Giants news, 11/17: Daboll-Campbell connection, Vanilla Vick, more headlines

New York Giants headlines for Thursday

Good morning, New York Giants fans!

Giants vs. Lions, Week 11: 5 things to watch this week

Head coach Brian Daboll said “I don’t know” when asked this week if the Giants could win if they were forced out of their offensive comfort zone, forced to open things up, rely on the passing game, and take more risks. Detroit is a team capable of making the Giants find out.

The Lions are 3-6, but they are ninth in the league in scoring at 24.3 points per game. The Giants are 22nd at 20.8. The Lions are sixth in the league in yards per game (371.2). The Giants are 23rd (325.8). Detroit has scored more than 30 points four times this season, with a high of 45 in a 48-45 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

The Lions, eighth in the league in time between offensive plays (27.6 seconds) want to go fast. The Giants, 24th at 30.0 seconds between snaps, want to go fairly slow.

More from Big Blue View

• Giants-Lions Wednesday injury report: OT Evan Neal back to practice; Kenny Golladay, Wan’Dale Robinson limited
• Kadarius Toney making big impression on Kansas City Chiefs

Other Giant observations

New position key to Giants DT Dexter Lawrence’s sudden rise | ESPN

Perhaps the most notable difference for Lawrence this season has been where he’s lined up. He’s been used as more of a natural nose tackle, lined up directly over the center rather than shaded off to the side matched against guards.

Lawrence has lined up as a nose tackle on 150 snaps (32.8%) this season, according to ESPN Stats & Information. He had just 115 defensive snaps at nose tackle in his first three years combined and played the position in only 3.8% of his snaps last season.

Lawrence’s play forced a key interception last week

Giants’ Brian Daboll is blowing up the Belichick Jinx on coaching disciples | NJ.com

Entering this season, the total regular season record of Belichick’s 10 disciples (excluding Daboll, of course) was 228-327-1 (.411 winning percentage). If you take out Bill O’Brien, it was even worse — 176-279-1 (.387).

Presser Points: that time Brian Daboll interviewed Dan Campbell | Giants.com

Daboll, while serving as the offensive coordinator in Miami in 2011, hired Campbell as a coach on his offensive staff. Suffice it to say, he left an impression that is memorable to this day.

“He’s slamming chairs on the ground and hitting walls and going through all these drills…It was an entertaining interview. [He] knew a lot. Obviously, he was very passionate, tough as nails you could tell. He was out of breath in half that interview with the stuff he was doing,” said Daboll. “And he was there the next day at 5:30 power cleaning and squatting…He’s great. I loved working with him.”

2023 NFL free agency: Early top 25 ranking, re-signing predictions | ESPN.com

Former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum says that the Giants “should absolutely” re-sign Barkley and believes that despite not exercising their fifth-year option on Jones, they will keep the quarterback.

Vanilla Vick!!!!!

1 Insane Statistic For Giants QB Daniel Jones Through Week 10 | NFLAnalysis.com

Through nine games, Jones has fumbled the ball only three times and has thrown only two interceptions. That puts him in an elite class this season, as he joins Tom Brady as the only qualified quarterbacks with an interception percentage below one percent in the NFL.

NY Giants: Our thoughts on NFL playoffs, NFC East and OBJ | The Record

What the Giants’ pro personnel department have done since Labor Day is remarkable. Among the players that are key contributors include tight end Lawrence Cager, linebacker Jaylon Smith, cornerback Fabian Moreau, right tackle Tyre Phillips, defensive tackle Henry Mondeaux, DBs Jason Pinnock and Nick McCloud. And if Sunday’s game is any indication, former Bills receiver Isaiah Hodgins could be primed for a lot more chances after stepping up in his first game since being claimed on waivers.

Which 5 unheralded veterans headed for free agency should Giants consider bringing back? | The Athletic

It’s a long list of unsung heroes who have helped boost the Giants into playoff contention for the first time since 2016 but here are five you might have played themselves into a longer stay in New York: WR Darius Slayton, CB Fabian Moreau, OLBs Jihad Ward and Oshane Ximines as well as S Julian Love.

Baldy: Giants may have the league’s best DT tandem with Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams

Can Kenny Golladay prove he wasn’t a Giants mistake? | New York Post

Kenny Golladay left the Lions to play for the Giants. Could playing against his old team spark something he’s been missing?

2022 NFL Strength of Schedule (SOS) | EDSFootball.com

The Giants have the hardest remaining strength of schedule over the final eight games. After the Detroit game, the final seven games will feature five divisional matchups — home and home against the Philadelphia Eagles (8-1) and surging Washington Commanders (5-5), and a trip to Dallas (6-3) on Thanksgiving. The two out of division games are at Minnesota(8-1) and home against the carefree Indianapolis Colts (4-5-1).

This week’s opponent

7 thoughts about the Detroit Lions in Week 11 | Pride Of Detroit

The Lions run game has been pretty inefficient over the last five games, down a full 2 yards per carry. Part of that is due to the lack of big plays: the Lions had four rushes of over 50+ yards in that four-game stretch and zero since. But teams are also playing them differently.

With a depleted receiving corps, opponents simply are not respecting Jared Goff and the Lions passing attack. Last week, Jamaal Williams faced an eight-man box on 50 percent of his rushes—the third-highest of any back in Week 10.

Romeo Okwara returned to practice with Lions Wednesday | ProFootballTalk

Defensive end Romeo Okwara has been out for a long time with a torn Achilles, but he took a big step toward returning to the lineup on Wednesday. Okwara practiced with the team for the first time this season. The return opens a 21-day window for Okwara to practice with the team and he can be activated at any point in that period. If he isn’t activated before that time is up, he won’t be able to return this season.

As game slows down for Detroit Lions rookie DL Aidan Hutchinson, his potential is off the charts | DetroitLions.com

“He’s a pretty instinctive player and he picks up things pretty fast,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said of Hutchinson on Monday. “I can still remember the first two days of spring practice out here. We had him run with the ones and we threw three screens at him within the first plays, and he was just sprinting at the quarterback, and it was gimmies. Just to see where he’s come from there, he’s figuring it out.”

Around the league

Eagles sign ex-Giants defensive lineman | NJ.com

The Eagles, looking to find ways to strengthen the middle of the defensive line after rookie defensive tackle Jordan Davis was placed on injured reserve, signed veteran defensive tackle Linval Joseph to a one-year deal. Joseph turned 34 in October and has played 13 seasons in the NFL, lining up for the Giants, Minnesota Vikings, and Los Angeles Chargers. Last season for the Chargers, Joseph played in 14 games and had a sack, 57 tackles, three tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits.

Cowboys sign wide receiver who was a 2018 fourth-round pick, maintain interest in Odell Beckham Jr. | CBSSports.com

The Dallas Cowboys signed a wide receiver on Tuesday. However, it wasn’t the 30-year-old, three-time Pro Bowler Odell Beckham Jr. Instead, the team brought in Antonio Callaway, a fourth round pick of the Cleveland Browns in the 2018 NFL Draft, as an addition to their practice squad.

Deshaun Watson returns to Browns practice for first time since 11-game suspension | NFL.com

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson returned to practice on Wednesday for the first time since his 11-game suspension for violating the league’s personal-conduct policy took effect on Aug. 30. Watson is expected to start the Browns’ Week 13 game against the Texans when he is eligible to return.

NFL Snow Game! Browns vs. Bills Forecast Expecting a Blizzard | ProFootballNetwork.com

A blizzard is in the forecast ahead of the Cleveland Browns vs. Buffalo Bills Week 11 game, setting up the first NFL snow game of the 2022 season.

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