The Giants are abandoning the Tommy DeVito experiment — for now. Head coach Brian Daboll announced that Tyrod Taylor would be taking over the starting job after he added some much-needed spark during last week’s loss to the Eagles.
“He’s, to start with, a really good person,” Daboll told reporters on Friday. “Obviously, he’s been through a lot in his career, his 13 years in the NFL. He’s the model of a true professional, how he takes care of himself, how he prepares, how he is with his teammates. That’s why he’s been in the league for so long.
“So, I think all the stuff that he does, whether it’s (being) in really early, lifting in the weight room, how he is in the meetings, how he is with guys in the huddle, it’s kind of been built over the years, but I really think that’s who he is as a person and how he was raised. Incredible human being.”
The New York Giants (5-10) are currently 5.5-point underdogs for their Week 17 game against the Los Angeles Rams (8-7) at MetLife Stadium this coming Sunday afternoon.
The over/under, which opened at 42.0 total points, has risen slightly to 43.5. The money line is currently Rams -250, Giants +200 as per BetMGM.
The Giants are coming off their second consecutive loss after a three-game winning streak. They fell short to the Philadelphia Eagles, 33-25, at Lincoln Financial Field on Monday.
The Giants are currently ranked 13th in the NFC in have been eliminated from the playoff picture.
The Rams, who began the season with a 3-6 record, have won five of their last six games, including a 30-22 victory over the New Orleans Saints this past Thursday night.
The Rams currently hold the sixth seed in the NFC, which would qualify them to play in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs.
Both teams have been true when it comes to the point spread this season. The Giants are 5-10 and the Rams are 8-7.
10 of the Giants’ 15 games have gone under this season while eight of the Ramss’ games have gone over.
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New York Giants second-year right tackle Evan Neal reportedly fractured his ankle during the team’s November 5 game in Las Vegas against the Raiders.
The initial diagnosis was an ankle sprain, but new information this week revealed Neal had a fracture and is headed for surgery. He has not played since that game and was recently placed on injured reserve (IR).
Evan Neal’s rehab from a sprained ankle wasn’t going according to plan, and now the Giants know why.
A CT scan revealed that Neal fractured a small bone in his left ankle, a source confirmed to The Post, and that was the impetus for shutting down the former first-round draft pick by placing him on injured reserve.
Neal has had a spotty start to his NFL career since the Giants selected him seventh overall in the 2022 NFL draft. He missed four games last season due to a knee injury and only appeared in seven this year. There has been talk of shifting him inside to guard, a decision head coach Brian Daboll will save for after the season.
“Right now getting ready to play the Rams, so all that stuff will be evaluated when there is a time for it but really focused on this week,” Daboll said on Friday.
When asked what kind of a skillset he looks for to know if a player is capable of kicking inside from tackle to guard, Daboll didn’t add much.
“It’s probably a longer discussion, so again, some guys go inside, have some guys that played inside that can play outside. Some guys have played outside, they play inside. I think every player is different, every situation is different,” he said.
Neal has had issues with the speed rush, but to be frank, he hasn’t looked like the stud he was in college at Alabama. The injuries have not helped his development and the Giants have to be concerned that they could have a bust on their hands.
New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale has spent his entire coaching career on the defensive side of the ball. Beginning with coaching college at Defiance in 1986 to his current position under Brian Daboll, he knows the ins and outs of how to make a defense work.
Maybe we haven’t seen that as much in New York as we’d like, but he’s had a lot of youth under him the last two seasons. That’s not an excuse, it is a fact. We have seen glimpses of what this defense is capable of this season, but the consistency isn’t there yet.
Still, Martindale is a formidable opponent. Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford even went so far as to say that Wink is “as challenging a coordinator as there is to go against.”
#LARams QB Matthew Stafford called #Giants Wink Martindale ‘as challenging as a coordinator as there is to go against’
Stafford is a 15-year veteran quarterback who spent 12 years trying to revive a failing Detroit Lions organization before being traded to the Rams after the 2021 season. Since joining the Rams, Stafford has elevated the level of play on the field and led the team to a Super Bowl victory in his first season there. It was the Rams’ second-ever Super Bowl win.
There’s been a lot of drama around Wink and Daboll this season — do they get along or not, are they on the same page, etc? But the bottom line is, it doesn’t matter if they get along and it doesn’t matter if they like each other. What matters is their ability to work together. That’s been shaky at times this season, but it doesn’t mean they are ready to part ways.
The Giants are in for a lot of changes this offseason, but front-office consistency matters. Consistent coaching schemes matter. There are a lot of reasons this season went the way it did, but right now the focus is on the Rams and shutting down Stafford & Co.
It won’t be an easy task, but maybe this ‘challenging’ coordinator has something up his sleeve for Sunday.
The New York Giants closed out their practice slate on Friday afternoon, wrapping up their third session (one being a walkthrough) in three days.
Once again, head coach Brian Daboll said that everyone would practice even though that has not been the case this week. This time, however, he was correct.
“Everybody will practice, then we’ll see where we’re at after practice,” he told reporters.
Considering how many injuries were listed this week, the Giants provided a relatively short final report.
Full injury reports for both the Giants and Rams can be found below:
The 2023 NFL regular season will come to a close in less than two weeks and the postseason will commence. In February, the league will then determine the winners of their various awards, including the honor of Most Valuable Player.
There have been several standouts this season but New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale has it narrowed down to two — one of whom he will face this coming Sunday.
“I think that (Matthew) Stafford is playing at a Hall of Fame-type level,” Martindale told reporters on Thursday. “He’s a great football player, but I think that he and (Ravens quarterback) Lamar (Jackson) should be up for the MVP candidate.”
As of right now, the Ravens lead the AFC and have already clinched a playoff berth. Unless something drastic happens, they’ll likely be the top seed in the conference and secure a Wild Card Week bye. Jackson is a dual-threat quarterback who has amassed over 3,300 yards passing and nearly 800 yards on the ground in 2023.
Stafford, whom the Giants will get a good look at on Sunday, is a pocket passer currently ranked 8th in the NFL with over 3,600 passing yards. Not much of a ground threat, Stafford uses his arm to get down the field. What gives him an edge over other quarterbacks is the consistency in his play and his ability to spread the love between his receivers.
This year’s MVP race is different because there’s not really one single player who stands out above the rest. Patrick Mahomes has been okay, Aaron Rodgers played all of four snaps, Tom Brady is retired, and no one else has stepped in to steal the show.
Wink has faced a multitude of quarterbacks over the years, and as a defensive guy, he can certainly tell you which quarterbacks are good and which are easier to prepare for. Stafford and Jackson are very different quarterbacks, but both are future Hall of Famers and both are having MVP-like seasons.
The MVP race should be fun to watch this year and it will be interesting to see who ends up with the prestigious award.
The New York Giants’ special teams have always been respectable under coordinator Thomas McGaughey.
This season, which has been one of tumult and turmoil for the Giants, the ‘teams’ as they call them, have fallen victim to the same woes that plagued the rest of the team.
Injuries among the ranks leave little for the teams to choose from come game days. The Giants lost star kicker Graham Gano to a knee injury and punter Jamie Gillan has played through groin and knee ailments of his own. The return and coverage games have suffered from a rotating personnel as well.
McGaughey spoke about Gillan’s physical status on Thursday.
“Any time that you have to deal with those things, you just got to be smart, and communication is key,” McGaughey said. “So, we talked every day about how he was feeling and we just kind of, just went from there. You always got to be — at this time of year, you are in the back end of the season, got a lot of reps in that leg, you just got to be smart. He’s getting a little tender, so we are just trying to handle it the best way we both saw it fit and the training staff.”
The Giants have tried several kickers since Gano was placed on IR in early November, the latest being former Green Bay Packers standout Mason Crosby.
Crosby had some obvious rust in his first game last week in Philadelphia. His kickoffs were not reaching the end zone.
“It’s the first time he’s kicked off in a while,” said McGaughey. “Going in certain directions, it might not look like it, but going in certain directions, the wind was blowing a little bit. So, is Mason Crosby 23 years old? No, he’s not. He’s 38 years old, whatever it is. He’s in his 17th year in the league. That’s just what it is.
“I’m sure (quarterback) John Elway when he was 23 could throw it further than when he was 40. It’s just over time, you lose power. You lose some of that stuff. But he’s still definitely serviceable and he did a really good job for us Sunday.”
This Sunday, the New York Giants return to East Rutherford to host the Los Angeles Rams at MetLife Stadium.
The Tommy DeVito trial is over and Tyrod Taylor has returned as starting quarterback with Daniel Jones’ season ended several weeks ago. After winning three in a row, the Giants dropped their last two and ended any thought of a postseason run.
Still, the season isn’t over and the Giants don’t want to end on a sour note. The Rams present a challenge the Giants haven’t seen yet this season with a veteran quarterback, a breakout rookie wide receiver, and a sophomore running back who is second in the league in rushing.
That said, there are six keys to the Giants earning a win at home in Week 17.
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Protecting the quarterback has been one of the keys almost every single week for a reason. The Giants lead the league in sacks allowed with 77, and the 425 sack yards are third-worst. It’s truly no wonder that the offense has struggled this season — it’s hard to be successful when the line can’t block or pass protect.
If the Giants want a shot at beating the Rams, they have to protect Taylor. Period.
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
The Rams have the fourth-best rush defense in the NFL. The Giants’ ground game is based around a single player, and while Saquon Barkley is a dynamic threat, he’s not enough this week.
Taylor has to find his wide receivers and he has to get them accurate passes to move the ball down the field. The run game absolutely has its place, but the Giants’ ability to pass the ball will dictate the outcome of this game.
Dustin Satloff/Getty Images
Special teams are probably the Rams’ biggest weakness.
Mason Crosby joined the Giants to take over kicking duties and is a solid veteran who is capable of making kicks from almost anywhere on the field. Jamie Gillan is questionable on Sunday, but as long as the special teams crew is consistent and doesn’t make silly mistakes, they can help the Giants win the field position battle.
The Giants have one of the worst offenses in the NFL, so if special teams plays set up the offense with a short field, the likelihood of scoring points goes up.
Rich Schultz/Getty Images
It’s no secret that Matthew Stafford is a pocket passer. He’s not a fan of running the ball and has recorded just 66 rushing yards this season. But the Rams’ organization knows this and Stafford is very well protected. He’s been sacked just 26 times this season, making him the third-best-protected quarterback in the league.
This key won’t be an easy one for the Giants’ defense, but the more pressure they can get on Stafford, the more likely he is to throw the ball away. He will scramble if he has to, but it’s not his first choice. Keep him under fire.
AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
It’s not just Cooper Kupp anymore. In fact, he’s not even the top guy this year. Stafford has a selection of receivers to choose from and the Giants defense must be prepared for all of them. Puka Nacua is the top guy this year, which is a byproduct of teams doubling down on Kupp. Nacua is a rookie so no one knew what to expect from him this season.
But now we do. He’s an explosive, dynamic receiver who is incredibly talented. It’s not just about him and Kupp either, though. Tutu Atwell, Tyler Higbee, Demarcus Robinson and even running back Kyren Williams have all been targeted by Stafford.
Wink Martindale needs to have his defense prepared for any of them.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
As a rookie, Kyren Williams was underwhelming with just 35 carries for 139 yards. This year, though, Williams is the second-ranked running back in the NFL, behind only Christian McCaffrey. He’s easily as big a threat as Barkley in that he can play anywhere on the field. He’s going to get the ball on Sunday, a lot.
The Giants have to figure out a way to keep him somewhat contained or it’s going to be a long game on Sunday.
The New York Giants returned to the field on Thursday for their first full practice ahead of a Week 17 game against the Los Angeles Rams — one day removed from a walkthrough.
The injury report was lengthy to open the week and that trend continued 24 hours later.
While everyone practiced on at least a limited basis, several key players remained limited — seven in total with 13 players listed on the official injury report.
The Giants’ full Thursday injury report can be found below:
Did not participate: N/A
Limited participant: CB Detone Banks (shoulder), TE Lawrence Cager (groin), NT Dexter Lawrence (hamstring), DT A’Shawn Robinson (back), DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches (knee) P Jamie Gillan (groin/knee), OL Justin Pugh (elbow)
Full participant: RB Saquon Barkley (elbow), OL Ben Bredeson (quad), CB Adoree’ Jackson (ankle), WR Wan’Dale Robinson (quad), OL John Michael Schmitz (shoulder), TE Darren Waller (knee)
The New York Giants (5-10) will host the Los Angeles Rams (8-7) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday afternoon.
Opening the week, the Giants were listed as 6.5-point home underdogs but the line has improved slightly since then. As of this writing, New York is +4.5.
Let’s take a look at who some of the experts and insiders around the league are taking in the Week 17 matchup.
Expert
Pick
Score (if applicable)
Eric Moody (ESPN)
Rams
N/A
Dan Graziano (ESPN)
Rams
N/A
Matt Bowen (ESPN)
Rams
N/A
Pete Prisco (CBS)
Rams
23-20
John Breech (CBS)
Rams
31-17
Jordan Dajani (CBS)
Rams
23-20
Nate Davis (USA TODAY)
Rams
N/A
Jarrett Bell (USA TODAY)
Rams
N/A
Bill Bender (Sporting News)
Rams
30-20
Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News)
Rams
31-20
It really should come as little surprise that the Rams were the unanimous pick by the above panel. It’s the third consecutive week every single one of these experts has picked against the Giants.
So far, they’ve been correct.
Other experts and insiders from around the league concur, picking the Rams to win at a 96 percent clip, according to NFL Pickwatch. Fans are even more harsh with only three percent going with a Giants upset victory.
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