Apple juiced to be back, with mixed results on field

SECOND-year Giants corner Eli Apple was out of the doghouse and active on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles for the first time in five weeks, making his first appearance in a game since Nov. 12 in Santa Clara against the San Francisco 49ers.

“It felt great being back out there with the guys,” Apple, 22, said after the loss. “I told them that, too, during the game.”

Apple appeared to be active because corner Brandon Dixon, while active, was battling heel and hamstring issues. And Dixon did leave the game after four snaps, replaced by Apple, who played the rest of the game.

Interim head coach Steve Spagnuolo apparently put Apple’s disciplinary issues aside, most recently Apple’s Thursday accusation that teammate Landon Collins had lied Wednesday about counseling the

troubled Apple.

The results were what the Giants probably expected: mixed.

Apple made a few nice plays, including back-to-back stops on 2nd and 3rd downs in the second quarter, suffering a stinger on the second tackle but staying in the game.

On the other hand, Apple and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie got crossed up on coverage in the red zone, leaving Eagles tight end Trey Burton wide open for a 13yard touchdown that put Philly on top, 2120, late in the second quarter.

“Yeah, he (Rodgers-Cromartie) had jumped my guy’s route and then his guy just kind of stepped over. Just gotta get that communication down,” Apple said. “I was a little rusty, I’m not gonna lie, but I think as the game went on, I got better … It’s all about looking somebody in the face and being accountable and being able to go out there and give your all.”

Apple, the Giants’ 10th overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft, was listed with injuries at points in his four-game scratch stretch, but he was sidelined by ex-coach Ben McAdoo initially and primarily due to perceived lack of effort on the field and disobedience, as chronicled by a report two days after Thanksgiving that Apple had threatened to walk out on the team over criticism in a meeting.

Apple’s issues moved into the spotlight when he stood and watched and actually backed up as the Rams’ Robert Woods fired past for a 52-yard touchdown on 3rdand-33 in Week 9 at MetLife Stadium. He then had several poor efforts in the Week 10 road loss to the Niners.

The following Wednesday he had several of his bad plays against San Fran put up on the video screen in front of the team, and teammates reportedly criticized Apple. He reportedly threatened to walk out.

That incident happened on Nov. 15. Apple’s mother Annie underwent brain surgery on Nov. 16. And he proceeded to sit out until dressing Sunday against the Eagles. Apple was born in Philadelphia and played his high school ball in Voorhees, N.J.

There was one second-half play by Apple that was eerily similar to that poor effort on Woods’ TD in Week 9: a Jay Ajayi screen pass down the left sideline that saw Apple back away from the approaching block and therefore provide no resistance on the play.

Apple explained to the Daily News after that it was a tricky play because he was trying to maintain outside contain, forcing the runner inside, and with the Eagles’ advantage in numbers it was difficult to get to the ball. But he’ll have to make better efforts on such plays if he wants his career trajectory to change. Hey, at least he’s back on the field. “It’s been hard, it’s definitely been a lot,” Apple said of the past month, “but I’m just continuing to try to grow and lean on the leaders here.”