Perspectives Ahead of New York Giants' Second Preseason Game

Pretty soon, we'll have to say goodbye to summer--and with it, NFL training camps.

Where does the time go?

Anyway, the long, cold wait for a new and hopefully improved brand of New York Giants football will soon be upon us, and we'll get to see just how far this team has come (or still needs to go).

In the meantime, as we prepare for the second of three preseason games, let's empty the notebook with a few thoughts and observations about how things have gone this summer.

The Offensive Play Caller's Identity

Head coach Brian Daboll has repeatedly said that he is not ready to name the play-caller on offense for the season. I, however, wonder if that decision has already been made and if offensive coordinator Mike Kafka will indeed be the team's play-caller heading into the season.

Kafka has been calling the plays on offense dating back to the spring. That process has continued into training camp and the preseason. While Daboll has worn the headset, my guess is that it's to observe the communication between Kafka, who has never called plays before as an NFL assistant coach, then it is for Daboll to intervene.

One would think that if Kafka wasn't doing a good enough job, Daboll might have made a chance by now. That hasn't been the case. The longer this continues with Kafka calling the plays, the less likely Daboll will make an eleventh-hour decision to step in and take the headset away from his young assistant coach.

Saquon's Pushback Against His Critics

I suppose it was bound to happen sooner than later, but this week, Giants running back Saquon Barkley pushed back against critics of his running style, saying that a lot of those who criticized him never played the position before.

“I’m kind of fed up with people who never played the position trying to speak on how I run the football,” Barkley said Thursday. “We call them ‘All-Pros with clickers in their hands.’ Running back is a tough position, but it’s easy to be there and watch football, watch on TV or even watch on film and stop the clicker and go, 'He should have made that cut.'

"There are a lot of things that go into making that cut. There are a lot of things with your shoulders being square. There are a lot of things that have an impact on your vision.”

Barkley's pushback might have been responding to an anonymous coach who told ESPN's Jeremy Fowlersthat the fifth-year running back still doesn't know how to play the position in today's NFL.

"I'm down on him -- he still doesn't know how to play running back enough. He's a bouncer. He wants every run to be a home run. He's going to have to learn that 4-yard runs in this league are good instead of stopping, cutting it back, and losing 2. And he gets his (backside) kicked in protection.

While it's fair to question the validity of an anonymous source, the coach's opinion somewhat echos--albeit harsher--a critique former Giants head coach Pat Shurmur once voiced of Barkley.

Barkley has also admitted in the past that because of his injuries and the need to rehab, he couldn't train the way he felt he needed to, and that's something that almost certainly affected his performance (and perhaps to a degree) his confidence as well.

"I would say the difference was I was a way more confident player in college and early in my career than I was before the last year and then last year. Now I'm getting that back, starting to get that swagger back," Barkley said earlier this year when asked what's been the biggest difference for him this year.

While it's worth noting that Barkley has had injury issues since his second year in the league and has not had the ideal run blocking in front of him when one considers that Wayne Gallman and Devontae Booker--two running backs who are not currently in the league--also pretty much ran behind the same shoddy run blocking offensive line as Barkley would have and they had a modicum of success with getting the dirty yards speaks volumes about the importance of simply planting one's foot in the ground and making a decision.

That said, a lot will go away if Barkley, who looks very much at home in this offensive system, can get back to posting the kind of production he did as a rookie when he topped 2,000 all-purpose yards.

Constant Diet of Blitzes Good for Giants Offense's Growth

A question was put to Giants head coach Brian Daboll about whether he had ever considered asking defensive coordinator Wink Martindale to lighten up the attack so that the offense could get some work in.

I get the thinking. The Giants' offense has been up and down this summer, and this system requires a lot of communication and precision. But why would any head coach worth his weight in gold ask his defense to back off in practice when he likely sees the same kind of treatment in a game?

Does anyone think Daboll will send out a memo to any of the team's opponents asking them to go easy on the offense while they get their act together?

Of course not, which is why it's silly to suggest Martindale, who has to get his unit ready for the upcoming season, do the same. If the Giants' offense can't get it together against real-time pressure in practice, they might forfeit the season.

Evan Neal's Maturity

Evan Neal is only 21 years old, but to listen to him speak, one would swear they were hearing from a man twice his age.

Neal put that maturity on display this week when he addressed criticism from former NFL defensive lineman Chris Long, who for The 33rd Team opined that Neal was too top-heavy at times.

"I don’t really listen to that," Neal said when he was asked about the opinions of others.

"I’m definitely not a finished product, but I’m getting better and better every day. I belong here, I belong in this league, and like I say, I’m just going to take it day by day.

"I like to listen to the opinions that matter," he added.

All too often, rookies can get swallowed up in the wave of press--good or bad--they get. Without realizing it, they allow it to subconsciously affect their game.

So how nice is it to see Neal stand up there and swat the criticism away as though it was a pesky gnat buzzing around on a hot summer's night?

Leftover Bonus Random Thoughts

1. Kadarius Toney as a return specialist?

Don't rule it out, per special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey.

"As soon as he gets back on the field, he’ll be pushed right back into the mix. It’s just a matter of him getting healed up and get to where he can just function as a football player," he said.

Can they first get and keep this guy on the field at his primary position before contemplating putting him further in harm's way with an expanded role?

2. With the NFL's final roster cutdown date a little more than a week away, don't be surprised if the Giants re-do veteran Leonard Williams' contract to give themselves some cap space.

General manager Joe Schoen is going to have to do something to create cap space, as I outlined in this article, especially if injuries continue to mount on the offensive line and defensive secondary, the two position groups this team can ill-afford to lose much more depth.

While some might suggest the Giants go after receiver Kenny Golladay's contract, why would they want to make a bad contract even worse by restructuring? At least with Williams, one can argue that they've gotten a return on their investment in that deal.

3. Given the state of the Giants' offensive line--they'll be on their fifth center as Max Garcia is set to start against the Bengals--does it make sense to play Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley?

I say yes. I get the argument about why bother exposing your most important players in a meaningless preseason game, and I'd normally agree. However, this offense is new, and it needs as much work as it can get.

Injuries are going to happen--and given recent history, especially to this team. Being smart with an injured guy's availability and snaps is one thing. Letting injuries affect what one does with the healthy players around him is quite another.

4. Anyone else excites to see Azeez Ojulari and Kayvon Thibodeaux on the field at the same time? I'm not sure how many snaps Ojulari will get after just recently being activaed off NFI, but I can't wait to see what I think will be the Giants' new Batman and Robin pass-rushing duo.

5. COVID sucks.

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