Giants having to adapt with plethora of injuries at wide receiver
Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton can't come up with a catch while defended by Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon during the third quarter of an NFL game Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J. Credit: AP/Seth Wenig
The Giants barely utilized any wide receivers in the game plan on Sunday because, coach Brian Daboll said, they decided that was the best way to attack the Bears.
“It was what we thought we needed to do,” Daboll said of throwing only 16 passes and getting the ball in the hands of receivers only three times.
They may not have a choice but to do the same against the Packers in Week 5.
Kenny Golladay seems unlikely to play after hurting his knee while blocking on Sunday, which would make him the latest in his position group to miss time because of injury.
With Sterling Shepard on injured reserve with a torn ACL and Kadarius Toney (hamstring) and Wan’Dale Robinson (knee) still coming back from their injuries, the Giants could be without the four players they once projected to be their most productive performers in the passing game.
“It’s not promising,” Daboll said of Golladay’s availability for Sunday.
Their absences would leave the receiver ranks with only Richie James, David Sills and Darius Slayton on the active roster and Marcus Johnson, Kalil Pimpleton and Makai Polk on the practice squad.
Having Toney or Robinson back certainly would help the situation.
“They’re making progress,” Daboll said. “I think we’ll see where we are more towards the end of the week.”
London calling
The Giants will play in London for the third time in franchise history this weekend, but it will be the first such venture for Daboll. Despite all the fanfare, some extra meetings and adjustments in the intensity of practices, he said he’s trying to keep things as routine as possible.
“It’s not much longer travel time than it is to go to the West Coast, so we’ll just try to do our job during the week to get ready,” Daboll said. “It’ll be a fairly normal week other than we travel on Thursday.
“This will be my first time going across seas to participate in a football game,” he said Monday. “I’m looking forward to it.”
The Giants began preparing for the trip on Monday with a meeting that included addresses from vice president of security Jerry Meade, director of coaching operations Laura Young, director of wellness and clinical services Dr. Lani Lawrence and director of rehabilitation Leigh Weiss.
Extra points
Rookie right tackle Evan Neal did not finish Sunday’s game because of a neck injury, but Daboll said he should be OK to practice and play this week. Same for LB Jihad Ward, G Mark Glowinski and LB Kayvon Thibodeaux, all of whom missed at least some snaps because of injuries Sunday but returned. There was more concern regarding LB Azeez Ojulari, who came out on the next-to-last play of the game after aggravating the calf injury that had kept him out the first two weeks. “We’ll see where he is on Wednesday,” Daboll said . . . CB Aaron Robinson (knee) and practice squad DL Henry Mondeaux (ankle) will “probably not” play this week, Daboll said . . . Former Giants safety Landon Collins worked out for the team as a free agent Monday evening. He switched to a hybrid linebacker/safety position last season with Washington and might be signed to fill a similar position with the Giants.
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.
