Giants hoping return of Cor'Dale Flott and potentially Jevon Holland can help get defense back on track
Giants safety Jevon Holland during training camp in East Rutherford, N.J., on Aug 6. Credit: Ed Murray
The Giants have allowed 105 points in their past nine quarters. In the five before that, they allowed zero. What changed?
It’s hard not to point to injuries in the secondary that required second- and third-stringers to fill in for starters, mostly without success. The Broncos, Eagles and 49ers were able to exploit that weakness in both the passing and running games.
On Sunday, some of those injured players are expected back. The Giants hope their previous level of defensive play will return, too.
Cornerback Cor’Dale Flott cleared the concussion protocol on Thursday and safety Jevon Holland (knee) was limited in practice all week. On the team’s final injury report Friday, Flott had no injury designation and Holland was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Bears in Chicago.
“I mean, we’ve got to get Jevon back out here,” defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said with urgency on Thursday. “We’ll see where he’s at as the week goes.”
Holland and cornerback Paulson Adebo (knee) both were injured in the loss to the Broncos. Those were two of the key free-agent acquisitions of the offseason.
Adebo still is not practicing and has been ruled out for Sunday, which means former first-round pick Deonte Banks likely will get another start opposite Flott at cornerback. But having Holland playing will allow Dane Belton to return to his previous hybrid role, which should help the run defense and also allow the defense to be more aggressive in its blitzes and stunts.
Last week’s starters at cornerback were Banks and a platoon of rookie Korie Black and recently-claimed-off-waivers Jarrick Bernard-Converse. Nickel back Dru Phillips, who usually plays about three-quarters of the snaps in any game, had only 19 (28.8%) against the 49ers because of the personnel they played.
“Look, everybody’s trying,” coach Brian Daboll said on Friday. “The guys that are out there are doing everything they can do. Hopefully we’ll get a couple of these guys back, but I have confidence in those guys.”
Notes & quotes: Kicker Graham Gano (neck) was ruled out and Daboll said Younghoe Koo will make his Giants debut on Sunday . . . Daboll is “hopeful” that right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor can play Sunday after missing last week with a pectoral injury. Eluemunor is listed as questionable . . . Starting center John Michael Schmitz (shin) was ruled out along with linebacker Darius Muasau (ankle), wide receiver Beaux Collins (neck) and defensive lineman Chauncey Golston (neck). Linebacker Victor Dimukeje (shoulder) is doubtful.
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
