Tag: sterling shepard

New York Giants’ Sterling Shepard opens up about infamous boat photo

It’s a story that simply won’t go away — this 2016 ‘boat trip’ excursion down to Florida by the New York Giants receivers before a big playoff game.

During a recent appearance on the 2nd Wind Podcast, Sterling Shepard, the only remaining player from that trip who is still on the Giants’ roster, was asked once again about the ill-advised jaunt which was followed by the Giants getting trounced, 38-13, by the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card round.

“We didn’t put out the picture,” Shepard said, as transcribed by Sports Illustrated. “To be honest, everybody went out that night; it’s just that most guys went into the city. Me, O (Odell Beckham Jr.), Victor (Cruz), and Roger (Lewis), we had the means to go get a (private jet) and go to Miami for the night.

“Now, we didn’t know the PJ was going to have malfunctions and not be able to get back when we were supposed to be back, but yeah, we just took it to Miami. Which, in hindsight, all the distractions that it caused, I would take that part about it back, but we had a good time, and we had two weeks before the playoff game.”

Many believed the trip was the beginning of the deep problems the organization would endure after the “parting of wats” with Tom Coughlin after the 2015 season.

And the loss that started it all will always be connected with that dreaded boat picture.

“We knew we were going to have to play a perfect game, and if not, it was going to be blamed on that, and we didn’t play a perfect game. We didn’t play a good game at all,” Shepard says.

The Giants have had five head coaches and even more coordinators since Coughlin left the building. They have been among the NFL’s cellar dwellers the past decade sans a trip to the playoffs last year.

But they sunk right back down to the bottom of the league this season amid injuries and dysfunction leading fans to again question if the club is headed in the right direction.



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Giants will give fans chance to say goodbye to Sterling Shepard

For New York Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard, Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles could be the last time he suits up in blue.

It could also be the last time Shepard suits up in the NFL period.

“It’s been a great ride and I’m just looking forward to taking it all in and walking out of that tunnel,” Shepard said this week, via Giants.com. “That’s my most favorite thing about football, just running out of that tunnel. The feeling you get, it’s indescribable. I’m looking forward to that, for sure.”

Shepard will have his moment to do just that ahead of Sunday’s game. In fact, the Giants intend to introduce Shepard last, having him run out with the starters so fans can say their goodbyes.

That comes after head coach Brian Daboll had Shepard break down the team following Friday’s practice.

The writing is clearly on the wall for all involved. The longest-tenured Giants will remain that for one more day and then the page will be turned.

“It is what it is. I think this point in time comes for everybody at some point throughout their career. I just look at how blessed I’ve been to be in the same spot for eight years. It’s been a blessing,” Shepard said.

Shepard won’t have his Michael Strahan moment in the end and his final season will be one to forget, but the 30-year-old still deserves a standing ovation from Giants Nation. He dedicated himself to the organization completely since being selected in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft, and has always carried himself with dignity.

With just two catches on Sunday, Shepard could leapfrog tight end Jeremy Shocked for fifth all-time in franchise history for receptions.

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Giants vs. Eagles: 5 biggest storylines for Week 18

The New York Giants (5-11) host the Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) in the 2023 regular-season finale at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday afternoon.

Here are five storylines to follow before kickoff in Week 18.

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7 Giants who could be playing their last game in blue vs. Eagles

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Justin Pugh was proud that he was able to come ‘right off the couch’ and play competitively on the field this season.

Good for him for feeling that way. He’s a good guy to have in the locker room and a professional all around. Unfortunately, while the spirit was willing, the flesh, at times, was not.

Pugh got pushed around pretty good in some games and the Giants would be better off with a younger, healthier option on their roster.

They already have that in-house and will likely add a few more this offseason.

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Offense, defense and special teams snap counts

The New York Giants were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Christmas Day, falling to the Philadelphia Eagles, 33-25, in a game that came down to the wire.

The big story coming out of Week 16 is the benching of rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito. He was relieved of his duties at halftime and replaced by veteran Tyrod Taylor.

DeVito was the star of the show leading up to the game and even received the FOX pregame treatment. However, head coach Brian Daboll decided he was on a short leash despite the already lost season, and you have to imagine they can not reverse course now.

Here are the snap counts that contributed to the Giants’ most recent defeat.

Offensive snaps: 63
Defensive snaps: 75
Special teams snaps: 29

In what are likely his final days in a Giants uniform, wide receiver Sterling Shepard saw just a single snap.

Defensively, linebacker Bobby Okereke and safety Xavier McKinney, despite their injuries, kept their respective iron man streaks going. With two weeks remaining in the regular season, they have taken all 100 percent of the team’s snaps this year.

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5 New York Giants likely headed into their final stretch in blue

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Some will lobby to retain Adoree’ Jackson but he’s a free agent come March and the Giants may not feel up to getting into a bidding war for his services on the open market.

Jackson was an outside corner by trade but was shifted into the slot in favor of two rookies, Deonte Banks and Tre Hawkins III.

Unless Jackson is willing to come back on a much cheaper deal, he’s a goner.

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Studs and duds from New York Giants’ Week 12 win vs. Patriots

The New York Giants took on the New England Patriots at a rainy MetLife Stadium on Sunday and the play on the field was about as ugly as the second-half weather.

Both the Giants and Patriots resembled the 2- and 3-win teams they are and showed why they are near the bottom of the league in most metrics. It was an ugly slog of a game that seemed to draw on and on.

Tackling was abhorrent, drops were abundant, missed assignments were frequent and there were precious few highlights over 60 game minutes. It was just a poor display of NFL football.

In the end, the Giants hung on thanks to three Patriots interceptions and a missed chip-shot field as time expired. Oogly.

Here is a look at some of the studs and duds (and studly duds) from the Week 12 win.

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If there was a star on Sunday afternoon in East Rutherford, it was rookie wide receiver Jalin Hyatt. He dazzled with his speed and footwork, hauling in five receptions on six targets for 109 yards. It was the first 100-yard performance for the third-round pick.

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You won’t find tight end Daniel Bellinger in the box score but that lack of production isn’t what landed him here. He struggled mightily as a blocker, missing blitz pickups in pass protection while getting beaten as a run blocker. His regression in 2022 has been jarring.

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Linebacker Bobby Okereke did miss a couple of tackles on Sunday (who didn’t?) but was arguably the best defender on the field. He was second on the Giants with eight tackles (seven solo), adding two passes defensed and an interception that was returned for 55 yards.

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If there was a worse offender for misses on Sunday, let us know in the comments below. Not only did linebacker Isaiah Hodgins whiff on several tackles, but he also let a would-be interception go right off his fingertips. It was a game of almosts for Simmons one week removed from a game-sealing pick-6.

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Rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito is still struggling to adjust to the processing speed at the NFL level and his pocket presence leaves a bit to be desired but all things considered, he played quite well. Other rookie quarterbacks have struggled much more mightily against Bill Belichick and DeVito held his own. He finished the game going 17-25 for 191 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. He was credited with two fumbles (one lost).

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It’s becoming clear that Sterling Shepard’s days in New York are coming to an end. He’s not the same receiver he once was despite showing flashes here and there, and Sunday’s performance was evidence of that. Shepard hauled in one reception on three targets for six yards, zero yards after the catch, and one drop.

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Linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux was credited with another sack, bringing his season total to 11.5, but his play outside of that was so-so. He made a terrific open-field tackle of Ezekiel Elliott to save a potential first down, but also overpursued at times, got eaten up by opposing blockers and otherwise struggled to generate consistent pressure.

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  • P Jamie Gillan
  • RB Saquon Barkley
  • CB Deonte Banks
  • S Xavier McKinney

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  • CB Nick McCloud
  • OL Tyre Phillips
  • OL Justin Pugh
  • DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches
  • DL A’Shawn Robinson
  • RB Matt Breida

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New York Giants injury report: Dexter Lawrence remains sidelined

The New York Giants held a brief practice on Thursday morning before players and staff were permitted to leave early and attend their respective Thanksgiving celebrations.

“We’ll bump it up a little bit,” head coach Brian Daboll said of Thursday’s practice. “I talked to the captains last week relative to how they wanted to approach the week, if they wanted to push it up and practice on Tuesday, give them off on Thursday.

“They wanted to keep it a normal week. So, we’ll push up the time that we start, and then they’ll get out a little bit earlier than they would. Fairly normal.”

East Rutherford facilities were closed to the media, so there were no press conferences or Zoom calls held, while practice was closed.

The Giants’ full Thursday injury report can be found below:

Did not participate: NT Dexter Lawrence (hamstring), OL Evan Neal (ankle)

Limited participant: WR Darius Slayton (neck), LB Bobby Okereke (rib/hip), DL A’Shawn Robinson (back), CB Tre Hawkins (shoulder)

Full participant: OL John Michael Schmitz (finger), RB Saquon Barkley (rest), LT Andrew Thomas (knee), RB Eric Gray (ankle), OL Tyre Phillips (knee), WR Sterling Shepard (hip), CB Adoree’ Jackson (concussion), S Bobby McCain (illness)

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Giants’ Brian Daboll anticipates a larger role for Sterling Shepard

New York Giants veteran wide receiver Sterling Shepard could be in for a larger role in the team’s offense going forward.

Thus far this season, Shepard has been in on just 31 offensive snaps over the first four games and just seven in the last two weeks. He has been targeted just three times this season and has only two receptions for a total of 10 yards.

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“We have a bunch of personnel groups with different receivers in them,” head coach Brian Daboll said when asked why Shepard isn’t playing more. “You can see there is a lot of different guys out there. Shep has them, too. They weren’t called, so I’d anticipate seeing him a little bit more. How many? I don’t know what that is, but I’d anticipate seeing him a little bit more.”

“I think Shep is a good player,” continued Daboll. “He will be out there today. We’ll put him in there like we do in practice. We just didn’t call the plays that were tagged with Shep’s plays, but he’s had some production with Daniel. Obviously, it’s a new year, coming back from an injury, so try to keep bringing him along and give him a couple more chances here.”

Shepard, 30, has played in just 14 games since the beginning of the 2020 season due to injuries and has not played a full season since 2018.

He was re-signed as a free agent this past spring solely based on his reputation and relationship with the organization. No one had him penciled in as a key contributor heading into the season, but Shepard has displayed that he is fully healthy and can play a bigger role than anticipated. He’s ready.

“It beats sitting on the sideline,” Shepard told the New York Post after practice on Wednesday. “This is a game that I love, that I’ve played since I was five years old. I’ve never really been in that situation where I was just watching. So of course, being on the field is gonna be a lot better than what it’s been the last few weeks.”

The Giants need all the help they can get these days. Why not call on one of their most dedicated players who has always been a reliable pair of hands-on offense?

Shepard has also been fielding punts in practice all year. With rookie Eric Gray struggling there, could Shepard finally be called upon to return kicks and punts? Stay tuned.

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Offense, defense and special teams snap counts

For the third time in four weeks, the New York Giants were completely humiliated in front of the football world on Monday night. This time, their beating came at the hands of Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks.

The Giants were dominated in every facet of the game and put on a display that not only rivals the embarrassment of the Joe Judge years but arguably surpasses it.

It may be hard to believe given how poorly run this organization has been over the past decade-plus, but it appears the Giants have found a new bottom.

Here are the snap counts that contributed to the Giants’ most recent defeat.

Offensive snaps: 75
Defensive snaps: 55
Special teams snaps: 23

Wide receiver Sterling Shepard continues to be an afterthought as he took just five snaps on Monday night. Curiously, the Giants didn’t even bother using him as a punt returner, instead risking cornerback Adoree’ Jackson once again.

Meanwhile, in his return to the field, linebacker Azeez Ojulari took 40 snaps and was relatively effective. He needs to work on finishing (missed a couple would be sacks) but was one of the team’s few bright spots.

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