QUARTERBACK
-Tommy DeVito: 21/31 – 189 yards / 0 TD – 0 INT / 83.9 RAT
We made it to Week 12 before the undrafted local boy was back under center starting (by choice) for the Giants. Just days after Daniel Jones was granted his release, DeVito got the nod as the number one guy over veteran Drew Lock. How come? More on that below, I have a few ideas. As for his performance, DeVito took a couple of massive hits, and I admire the toughness and grit. But as we learned from six years of watching Jones, that only gets you so far. DeVito’s ball placement was all over the place. Calling him erratic would be an understatement. Even the short throws under ten yards were off target enough to diminish any real shot of his receivers making something happen after the catch. I do worry he is going to get Malik Nabers crushed over the middle at some point. When these guys have to stop and change direction to chase an errant throw, it opens up that split-second window for a defender to close a gap and hit a vulnerable, prone opponent. That is their dream come true. You can get away with it most of the time, but the negative will eventually show up in an ugly way. DeVito added 32 yards on the ground, including the longest rush of the day for NYG. I felt he got the ball out quickly and made good decisions when to tuck and run. But simply put, his passing was poor.It severely limited the potential for points.
RUNNING BACK
-Tyrone Tracy: 9 att – 42 yards / 4 rec – 28 yards
After a solid start to the game (31 yards on 5 carries in the first half), Tracy took another step backward at the start of the third quarter. On their opening drive of the second half, Tracy lost a fumble on a first down run from the Tampa Bay 5-yard line. It is his third fumble in two games. If you can remember back to their loss in Germany against the Panthers, Tracy had an ill-timed fumble that heavily contributed to the loss. I was looking forward to the response, as both coaches and teammates rightfully got behind him. That was a tough one to swallow because we all know that putting the ball on the ground consistently is the quickest path to losing a running back job.
-One of Devin Singletary’s two runs resulted in a one-yard touchdown, the lone score of the day for NYG and his third touchdown of the season. Eric Gray lost a yard on his one carry but caught two passes for seven yards. Singletary did the same as a receiver. The backfield has heavily leaned on Tracy in recent weeks, but there is a strong case to get more looks for the entire set of backs.
WIDE RECEIVER
-After not getting thrown to during the first half, Malik Nabers led the team with 6 catches and 64 yards. He fumbled once but fortunately it rolled out of bounds. Nabers also let one out of his hands after initially securing it. A Tampa defender made a nice play on the ball but one thing I want to see more of from him is properly securing the ball immediately post catch. He has been a bit lackadaisical there just like his early seasons at LSU. The frustration is oozing out of him more and more each week in interviews. I’ll touch on that below.
-Wan’Dale Robinson had a solid game, catching all 5 targets for 47 yards. If DeVito helped him out with better ball placement, he could have easily produced more. He constantly had to adjust, making him lose momentum and positioning, prior to moving upfield. Darius Slayton was shut out on just two targets late in the game.
TIGHT END
-Theo Johnson added 3 catches for 39 yards but also had a drop. His 17.2% drop percentage is fifth worst (out of 171) skill position players in the NFL and highest among all tight ends. The good with the bad will continue with this high-ceiling project who was thrown into a starter role right away as a fourth-round pick. His 23-yard gain was the longest of the day, one where he gained most of those yards after the catch. The improvements in his run blocking that started to turn a corner four weeks ago continue, an encouraging sign.
-Chris Manhertz and Daniel Bellinger were used only for blocking duties. Manhertz allowed a pressure.
OFFENSIVE LINE
-Evan Neal is the focal point of these “meaningless” games down the stretch. NYG needs to know what they have in him. He was badly beat on the opening drive, allowing a sack to Calijah Kancey where he tripped over his own feet. While the rest of the game was not perfect, he ended with an average grade. Overall, he allowed a sack, TFL, and two pressures. The techniques in traditional pass sets are what I look for the most right now. He had several wins there and his run blocking appears to be good enough. I still would not mind a game or two at guard to see what he can do there. As of now, that right guard spot will be the glaring hole on this line in the upcoming offseason.
-Center John Michael Schmitz was absolutely abused by Vita Vea. It was to the point where I nearly felt bad for the second-year pro. Vea, a very good player with elite power production, put Schmitz flat on his back multiple times. When we talk about displacing guys in the trenches in play evaluation, this was THE example. Schmitz hustles his way downfield, which I do value and appreciate, but once again that only gets you so far. His talent is simply limited and in big moments against big players, I’m not sure he can be trusted. To me, center is still not a strength for this team for what seems to be 12+ years now.
-Jermaine Eluemunor had to exit the game with a quad injury that he suffered on the opening drive. Chris Hubbard came in and had a hard time. TB head coach Todd Bowles really challenged him. He allowed 5 pressures and a sack. When a left tackle is that knowingly unreliable, everything in the passing game changes.
-Guard Jon Runyan and Greg Van Roten both allowed two pressures and failed to move the point-of-attack in the run game. That is a severe shortcoming of the line as a whole. They just don’t get the vertical push consistently.
EDGE
-Kayvon Thibodeaux made his return after missing five games. He had a pressure and added a TFL. Good to see him make a couple plays behind the line of scrimmage but I was hoping to see a bit more. He lost the edge on a touchdown run while facing off against a tight end. The holes in his game are not big, but they are not improving. I don’t see enough creativity or feel from him. These next few games will mean a lot for where I stand on him in relation to the future. If we don’t see improvement, I think pursuing a top shelf edge rusher in the draft is very much in play (if a QB does not meet the grade).
-In a game where effort has been questioned by some, Brian Burns played his butt off against the run despite not being at 100%. He had three tackles, two for a loss, and a pressure. The pass rush shortcoming against a backup left tackle was disappointing, though.
-Patrick Johnson and Azeez Ojulari were on backup duty. Neither made an impact against the pass. Johnson added two tackles.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
-Dexter Lawrence had a sneaky-strong game. He had his way with the Tampa Bay interior despite seeing countless double teams. He ended with 4 tackles and a forced fumble. He added a pressure as well. Losing games over and over for a player like this has got to be a killer. I respect how hard he still plays and the level of impact he has. While the Defensive Player of the Year talks have diminished, he remains a building block to the future. Rare, All-Pro caliber talents with his youth need to stay…or do they? I’ll open up on that can of worms below.
-Rakeem Nunez-Roches had some extra fire in his belly. If you can remember, he signed with NYG after Tampa Bay let him walk two years ago. He had four tackles but failed to pressure the quarterback on 24 attempts. DJ Davidson also turned in a positive grade for the game, finishing with two tackles, a fumble recovery, and a pressure.
-Armon Watts is staying in the rotation but other than one first half pressure, he was quiet as was Elijah Chatman.
LINEBACKER
-Starters Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden were active in this one. Tampa Bay really made them work. Okereke was tricked by some of the misdirection Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen put into place. He was the guilty culprit on an inside rushing touchdown after making a poor read. He also missed a tackle. While it was not a negative game for the leader of the defense (he had 8 tackles and forced a fumble), his inability to quickly change direction with a low pad level has been exposed a few times this year.
-Micah McFadden added 11 tackles and one miss to his season total. He was physical and effective between the tackles. Darius Muasau, a rookie, got some extra playing time, seeing 18 snaps which were the highest since week one against Minnesota. He allowed two explosive plays – once in coverage and once was a result of a missed tackle.
-Isaiah Simmons added a tackle and a forced fumble in limited action. We are 12 weeks in, and I still don’t see any real flow or reasoning behind his usage. I had higher hopes for Shane Bowen.
CORNERBACK
-Deonte Banks is one of the guys I am keeping a close eye on. This could end up being the number one need on this roster outside of QB. And while the grading process for the draft is far from over, I can tell you there will be a corner worth taking in the top three. Banks played with good effort and there were several impressive coverage snaps I noted. That said, he allowed a ton of catches (8 of 9) and was flagged. There are 117 corners who have played 108+ snaps in coverage. Banks ranks second worst in passer rating allowed.
-Andru Phillips is a young buck who has not been tamed yet. He is all over the field and will attack both blockers and ball carriers as if he were a 220-pound safety. He did finish with 8 tackles, but he missed two. The difference between him and some others is the grit and hustle. One of his missed tackles was on a long Bucky Irving gain. Irving crossed the field and progressed 20+ yards vertically. After initially missing, it was Phillips who eventually took him down. The fine details of the position still seem a bit rough, but he is a guy who will create plays.
-Cor’Dale Flott and Adoree’ Jackson rotated in throughout the game. Flott made two tackles and missed one, and Jackson was flagged for a deep pass interference that eventually led to a TB touchdown.
SAFETY
-Rookie Tyler Nubin yet again led the team in snaps played and for the first time this season, he broke up a pass. It was a nicely played deflection against Mike Evans on third down, perfectly executed. Nubin also led the team with 12 tackles while adding a pressure. He played fast and decisive. Now that he has a pass break up under his belt, let’s see if it carries over. They say they come in bunches.
-Jason Pinnock played 62 of 65 snaps, finishing with 5 tackles. He was not tested in coverage, as it was a good game for him in that department.
SPECIAL TEAMS
-K Graham Gano just made one of one extra point attempt
-Jamie Gillan: 4 punts / 42.0 avg – 38.3 net
3 STUDS
-WR Wan’Dale Robinson, DT Dexter Lawrence, S Tyler Nubin
3 DUDS
-QB Tommy DeVito, OC Jon Michael Schmitz, OT Chris Hubbard
3 THOUGHTS ON TB
(1) Liam Coen. You may want to get to know the name. The more time that passes, the more I believe we will be watching a new Head Coach press conference in the coming months for NYG. Whether or not I agree with that is irrelevant. But this is now reaching really bad, borderline toxic levels. So, I am building a list of coaches and the “why” behind them. Coen is on it. I am not a believer in always pursuing assistants from good teams and/or good quarterbacks. Like anything, there are results in both directions. However, I do believe in guys who have been a part of successful coaching trees with offensive success. Coen, the TB Offensive Coordinator, is making Mayfield look like the best version I have ever seen. One of the college quarterbacks I am keeping close eyes on compares favorably to Baker Mayfield. Coen also worked under the Sean McVay tree for four seasons. And lastly, the eyeball test of the creativity of this TB offense despite being injury riddled and dependent on a few rookies have only raised his status. The 39-year old is currently engineering the fourth-highest scoring offense in football with a fourth-round rookie as the leading rusher and multiple games missed by his only two worthwhile receivers. Keep an eye on him.
(2) Speaking of Mayfield. Love or hate his antics, this dude deserves all the respect. Maybe he had some maturity-based issues in college, I don’t know. I always viewed it as typical “frat bro” confidence that he used to help him get an edge. He likes being an underdog. He likes to try and prove people wrong. But keep this to football for a second. Mayfield was drafted #1 overall. He got a real coach in 2020 for the first time. He leads the Cleveland Browns to their first playoff win since 1994 on a three-touchdown, zero-interception performance over Pittsburgh. He plays through multiple injuries in 2021, and Cleveland narrowly misses the playoffs. Then, BAM! Someone has a love affair with the fantasy of Deshaun Watson. Mayfield plays for Carolina and Los Angeles (N) in 2022, going a combined 2-8 as a starter. Now, less than two years later Mayfield is one of the best seven quarterbacks in the game. Response to adversity in this world means everything. My respect for him skyrocketed this season. I’ll take a competitor like Mayfield every day of the week and, especially, twice on Sunday.
(3) The Bucs are the beneficiaries of a poor division. I think they are a better team than Atlanta by a decent margin. The biggest issue? They already lost to them not once, but twice. Tampa Bay is inconsistent and two of their worst defensive games came against them. With that said, Tampa Bay has games against CAR (2), LV, NO, and DAL left on the schedule. That should be five easy wins over the final six weeks. I think they will sneak into the playoffs one way or another and it is a team I would not want to play.
3 CLOSING THOUGHTS
(1) The Giants were pretty adamant about bringing in a quality backup for Daniel Jones, who was rehabbing an ACL injury. They wanted Tyrod Taylor back but he, not surprisingly, wanted to be somewhere else. Drew Lock was the answer. He was not impressive throughout preseason, and he suffered an injury. But even through that – I am confused how and why DeVito jumped him on the depth chart. While it is not worth throwing arms up in the air about, it just goes to show the disconnect within the organization. How these guys have handled the QB situation has been confusing to follow to say the least. And in today’s NFL, it is a fireable offense. My only guess as to why? Daboll wants to prove he can improve a young quarterback to a higher level than where he got him. Because that is sure to be a requirement for the 2025 Head Coach job here.
(2) Malik Nabers was asked about not being involved, the struggles of the offense, and the simple fact he is on a bad team. If you remember back to Hard Knocks, Daboll asked him how he would respond to this potential nightmare scenario. Well, Daboll could actually be given credit for being incredibly accurate about a hypothetical. Maybe he could use that when game planning next time? Anyway, Nabers is visibly frustrated both on and off the field. Is it the losing? Or is the lack of competitiveness around him? I’ve said it a few times and I am still hung up on it. How he is acting right now is worrisome. He is a rookie who is tied for the third-most drops in the league among receivers despite playing just 9 of 11 games. Not every good player needs to be a choir boy leader, but there are issues that will get ugly if this continues to get worse.
(3) It’s hard not to examine what this team needs to do in regard to the future. I am honestly doing my best to evaluate these players week to week for you guys. But I was recently asked by a Browns reporter what can be done there over the next two offseasons. They have, by far, the worst roster situation in football. Nobody is close. I was asked if trading Myles Garrett would be worth the short-term loss. After all, this team is screwed for at least the 2025 and 2026 seasons. Garrett’s value is still very high and a couple of first round picks in the next couple of drafts could be a part of their solution. It got me thinking about Lawrence. While I do not think NYG is that far away from contending for a playoff spot, the glaring hole at QB is going to be very hard to fill this upcoming offseason. There is a chance we will be waiting until 2026 for that piece of the puzzle. If that is the case, is trading Lawrence for future capital a possible move? If someone offered a 2025 second rounder and a 2026 first rounder, it gives NYG ammo for a potential trade up that year. As far away as that seems, Lawrence will turn 29 in 2026. He will not be very expensive by that time, but clearing his and Jones’ salaries opens all the money in the world to rebuild the roster. I’m not saying I endorse the idea, but I am saying the quarterback needs to get here any way possible. If NYG does not see a guy worth taking in the top 5 in 2025, this idea will need to be at least considered. What do you think?
