guys from playoff teams a year ago, the Giants also managed to add guys who were on playoff teams a year ago that were losing teams the year before that.

Eli Apple is taking the first steps in repairing his reputation. New general manager Dave Gettleman is a no-nonsense administrator but he also operates under the mantra "you don't give up on talent.'' Apple's talent is real, and Gettleman kept him around.
Asked for an assessment of Eli Apple so far this training camp, coach Pat Shurmur used a word that until Saturday had rarely been employed in discussing the cornerback. "Based on what I've seen," Shurmur said on Saturday, "he's acting like a pro."

NFC East News
Cowboys used film of Carson Wentz to try to show Dak Prescott how to be a better quarterback.

July 28 Saturday is not the first day of training camp for the Giants. It is actually day No. 3. But, in the hearts and minds of those paid to protect Manning and open holes for Saquon Barkley, it is the start of the real thing. Here comes the weekend, and here comes the first day in pads for the Giants.

The pass thrown by Eli Manning seemed too far out in front of Odell Beckham Jr., for the first time targeted on a deep route Friday during the second practice of Giants training camp.
Beckham turned on the jets and snagged the ball at the last second, raising several eyebrows of those surrounding the perimeter of the Giants' indoor turf field.

Giants general manager Dave Gettleman confirmed Friday that his cancer is in remission and promised to keep fighting while offering his first public comments since announcing his diagnosis during an emotional and spiritual news conference.

Former Giants
Jason Pierre-Paul took the field for the first time with a new team. The two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman dropped the listing price of his Montclair home by $200,000, according to its Trulia listing.

July 27 Fans in the stands screamed out for any form of acknowledgement Eli Manning, Saquon Barkley, Odell Beckham and Janoris Jenkins. A simple wave or head tilt was met with a resounding cheer. Excitement is back for Giants football, which returned Thursday with the first full-squad practice of training camp.

Will Odell Beckham's contract negotiation with the Giants be this easy? Don't count on it. Beckham not only arrived at training camp on time, but he told his 11 million followers on Instagram that they won't be seeing much of him because his "focus is to ball n get better."

Entering his 62nd training camp with the Giants, John Mara can only think of one rookie who arrived with as much hype as Saquon Barkley. Here's a hint: He's arguably the greatest Giant of all time. "Possibly 1981, Lawrence Taylor, when he came to camp," the CO-owner said of another No. 2-overall pick.

The Giants were in desperate need of a pass-rusher, and Connor Barwin was looking for a new home - preferably somewhere on the East Coast close to his family. It made perfect sense for both parties. His history, including four seasons with the rival Eagles, didn't matter.

July 26 After passing on a quarterback such as Jets' No. 3 overall pick Sam Darnold in April's NFL Draft, the Giants spent the offseason adding to what has the chance to be one of the NFL's most dynamic offenses around 37-year-old Eli Manning.
Manning has never had an arsenal of weaponry like this, and for the first time since the Snee-Seubert-O'Hara-Diehl-McKenzie days, he has bodyguards who can keep him from running for his life.

The Giants were hoping rookie cornerback Sam Beal could hit the practice field this summer and emerge as someone on whom they would count in the secondary this season. Now the Giants are facing the possibility that Beal might not play at all this year.
There could be one solution, and the Giants are likely thinking hard about it today, and that's bringing back Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who they released in March as a cap casualty, saving them $6.5 million.

July 25 Here is the thing about Odell Beckham Jr. that sometimes gets overlooked: He is missed when he is not around, even when there are no games to be played. Davis Webb, entering his second year with the Giants and first as the backup to Eli Manning, says the outside perception of Beckham is "100 percent" wrong if that perception characterizes him as a distraction.

Earlier this offseason, when the Giants held a Town Hall for season-ticket holders, a selection of players and coaches were introduced to the crowd. Most were met with applause and a few cheers. One of them received a standing ovation. Eli Manning.

July 24 Veteran outside linebacker Connor Barwin, a longtime NFC East rival as a Philadelphia Eagle (2013-16), announced on Twitter Monday afternoon that he is signing with the Giants.
Fans across Philadelphia did not seem pleased when it was announced Monday that linebacker Connor Barwin would be signing with one of their divisional rivals. It is easy to understand why.

July 22 Eli Manning now has everything - except an excuse. The 37-year-old quarterback reports this week for his 15th Giants training camp with greater support cushioning him than a new, extra-firm mattress.

There is a legitimate chance that No. 2 overall pick running back Saquon Barkley, second-round pick left guard Will Hernandez, third-round picks Lorenzo Carter at linebacker and B.J. Hill at defensive end could see the starting lineup Week 1 of the regular season against the Jacksonville Jaguars at MetLife Stadium.

Giants running back Saquon Barkley Q&A. Q: Eli Manning said recently that he wants to prove the Giants right for not drafting a quarterback with the second pick. Do you feel the same way? A: Yes.

Giants CO-owner Steve Tisch told The Hollywood Reporter earlier this week that his players won't be penalized if they kneel during the national anthem.

NFC East News
A look at how the Giants' rivals in the NFC East stack up.

July 21 Giants training camp schedule 2018: How and when to attend practice.
Giants training camp schedule and ticket information. The camp will feature 9 practice sessions open to the public at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.

July 19 Andrew Adams or Darian Thompson? Who starts next to Landon Collins? Giants safety preview. When healthy, Collins is one of the NFL's premier and most physical safeties, and a case can be made that he is the most talented player on the Giants' roster.

When Dave Gettleman was hired to become the Giants next General Manager last December, he made no secret of the fact that he was going to try to fix a specific part of the Giants roster. "We've got to fix the o-line," Gettleman said at his introductory press conference.

July 16 The Giants open training camp when quarterbacks and selected veterans report to the Quest Diagnostics Training Center on July 22, with the full squad taking the field together for the first time on July 26. Here's an outlook for the defensive line.

This is a team in transition with new head coach Pat Shurmur, offensive coordinator Mike Shula, defensive coordinator James Bettcher and new playmakers on both sides of the ball.

The decision late last season to evaluate quarterbacks on the roster not named Eli Manning was the death knell for Ben McAdoo's brief head coaching tenure with the Giants. McAdoo says he is "at peace with how I handled the decision" and stressed the benching of Manning was for the good of the franchise.

July 13 Ben McAdoo shares biggest regret coaching Giants' Odell Beckham. After the Giants fell to 0-4, Beckham revealed that opponents had already grasped the predictability of McAdoo's system.

Former Giants
Ben McAdoo - From afar, Ben McAdoo nodded in approval as his former team went about the process of rebuilding after the 3-13 disaster of a season that cost McAdoo his coveted job as the head coach of the New York Giants.

July 12 In a year or two, perhaps the Giants will look back on the gamble they took Wednesday and nod in approval.
The Giants chose Western Michigan CB Sam Beal in the third round of the 2018 NFL Supplemental Draft on Wednesday, in a move that should significantly bolster the depth at a position in desperate need of it this season.

July 8 Six years can feel like a lifetime in the NFL - it is about twice the length of the average playing career, according to the NFL Players Association's statistics - but it still is startling to see how few of the players in the Giants' starting lineup for Super Bowl XLVI are active in the NFL.

July 3 Special Report - At this relaxed stage of the off-season - or is it the preseason? - the Giants have plenty to think about. Among the outstanding issues: cornerback depth, Odell Beckham Jr.'s contract situation, the ever-morphing offensive line, the rookies and roster overall, special teams, the new systems brought in by new coaches and, unfortunately, the infancy of what still could become an issue for cornerback Janoris Jenkins.
Little of the aforementioned will be settled by the start of training camp, save for the possibility of a contract extension for OBJ, so let's look left, or right, away from the obvious and deeper into the inevitability of the 2018 regular season and the Giants' opponents.

June 30 Of the many things the Giants did differently this offseason than in the past, the emphasis put on the offensive line was the biggest strategic change. The Giants will have three new starters: Left tackle Nate Solder, left guard Will Hernandez and right guard Patrick Omameh.

June 29 Fans' guide to going to Giants' training camp. Fans will have nine opportunities to see the Giants up close during training camp, the team announced Thursday.
All practice sessions will be open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis throughout training camp (July 26-Aug. 7). Limited seating is provided alongside the practice fields. There is no admission charge for watching training camp practices.
Select Giants legends will sign autographs during each practice for all fans. Also, each day after practice, a rotating group of current Giants players will sign autographs for the first 400 fans age 12 and under. The autograph opportunity will take place behind the Kids' Zone area.

Saquon Barkley's smart financial plan: Save Giants' salary, live off endorsements. Barkley, who was the first prospect in the 2018 NFL Draft to sign with Nike, made his first big purchase this week when he bought his parents a new home in Pennsylvania.

NFC East News
Ranking the NFC East safeties: How do Giants' Landon Collins, Eagles' Malcolm Jenkins stack up?

June 28 How 4 Giants WRs used Kalif Raymond's JUGS Machine and an assembly line to catch Pat Shurmur's attention.

Position Preview: Tight Ends. Pat Shurmur is known for getting the most out of his quarterbacks, but the Giants' new head coach rose through the ranks working with tight ends and offensive linemen.

William Jenkins, the older brother of Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins, has been charged with aggravated manslaughter in the death of a man found at the Bergen County home he shared with his NFL star brother.

Former Giants
Jeff Hostetler - Beaning Bill Belichick helped me gain Giants acceptance.

NFC East News
Ranking the NFC East LBs: How do Giants' Alec Ogletree, Eagles' Nigel Bradham, Cowboys' Sean Lee stack up?

June 27 Here are 15 bold predictions for the 2018 season: Giants will start 0-2 for 5th time in last 6 seasons - Nate Solder will be worth every penny - Saquon Barkley will not lead NFL rookies in rushing yards - Landon Collins will get NFL Defensive Player of the Year votes ... again - More

Davis Webb knew that Saquon Barkley was special as soon as he saw him eat breakfast. "He's a freak," Webb, the Giants second-year backup quarterback, said Tuesday afternoon at the Big Daddy Youth Football Camp at New Hyde Park High School.

A body was found in the New Jersey home of Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins on Tuesday - and police have launched a homicide investigation, authorities said.

June 26 The Giants haven't changed much in terms of their players when it comes to the starters in their secondary. If things go according to plan this summer they'll likely head into the season with two returning starters at cornerback, one returning starter at safety with the possibility of a second.

June 25 The New York Giants offense is going to have a much different-and hopefully more productive-look this fall. Here is a list of some changes Giants fans are likely to see from the offense this fall.

NFC East News
Ranking the NFC East WRs: How do Giants' Odell Beckham, Eagles' Alshon Jeffery stack up?

June 24 Pat Shurmur welcomes Tiki Barber back into the Giants' fold. For all he accomplished as a player, he was often booed when introduced.

Former Giants
Plaxico Burress was back at MetLife Stadium on Saturday wearing a Giants jersey, talking about the 2007 team and how it won the Super Bowl.