The New York Giants head to Chicago to face Khalil Mack and the 4-6 Bears on Sunday. On Thursday, their three coordinators update the media on their respective units coming out of the bye week.
Offensive coordinator Mike Shula
The Giants’ battered offensive line will face a talented Bears front on Sunday with Mack leading the way. The coaching staff has been widely criticized for not making adjustments quick enough or not at all.
Shula was asked if he has to do anything special this week with both starting tackles (Nate Solder and Mike Remmers) and tight ends Rhett Ellison and Evan Engram banged up.
“Those guys are really good players, and they’re not the only two that can rush the passer,” Shula said of Mack and linebacker Leonard Floyd. “But yeah, we have to mix our protections. We have to get the ball out. We have to stay out of third and long. As we say, stay ahead of the chains. Stay on schedule. Then whether or not it’s having a guy help chip, as we say.
“But you can’t do it every play, and they know that. They’re good at that. They’re not just good pass rushers. They have good schemes and they understand when you’re trying to keep guys in, it’s harder to throw the ball down field with less guys. It’s going to be a combination of all of those things. We have to be able to make things happen on first and second down. Stay out of third down. Make first downs on first or second down.”
Defensive coordinator James Bettcher
When the Giants selected Notre Dame defensive back Julian Love in the fourth round in this year’s NFL Draft, many called the pick “a steal.” The Giants have yet to find a position for Love, who is not an outside corner but rather a slot or nickel corner or a safety.
Bettcher was asked what exactly is holding Love back from cracking the lineup.
“To be honest with you, the things that we talk about with our guys, I like to stay in the room. I’m not going to sit up here and talk about the deficiencies of any of our guys,” Bettcher said. “I think Julian is close, he fits in the same category as DeAndre Baker, Corey Ballentine, X-man and even Lorenzo Carter in his second year. The thing that I really like about Julian is you go and watch him take notes. He’s taking notes, he is locked into the meeting room and he has been that way since day one.
“I think AB (Antoine Bethea) has really helped him, I think AB has been a great guy in the room. I sit in the DB meeting room a bunch and I hear AB (saying), ‘hey, Julian you see this, recognize that, you see that, that’s why it’s this’ and they have some good dialogue and conversation. Julian is highly engaged in those conversations and that’s why he will trend himself to a guy that’s going to make a push to have a chance to play and be a guy that helps us.”
Special Teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey
The Giants do not have a dedicated punt returner this season, using position players in the role to mixed results. T.J. Jones began the season returning punts and fielded eight for a total 96 yards with a long of 60.
Since Jones was released in Week 5, the Giants have deployed safety Jabrill Peppers and wide receiver Golden Tate in the role but have yet to settle on one as the primary. Peppers has returned three punts for nine yards and Tate has gained 57 yards on four attempts.
“Yeah, I mean they’ve been back there all year,” McGaughey said of the two. “It’s been kind of a rotation thing. It’s just the flow of the game. If Jabrill has the juice to get back there, he’ll go back there. If he’s a little tired, Golden is standing right there. It’s just a rotation thing. It’s just kind of, over the last couple of weeks, it’s just kind of been more of just trying to get some fresh legs out there and get them going that way.”
