Good morning and happy Thanksgiving, New York Giants fans!
From Big Blue View
- NY Giants injury updates: Dexter Lawrence battling elbow injury again; Jaxson Dart closer to return
- Giants-Patriots NFL Week 13 betting odds: New York a heavy MNF underdog
- NY Giants coach Mike Kafka unfazed by the President calling him ‘crazy’
- Andrew Thomas is playing well, but the NY Giants tackle is unimpressed
- NY Giants add a cornerback with Paulson Adebo, Deonte Banks injured
- NY Giants at New England Patriots 2025, Week 13: What you need to know
- New York Giants head coaching search: Everything you need to know
Other Giant observations
Mike Kafka puts ‘a lot of faith’ in new DC Charlie Bullen | ESPN.com
Bullen has had some good teachers in his career. Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is one of his mentors after working with him in Arizona and Miami. Joseph currently oversees the third-ranked defense in yards and scoring. Joseph’s defenses are known to be aggressive. They blitz at the fifth-highest rate (34.0%) in the league. They put a lot of bodies at the line of scrimmage to try to create confusion and play a lot of man
coverage behind it.
Bowen’s defenses with the Giants weren’t nearly as aggressive. They blitzed at a modest 27.5% rate (middle of the league) and weren’t focused on disguising rushers. The Giants have just two unblocked sacks this season. Only the 49ers have fewer. The Broncos are second in the NFL with nine.
Jameis Winston + Thanksgiving = Content you want
How Jaxson Dart can stay on field by mimicking one of Giants’ top rivals | NJ.com
Perhaps Dart can learn a little something from Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. Or at least that’s how former Washington coach Jay Gruden sees it.
“The quarterback has got to understand he holds the keys to the franchise. He’s got to protect himself. That’s not all on the coach calling these runs. You watch Jalen Hurts run — and he hardly ever takes a big shot. He knows when to get down. He plays low. He gets out of bounds,” said Gruden. “It doesn’t look pretty, but he stays healthy. Josh Allen does the same thing. There is an art to running the football as a quarterback and staying out of harm’s way.”
The surprising role of the offensive line in Giants’ tailspin — and what’s next for them | New York Post
It must be the offensive line, right? It must be that position group once again screwing everything up on that side of the ball.
It must be the continued failings of the line that compromised the play of whichever quarterback the Giants put out there. It must be the lousy pass protection that ruined the passing game.
Giants defense was supposed to be a unit on the rise. Instead, it’s one of NFL’s worst | The Athletic
While the coaching staff remained the same, the personnel did not, as Schoen spent major resources this offseason trying to upgrade the defense. He invested more than $100 million in free-agent acquisitions to bring in Adebo, Holland and outside linebacker Chauncey Golston, among others. He also spent the No. 3 pick on Carter and the No. 65 pick on Alexander.
With all of that investment, it stands to reason why the expectations for the unit were so high ahead of the season. It also stands to reason why the frustrations are so high right now.
Wan’Dale Robinson nominated for Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award | Giants.com
Wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson has been nominated for the 12th annual Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, the NFL announced today. Each NFL team nominated a player for the award, which recognizes individuals around the league who exemplify outstanding sportsmanship.
A panel of former players from the NFL Legends Community — Warrick Dunn, 2014 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award recipient Larry Fitzgerald, Pro Football Hall of Famer Curtis Martin and Leonard Wheeler — will select eight finalists (four in the AFC and four in the NFC) from the 32 nominees. The eight finalists will be listed on the Pro Bowl ballot under the NFL Sportsmanship Award category when players vote in December.
Russell Wilson’s foundation provides $3M gift to Mount Sainai Hospital
The Big Picture: Why the Giants Should Keep GM Joe Schoen and Hire a Veteran Coach | FOX Sports
Obviously, the results since haven’t been good. But GMs shouldn’t be on the same win-now plan as the coaches they hire. They’re in charge of a bigger picture, with one eye always on a better future. And while the results might not make it obvious, there certainly are signs that the Giants’ future is bright.
“It takes time to build a program,” a former NFL general manager told me. “Nobody wants to hear that anymore, but it’s still true. We used to say it takes at least five years to really see what a GM can do, to really have his program in place. And sometimes it takes at least one coaching change, too. If you’re starting over every three or four years, you end up absolutely nowhere.”
One Sentence To Describe Every NFL Team Entering Thanksgiving 2025 | Bleacher Report
New York Giants: Fighting hard and performing well but losing isn’t a bad thing for a team that is a good coaching hire and a quality high-first-round selection away from making waves in 2026.
Re-ranking NY Giants coaching candidates with our Top 6 names to watch | The Record
The New York Giants are about to enter the fifth head coaching search for the organization since Tom Coughlin’s exit following the 2015 season. And just because Brian Daboll’s firing came with seven games remaining, there is time for this list of candidates to evolve between now and season’s end.
Giants head coaching search: Chris Shula emerges as sudden favorite | USAToday.com
A new name has entered the fray: Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula, grandson of Don Shula, the winningest coach in NFL history. The 39-year-old Shula has been on Sean McVay’s staff in Los Angeles since 2017 in various defensive assistant roles. He was elevated to coordinator in 2024. His current odds are 3-1, per several sportsbooks.
This week’s opponent
Patriots will put Will Campbell on injured reserve | Pro Football Talk
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said at Wednesday’s press conference that Campbell is going on injured reserve after hurting his knee in last Sunday’s win over the Bengals. Vrabel said earlier this week that he expected Campbell to miss a couple of weeks, but that he didn’t think it was a season-ending injury. The Patriots have a bye after facing the Giants on Monday night in Week 13, so Campbell will have five weeks to recover before he’ll be eligible to return in Week 18.
The Patriots are likely to make the playoffs, which extends the period that Campbell would have to make it back on the field but his absence won’t be a help as they try to nail down the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
Transcript: Head Coach Mike Vrabel Press Conference 11/26 | Patriots.com
Q: When it comes to preparing for a new play caller on defense for them, just how does that preparation go?
MV: I mean, if they can change the defense in a week – I don’t know – they’re better than we are. Maybe he pressures more, maybe he plays more Cover 2. Maybe they – I would have no idea. But I think the structure has got to be somewhat the same. I mean, may want to pressure more. I think that the calls that they have, those can always change. I just – it would be really hard to completely change from an under front to an over in base. But then, they were pretty multiple before, Evan [Lazar]. I think we’ll just always have to be prepared for things that they could do, and maybe that there’s more pressure on early downs, less pressure on third down or whatever those things have been. But I wouldn’t have any idea how he would plan on calling it. We’ll have to just see and make sure that we’re prepared for anything that could come up throughout the game.
One Sentence To Describe Every NFL Team Entering Thanksgiving 2025 | Bleacher Report
New England Patriots; This rebuild is on hyperspeed for a team that is shocking the world thanks only in part to Drake Maye (don’t overlook the defense).
Around the league
Cowboys injuries: Tyler Guyton ruled out vs. Chiefs | Blogging the Boys
Chiefs RG Trey Smith among trio ruled out vs. Cowboys | ESPN.com
DeVonta Smith listed as non-participant again on Wednesday | Pro Football Talk
Packers RB Josh Jacobs (knee) off injury report, good to go Thursday vs. Lions | NFL.com
Bills sign veteran Brandin Cooks to bolster wide receiver room | The Athletic
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