JPP gives Okwara pointers from sideline
Jason Pierre-Paul didn’t practice Wednesday, still sidelined following hernia surgery.
But he made his presence felt on the practice f ield as the Giants prepared for their wild-card game Sunday at Green Bay, as he made an entrance early in the session.
“It was great to see him,” said Romeo Okwara, the rookie defensive end who has seen his role increase in Pierre-Paul’s absence. “He was out there giving me pointers … much-needed pointers.”
Pierre-Paul has been out since undergoing surgery Dec. 7 to re pair a sports hernia, but Okwara — undrafted out of Notre Dame — insists he still can make a difference on the field, even when injured.
“To have those eyes on me, watching what I’m doing, that means a lot,” Okwara said. “He tells me about ways to improve my pass rush and things to work on, stuff that only he sees about rushing around the edge.”
O kw ar a admits that though he tries to apply many of Pierre-Paul’ s lessons, he knows it isn’ t always possible.
“We all know there’ s things that only he can do,” Okwara said. “But if I can use some of what he tells me and maybe just make one more play, it will help.”
In the first match up against the Packers, Pierre-Paul had six tackles, with Okwara limited to just special teams. If the Giants are going to change their fortunes and advance in the playoffs, Okwara will be counted on much more.
“I’m getting a lot more reps now, and all the experience I’ve gotten the last few weeks makes a difference,”
Okwara said. “Now, it’s up to me, and the rest of the defense, to get after it.”
As for Pierre-Paul, coach Ben McAdoo said he wasn’t surprised to see him out there, but he refused to put a timeline on Pierre-Paul’s potential return.
“He enjoys being around the guys,” McAdoo said. “As soon as he’s ready to come back, we’ll take him.”
Pierre-Paul was in top form before hurting himself against the Steelers, with 5.5 sacks in his previous two games.
Until Pierre-Paul returns, it will be up to Okwara and the rest of the defensive line to try to get to Aaron Rodgers, or at least make life difficult for him.
“That won’t be easy,” Okwara said. “But I’ll do what I can.”