Protests of anthem spur new meeting

GIANTS co-owner John Mara attended a second NFL meeting in two weeks related to player “activism” on Tuesday, this time with NFL Players’ Association leaders and Giants linebacker Mark Herzlich in attendance. Mara and linebacker Jonathan Casillas had attended a meeting last Tuesday night at NFL headquarters with 10 owners, eight players from five teams and executive league personnel to discuss the recent national anthem protests and reactions to the social media ambush from President Trump.

Tuesday, a joint NFL/NFLPA statement said commissioner Roger Goodell, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith, NFLPA president Eric Winston, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Steelers owner Art Rooney, Mara and “other player leaders engaged in a productive conversation.”

ESPN reported that Herzlich, Washington QB Kirk Cousins and Jets LB Demario Davis were among the players at the meeting. Most NFL teams have off on Tuesdays, but the Giants do not under Ben McAdoo, so Casillas wasn’t available to go. But Herzlich is on injured reserve and also on the NFLPA executive committee.

“We are all committed to an ongoing dialogue,” the joint statement read.

THE MAGIC MAN

Eli Manning said his message to his 0-4 Giants includes a reminder “there’s not a magic trick to get a win.”

“We have to play the next game,” Manning said Tuesday. “That’s all we can do. There’s not going to be — there’s not a magic trick to get a win. There’s not any outside help. It’s you keep working hard, you keep preparing and you go out there and you make plays on Sunday that will give (us) a chance to win.”

UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY

Corner Eli Apple said he only has been on a winless team once in his life: in Pee-Wee.

“My first year playing football,” Apple said of his running back days in South Jersey. “0-8. GVA Vikings 105.”

Rookie tight end Evan Engram, a two-time captain at Ole Miss, more recently was on a disappointing 5-7 Rebels 2016 team that failed to meet high expectations, but he said the Giants’ character is strong.

“I don’t think that team was as resilient as we are and we’re gonna be,” Engram said.

ROSAS ARE BLUE

Rookie kicker Aldrick Rosas missed a 43-yard field goal way wide right early in Sunday’s fourth quarter that would have extended the Giants’ onepoint lead to 20-16.

“It’s my job to extend the lead when we get the chance to,” Rosas said.

Rosas is 6-of-6 on extra points and that was his first miss in five field-goal tries, but it was a big one. The Giants lost by two, 25-23, when the Bucs only needed a field goal on the game-winning drive.

“Great snap, great hold, great protection, I just pushed it,” Rosas said.

WHEELS UP

Undrafted rookie Chad Wheeler jumped in for two snaps at right tackle on Sunday when Justin Pugh had the wind knocked out of him and hurt his back. Wheeler acquitted himself well.