Giants news, 9/28: Coaching questions, Barkley practices, primetime woes, more headlines

New York Giants news for Friday

Good morning, New York Giants fans!

Did the Giants forget how to coach?

BBV’s Ed Valentine looks at the mounting criticism of some of the Giants’ coaches. How much is deserved? How much is about players not performing the way they are expected to?

Ed defends Wink Martindale, Mike Kafka, Bobby Johnson and the Giants’ coaching staff from mounting criticism three games into the 2023 season.

More from Big Blue View

• Saquon Barkley, Andrew Thomas practice for Giants
• Julian Love’s impact, more Seattle Seahawks questions
• Giants-Seahawks: What to expect when Seattle has the ball
• Giants-Seahawks: What to expect when the Giants have the ball
• Giants vs. Seahawks, 2023 Week 4: Everything you need to know

Other Giant observations

How do the New York Giants fix their defense? | ESPN.com

ESPN’s Jordan Raanan offers three ways Wink Martindale’s defense can turn things around on Monday night against the Seattle Seahawks.

One key is Kayvon Thibodeaux, the 2022 No. 5 overall pick, who thus far has one sack, three pressures and is pressuring the quarterback on just 4.1% of his pass-rush attempts, per NextGen Stats. Moreover, Thibodeaux has 74 pass-rush snaps this season. He has three pressures. Cleveland’s Myles Garrett has 75 pass-rush snaps and 16 pressures. Houston Texans rookie Will Anderson even has 73 pass-rush snaps and 16 pressures.

Giants’ Deonte Banks can’t wait to show off ‘superpower’ against Seahawks’ D.K. Metcalf | NJ.com

Shortly after the Giants drafted cornerback Deonte Banks, he boasted — albeit in his usual, even tone — about what he’d bring to Wink Martindale’s defense. “I just try to be aggressive and use my superpower, which is my physicality,” Banks said.

The offensive line continues to be a major problem

Shaun O’Hara ‘impressed’ with Giants’ John Michael Schmitz | New York Post

“I don’t know of any rookie that would have played well against Dallas in his first start and on the road in San Francisco, that’s a tough draw as well,” O’Hara told The Post on Wednesday. “I think he’s played two of the best defenses in the league right now. I thought he did a pretty good job with a lot of it. There are some plays he sure would like to have back. I don’t see anything that’s alarming like ‘Oh my gosh, this guy’s not going to cut it.’ There’s nothing pointing to that.”

The Giants offense is a disaster (again). Here are four ways they can fix it | FOX Sports

The Giants thought they rebuilt their offense, but so far it’s been worse than it has been in years. Here’s how they can get on track.

Does Daniel Jones’ performance explain NY Giants’ prime time failures? | The Record

That brings us to the prime time knock against Jones. He has won just one start in 14 tries – last season in Landover, Md. against the Commanders – since taking over as the Giants’ quarterback for Eli Manning in Week 3 of 2019.

There needs to be some context to that history lesson, though. The Giants were favorites just once in those games in which Jones is on record as the losing quarterback. They were underdogs by double digits five times.

Four views of Saquon Barkley working yesterday from Pat Leonard of the Daily News

Evan & Tiki: Saquon Barkley needs to play for Giants Monday | WFAN.com

Tiki says Monday feels like a must win game, as the Giants can’t afford to fall to 1-3 in a highly competitive NFC East, and because of that, he believes Barkley will be on the field.

“To me, it feels like yes. This feels like a game where Saquon miraculously comes back from a high ankle sprain or a regular ankle sprain,” Tiki said. “If he’s walking around, it’s not a bad high ankle sprain. If you are good enough to be walking around and partially going through practice, as Saquon is, I think he’s planning on playing this week, and more importantly, the Giants need him to.”

Giants’ Darren Waller thinks he is better because of his superstar wife | NJ.com

Waller said meeting and marrying a star athlete has also made him better, especially as he attempts to rebound from two injury-plagued seasons that led to him being traded by the Raiders.

“She has helped me have a seriously detailed routine and not just doing things haphazardly,” Waller said. “You have a plan for everything you do that fuels your game and fuels your body and helps your precision. I didn’t necessarily have that precision in the details that she had. Seeing her up close, she did things to inspire me to take things to the next level.”

This week’s opponent

Preview: NY Giants facing Seattle Seahawks in a ‘must-win’ Week 4 game | Field Gulls

The Seattle defense has struggled to stop opponents from scoring, while the New York offense has struggled to score. Something’s gotta give.

As always, Field Gulls teamed up with Big Blue View to preview the game, with Ed Valentine courteous enough to answer the five questions this week.

Huard: How Seahawks’ Devon Witherspoon has already stood out | Seattle Sports

The rookie Illinois product led the Seahawks with 11 tackles, and Pro Football Focus had Witherspoon targeted 13 times by Carolina quarterback Andy Dalton. Of those 13 targets, only five were caught, and Panthers receivers tallied just 31 yards on those receptions. Witherspoon was also credited for two pass breakups.

Around the league

Patriots’ Ezekiel Elliott anticipates ‘emotions’ in return to face Cowboys | CBSSports.com

Cowboys Tony Pollard seeing more usage than Ezekiel Elliott in 2023 | Blogging The Boys

Cowboys sign former Giant in effort to beef up depth on the offensive line | CBSSports.com

How Commanders WRs hope to find space against evolving defenses trying to take it away | The Athletic

Eric Bieniemy: My job is to clean up the shit and we continue moving forward | Pro Football Talk

Justin Jefferson ‘tired’ of trade talk for 0-3 Vikings | ESPN.com

Packers to put David Bakhtiari on IR | Pro Football Talk

Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle clears concussion protocol ahead of game vs. Bills | NFL.com

Jets’ Robert Saleh: ‘We all acknowledge’ Zach Wilson has to play better | The Athletic

Jadeveon Clowney not interested in rehashing past as Ravens prepare to face Browns | NFL.com

Saints’ Derek Carr on injury — If I’m out there, then ‘I’m good’ | ESPN.com

Bryce Young not concerned about limitations from ankle injury this weekend | Pro Football Talk

Bears OC lauds QB Justin Fields for taking leadership role | ESPN.com

J.C. Jackson ‘confused’ by Chargers’ decision to sit him in Week 3 | NFL.com

Lamar Jackson: It’s September, we’re just trying to figure each other out right now | Pro Football Talk

Burrow, Rodgers form bond over shared calf injury histories | ESPN.com

The Green Bay Packers Love Jordan Love. The Fans Are Starting to, Too. | The Ringer

Chandler Jones makes unsupported claims about Raiders coach and owner on social media | The Athletic

Pro football leagues XFL and USFL announce intent to merge | NFL.com

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