PAYBACK TIME
Engram gets another shot at Cowboys
The last time the Giants faced the Cowboys, there was mayhem all over the field at AT&T Stadium, and a considerable amount of it involved Evan Engram.
Rookie Kadarius Toney, after torching the Cowboys for 10 receptions for 189 yards in Week 5, was ejected after throwing a punch at safety Damontae Kazee. Toney was coming to the defense of Engram, who was shoved by Kazee after Engram reacted to Toney getting dragged on a tackle attempt.
Bad blood carried over after the Cowboys’ 44-20 victory, as Engram was sucker-punched by safety Jayron Kearse as the two teams lingered on the field. Engram later called it a “baby punch.’’
The two teams meet again Sunday at MetLife Stadium, and Engram will be there.
“Yeah, they got a bunch of guys over there who we’ll see so definitely excited for that matchup,’’ Engram said Wednesday.
Unwilling to go into detail about the past incident, Engram called Kearse “a good player, we had a good matchup last time we played, they do play a lot of man and he covers tight ends, so we’ll have our day.’’
Last week, Engram was asked to block in a run-heavy game plan in the 37-21 loss to the Chargers. He was on the field for 51 of the 69 snaps on offense and was targeted just four times. He had one catch for 8 yards. This week, that plan could change.
“There’ll be opportunities,’’ Engram said.
In the first meeting, Engram had four receptions for 55 yards on the Cowboys, who at 9-4 have a firm hold of first place in the NFC East. If he wants payback on Kearse, this is the time for it.
“It’s not a circle game for me in that aspect,’’ Engram said. “It’s a big rivalry game, and I’m asked to do a job to help my team win, to beat the Cowboys, so it’s never this guy versus that guy for me. I’m going to go out there and compete, I’ll win my matchup and do what I can to help my team win.’’
Engram, the Giants’ first-round pick in the 2017 draft, is likely nearing the end of his time with the team. His contract expires after this season, and he seems destined to continue his career elsewhere. So this could be the last Cowboys game for him in a Giants uniform.
“No, not a lot of thoughts to that, kind of staying in the moment right now,’’ Engram said. “Right now, it’s Wednesday of Cowboys week, other than that, no.’’
Soon enough, it will be Sunday of Cowboy’s week, and Engram has a meeting scheduled with one defensive back in particular.
➤ RB Saquon Barkley was not on the field, as he was given a day to rest his ankle. The Giants held a walk-through and projected that CB Adoree’ Jackson (quad), DL Austin Johnson (foot), K Graham Gano (illness) and G Ben Bredeson (ankle) would not have practiced.
➤ DL Leonard Williams was forced out of the loss to the Chargers with an elbow injury. He was projected to participate on a limited basis.
“We’ll see how he progresses throughout the week. We expect him to be practicing with us and we’ll see how he progresses into the game,’’ coach Joe Judge said.