Pressure on QB a welcome sign
The hope around the Giants is that they can figure out a way to apply some pressure to the opposing quarterback. There were some encouraging signs during Friday night’s 32-13preseason victory over the Bears.
Outside linebacker Markus Golden came up big in the second quarter, plowing past tight end Bradley Sowell for an 8-yard sack of Chase Daniel. Golden had 12.5 sacks for the Cardinals in 2016, but has not come close to that production since knee surgery.
Later in the same quarter, defensive end Olsen Pierre — another former Arizona player the Giants signed this offseason — dropped Daniel for a 12-yard loss. Lorenzo Carter, the outside linebacker the Giants anticipate will have a breakthrough second season, drew a holding penalty on left tackle Charles Leno, as Leno hauled Carter down to prevent him from menacing Daniel.
Rookie Oshane Ximines joined in, notching his first sack of the preseason when he tripped up Daniel for a 5-yard loss.
“We were a little more disruptive, which was good,’’ coach Pat Shurmur said.
Rookie LB Ryan Connelly started in place of injured Alec Ogletree and just missed an impact play. On a third-and-1 play during the opening series, Connelly sliced through the line and dove, but could not reach Ryan Nall, who raced by and picked up 14 yards. Connelly played well in his debut with the first-team defense. … T.J. Jones got the call as the first punt returner, but muffed his first try, before recovering his own fumble. Jones went on to have another impressive outing in his bid to make the team.
Bears coach Matt Nagy tried to extend an offensive possession by claiming Giants rookie CB Corey Ballentine had committed a pass interference penalty in the second quarter even though no flag was thrown. The ruling on the field was upheld and Nagy lost the challenge. … Rookie TE C. J. Conrad ran a solid route and drew a 24-yard pass interference penalty. … Rookie RB Jon Hilliman, from Rutgers, had a 10-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. … Kyle Lauletta, currently the No. 4 quarterback, had a 15-yard scramble and capped the drive with a 10-yard TD strike to TE Garrett Dickerson.
CB Antonio Hamilton was forced out in the second quarter with a groin injury. … The Giants did something they have rarely had to do for more than a decade: go through a game without Zac DeOssie handling the long-snapping duties. DeOssie was held out with a toe injury, making Taybor Pepper, a second-year player from Michigan State, the longsnapper.
Several Giants were held out with injury issues: RB Wayne Gallman (ankle), CB Sam Beal (hamstring), CB DeAndre Baker (knee), Ogletree (calf ), OT Brian Mihalik (burner), OT George Asafo-Adjei (concussion), WR Darius Slayton (hamstring) and WR Sterling Shepard (thumb).
Bears G Kyle Long did not make the trip.