Logan’s running all over field for Giants
The plan last Sunday was to play Logan Ryan at free safety. An early Jabrill Peppers injury forced the Giants to change their defensive personnel plan for the 49ers midstream, and the result was a 36-9 drubbing at MetLife Stadium. Peppers (right ankle sprain) did not practice on Wednesday, and the strong safety is very much in doubt for Sunday’s game against the Rams in Los Angeles (2-1). So that likely means Ryan will have to be all over the field again for the Giants (0-3).
But Ryan, as versatile and valuable as he’s been, is only one player. And whether Peppers plays or not, the Giants defense could be in for a long day against a Rams offense averaging 29.7 points per game.
“You are going to hear it a lot here: everyone has to do their one job,” Ryan said Wednesday. “I can’t come out there and try to be superman on every play. I have to do what they’re asking Logan Ryan to do and count on my teammates to do their job. I have to beat the man in front of me. We need more people beating the man in front of them. That’s how you play defense.”
Ryan, 29, a late offseason signing once rookie Xavier McKinney went down, has become the conscience of the Giants in a way.
He expressed dismay with last Sunday’s performance, saying, “It’s not good, it’s not the standard, it’s unacceptable.” But he also stressed that the Giants are still improving and in no way are resigned to being irrelevant in 2020.
“It’s the fourth week of the season. No one’s in their final form yet. There’s no panic button right now,” Ryan said. “It’s about how we practice and clean up the things we did wrong, the self-inflicting wounds, and go out and play better against the Rams on Sunday.”
Ryan also has become the only glue that is barely holding together a shaky back end.
Ryan, James Bradberry and Blaker Martinez were the only three players who played all 77 defensive snaps against the 49ers. But Bradberry played outside corner and Martinez played inside linebacker. Ryan was everywhere.
He played 27 snaps at box/strong safety, 25 at free safety, 17 at slot corner, four at outside corner and four down on the line of scrimmage, per Pro Football Focus.
He had started at free safety, putting Julian Love on the bench and extra linebacker Devante Downs on the field with Martinez and Peppers in the box. But Peppers’ injury meant Love had to jump back in and play a lot of free safety, with Ryan not always available to play deep.
Ryan made an excellent pass breakup in man coverage on tight end Jordan Reed but also allowed three completions and missed some tackles.
And, of course, Sunday wasn’t good enough from him or anyone on the defense, given that the Niners became the first Giants opponent not to punt or commit a turnover since the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 13, 2008.
The Rams’ offense is averaging 449.7 yards a game, including 279.3 passing and 170.3 on the ground. And Ryan raved that Rams head coach and play-caller Sean McVay exploits defense’s weaknesses “similar to (Kyle) Shanahan,” the Niners’ coach.
Gulp.
The Giants placed special-teams corner Brandon Williams (groin) on injured reserve Wednesday. That opens a spot they will fill today with the official signing of corner Madre Harper, whom they plucked from the Raiders’ practice squad this week.
Four Rams players did not practice Wednesday: OT Andrew Whitworth (not an injury), RB Cam Akers (ribs), DL Sebastian JosephDay (ankle) and WR Josh Reynolds (illness). Safety Jordan Fuller (shoulder) was limited.