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The NFC East-leading New York Giants (4-7) fly west to face off against the NFC West leaders, the Seattle Seahawks (8-3), in a matchup between a top 10 defense and a top five offense.
On Thursday, the Giants’ three coordinators spoke to the media via video conference in preparation for the trip to Seattle. Offensive coordinator Jason Garett faces the prospect of playing this crucial game without his starting quarterback, Daniel Jones, who injured his hamstring in last week’s win in Cincinnati. That would thrust veteran Colt McCoy into the starting lineup.
Garrett was asked what changes if any had to be made to tailor the game to McCoy’s skillset.
“I think the biggest thing you try to do for a backup quarterback is just try to create a comfortable environment for him,” Garrett said. “That’s what you’re trying to do every week for your starting quarterback. Typically, your starting quarterback gets a ton of reps with the ones all throughout training camp, all throughout the week. The backup quarterback has fewer opportunities to do that. You just have to be mindful of that and understand that he is going into a game that’s being played at full speed by guys who have been playing at that speed all throughout the year. He has to kind of catch up to that speed, if you will.
“I thought Colt did a really good job last week in the game getting comfortable and allowing us to function as an offense. I thought he handled himself really well. Depending on how this thing plays out this week, we’ll try to get him some work and some reps. If he does have to play in the ball game this week, hopefully he’ll be comfortable. You look for things in his past he’s comfortable with. With you or with somebody else. Just so when that ball is snapped, it’s all internalized in him. He’s just going out there and playing football.”
Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has the unenviable task of trying to defend one of the NFL’s top passing attacks in quarterback Russell Wilson and wideouts DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett who have combined for 17 touchdowns this season.
Graham was asked to draw comparisons to Metcalf, the NFL leader in receiving yards (1,039) through eleven games.
“Who comes to mind? Again, I’m just going to mention big wide receivers and then I’ll go watch the team play and say oh he’s not actually that guy,” commented Graham. “In terms of being able to catch the ball deep. There’s so many big receives that I’ve gone against. Julio (Jones) Calvin Johnson since I have been in the league. Dez Bryant when he was doing it. I can’t tell you specifically who he reminds me of exactly. He’s such a unique talent in my opinion.
“The size, the ability to block in the run game. That’s one that stands out for me. He’s actually a point of attack blocker. Like you would say the left side of the line is the point of attack or right side of the line is a point of attack. He’s a point of attack blocker in the run game. That stands out to me. I think what we have to do, we have to make it tough for him. We have to make it tough on him. Whether it’s playing off coverage, press coverage. When he goes to block, get our hands on him. He’s a unique talent. He’s going to find a way to get open.
“That’s the nature of it. These guys are really good. They get coached too and Russ does a good job of finding them. (Brian) Schottenheimer, they do a good job of scheming it up for him. Is it as simple as the pass rush? I wish, I do hope the pass rush gets there. We’re going to have to play ball to figure out what’s best for that when we get to Sunday.”
On special teams, coordinator Thomas McGaughey talked through the several breakdowns his unit had against Cincinnati, the most glaring being the 103-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by the Bengals’ Brandon Wilson.
Graham Gano kicked the football straight down the middle but not far enough for a touchback, prompting a return by Wilson.
“That’s what happened. You can’t kick the ball down the middle of the field to one of the best kickoff returners in the league,” said McGaughey. “That’s not what we do anyway. We don’t kick the ball down the middle of the field. We’re a directional kicking team. Again, it starts with guys doing their jobs.
“Probably put Graham in a bad spot asking him to do something he hadn’t done in three or four days. Being out with the COVID, you just never know how guys will come back and react to it. Looking back at it, probably should have done some things differently, as far as the call schematically on my end. But you live and you learn. Everyone is learning during this COVID environment we’re in. When guys come back off of it, it’s a little different.”
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