Saquon Barkley solely had an opportunity to be Sunday’s hero as a result of the Giants’ protection put the crew on its again for the whole first half.
Safety Julian Love mentioned that was an essential improvement: seeing the offense and protection help one another, somewhat than pointing fingers or hanging heads.
“That’s how it has to be for us, honestly,” Love mentioned. “The previous few years it’s been a scenario the place anyone will get down, and we don’t again one another up, and there’s been sides. Not in a giant manner. Subtly. But nah, we’re on this collectively. We’re gonna journey as a crew.
“So yeah,” Love added. “They had some turnovers. But our defense is building that mindset of we’re excited to be out there. Give us your best shot.”
Edge rusher Jihad Ward and defensive lineman Leonard Williams spearheaded a tricky and efficient run protection towards the nice Derrick Henry.
Ward pushed again on how individually efficient he was towards the Titans’ again, though 5 of his six tackles got here towards Tennessee’s prime weapon.
“I was? I didn’t even know that,” Ward mentioned. “You’re saying it’s just me. I thought it was the whole team … He’s a hell of a player. We were trying to make sure he made no big plays.”
On offense, Jones was pressured a ridiculous 18 instances on 26 dropbacks, per NFL NextGen Stats. The go safety made it practically unimaginable to maneuver the ball.
The Giants trailed 13-0 at halftime. And Jones dedicated two turnovers within the recreation: a second quarter sack fumble and a fourth quarter interception ultimately zone. But none of it bought Don Martindale’s gamers down.
“We wanted to play for each other,” Lawrence mentioned. “No matter if the offense didn’t score, get three out, defense had to be resilient. Our mindset is loving going on the field. Loving making another play. Loving possibly trying to create another turnover.”
The offense then needed to watch and chunk their nails on the Titans’ remaining drive, when Ryan Tannehill drove Tennessee simply into discipline aim vary towards the Giants’ porous go protection.
But Sterling Shepard mentioned the offense needed to have the protection’s backs at that juncture, as a result of the protection had gotten them to that time.
“That’s what your teammates are for,” Shepard mentioned. “You got to pick each other up. They could have been mad at us for the first half and the way that we played. That’s just the way the game goes. It is going to have ups and downs. You just have to keep fighting for it. That is what this sport is all about.”
DABOLL TOUGH ON JONES
The FOX broadcast filmed head coach Brian Daboll giving Jones a great speaking to on the Giants’ bench after the quarterback’s brutal interception ultimately zone.
Daboll initially claimed he was talking on his headset to different coaches, to not Jones. But the footage confirmed Daboll take his headset off and discuss to his quarterback.
“I said, ‘What’d you see?’” Daboll mentioned. “He thought he could potentially back shoulder it. And I said that’s not what I saw, but you got the ball in your hand. So you’re gonna get the ball back at some point. Our defense is gonna give it to you. Let’s drive down and get it again.”
Jones mentioned of the trade: “I was just talking through the decision there. Obviously one I’d like to have back and a costly mistake down there. So I think he was just communicating that, and you’ve got to take advantage of those opportunities when we have points. We’ll definitely look to clean that up.”
CREDIT KAFKA ON CALL
Jones’ shovel go to Barkley for the two-point conversion seemed like a play straight out of Andy Reid’s Eagles and Chiefs playbooks. Sure sufficient, Daboll gave credit score to offensive coordinator Mike Kafka — a Reid disciple from Philly and Kansas City – for the play name and design.
“Mike and the offensive staff, they knew the play they were going to call,” Daboll mentioned. “I asked them when there was a timeout in there as we’re going for two, ‘What do you like?’ And we had the play that we were going to call.”
Daboll, humorous sufficient, mentioned the play was “something we practiced since training camp that hasn’t always worked. But the guys knew what to do.”
Rookie left guard Josh Ezeudu made a pleasant block on the play. And Barkley faked out Titans linebacker Dylan Cole, who crashed the play unblocked however did not include the Giants’ operating again inside.
“It was a good play designed by Mike and good execution upfront,” Daboll added.
ROTATION UP FRONT
Veteran Ben Bredeson began the sport at left guard, however Daboll rotated Bredeson (32 snaps) and Ezeudu (28 snaps) nearly evenly in a timeshare.
Ezeudu struggled early. He was crushed by the Titans’ Jeffrey Simmons for the sack fumble of Jones. But the Giants appeared to run the ball higher with the rookie within the recreation. And Ezeudu made a robust block on Titans DE Kevin Strong on Barkley’s four-yard TD run within the third quarter.
“[Offensive line coach] Bobby [Johnson] did a great job,” Daboll mentioned. “We knew we were going a couple of series and flipping them in and out. And Bobby did a great job with that. Communicating with those guys.”
SHEPARD FIRED UP
Sterling Shepard knew he was going to interrupt the sort out and get ultimately zone as soon as he bought behind Titans nook Kristian Fulton on his 65-yard landing.
“It’s over with,” Shepard mentioned. “I wasn’t going to be denied on that one. It has been a long time coming, a long road for me. I just thank God, man. It was some dark times going through recovery.”
Shepard additionally mentioned he’d identified since Saturday night time that if the Giants wanted an additional level to tie Sunday’s recreation, Daboll would go for 2 and the win.
TBD ON WAN’DALE
Robinson, the Giants’ second-round select of Kentucky, had his proper knee bent awkwardly on his first NFL catch. He made a five-yard reception on third all the way down to convert for a primary however bought twisted down on successful by Titans security Amani Hooker.
Daboll mentioned Robinson had advised him “I just landed funny.” The coach didn’t venture confidence in Monday’s Zoom interview. “Day to day,” he mentioned twice. Daboll wouldn’t say something optimistic when requested if the Giants had averted one thing long-term … Corner/gunner Nick McCloud (hamstring) already left the sport within the second half.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com