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New York Giants Notebook: Kafka, Big Blue Friday, and More

Here are some leftover news and notes from Thursday's practice.
Patricia Traina|
New York Giants Notebook: Kafka, Big Blue Friday, and More
New York Giants Notebook: Kafka, Big Blue Friday, and More

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New York Giants

Rounding up some odds and ends from the New York Giants' Thursday practice.

Kafka Defers Head Coaching Talk

Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka opened his weekly press briefing by addressing reports of other teams' (Carolina and Houston) interest in him as a potential head coaching candidate.

Kafka predictably tried to shut down such talks and keep the focus squarely on the Giants' upcoming playoff game.

"It’s an honor and a privilege to be a part of those conversations and part of that process, but that’s all I have to add to it," he said. "My focus today and this week is on getting our guys ready for Minnesota, the week ahead, and today’s practice. That’s all I’ll have on it. I appreciate you guys respecting that part of it."

Kafka was asked a few follow-up questions but declined to go beyond his opening statement.

Giants Hoping to Have Adoree' Jackson Back

The Giants remain optimistic about getting cornerback Adoree' Jackson back in time for Sunday's game.

Jackson has been sidelined since suffering a sprained knee on November 20 against the Detroit Lions on a punt return. He returned to practice two weeks ago but has been listed as limited since.

“I think he feels good," Giants head coach Brian Daboll told reporters before Thursday's practice. ““(I am) encouraged, hopeful. I think we’ve got to go through these next two days. But I’ve seen progress.”

Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale was also cautiously optimistic about having his top cornerback ready for this weekend's game. "Just seeing Adoree’ out there smiling … we don’t know for sure if he can go — I think it’s still up in the air — but it’s fun just seeing him smile again because he was down after he got hurt."

Daniel Jones Falls in Middle of Playoff Pack

ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky recently ranked all 14 playoff-bound quarterbacks in an exercise where he tried to strip away their surroundings and focus purely on their abilities as signal callers.

Giants starter Daniel Jones ranked No. 8 on Orlovsky's list and received somewhat of a mixed assessment from Orlovsky, who last off-season never did sound like much of a Daniel Jones fan.

The good, according to Orlovsky, is that "Jones attacks the middle of the field well, showing some high-end ball placement. His 75.9% completion rate on throws between the hashes ranks second in the NFL. And he has become a rushing asset for the Giants' offense, picking up just shy of 600 yards with his feet in 2022."

But--and yes, there had to be a "but"--Orlovsky pondered aloud if Jones's "good" will be "good enough" as the Giants embark on their first postseason berth since 2016.

"Can Jones carry the Giants to a string of playoff wins?" Orlovsky wrote. "The supporting cast doesn't have the same talent as other NFC contenders, so Jones will have to take over at times."

Orlovsky's "concern" is nothing new when it comes to Jones. Anyone who's paid attention to his play this year has seen him carry his supporting cast across the finish line multiple times--five (out of eight in his career), to be exact if we're talking game-winning drives. 

Giants Big Blue Friday

Continuing a week-long celebration launch of their OUR WAY playoff campaign, the New York Giants have encouraged fans to wear blue on Friday, January 13, to show their support. 

The Giants have also dispatched a "Blue Crew" that will go door-to-door in select neighborhoods to provide local businesses with a Giants playoff pack, including an "OUR WAY" poster. 

The Empire State Building will also be lit in blue to celebrate Big Blue Friday. The MetLife Stadium retail store will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday to allow fans to purchase Giants playoff gear available and discounted merchandise items.  

   

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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