Training Camp 2010 Updates

[Mr. P]

Coach Tom Coughlin Seeking More Energy From Giants At Training Camp

 

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Your morning practice report:

 

INJURIES

 

C Shaun O’Hara sat out with an ankle injury he’s been managing. He’ll probably be a once-a-day guy moving forward but will not practice at all today.

 

WR Hakeem Nicks (toe), TE Kevin Boss (ankle) and DE Osi Umenyiora (hip) all sat out but should be back this afternoon. S Kenny Phillips (knee/PUP) and OL Kevin Boothe (pec/PUP) remain out.

 

RB Ahmad Bradshaw (feet/ankles) practiced fully. (See below for more from Bradshaw.)

 

* * *

 

THE STARTERS

 

CB Corey Webster let out a groan after WR Steve Smith shook him and got up top for a vertical route. Great ball from QB Eli Manning, too. Only problem was Smith had a rare drop as he extended his arms.

 

Webster then generated a much different sound (one might call it "screeching") from defensive coordinator Perry Fewell with a tremendous one-handed INT up the right sideline on a ball from Manning to TE Travis Beckum.

 

CB Terrell Thomas shook LT David Diehl with a quick shimmy to come free on a blitz.

 

LB Clint Sintim easily came through traffic to make a stop on a stretch run by Bradshaw to his side.

 

Good contain by DE Mathias Kiwanuka on a flip play for Bradshaw. But the more important part of the play was a nice cut by an apparently healthy Bradshaw.

 

* * *

 

THE BACKUPS

 

S Michael Johnson, who had assignment issues last season (think Eagles WR DeSean Jackson running free in his zone as he came up to double cover backup TE Alex Smith), drew praise from safeties coach David Merritt for doing the opposite of what he did on the Jackson/Smith play -- using his "help." Fewell was also pleased with Johnson on the play.

 

WR Sinorice Moss spun CB Bruce Johnson on a deep in cut but Johnson came right back moments later to jump a short hook. He later broke on a comeback from Manning to WR Derek Hagan better than Hagan did. Through two days, it's clear Johnson isn't being shy about reading the quarterback the way the defensive coaches wanted. And that he's doing a very good job of it as well.

 

Moss had a solid morning, adding a great adjustment on a fade QB Jim Sorgi threw behind him.

 

RB Danny Ware had a good blitz pickup to give Sorgi an extra second to throw a fade up the right side for WR Ramses Barden, who created separation from the defender to make the leaping catch. (What push off?)

 

* * *

 

THE YOUNG GUYS

 

QB Rhett Bomar had a tremendous morning that actually started out a bit shaky with a miscommunication with Hagan. Bomar threw the comeback while Hagan seemed to be running the deep curl. A few plays later, Bomar had Hagan up the left sideline but seemed to underthrow it slightly. S John Busing was able to recover and knock it away.

 

But Bomar then did a nice job of getting rid of a play-action pass up the middle to Beckum. Bomar gave Beckum enough time to get ready for any safety who would have come down quickly to deliver a hit. Two things, though: the hitting obviously isn't live here and Beckum dropped the ball. A few plays later, Bomar laid one out for TE Bear Pascoe up the left seam. Pascoe laid out to make a great catch.

 

More on Bomar: he got a "Good ball" compliment and a "Nice job, Rhett" from offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride on a well-placed out to Hagan and a quick hot-route adjustment. Bomar also put the ball in a good spot up the deep middle for TE Jake Ballard, who should have made the leaping grab in traffic.

 

Coach Tom Coughlin on Bomar and Barden: “He did a pretty good job. He had some nice balls. It’s always kind of been with Rhett one step forward and maybe a step-and-a-half back. It’s a nice start for him. I think there are a lot of young guys out there where it’s not enough to have a good practice; you’ve got to have a camp. You have to be able to put them back-to-back. If you put those practices back-to-back, then you begin to engender some thoughts about how best we can use you. Another guy that’s in that category would be Ramses. If Ramses can put together a really good camp and do something every time he’s on the field, that’s going to help our football team.”

 

OT Dennis Landolt set up the wall on an end around to WR Adam Jennings. Only problem was that wall crumbled when he didn't make his block. OL coach Pat Flaherty yelled, "Block somebody, Jimmy," so I'm guessing OL Jim Cordle also missed his block.

 

RB Andre Brown looks healthy after a torn Achilles ended his season in camp last year. He ran a great wheel route this morning. The Giants could use a pass-catching threat out of the backfield.

 

* * * *

 

And finally, I could tell the pace was very quick this morning because I was having issues taking notes, tweeting and writing my blog because the tempo was extremely fast.

 

Apparently, not fast enough, though.

 

“I’d like it to be better,” Coughlin said. “A little bit quicker in and out, a little bit quicker switching drills. We had a young guy who missed a substitution. That won’t work for very long.

 

“I’d like the energy level to (be better). Let’s see it. We’re at 70 degrees. We’ve been 95 all summer. Everybody here has sweated their tails off, going to work and doing what you’re doing. It’s a good time to see it. We don’t have any pads on, so it’s time to show some enthusiasm.”

 

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2010/08/coach_tom_coughlin_seeking_mor.html

[Mr. P]

The Day at Camp: Monday, August 2, 2010 (Morning)

 

 

Normally when an injured player is coming back, the Giants will take it easy on the guy and ease him back into the lineup gradually.

 

However, when that injured part is an entire unit, there is no managed schedule as it’s imperative that they get back into a groove as quickly as possible.

 

That’s going to be the case for the Giants running game, which last year suffered through an off year that saw Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw, Andre Brown, and FB Madison Hedgecock all try to fight their way through serious injuries. While the players get an A for their effort, the result s just weren’t there as the Giants failed to post a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time under Coughlin, something that is going to have to change this season, injuries or no injuries.

 

“If you want to talk about balance, then you have to practice the run and the pass in equal distribution and have the participation of the players that are going to make the difference on the field,” head coach Tom Coughlin said when asked if he would consider sticking with the passing game, the team’s hot hand last season, while the running game got its feet back under them. “As I told our team in the spring, the nature of our preseason opponents, the quality in which they run the ball and defend the run is going to give us a great opportunity to assess where we are because they are all quality opponents. So we look forward to that challenge.”

 

The problem though is that when a player comes off an injury, it’s not always easy to determine what you have or how successful they’ll be. Take Brown for instance. Last year as a rookie fourth rounder, he seemed well on his way to winning the third down back job only to see that opportunity go up in smoke when he suffered an Achilles injury.

 

This year? Brown, whom Gilbride described as “a complete running back” given his running skills, his vision, and his ability to make good entry points, is virtually starting from square one.

 

“We haven’t seen enough to make a judgment,” said offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride when asked if Brown can be a factor. “We just really want to see that he’s healthy, that he can learn the offense and give him an opportunity to showcase his skills and see what he’s capable of doing but we really don’t know.”

 

Gilbride was equally uncertain about Jacobs, the main cog in that rushing game, when asked if there was something else there besides the injury that contributed to his off year. .

 

“I don’t know, we don’t know. He wasn’t as effective, so I’m going to say it’s his knee. That’s the only way I can try to begin to explain it, but with anything it’s never just one thing. Maybe we didn’t block some things so well, maybe he didn’t make some good decisions quite as often, maybe I didn’t call the plays at the right times. Who knows?”

 

When asked if he was able to see the old Jacobs – the big power back who thrives on running people over, Gilbride said, “I wouldn’t judge him yet. It’s kind of premature, just because he was kind of feeling his way. I don’t know when we’ll be able to make an accurate assessment. It looks like he’s back or it looks like he’s got a ways to go. It may take the full exhibition season.

 

“The bottom line is he’s a big, strong powerful back and when he’s playing effectively we’re a better football team. And so hopefully we can get him back to that.”

 

Bradshaw, who will be limited to one practice per day, will need to show the coaches that quick burst and ability to make the cutback, something that gradually faded as his injuries worsened last year despite his attempts to keep the momentum going.

 

The other cog that’s not talked about much is Hedgecock, who injured his shoulder early in the preseason last year and was virtually playing with one arm. Shoulder injuries have ended many a fullback’s career and while Hedgecock, who in 2007 and 2008 was playing pretty close to a Pro Bowl level doesn’t appear to be in any jeopardy at this time of losing his job, he faces a big preseason ahead of him in terms of showing that he has regained most if not all of his power to handle linebackers and defensive ends.

 

The bottom line is it’s a tall order for the running backs group to get back to where they were before 2009, but it’s not a task that is impossible to accomplish. “The key is how do we get it back and I think the effort will be made both technically, time wise, passion, commitment, all those things to get it going,” Gilbride said. “Where we really fell off was not so much in efficiency or even average per carry, which we did a little bit, but in the big plays. If we can get the running game going and get it back to close to where it was and continue to grow in the passing game, we’ll be all set.”

 

QUICK HITS

The job description sounds simple enough, but finding a punt returner could prove to be a challenge for the Giants, who lost Domenik Hixon to a season-ending knee injury back in June.

 

“He has to be able to secure the ball, make the first guy miss, and get vertical,” said special teams coordinator Tom Quinn said. “Getting vertical comes with making good decisions.”

 

Of the primary candidates the Giants have for the job -- CB Aaron Ross; WRs Adam Jennings, Sinorice moss, and Mario Manningham; RB DJ Ware, and S Antrel Rolle – the position will likely come down to the third or fourth receiver. And therein lays the challenge for Sinorice Moss, who in five years with the Giants has yet to carve out a niche for himself on the offense and on special teams.

 

Quinn was very complimentary of Moss, who in the past has seemed hesitant when fielding punts.; Part of that, Quinn believes, is a result of Moss not trusting himself and his natural abilities to make the right moves to get past the first man.

 

“He needs to continue to improve, no question, but he's come a long way from where he's started to this point. So as long as he trusts his speed and he can make people miss and get that burst, he’ll start to fit into that role.”

 

“If (Moss) just continues to be aggressive, I think that’s the best direction.”

 

QUOTEBOOK

“The thing that we’re going to have to do is to work our way through the dog-days of two-a-days and find out what we’re all about when we are tired and when we’re mentally and physically pushing it right up to the limit and then go through the experience of playing games together and once we get a handle on that we’ll truly know what kind of team we have.” – head coach Tom Coughlin, when asked what he’s hoping to find out about his team this summer

 

INJURY REPORT

* C Shaun O'Hara sat out the morning practice with an ankle injury he has been managing for some time now. head coach Tom Coughlin said that O'Hara, who is sporting a wrap around his left ankle, will not practice in the afternoon session. Adam Koets took the reps with the first team, though Rich Seubert took some snaps as well when Will Beatty was in the lineup at left tackle.

 

* TE Kevin Boss (ankle) sat out the morning practice but is expected to work this afternoon.

 

* WR Hakeem Nicks (toe) sat out the morning practice but is expected to work this afternoon.

 

* LB Keith Bulluck (knee) sat out the morning practice but is expected to work in the afternoon.

 

* DE Osi Umenyiora (hip) was limited to individual drills this morning, but should be able to work fully this afternoon.

 

* RB Ahmad Bradshaw (feet/ankles) will work this afternoon. he did work in the morning.

 

* S Kenny Phillips (knee) and OL Kevin Boothe (pectoral) remain on the PUP list.

 

PRACTICE NOTES

* It wasn’t a good morning for FB Madison Hedgecock, who dropped two passes that were right in his hands.

 

* It also wasn’t a good morning for TE Travis Beckum, who had another dropped pass. Beckum looked like he started to turn up field without securing the ball. It also didn't help matters that a defender was closing in on him, but still it was a pass he should have had.

 

* So far there is much to like about Aaron Ross as a punt returner. On the handful of chances he had, he showed good vision and a quick burst in making the first guy miss. He also did a nice job in fielding the ball cleanly. Ross told me he’s excited about having the chance to return punts and that if it gets him on the field, even better. I’ll have more from Ross later this week.

 

* RB Brandon Jacobs showed a nice little burst at the end of a reception when he turned and ran for additional yardage. Jacobs ran most of his plays away from where I was standing so it was hard to gauge how well he was cutting and planting on that surgically repaired knee.

 

* Adam Koets, working with both the first and second teams given the absence of Shaun O'Hara this morning, was involved in a botched snap (though to be fair, I couldn’t tell if it was the quarterback’s fault of Koets’ from where I was standing). There was another play in which there appeared to be some confusion regarding the snap count, and offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride was not pleased when the ball wasn’t snapped.

 

* WR Ramses Barden continues to do a nice job making receptions. However on two of his catches, he left his feet much too early. It's almost as though Barden tries to make the receptions harder than they need to be and that is one of the things offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride had back in the spring.

 

* Gartrell Johnson, who struggled in the co dittoing drills yesterday, too a run to the house. Actually what happened is once the whistle blew, I stead of running the requisite 20 yArds, he went the distance of the field and then hustled all the way back to the opposite end zone. No rigor mortis on that run!

 

* S John Busing, who has yet to have his name added to his jersey knocked away a pass intended for Derek Hagan in a nice defensive play.

 

* The play of the morning was a gorgeous one-handed interception by Corey Webster on a pass intended for Mario Manningham. Although Manningham didn't adjust on the route, Webster did and the result was a highlight-reel interception.

 

* Not much from first-rounder Jason Pierre-Paul, who looked tentative in his snaps. He seems to be feeling his way around the defense still and didn't look particularly quick off the snap. But it’s early still and Pierre-Paul, who worked with the two’s, has a lot of upside.

 

* DT Linval Joseph managed to penetrate into the backfield on a handle of occasions, but they ran the play away from him.

 

SPOTLIGHT

TE Bear Pascoe.Competing for the second string tight end and getting reps in place of Kevin Boss, Pascoe had a good morning. Going against Justin Tuck, he won more battles than he lost, sealing the defensive end to open up the edge for the running plays. Pascoe also continued to look good in the passing game, catching both passes thrown his way and showing a nice little burst of speed to break away from a safety on one.

 

http://trainathought.insidefootball.com/2010/08/the-day-at-camp-monday-august-2-2010-morning.html

[mikmak]

everyone passed the conditioning test, and practice will start this afternoon.

 

 

I wish I could say the same for Albert Haynesworth. I have to say I'm enjoying he public smack down he's getting though.

[Mr. P]

Defensive Highlights Once Again Characterize Giants Morning Practice

 

 

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Lots of plays on the ball by the defense in this morning’s practice. Your report:

 

INJURIES

 

TE Travis Beckum (hamstring) and WR Mario Manningham joined the rehabbing group. Coach Tom Coughlin said Beckum didn’t pull his hamstring but was sore. Manningham’s issue appears to be new and, as of now, nothing major.

 

Out of action were: WR Hakeem Nicks (toe), TE Kevin Boss (ankle) and LB Keith Bulluck (knee). DE Osi Umenyiora (hip) appeared to partake in only a few drills.

 

S Kenny Phillips (knee/PUP) and OL Kevin Boothe (pec/PUP) are still out.

 

THE STARTERS

 

Good recognition -- and good speed by LB Michael Boley -- to get to WR Sinorice Moss and stick with him on a quick out in the flat. Moss made the catch, but it would have been short of the sticks on a third down. Boley later picked off QB Eli Manning on a short hook over the middle.

 

You can tell DE Mathias Kiwanuka is practicing hard. Today, he fought inside LT David Diehl to make a stop on a running play and went up high to try batting down a pass from Manning. He just missed getting a piece of it.

 

Manning didn't have the best of mornings. He misfired on a bunch of throws and had a bad exchange with RB Brandon Jacobs on a handoff. As Jacobs gathered the ball and ran upfield, Manning yelled, "My bad!" Manning did have a solid completion late where he stood tall with LB Bryan Kehl bearing down on him. Yeah, it's always easier to complete that pass when you're wearing the red jersey, but still tough to do that when you hear the footsteps nearby.

 

Safeties coach David Merritt was running combination tackling drills with all three defensive groups in individual drills. The goal was to teach those guys how to "use your buddy" when making a stop with a fellow DB. Merritt had to instruct rookie S Michael Greco, rookie DT Nate Collins, second-year CB Bruce Johnson and veteran DT Jay Alford not to attack the ball carrier head-on but to force the action back to their "buddy." Using help, both in coverage and in tackling, has been a theme for this defense. And after last year, I can completely understand the coaching staff's hammering that note.

 

WR Steve Smith made sure the offense wasn't completely embarrassed this morning by wrestling a deep ball away from CB Corey Webster late in practice. Webster went down and was briefly attended to, but he told his teammates it was only a cramp.

 

* * *

 

THE BACKUPS

 

Another fine, fine practice for the second-year corner Johnson. First, it was a good reaction and pass defensed on a sideline comeback and later, a pick on an overthrown ball up the right sideline from QB Rhett Bomar. But his best play came when he kept slapping at a ball WR Derek Hagan was juggling and just wouldn't quit until he dislodged it. He finally did, to the delight of the entire defensive unit. (I’ll have more on Johnson later.)

 

LT Will Beatty and DE Dave Tollefson were going at it a bit in team drills. Beatty shoved Tollefson to the ground with one hand after Tollefson tried a spin move. On the next play, Tollefson got in a late shove that didn't seem to please Beatty.

 

LB Jonathan Goff did a good job of getting all over TE Jake Ballard on a short hook during 7-on-7s. Goff just couldn't get to the ball, as Ballard did a good job of shielding him. It's what Ballard couldn't do to Goff on a deep ball up the middle Monday morning.

 

RB Gartrell Johnson had a drop on a wheel route. Might have been looking upfield too soon.

 

* * *

 

THE YOUNG GUYS

 

S Sha'reff Rashad tried to grab a ball one-handed in individual, "on-air" drills. He didn't make the catch. Merritt wasn't happy. On the next rep, S Deon Grant went the one-handed route and hung on. "Good job, D!" Merritt yelled. Veteran privileges right there.

 

Good route by WR Victor Cruz to create separation from CB Courtney Brown on a comeback from Bomar. Brown later missed the jam on Moss, who caught a quick slant. "You've got to win the battle at the line of scrimmage," defensive coordinator Perry Fewell yelled at Brown.

 

Greco made the defensive play of the morning with an interception on a deep middle post from Bomar to Hagan. Greco was in good position and went up to get the ball. On the next play, though, Greco was corrected by coaching intern Marlon McCree, the former Jaguars and Chargers safety who's with the Giants for camp, for not filling the proper gap on a running play. And later, Greco should've had another pick on a WR option pass by Hagan that should remain hidden in the playbook.

 

WR Ramses Barden couldn't run down a deep ball from QB Jim Sorgi. Tough to tell from across the field but it looked like he had trouble locating it. Barden later located a back-shoulder throw from Manning and nearly made a fine catch. But Manning delivered it a bit too low.

 

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2010/08/defensive_highlights_once_agai.html

[Mr. P]

The Day at Camp: Tuesday, August 3, 2010 (Morning)

 

The Giants defensive line is a proud unit that feels it has a lot to prove given how ineffective they were last season.

 

While injuries did play a factor in their overall lack of production as a whole, you won’t see this unit using that as an excuse but rather as a motivating factor as they look to gel during training camp.

 

 

 

“I’ll be the first one to tell you that I’m not excited to be at training camp but we understand that especially these first couple of days will be important, especially that everyone’s been running and everyone has to be in great shape but there’s a difference between running and putting the pads on and pushing around 300 pounders,” said DE Justin Tuck.

 

“So there are better days but you realize that it’s football, not running sprints, so it’s just about getting in shape, adjusting to the banging, the moving around and changing direction. You get through these first couple of days and you start to build on what this team is going to be about.”

 

What it’s about for the defensive line is figuring out a way to get pressure on the opposing quarterback, forcing turnovers where possible, and making sure the big plays that the Giants defense gave up on a regular basis in 2009 are limited if not eradicated from the stat book.

 

To make sure that they do their job, the Giants not only brought in a new defensive coordinator in Perry Fewell, whose energy and creativity has the players a buzz with excitement, they also brought in some new talent in the form of DE Jason Pierre-Paul and DT Linval Joseph, this year’s first and second round draft picks respectively.

 

Tuck, while optimistic about his team’s chances, was also quick to caution reporters to not be too hung up on the concept of talent.

 

“The one thing we have to be careful about is locking into that word ‘talent,’” he said. “We had the same talent last year, and we all know what happened last year, so I only focus on working and taking that talent and getting some production behind it. The healthier we can stay this year, the more we can stay on the football field, take reps and the better we’ll be.”

 

The addition of Pierre-Paul in particular to what’s already a crowded defensive end spot left many people scratching their heads as to why the Giants made the move. But DE Mathias Kiwanuka, one of those defensive ends, believes that the more pass rushers a team has, the better chance it has of stopping the opponent.

 

“I think with an emphasis on the pass and how corners can’t jam receivers or can’t touch them after five yards, there are a lot of rules going into getting the long ball out,” Kiwanuka said. “So what do you do? You stop the quarterback from getting it out of his hands. So that right there makes people put a little more emphasis on getting the quarterback and the one position to do that is the defensive end so I think that’s the reason there’s a lot of pass rushers around the league.”

 

Despite the abundance of pass rushers, it’s going to take the defense some time to come together, as Tuck cautioned that fans that come to training camp or even the early preseason games looking for that old Giants magic might be in for a letdown.

 

“We’re not going to really be in game shape until I think the last pre-season game,” Tuck said. “Every level you go to there’s a different intensity. The first practice there’s a certain intensity, the first day of pads there’s a different intensity, and the first pre-season game there’s a certain intensity, so you can’t really judge how things are going to be yet. But we’re going to have a good opportunity to test ourselves and see how we hold up.”

 

The good news is that the defensive line – make that the defense in general – is ready to step up and do its part toward helping the team rebound from a miserable 2009 season.

 

“The offense played tremendously last year,” Kiwanuka said. “They suffered through injuries but they pretty much got the job done and we let them down and we know that and we’re 100% focused on getting back to regular Giants football, regular Giants defense and helping them out to put up some numbers and getting to a Super Bowl.”

 

QUICK HITS

Like many of his teammates, 2009 was not a banner season for CB Corey Webster. So when new defensive Perry Fewell was brought on board and began introducing a defensive philosophy that doesn’t put as much focus on press coverage but rather than on playing a zone-like scheme, there was some immediate concern from outsides that Webster, who struggled in that kind of defensive philosophy earlier in his career , might be in for another long season.

 

Not so, according to the veteran cornerback. “I think it’s easier to break on the quarterback to see where he sets at doing certain defenses we’re in. I think having more vision on the ball and where it’s going to come out of will help us tremendously.”

 

Unlike the earlier schemes where he struggled, Webster said that Fewell is offering more flexibility.

 

“We still get to pressure as much as we like and get our hands on the receivers but this is change-up. Pitchers like to have different change-ups so we kind of use it like that. You don’t want to tip anything to where a guy knows where you’re going to be all the time. We want to get the mixture and try to confuse them and hopefully get turnovers as well.”

 

The biggest adjustment Webster said he’s personally looking at is refocusing his discipline and his vision. “You have to get your eyes trained and have great vision to know where what defense you’re in and know what coverage you’re in to have vision on the quarterback. Ultimately when you’re in man to man, you want to be looking at your man down the field, but in zone defense, he allows us to put our eyes on the quarterback and to watch the receivers break so I think just train the eyes and be very disciplined with our vision will help us along the way.”

 

QUOTEBOOK

“Who are you talking about? The Steve Smith that went to the Pro Bowl? I don't even know the other guy." -– S Michael Johnson, when asked for his reaction to Carolina WR Steve Smith’s promise to get even with the safety for breaking his arm in their regular season match up last year.

 

INJURY REPORT

* C Shaun O'Hara (left ankle) remains sidelined this morning with a lingering ankle injury. “I think they’re going to look at it, do all the tests, and find out what it is,” said head coach Tom Coughlin when asked if there was growing concern about his starting center’s health. “It’s always a concern.”

 

* TE Travis Beckum (hamstring) sat out the morning workout. Head coach Tom Coughlin said that Beckum didn't pull it, but felt sore in the area so they held him out as a precautionary.

 

* WR Mario Manningham (groin) also sat out the morning practice.

 

* TE Kevin Boss (ankle), WR Hakeem Nicks (toe), and LB Keith Bulluck (knee), sat out the morning practice but are expected to work in the afternoon.

 

* S Kenny Phillips (knee) and OL Kevin Boothe (pectoral) remain on the PUP list.

 

PRACTICE NOTES

* LB Michael Boley looked to be in mid-season form as he was quick to diagnose and blow up running plays. on a couple of snaps, Boley was actually identified as the Mike by QB Eli Manning, a move in which the defense did a nice job of disguising it's coverage until the last minute.

 

* RB Brandon Jacobs, who traditionally has received the first snap on running plays until this camp at least -- that honor has been going to Ahmad Bradshaw -- didn't look as explosive with his first step S he ran into a pile and didn't lower his shoulder until it was literally too late.

 

* TE Bear Pascoe continued to impress. Not only did he do a good job shedding his blocks, he released out into space and caught the passes thrown his way. Pascoe, who is 6-5, had told me two months ago that his biggest objective in camp was going to be getting lower to get the proper leverage. Looks like he took the coaching instruction to heart as he has done an exceptional job of bending his knees and getting up underneath his man.

 

* Nice job by WR Ramses Barden to adjust on a comeback route instead of trying to turn it into a circus-like catch. However, Barden went on to drop three passes that were right in his hands.

 

* WR Sinorice Moss contines to have a good camp, catching everything thrown his way. Will this be the year that Moss, in for Hakeem Nicks this morning, finally puts it all together or has his time run out? The answer depends on what he does on special teams as the fourth and fifth receivers need to be able to contribute in that aspect.

 

* Speaking of receivers who have been having a solid camp so far, add Derek Hagan to the list. Hagan is already a proven commodity on special teams and has looked equally impressive with the chances he's had in the passing game so far.

 

* WR Steve Smith made a wonderful catch against Corey Webster -- this was the play on which Webster developed a cramp. Kudos to Smith for hanging onto the ball as it initially looked like Webster had stolen it from him.

 

* One thing that was particularly impressive about the defense was how they swarmed against the run. The defensive tackles did a nice job across the board of creating congestion in the running lanes and forcing the running backs to scrap and claw for every inch.

 

* Jason Pierre-Paul took some snaps with the one’s in place of Justin Tuck, who was likely pacing himself.

 

* The Giants did some work on kickoffs for the first time this camp and Lawrence Tynes was consistently good on each of his attempts. Tynes managed to get good height and distance on his kicks with normal breeze to speak of, and just looked more comfortable on these kickoffs than we recall seeing him in recent years.

 

* Although it was speculated that Zak DeOssie took off his pads after special teams practice, he didn't do so due to an injury. As first reported back in May, DeOssie is going to do his work exclusively with special teams and doesn't appear to be a factor any more in the linebacker equation.

 

* Practice didn't exactly end on a good note for QB Jim Sorgi as on two consecutive plays, there was a screw up. On the first one, the offense wasn’t lined up properly. On the second, there was an issue with the snap count.

 

* Former P Jeff Feagles was in camp today to continue working with rookie Matt Dodge on his punting and holding.

 

SPOTLIGHT

The Defense. Defensive coordinator promised an aggressive defense that was going to place. Premium in turnovers, and that's exactly what he delivered in the morning practice. there were three interceptions, one by LB Michael Boley, one by CB Bruce Johnson, and one by rookie S Michael Greco, and there were a couple of others that nearly went for picks as well, including one other by Greco and one by Corey Webster, who cramped up after coming up short on his attempt.

 

http://trainathought.insidefootball.com/2010/08/the-day-at-camp-tuesday-august-3-2010-morning.html

[Mr. P]

Second-Year Cornerback Bruce Johnson Off To A Fast Start At Giants Camp

 

 

ALBANY, N.Y. -- I know it’s early (cough, cough, Vince Anderson last year, cough), but second-year corner Bruce Johnson has gotten off to a terrific start to training camp. He starred again this morning with an interception and a few plays on the ball, including a tenacious pass break-up of a ball intended for wide receiver Derek Hagan.

 

“He’s been good, he’s looked good,” coach Tom Coughlin said. “He’s been spry, he’s guessed well, jumped a couple of routes and looked really good. I was kidding him about his punt return in cover drill yesterday – it wasn’t much. But yeah, he’s done pretty well.”

 

Johnson seems to be adjusting to the new schemes of defensive coordinator Perry Fewell, who is asking his defensive backs to often play off the ball.

 

“Well, he’s reading the quarterback,” Coughlin said. “In zone situations, he’s read the quarterback well and really shown an ability to break.”

 

Johnson said he played a lot of man coverage in his first few seasons in college at Miami. It wasn’t until his last year with the Hurricanes he was asked to play off the ball. The 5-11, 182-pound Johnson, as a smaller, quicker cornerback who isn't built to jam receivers, could benefit greatly from the new scheme.

 

"I'm just going off instinct," Johnson said.

 

Johnson played all 16 games last season and made five starts. He had two interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown in the Week 2 victory against the Cowboys. Johnson did have a few shaky moments where he struggled to locate the ball, but overall it was an impressive season for the undrafted free agent who was forced to take a ton of extra reps in camp because of injuries at cornerback.

 

This camp, Johnson is getting the proper amount of reps, so he's more rested. So far, it's showing.

 

"I feel very comfortable, I feel more relaxed. I'm not out there scrambling all over the place," Johnson said before adding with a grin: "I know how to kind of work it now."

 

* * * *

 

Speaking of Johnsons, S Michael Johnson has been targeted by Panthers WR Steve Smith, who has vowed revenge for Johnson's hit that broke his arm in Week 16 last season. If Johnson is in the lineup and on the field in Week 1 (a potentially very big if, considering the added depth at safety this year), Smith will be looking for him.

 

"I'm going after him," Smith told Sports Illustrated's Peter King.

 

Asked about Smith's comments, Johnson said, "You talking about the Steve Smith who went to the Pro Bowl?"

 

Me being a moron, I didn't realize what he was getting at. But then it hit me when Johnson reiterated: "So you're not talking about the Pro Bowl Steve Smith?"

 

That would be the Giants' Steve Smith. And that would be a shot at Carolina's Steve Smith.

 

I got it now.

 

Anyway, Johnson doesn't believe there was anything wrong with his hit on Smith.

 

"Does it look illegal?" Johnson said. "It does not look illegal, if that's what you're asking. ... But I did get fined for it, so somebody thought it was illegal, definitely."

 

Still, Johnson said he's not worried about Carolina's Smith.

 

"The only Steve Smith I'm worried about is the one on my team," Johnson said. "I don't even know the other guy."

 

* * *

 

C Shaun O'Hara, whose ankle swelled after the conditioning test Sunday, has been sent back to to New York for an MRI and exam by team physician Russ Warren. O'Hara has been dealing with an ankle issue for a while, according to coach Tom Coughlin, but obviously the team is looking for answers as to why it flared up again.

 

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2010/08/second-year_cornerback_bruce_j.html

[Mr. P]

The Day at Camp: Tuesday, August 3, 2010 (Afternoon)

It happened in 2008. It happened again in 2009. And there is a possibility that it could happen again in 2010 which would not be a good thing.

 

The “it” is the injury bug affecting what seemingly are the most vulnerable areas on the Giants team. In 2008, the defensive line and linebackers took a major hit, prompting General Manager Jerry Reese to bring in big ticket free agents like DTs Rocky Bernard and Chris Canty, and LB Michael Boley that the following off-season.

 

Last year, the safeties were completed wiped out by injury so much so that this past off-season, New York brought in veterans Antrel Rolle and Deon Grant, and drafted Chad Jones in the third round. With Jones not able to play this year due to injuries suffered in a car crash, the team added another veteran, John Busing, ion the eve of their training camp.

 

Now? C Shaun O’Hara, a Pro Bowl offensive lineman, is dealing with a left ankle injury that has kept him out of the last four practices and was apparently worrisome enough for the team to send him back to Manhattan to the Hospital for Special Surgery where he was to undergo a MRI and some other tests to determine the exact extent of his injury.

 

While everyone is clearly holding their breath and hoping for the best, if O’Hara is lot for any significant amount of time, it could be an issue given the depth. The primary backup to O’Hara has been Adam Koets, originally drafted as a tackle in 2007 and a player who has only been activated from a handful of games in his NFL career.

 

There is also veteran Rich Seubert, who originally was in a battle remain as one of the best five linemen so he can hang onto his starting job. While Seubert is a smart and gritty player, the concern with him is whether age and injury have finally taken enough of a toll on him.

 

Chris Snee can snap, but it’s doubtful the Giants would want to move a Pro Bowl guard out of position. And then there’s rookie Mitch Petrus, who is learning the position but has no real experience.

 

While it’s understood that a team can’t address every single area of need during the off-season, it seems that history stands to repeat itself if O’Hara is out for any significant length of time as thus far none of the backups have inspired confidence that they can be the full time solution.

 

QUICK HITS

Count LB Michael Boley as another one of the defensive players who’s having fun in Perry Fewell’s new system and who can’t wait to see it all come together.

 

“Getting the guys, as far what we’ve learned so far, our biggest thing is getting everybody on the same learning curve to start out. We have some young guys in our meeting room. We have some young guys on our defense. To get everybody on the same page mentally, everything will fall in place,” he said.

 

Boley is also smiling a lot more these days because unlike this time last year, he’s fully healthy for the first time in two years. That’s certainly a welcome site for the Giants, who are looking for fast athletic linebackers like Boley.

 

“After coming back after the hip, obviously it took me a couple games to get my legs back and to get really going. As you know, I missed everything last year. I missed OTAs and training camp; I was on the PUP starting out so I didn’t get to do any team activities. It was all working on my own and not getting a feel for the other ten guys on the field. After a couple of games, things started falling into place and then I was back out with the knee. It was up and down.”

 

This year, Boley has bulked up a little bit by design to improve his contribution against the run, and head coach Tom Coughlin likes what he’s seen from the veteran linebacker so far. “He’s very athletic, fast, and very good in coverage. He can play and does play on special teams. He’s carrying a little bit of extra weight and hopefully that will be recognized in his ability to play the run.”

 

And while some veterans aren’t huge fans of training camp, Boley doesn’t seem to mind it this year considering he had to miss most of it last year.

 

“It brings a lot actually being out there and being able to practice with the guys. It’s one thing to go through OTAs and the minicamps and putting stuff in, but actually getting out here when the intensity picks up a whole other level, seeing how all eleven guys mesh together, it’s a good feeling.”

 

QUOTEBOOK

“We are here to work, prepare, and become the best team we can be. We have a short amount of time to do that, and we certainly don’t need anything except their effort, their focus, and all of their time spent on being the best team they can be and not other things.” –- Head coach Tom Coughlin on why his team has managed to avoid the distractions that their stadium partners seem to have created for themselves.

 

INJURY REPORT

* C Shaun O'Hara (left ankle) was sent to the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan for tests on his injured left ankle. O’Hara has missed the last four workouts. A team spokesperson said that the center’s MRI exam revealed no new injury to the ankle and the swelling is the result of a chronic condition in the joint, which is being treated to reduce the swelling and regain the mobility. It is not known when he would be cleared to return to practice.

 

* WR Hakeem Nicks (who had been working once a day as he continues to come back from a toe injury, hyperextended his right knee at the end of the practice. Nicks was scheduled to undergo an MRI this evening and be examined tomorrow. The team said that it would update nicks’ status on Thursday morning.

 

* TE Travis Beckum (hamstring) missed his second practice this afternoon, as did WR Mario Manningham (groin).

 

* TE Kevin Boss (ankle) and LB Keith Bulluck (knee) were back in action this afternoon. Nicks did appear to injure his knee at the end of practice, and had to be carted to the locker room. It was not immediately known when in the practice Nicks suffered the injury though it did occur toward the end.

 

* S Kenny Phillips (knee) and OL Kevin Boothe (pectoral) remain on the PUP list.

 

PRACTICE NOTES

* Early in the practice, Hakeem Nicks did a nice job adjusting his route to snag a touchdown pass against Terrell Thomas. Not to be outdone, however, on the next play, Thomas made his first interception of camp against Nicks when the ball was thrown right to him. Thomas, not happy that Nicks beat him on the first play, promptly went over to the corner of the field to punish himself by doing some pushups for missing the first play.

 

* RB Brandon Jacobs took full advantage of a big hole and then shifted into his downhill gear as he plowed his way down the field along the near sideline. At times Jacobs still looks like he’s pussy footing a bit, as he approaches the line – that could be because he’s waiting for something to open up, but when he lowers his shoulders, look out.

 

* WR Ramses Barden continues to put on a show for the spectators, leaving his feet unnecessarily and making some routine catches more difficult than he needs to. We can certainly appreciate the enthusiasm, but there was one pass where if he stayed on his feet, he might have been able to pick up a few more yards.

 

* Another nice job by Terrell Thomas in breaking up a pass intended for Duke Calhoun. You can really see the corners are far more aggressive than they’ve been in the past – that’s the Perry Fewell effect taking hold and it’s quite a sight to see.

 

* The play of the afternoon was Aaron Ross’ interception of a pass intended for Derek Hagan. Ross, from the nickel back spot, fully extended himself, tipped the pass in the air and away from the receiver and came down with the rebound before taking off like a bandit.

 

* In field goal attempts, mot eyes were on Lawrence Tynes, who was perfect on all of his attempts. My eyes, however, were on Matt Dodge and how he fared as the holder. I’ll have a bit more detail about his in the upcoming issue of Inside Football (which will be available for single purchase by the way), but out of the seven or so attempts Tynes had, I’d say maybe the last two of Dodge’s holds were compact and efficient.

 

* Kudos to Rutgers alumnus WR Tim Brown, who in the daily game of chicken, was so shifty and elusive that he easily got by gunners Ramses Barden and Derek Hagan, drawing a huge round of cheers from his teammates.

 

* FB Madison Hedgecock shook off yesterday’s dry spell in the pass receiving area with a catch at the end of a diagonal route. Meanwhile his competition, Jerome Johnson, seems to be more at ease with catching the ball, though I’ve yet to really see how well Johnson can block, which is the first order of business for the fullback spot.

 

* CB Bruce Johnson continues to have a fine camp, breaking up a couple of more passes, including one intended for the speedy Tim Brown. Johnson played Brown very tightly, sitting on his hip. He then reached in and swatted the ball away for the pass breakup.

 

UP NEXT

The Giants have meetings tomorrow but no practice.

 

http://trainathought.insidefootball.com/2010/08/the-day-at-camp-tuesday-august-3-2010-afternoon.html

[Mr. P]

TheBlueScreen

 

Tom Coughlin said S Deon Grant left practice early with a groin injury

[Mr. P]

NotoriousOHM

 

S Deon Grant (groin) says he expects to practice in afternoon.

[Mr. P]

Defensive Dominance Emerging As Theme At Giants Training Camp

 

 

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Somebody had better wake up the Giants’ offense because the defense continues to dominate up here. Your morning practice report:

 

INJURIES

 

DT Jay Alford (knee) sat out for the first time in camp. Alford had his left knee wrapped while walking through a few drills. Coach Tom Coughlin said Alford was examined by doctors Wednesday and is “sore,” so the team backed him down to one practice per day.

 

WR Hakeem Nicks (knee) will give it a go tonight when the team puts the full pads on. They’ll see how much he can do.

 

C Shaun O’Hara (ankle) is targeting a Monday return to action.

 

S Deon Grant left practice early with a groin issue. We’ll get an update as soon as we can.

 

Still out were: S Kenny Phillips (knee/PUP), TEs Kevin Boss (ankle) and Travis Beckum (hamstring), WR Mario Manningham (groin) and OL Kevin Boothe (pec/PUP).

 

THE STARTERS

 

Grant, taking a cue from S Antrel Rolle, was up at the line, took on a block and made a stop on the third play of team drills. On the next play, a run to the other side, Grant was up to squeeze down the play.

 

Rolle had a pick on a ball QB Jim Sorgi overcooked for TE Jake Ballard. "We scorin'!" the other DBs yelled while shoving Ballard during Rolle's return.

 

Another bad exchange between QB Eli Manning and RB Brandon Jacobs. DE Mathias Kiwanuka scooped and scored for the defensive TD. Manning continues to struggle -- he overshot one pass that should have been picked off by CB Terrell Thomas -- but it’s early.

 

The secondary is communicating well. (Wow, been a while since I wrote something to that effect.) They handled a bunch of scrambled routes out of a bunch formation very well -- thanks in large part to Grant.

 

LB Clint Sintim got a good, deep drop on an out route to his side. Sintim's getting deep allowed him to knock the ball away.

 

Credit DT Chris Canty with a sack after a relentless pass rush.

 

THE BACKUPS

 

Good job by LB Bryan Kehl to work through traffic, stay square and make the stop on RB D.J. Ware.

 

Sorgi is still working to get comfortable and find a rhythm. He and WR Derek Hagan struggled to get on the same page on a route up the seam. The next play, Hagan had to check with Sorgi before the snap to see what was coming. The coaches yelled at Hagan, so perhaps he was having a rough morning mentally. Late in practice, during red zone drills, Sorgi threw high for Hagan, who was ready to make the tough leaping catch between S Sha'reff Rashad and CB Bruce Johnson.

 

LT Will Beatty didn't pick up LB Phillip Dillard on a run. Dillard easily made the stop in the hole and Beatty got an earful from OL coach Pat Flaherty.

 

LB Gerris Wilkinson practically had a parade of defensive coaches running toward him to congratulate him for showing some aggressiveness in blowing up a stretch run. It's fun to watch the coaches when they've been pleading with a guy to do something -- in this case telling Wilkinson to play with a mean streak -- and then it happens. It's like Christmas morning for them. Except 90 degrees and humid.

 

Sintim, a former strong-side LB in a 3-4 at Virginia who is working on playing in space in a 4-3, had a great pass drop to set up a pass defensed on an out to his side. Like Wilkinson’s battle to play more physical football, Sintim’s working on his pass coverage and finally having a breakthrough ignited the coaches.

 

DT Rocky Bernard fought his way through to make a stop in traffic. As did DE Dave Tollefson. Are you sensing a theme? The defensive front seven, both the starters and backups, manhandled the O-Line during team drills this morning.

 

CB Aaron Ross continues to look like his old self. This morning's highlight came when he dislodged a ball from TE Bear Pascoe's hands as Pacoe tried to bring in a pass from Manning on a deep in. Ross later had a tough play to make on a ball that went through TE Scott Chandler's hands. But that didn't stop defensive coordinator Perry Fewell from encouraging Ross to make the pick on the quick deflection. "That's pepper," Fewell told Ross as he made a juggling motion. I'm guessing "pepper" is his name for "hot potato." I guess Fewell likes pepper on his potatoes. Oh, and before you ask, I don't see a "No pepper" sign anywhere on the fences around the UAlbany fields.

 

Offsides on Ross later, though, when he jumped on a hard count from Manning and came across the line to prematurely jam WR Ramses Barden.

 

THE YOUNG GUYS

 

Good coverage by CB Courtney Brown on an in cut by WR Tim Brown. QB Rhett Bomar was forced to hold the ball and take a "sack." On the next play, though, Bomar quickly threw the checkdown to Tim Brown.

 

Great grab by Brown later on in 7-on-7s. Rolle was lurking and trying to jump the "Z out" route but Bomar threw a great ball to the outside of Brown and he made a terrific leaning catch. One play later, Bomar threw a perfect ball up the left sideline for Brown, who created separation from Ross but couldn't quite make the big catch.

 

WR Duke Calhoun committed the cardinal rookie sin by lining up in the wrong spot.

 

DE Jason Pierre-Paul beat OL Jacob Bender to make a stop in the backfield. Flaherty wasn't happy on that play, the next one when Dillard came free for a sack and the following fumbled snap between C Jim Cordle and Sorgi. Flaherty didn't seem to be happy with any of his linemen this morning, to be honest.

 

CB Seth Williams had an interception after a ball went through WR Sinorice Moss' hands after Moss had to reach up a bit. Bomar threw that ball, but there's no fault on his end because it's just not fair to have to throw over linemen and low enough for Moss.

 

Bomar had a very good practice. He had some balls dropped that should have been caught. I’m convinced he’s a morning person because his best practices are in the morning.

 

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2010/08/defensive_dominance_emerging_a.html

[Mr. P]

The Day at Camp: Thursday, August 5, 2010 (Morning)

 

Training camp is all about taking advantage of an opportunity when it presents itself. And while players generally don’t like to see their opportunities come at the expense of their teammates, nevertheless they would be foolish to not look to seize the moment and show the coaches what they’re capable of doing.

 

That’s exactly the spot that WR Ramses Barden, the second-year pro out of Cal-Poly, finds himself in. With the Giants being cautions with teammates Hakeem Nicks (toe/knee) and Mario Manningham (groin), Barden now has a good opportunity to show the coaches just how far he’s really come from his rookie season.

 

“I’m going to continue to do what I need to do and what’s asked of me,” Barden said when asked how he planned to take advantage of the opportunities that lay in front of him. “Whether it’s me getting more responsibility, that’s fine. I’m going to play to the best of my ability. If not, I’m going to continue to do what I’m asked to do, run a certain route, asked to fill a certain position or a certain slot, then I’m more than happy to do that. I’m going to do so with great effort.”

 

It hasn’t been easy though as Barden has had some early camp issues with his footwork and with dropping some catches, though to his credit, he corrected the issues and went on to have better practices since then.

 

“Whenever you have a tough couple of reps, you try and find ways to forget about it, you know. You want to have a short memory. Those things happen. I’m glad that hopefully I got that out of the way early in camp. The idea is just to forget about it, try to figure out some things you can fix, and come back and get as strong as possible in the next opportunity.”

 

While Barden is competing with Manningham for the third receiver spot, one other way he can help his cause is by showing he brings something to the table on special teams, which is something he’s more than happy to take on.

 

“I think whatever they ask of me, I have to be prepared to do. Whether it’s special teams, whether it’s playing slot or on the outside or the red zone, green zone, goal line, whatever. I need to be prepared to fill a role wherever I’m at.”

 

Barden smiled when asked about the circus-like catches he’s been known to make, some of those same catches being the source of ire with offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, who cited a specific example of how if Barden had focused more on the fundamentals and less on style points, he could have had a bigger gain. So if the opportunities present themselves, Barden said he might try to put on a show, but otherwise, he was going to focus more on making the reception for positive yardage.

 

“It’s tough because our quarterbacks throw such good balls,” he said. “I’m not going to jump out of the way of a pass to try and do something ridiculous. It’s kind of one of those things that you don’t really think about. If the ball is up somewhere random and I have to go get, then I have to go get it. Usually it’s right about chin high, and in perfect position to turn it up and score.”

 

QUOTEBOOK

“I can’t answer that question right now, but I feel like the only question I can answer right now is how we’re going to go into the season and how we’re going to perform this season -- and I think that’s going to be exceptional.” – DE Osi Umenyiora when asked if he thought he was playing out his final NFL contract.

 

INJURY REPORT

* C Shaun O'Hara (left ankle) remains out of practice. Head coach Tom Coughlin sad that O’Hara will try to return to practice on Monday.

 

* DT Jay Alford, who tweaked his knee back in the spring, sat out the morning practice due to soreness. Alford said he didn't have any setback and that the reduction in his activity was precautionary. Coughlin said that Alford is going to be limited to one practice per day.

 

* S Deon Grant had to leave practice early when his groin tightened up. Grant said he will be able to practice this evening, but the medical staff might want to hold him out.

 

* WR Hakeem Nicks (knee/toe) sat out the morning practice but was expected to be ready to go in the evening.

 

* TE Travis Beckum (hamstring) continued to miss practice, as did WR Mario Manningham (groin).

 

* TE Kevin Boss (ankle) and LB Keith Bulluck (knee) sat out the morning practice as they continue to work once a day. They are expected to be available for the evening practice, which will feature the team’s first practice in full pads.

 

* S Kenny Phillips (knee) and OL Kevin Boothe (pectoral) remain on the PUP list.

 

PRACTICE NOTES

* Terrell Thomas nearly came up with an interception on a pass intended for TE Scott Chandler, a play in which LB Jon Goff did a nice job pressuring the quarterback with a delayed blitz.

 

* Guy Whimper took a few snaps at right guard for Chris Snee. Snee did come back in the lineup later on and seemed to be fine.

 

* Rich Seubert, getting some work at center with the starters, had a botched snap that Mathias Kiwanuka alertly scooped it up and headed to the end zone.

 

Gorgeous sideline catch by Ramses Barden, who despite being off balance, somehow managed to right himself and walk the tight rope along the sideline for a nice gain, all the while staying in bounds. Barden has had a couple of solid practices of late.

 

* Rhett Bomar might have easily been sacked four times this morning -- he is still holding onto the football much too long while he makes his reads.

 

* Scary moment for Aaron Ross when on a punt return, his leg slid out from under him and he fell facedown. Ross got up and tried to walk it off, but didn't look too happy about it. Later on though, he was moving around fine.

 

* Madison Hedgecock had more passes thrown his way this morning and caught about half of them, including a couple that were slightly off-target.

 

* Good job by Clint Sintim to break up a pass intended for Sinorice Moss.

 

* Tim Brown made a series of pretty plays, but just barely missed getting his hands on a ball thrown in front of him for which he had to dive.

 

* Antrel Rolle picked off a poorly thrown pass by Jim Sorgi that was well off its mark, making it too easy for Rolle to pick off.

 

* Speaking of the defense, they were really fired up as they continued to get the better of their offensive counterparts. Meanwhile the offensive coaches were doing a lot of yelling themselves, as the offense didn’t seem to be in a consistent rhythm.

 

http://trainathought.insidefootball.com/2010/08/the-day-at-camp-thursday-august-5-2010-morning.html

[NightFire]

Hopefully the training camp D continues into the regular season unlike last year.

[GorillaNJ]

Hopefully the training camp D continues into the regular season unlike last year.

 

Defense always has the advantage early in camp...

[GorillaNJ]

Not to steal your thunder Pdoub...

 

 

The Day at Camp: Thursday, August 5, 2010 (Evening)

 

Before I get to the practice highlights, Ed Valentine, my co-host of “NY Giants Talk” went solo today with a show you can hear by clicking on this link.

 

Although I wasn’t able to co-host the show with Ed due to my workload , I did participate in a pre-recorded interview we did with DE Mathias Kiwanuka. Among the topics we discussed were the concept of leadership by committee, the new resolve of the defense, how Perry Fewell’s “attacking” defense varies from that run by Steve Spagnuolo, and much more.

 

Ed also had a couple of clips from TE Bear Pascoe, who after flying under the radar for months, is starting to be noticed for his fine play in the absence of TE Kevin Boss, the latter of whom is limited to one practice per day.

 

Also, earlier this evening I posted an exclusive I did with WR Sinorice Moss – this is much different than the transcript you probably saw on Giants.com as we covered a little more detail.

 

Tomorrow morning I will have another exclusive interview online as part of “Blog Bits,” this one done by Gail Bahr with rookie LB Phillip Dillard, so be sure to check it out.

 

INJURY REPORT

 

* C Shaun O'Hara (left ankle) will remain out of practice until at least Monday.

 

* DT Jay Alford, who sat out the morning practice, was back in action this evening.

 

* S Deon Grant, who tweaked his groin this morning, was held out of the evening practice.

 

* TE Travis Beckum (hamstring) and WR Mario Manningham (groin) remain sidelined.

 

* S Kenny Phillips (knee) and OL Kevin Boothe (pectoral) remain on the PUP list.

 

PRACTICE NOTES

 

* It wasn’t a sharp practice for C Adam Koets, who was chewed out a couple of times by offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride for not keeping up with the desired tempo. Koets also had a problem or two with the snap, hitting QB Jim Sorgi in the knee on one. With Shaun O’Hara sidelined until at least next week, Koets is getting time with the one’s and the two’s.

 

* WR Tim Brown had a pair of dropped passes in one-on-one drills, a rare occurrence considering he’s been pretty good with catching everything thrown his way of late.

 

* WR Sinorice Moss continued to shine in practice, making a near acrobatic catch that just grazed off the tip of his fingers.

 

* In 11-on-11s, Michael Johnson was in at safety for Deon Grant. Meanwhile this was the first time this summer the Giants worked with a play clock and all three quarterbacks let it run down to zero at least twice, with Eli Manning being the biggest offender in this regard with three “delays of game”.

 

* Rookie free agent Michael Greco has worked at both strong and free safety; tonight he was lined up deep (free) and did a nice job with providing deep help as part of the second team.

 

* DB Courtney Brown did a nice job breaking up a pass intended for WR Duke Calhoun, getting a hand in there at the last second.

 

* P Matt Dodge did a nice job with his holds for field goals save for the first attempt, which resulted in a non-kick. Dodge even got a couple of poor snaps down in time for Lawrence Tynes to convert.’

 

* LB Michael Boley very nearly had an interception when he went up in the air and knocked down a pass with one hand, trying to tip it to himself. However, he couldn’t’ quite find the handle.

 

* Rhett Bomar threw a gorgeous pass to TE Kevin Boss, who shook free from LB Bryan Kehl in coverage.

 

* Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride decided to try a little trickery with the flea flicker, as Eli Manning handed off to Brandon Jacobs, who flicked the ball back. Manning then found Sinorice Moss down the field for the completion.

 

* DE Osi Umenyiora, who always has that first quick step off the snap, looked to be offside a couple of times.

 

* Mathias Kiwanuka had a nice couple of plays, shooting into the backfield against William Beatty and blowing up a run and then following that up a few plays later with what would have been a sack.

 

* Dave Tollefson also abused Beatty for a sack and then followed that up by whizzing by Adam Koets, who was pulling on a running play, and nailing the running back for a loss of yardage.

 

* Bomar connected with Derek Hagan for a long touchdown. Hagan beat S John Busing and CB DJ Johnson on the play.

 

* DT Nate Collins swatted down a ball at the line of scrimmage. Then on a stunt, he was blatantly held by OT Herb Taylor.

 

* In the two-minute offense, Terrell Thomas got into position to knock a ball away from Steve Smith deep down the field. In this practice, Thomas seemed to have more opportunities to guard against the number one receiver (Smith), which was a goal of his, and he did well with his chances.

 

* DE Jason Pierre-Paul, trying to time his jump just right, came up short as Ahmad Bradshaw made a sudden cut and dashed by Pierre-Paul, who in desperation tried to reach back to grab onto something.

 

* DE Justin Tuck swatted down a pass at the line of scrimmage.

 

* S Antrel Rolle ended practice in style for the defense by picking off a pass intended for Kevin Boss and taking it all the way to the house.

 

UP NEXT

Friday features a single practice, from 2:35 to 4:35 p.m.

 

Read more: http://trainathought.insidefootball.com/2010/08/the-day-at-camp-thursday-august-5-2010-evening.html#more#ixzz0vqLQ3ZPN

 

 

Moss is always a star at practice... maybe they should put him on the practice squad!

[Mr. P]

NJ_Giants

 

Seubert broke a bone in his hand, the team says. No timetable on his return but like I said earlier I'm hearing one week.

[CrazedDogs]

Not to steal your thunder Pdoub...

 

 

 

Moss is always a star at practice... maybe they should put him on the practice squad!

 

LOL

 

'Moss played great...he almost made a catch in practice.'

[Mr. P]

giantspathanlon

 

DeOssie's high snap just caromed off Matt Dodge's hands...to Feagles, who was standing nearby. No, he didn't punt it himself.

 

 

 

i laughed at this tweet.

[Treehugger]

* Bomar connected with Derek Hagan for a long touchdown. Hagan beat S John Busing and CB DJ Johnson on the play.

 

Is that our THIRD DB named "Johnson"?

[Mr. P]

Ohm Youngmisuk NotoriousOHM

 

OL Riley limps off field and gets into cart to head to locker room at end of practice

[Mr. P]

TheBlueScreen

 

You wanted good news? Tom Coughlin says S Kenny Phillips will practice on Monday.

[Treehugger]

TheBlueScreen

 

You wanted good news? Tom Coughlin says S Kenny Phillips will practice on Monday.

[Mr. P]

Giants' Kenny Phillips Scheduled To Return To Practice On Monday

 

 

ALBANY, N.Y. - There's plenty of bad injury news to get to. For now, some good injury news for the Giants.

 

Kenny Phillips is scheduled to return to practice on Monday.

 

The Giants were hopeful the third-year safety would be sidelined for only a week and it appears he's right on schedule in his recovery from surgery last September to repair an arthritic condition in his knee, according to coach Tom Coughlin.

 

Now to the bad news.

 

Updating the Steve Smith groin injury, the Giants' wide receiver said he doesn't believe he suffered a serious injury, though he'll undergo an MRI to be sure.

 

"I made a normal move and I just heard it kind of grab," Smith said during a very brief session with a handful of reporters. (Smith definitely said "heard," but he might have meant "felt.")

 

Said Coughlin, "He made a move against press coverage, he probably got jammed here like this and all of a sudden..."

 

Smith was one of four players injured during practice. TE Jake Ballard hurt his hamstring in the same area Smith was injured. OL Ruben Riley hurt his knee during goal-line drills on the last play of practice. And WR Duke Calhoun left with an undisclosed injury before returning.

 

At one point, CB Bruce Johnson took a huge divot out of the grass when he slipped, so it was clear the surface wasn't in the greatest shape. Coughlin didn't believe it had anything to do with the injuries, however.

 

"You can complain all you want because it's true (the surface is poor)," Coughlin said. "I don't know what happened to this field. ... It was flying up, but that had nothing to do with the injuries."

 

Coughlin also addressed OL Rich Seubert's broken hand, saying he wasn't going to guess about a time frame for Seubert's return. Coughlin also said it's not true an offensive lineman can simply play through a broken hand.

 

"(That's) the biggest fallacy in the world is in this day and age," he said. "There was a time when I thought the same thing you do - he has a broken hand so just tape it up, put a cast on it and go play with it. They don't do that today. If the metatarsal twists, they have to do surgery, they've got to put a pin in it and (the player) is out for six weeks. They have to be very careful of that."

 

To be clear, Coughlin was not saying Seubert will be out for six weeks. He's just saying that's potentially the case with any broken hand. Seubert's recovery time will likely be updated Saturday.

 

* * * *

 

OTHER INJURIES

 

There was other good injury news: WR Mario Manningham (groin) returned to practice, but appeared to be a little less explosive than normal.

 

TE Travis Beckum (hamstring) remains out. Also out were: TE Kevin Boss (ankle), C Shaun O'Hara (ankle), S Deon Grant (groin) and OL Kevin Boothe (pectoral muscle/PUP).

 

* * * *

 

THE STARTERS

 

QB Eli Manning was much sharper today than he'd been in previous days. He made quicker decisions and threw the ball better, despite the strong breeze.

 

CB Terrell Thomas made a rare mental mistake by not picking up RB Brandon Jacobs out of the backfield. Thomas bounced back later with a pass defensed when he knocked the ball out of WR Derek Hagan's hands from behind.

 

There's DE Mathias Kiwanuka in run support again, blowing up a pitch left for RB Ahmad Bradshaw.

 

WR Hakeem Nicks opened the team portion of practice with a 15-yard catch on an in cut. CB Corey Webster grabbed at Nicks, who fell awkwardly but was okay. After the Smith injury and Nicks' recent close scare, I'm sure a few members of the organization paused on that one.

 

LB Clint Sintim made a perfect drop into coverage but appeared to fight a ball from QB Rhett Bomar he should have picked off.

 

LB Keith Bulluck had a sure interception in his hands but dropped it. It must have bounced off his hands about five times as he fell to the ground. You could tell his defensive teammates were rooting for him to make the play and were ready to jump all over him in celebration. I'm sure defensive coordinator Perry Fewell was also ready to throw a block or two on Bulluck's return.

 

Bulluck's dropped INT was one of several. One guy that hung on was CB Aaron Ross. He's been reading receivers' in cuts all camp and he did it again when he saw Nicks plant. Ross undercut the route and picked off the pass in the end zone.

 

* * * *

 

THE BACKUPS

 

QB Jim Sorgi fired low and wide of WR Sinorice Moss on a short out. Bad ball there but a good bounce-back throw when Sorgi hit Moss on a 15-yard cross one snap later.

 

S John Busing, who for some reason has no nameplate on his jersey anymore, dropped a sure interception after Bomar threw high of his intended target. Busing got some brownie point back with safeties coach Dave Merritt when he came up to meet FB Jerome Johnson after a catch in the flat.

 

TE Scott Chandler had a shot at a tough catch in the back of the end zone with LB Jonathan Goff in coverage. The ball from Manning was a bit behind Chandler but he could have made the catch. Just couldn't haul it in, though.

 

* * * *

 

THE YOUNG GUYS

 

Best catch of camp so far for WR Ramses Barden. It was a fade up the left sideline from Manning over Webster. Worst catch attempt later when he dropped a quick slant from Manning that was right in his hands. Later, on a third-and-short, he caught a pass up the sideline past Webster but appeared to come down out of bounds as he fell.

 

OG Mitch Petrus got himself plenty of reps with the starters today after an impressive evening session yesterday. He seemed to do just fine, though he whiffed on a block attempt of DT Barry Cofield during red-zone drills. That allowed Cofield to come right in and make the stop.

 

DE Jason Pierre-Paul worked inside of FB Madison Hedgecock to make a stop in 9-on-7s. LB Phillip Dillard shot a gap a few minutes later to make a stop as well.

 

Great sideline catch on a comeback by WR Tim Brown, who got both feet in, to the disappointment of Bruce Johnson, who gave up the first-down catch. Brown later had a TD in red-zone drills when he fought to get open for Bomar.

 

S Michael Greco whacked RB Gartrell Johnson, who fell to the ground on that play and the next one. No yelling from Coughlin on either play. The coach usually prefers guys to stay on their feet. Greco later put a hat on Johnson again, though Johnson stayed up that time.

 

Remember when I told you yesterday the veteran DBs were schooling CB D.J. Johnson after he gave up a catch? Well, Johnson gave up another one - this one to WR Victor Cruz - and then turned back to Grant and said, "What you told me yesterday, right?"

 

Give DT Nate Collins a ton of credit for blowing up C Jim Cordle on a goal-line run. That opened the door for DT Dwayne Hendricks and a bunch of other players to make the stop. Cordle came right back to get a great push on the next play, but LB Chase Blackburn was there to absolutely crush RB Andre Brown. Tremendous hit by Blackburn there.

 

* * * *

 

Aside from the injuries, there were a few notable plays in 1-on-1 passing drills:

 

--Manningham had a good catch on a go route past Ross from Bomar.

 

--Very good coverage by Webster on fly pattern by WR Derek Hagan, who couldn't get on top of Webster to make a play on the ball from Manning.

 

--Tim Brown beat CB Courtney Brown clean off the line to avoid the jam on one play. Definitely a good practice for Tim Brown.

 

--S Antrel Rolle had a pass defensed without even turning around. He had a ball from Bomar intended for Cruz go off his back.

 

--Great job by Ross to stay with Nicks on a stop-and-go that fell incomplete.

 

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2010/08/giants_kenny_phillips_schedule.html

[Bigblue25]

TheBlueScreen

 

You wanted good news? Tom Coughlin says S Kenny Phillips will practice on Monday.

Yeah I seen this on Espn New York, Reese said he expects Phillips to start against Carolina

 

Kenny Phillips expected back Monday

 

Archive ALBANY, N.Y. -- The New York Giants may need to build a hospital wing here at the University at Albany for all their injured players, but head coach Tom Coughlin could get one major player back on Monday.

 

 

 

 

 

Safety Kenny Phillips is expected to come off the physically unable-to-perform list and make his long-anticipated return to the field for practice next week.

 

 

 

 

 

"Monday, they're saying ... I think so," Coughlin said when asked when Phillips will return.

 

 

 

 

 

Coughlin also will have center Shaun O'Hara back on Monday. O'Hara has a chronic condition in his left ankle and the team has been trying to get the swelling down since Sunday night.

 

 

 

 

 

Phillips, though, has been rehabbing for almost a year to get back on the field. The team's star safety hasn't played football since intercepting Tony Romo twice in Dallas last Sept. 20. A few days later, Phillips underwent microfracture surgery on a degenerative condition in his left knee called patellofemoral arthritis.

 

 

 

 

 

The optimistic Phillips, 23, has been saying all along that he will return stronger and quell all doubts about his knee. His goal was to practice on the first day of training camp, but the team placed Phillips on the PUP list to be extra cautious and make sure he takes it slow.

 

 

 

 

 

"Honestly I feel real good about it," Phillips said on Sunday about his knee. "It's tested, not football tested, but as far as cutting and doing drills and running, I have been doing this for almost the whole offseason. So I am not worried about being in any pain when I do start. Just got to get used to playing football again."

 

 

 

 

 

And when he does, Phillips says he will be better than before. General manager Jerry Reese said Phillips played at less than 100 percent at the start of last season, when he had 16 tackles and two interceptions in two games before undergoing season-ending surgery.

 

 

 

 

 

"We think Kenny Phillips is going to be the starter when we play Carolina," Reese said of the Giants' Week 1 matchup. "We expect him to be the starter out there."

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/news/story?id=5443589

[Mr. P]

After the Giants experimented with Mathias Kiwanuka as a linebacker in 2007, they decided to move him back to where they felt he’d be more comfortable. They insisted he was a defensive end. He insisted he was a defensive end.

 

Then this morning, he was suddenly a linebacker again.

 

It’s not a permanent change, but it sounds like you can expect to see a little of Kiwanuka standing in the defensive backfield a few steps off the line of scrimmage throughout the 2010 season. He and defensive end Dave Tollefson have been sitting in on linebacker meetings and will take some snaps at that position during certain defensive sets.

 

“We’ll see how it goes,” Kiwanuka said. “Perry (Fewell) said he’s going to try to use everybody to their strengths, get a lot of different matchups, a lot of different looks. This should be just the beginning of it.”

 

It’s an interesting experiment and makes sense given the glut of defensive linemen on the Giants. Just among the ends, Fewell has to keep Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora happy, and given the early returns on first-round pick Jason Pierre-Paul it seems he’s going to have to get some playing time too.

 

So why not let the 6-5, 265-pound Kiwanuka move back, especially in obvious pass-rushing situations - - which is what it was this morning during the offense’s no-huddle drills. Especially if Kiwnauka is willing to try it again. And it certainly sounds like he is.

 

“Yeah, I like it,” he said. “Just put me on the field. I’ll make a play. That’s how I look at it.”

 

He also expects to be a better linebacker than he was in 2007 when he played 10 games at that position until his season ended with a broken leg. He struggled a little in pass coverage that season and wasn’t always as effective as the Giants had hoped. But the experience no doubt will help his adjustment now.

 

“It helps 100%, there’s no doubt about that,” he said. “No. 1 just (knowing) all the terminology that the linebackers and DBs use, it makes it easier to make transitions like that. No matter what the scheme is I at least have a basic understanding of what I’m supposed to do.”

 

How much he’ll be asked to do as a linebacker still remains to be seen. Fewell is tinkering madly with formations and schemes in camp and has used a wide variety of defensive combinations. Maybe this will turn out to be just a one-practice experiment.

 

Or maybe it’ll be much, much more.

 

“We’ll see how things go,” Kiwanuka said. “I think we’re going to take everything step by step. Right now camp is a chance to get everything in and work on everything we might need in the season. Depending on how I perform at the position, how the defense looks, maybe we’ll use it more, maybe we’ll use it less.

 

“If we have a better chance winning games with me back there, then I’ll be there.”

 

***

 

Smith is “day to day” (aren’t we all)

 

WR Steve Smith did not have an MRI on his strained groin, but he was examined by doctors and said he’s been told it’s just a slight strain. He said “It’s better today than it was yesterday” and he’s officially listed himself as “day to day”. No one has given a timetable yet on when Smith might return to practice.

 

***

 

No surgery for Seubert … at least not yet

 

Yesterday it sounded like Tom Coughlin was saying that surgery was a possibility for G Rich Seubert’s broken hand, but this morning he clarified and said “no surgery now.” Seubert is scheduled to be examined by team doctors today, but Coughlin said that as long as they can keep the bone in his hand stable they will likely just let him rest it and heal.

 

It still sounds like he’ll miss a couple of weeks, though. Guy Whimper figures to get most of his reps at left guard.

 

***

 

Phillips will be limited upon return

 

S Kenny Phillips is scheduled to return to practice on Monday, but he will be “limited” according to Tom Coughlin. “We’ll just ease him back into it,” he said.

 

***

 

Hello, goodbye

 

OL Ruben Riley, who suffered an MCL injury at the end of practice yesterday, has been waived/injured. OL Cliff Louis, who has been on and off the Giants’ roster the last two years, is on again.

 

***

 

Morning practice highlights

 

• WR Tim Brown, a 5-8 undrafted free agent out of Rutgers, had the punt return of camp. He made a huge move to start it (I couldn’t see who got faked out of their shoes) and then darted up the middle in lightning-quick fashion. There was no tackling allowed, but he wasn’t even touched.

 

• Brown also made a nice leaping catch on the sidelines a little earlier. Of course, he had to leap for a pass that would’ve hit Ramses Barden in the thigh.

 

• S Sha’reff Rashad made a terrific interception off a Rhett Bomar pass that was intended for TE Bear Pascoe. Rashad had his back to Bomar and had to make an over-the-shoulder catch.

 

&bull QB Jim Sorgi had his best practice, I think. He also threw his best pass - - a deep bomb down the sidelines to WR Victor Cruz who reached out to make the catch in stride. Later, Cruz Tweeted that he jammed his pinky in practice. It’s not clear if it happened on that play.

 

• DE Jason Pierre-Paul is getting a lot of practice time and he’s making the most of it. He had an excellent morning, continuing to beat most tackles when he runs around them. But he’s got surprising strength, too. He bull-rushed his way into the backfield several times.

 

• The full list of those who didn’t practice this morning. Please take a deep breath before reading: WR Steve Smith (groin), TE Travis Beckum (groin), C Shaun O’Hara (ankle), G Rich Seubert (hand), S Deon Grant (groin), TE Jake Ballard (hammy), DE Osi Umenyiora (hip), DT Jay Alford (knee), WR Hakeem Nicks (toe), LB Keith Bulluck (knee), TE Kevin Boss (ankle), G Kevin Boothe (pec), and S Kenny Phillips (knee).

 

***

 

Oh, the pain

 

In today’s News: Do all these injuries in training camp make you think last year is happening all over again? Well, you’re not alone. And there’s no avoiding the subject. I asked Tom Coughlin if there was anything he could do about the injury situation, or if he just tries not to think about it. His answer, as as I wrote in today’s Daily News, was “That’s the only thing I think about.”

 

***

 

Going green … or is it greed?

 

The Jets aren’t my problem or concern, but I’m a man of many hats and occasionally I wear a green one. So, since you’ve got some time to kill, you should entertain yourself by reading my take on the Darrelle Revis situation in the first of my weekly NFL columns for AthlonSports.com.

 

I’m not exactly pro-ownership when it comes to money disputes, but I’m never in favor of a player holding out. This, as you’ll read, is absolutely no exception.

 

***

 

And on the eighth day …

 

The Giants have an off day on their schedule tomorrow, which means I’m off too (at least partially). It also means that as soon as the 6:05-8:05 p.m. practice ends tonight, I’ll be in my car and speeding … I mean, driving at the speed limit … down the New York State Thruway, bound for home.

 

So there will be no practice report on the blog tonight. If there’s big news I suppose I’ll pull over to a rest stop and post it. But if you’re interested in the semi-play-by-play or other updates, you’ll have to follow @TheBlueScreen on Twitter tonight.

 

Also, keep your eye on the Daily News Giants page for my Sunday (or possibly Monday) feature on new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell and the second edition of Jim Sorgi’s Postcards from Albany (that link will take you to the first installment).

 

So it’s a big weekend around here for you, even though the Daily News Albany bureau - - or at least my little corner of it - - will be closed until Monday morning.

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/giants/2010/08/seems-like-old-times-kiwi-back.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nydnrss%2Fblogs%2Fgiants+%28Blogs%2FThe+Blue+Screen%29&utm_content=Twitter

[Mr. P]

Phillips Back

 

Kenny Phillips got back to practice today, and it looks like he's not going to be shy about throwing his body around. He's worked a few snaps with the first team, but I have a feeling that's just to get him acclimated right now. In the meantime, he made a diving breakup, and then stopped a run right after that. He lost his footing on another play, but popped right up.

 

We'll keep a cautious optimism about Phillips' progress.

 

Also, Corey Webster made an interception on an Eli Manning-to-Ramses Barden pass up the sideline, one play after Terrell Thomas broke up a Manning-to-Barden throw. Sounds like second-round DT Lival Joseph is also have a good practice. That depth potential up front is starting to look better and better. Really looking forward to seeing them in the preseason games, which start Monday in the stadium-opener against the host Jets.

 

http://erniepalladinosgiantsbeat.blogspot.com/2010/08/phillips-back.html