Takeaways from the New York Giants’ Week 4 Snap Counts
It might not look like it, but the coaches have made some subtle lineup changes to jumpstart this Giants team and get it into the win columns.
The most notable is the decision to get rookie offensive tackle Matt Peart some more game snaps (yes, even though per PFF Cam Fleming is playing well). The other is at inside linebacker, where a struggling Deante Downs is losing snaps to a rising Tae Crowder.
What are some of the other notable takeaways from this week’s snap counts? Read on.
Snap Chats
**Remember how I said last week that I thought Cam Fleming was keeping the seat warm for Matt Peart? Well, this week, the rookie received a dozen snaps at right tackle—snaps that were not given to him due to an injury, either. It’s not that Fleming has been a complete disaster, but the reality is he doesn’t have the upside that Peart has.
As I’ve noted before, this offensive line rebuild won’t be complete until Peart and Shane Lemieux are full-time starters. Peart will likely be the starter before the year is over, while Lemieux will probably have to wait, barring injury, of course. But in getting back to Peart, there was a lot to like in his game.
**Despite Julian Love’s iffy status—he played 17 snaps on defense with his knee and ankle issues—the coaches kept Nate Ebner off the defense this week, instead, giving those snaps to Adrian Colbert, who di well with them. Colbert suffered an injury, so we’ll see how he is moving forward, but again, he was doing a nice job in coverage until his injury.
**The coaches gave Shane Lemieux a snap as the big fullback on the first play of their second drive. The Giants gained three yards running Devonta Freeman behind Lemieux. Is this an ominous sign for fullback Eli Penny? Not necessarily as this was a way to give Lemieux a chance to stretch his legs a bit.
**Don’t look now, but a change might occur at the second inside linebacker position. The coaches gave rookie Tae Crowder 33 snaps ahead of incumbent Devante Downs’ four snaps.
And let’s be clear here: Crowder has earned those snaps. Crowder seems to have more of a feel for the position than Downs, who still can have a role on this team’s special teams units where he happens to be the leader in tackles with three (two solo).
**I fully expect cornerback Madre Harper’s snaps to increase significantly next week. Just in hearing how head coach Joe Judge spoke of this young man, you can tell that they like this prospect. Will he be the answer though to what’s been a revolving door at that No. 2 cornerback? Stay tuned.
**Also, as expected, Devonta Freeman saw a significant uptick in his snaps this week and led the team with 11 touches in the running game. I’m still kind of surprised the Giants are going with a rotation at running back. Supposedly running backs like to get in a groove, and that can only happen if one guy becomes the bell cow. Since losing Saquon Barkley, the Giants don’t yet feel or know if they have that guy who can be their “workhorse” in the running game.
OFFENSE (68)
RG Kevin Zeitler 68; LT Andrew Thomas 68; C Nick Gates 68; LG Will Hernandez 68; QB Daniel Jones 68; WR Darius Slayton 66; TE Evan Engram 57; RT Cameron Fleming 56; WR Golden Tate 51; RB Devonta Freeman 37; WR CJ Board 32; WR Damion Ratley 29; TE Kaden Smith 24; RB Dion Lewis 21; RT Matt Peart 12; TE Levine Toilolo 11; RB Wayne Gallman 10; FB Eli Penny 1; OG Shane Lemieux 1
DEFENSE (57)
CB James Bradberry 57; FS Logan Ryan 57; LB Blake Martinez 57; OLB Lorenzo Carter 46; NT Dalvin Tomlinson 45; FS Adrian Colbert 43; DE Dexter Lawrence II 42; CB Ryan Lewis 42; OLB Kyler Fackrell; DT Leonard Williams 38; ILB Tae Crowder 33; CB Darnay Holmes 33; OLB Oshane Ximines 19; FS Julian Love 17; CB Isaac Yiadom 15; DT B.J. Hill 15; DL Austin Johnson 13; OLB Markus Golden 7; ILB Devante Downs 4; DB Madre Harper 2
SPECIAL TEAMS
LB Cam Brown 20; S Nate Ebner 20; FB Eli Penny 17; CB Corey Ballentine 16; S Sean Chandler 16; ILB Devante Downs 15; ILB Tae Crowder 10; OLB Lorenzo Carter 10; TE Kaden Smith 9; TE Levine Toilolo 9; CB James Bradberry 8; P Riley Dixon 8; LS Casey Kreiter 8; DL Dexter Lawrence II 8; CB Isaac Yiadom 6; K Graham Gano 6; WR Damion Ratley 6; DT Dalvin Tomlinson 6; DT Leonard Williams 5; OLB Oshane Ximines 5; WR Golden Tate 5; FS Adrian Colbert 4; RG Kevin Zeitler 3; LT Andrew Thomas 3; C Nick Gates 3; LG Will Hernandez 3; E Evan Engram 3; RT Cam Fleming 3; CB Madre Harper 3; CB Darnay Holmes 3; DL BJ Hill 3; CB Ryan Lewis 3; OLB Kyler Fackrell 2; DT Austin Johnson 2; FS Logan Ryan 1; FS Julian Love 1
ACTIVE, DID NOT PLAY
QB Colt McCoy, OL Spencer Pulley
