Giants' two-minute drill needs a lot of work
Giants quarterback Eli Manning talks to teammates during training camp at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford on Wednesday. Credit: Brad Penner
Eli Manning’s two-minute drill turned into a two-play drill.
On the second snap of the hurry-up series Wednesday, Manning dropped back and tried to hit Evan Engram with a pass down the middle of the field. The pass was batted into the air by linebacker B.J. Goodson and caught by safety Landon Collins, who sprinted down the sideline and returned it for a touchdown. Collins, being trailed by running back Saquon Barkley, dove and somersaulted into the end zone.
The Giants ran three of the two-minute drills. The second unit, under Davis Webb, was able to push the ball down the field a bit, but its quest for points ended when Webb’s pass for Amba Etta-Tawo fell incomplete in the end zone. Only the third-string offense was able to score, as Kyle Lauletta put it in field-goal position as time was expiring thanks to a pass-interference penalty with 22 seconds remaining. In a real game, though, Lauletta likely would have been sacked on just about every one of the eight passes he threw on the drive, so the defense was 2-for-3 with an asterisk.
The four E’s
The most tangible difference in training camp under Pat Shurmur has been the amount of time spent in full pads. The players wore them three straight days before Tuesday’s day off, were in them Wednesday, and Shurmur said he wants them suited up on “at least” two of the next three days before the next day off.
“I haven’t asked them to come out and be more physical, I’ve asked them to come out with more energy,” Shurmur said. “I gave them four words: Energy, enthusiasm, expertise and execution. That’s what I ask of them.”
Giant steps
The offensive line had its best day of camp when it came to protecting the first two quarterbacks, which included a stellar read by left tackle Nate Solder to pop out and catch a blitz by Alec Ogletree to allow Manning to connect with Engram on a hit route … The defense did get in a few good pops, including hits by Goodson on tight end Rhett Ellison and Mark Herzlich on Kalif Raymond … Cornerback Donte Deayon and safety Curtis Riley sat out practice with hamstring injuries. LB Avery Moss, who left practice early Monday, participated on Wednesday … John Jerry took reps at right tackle with the third team. He’d been playing right guard with the second unit for most of camp . . . The Giants were awarded T Victor Salako off waivers and waived T Jarron Jones.
