GIANT REWIND
What did we learn about the Giants during Week 2 of the 2018 season?
The Daily News’ Big Blue Kool-Aid Rewind continues with film review of Week 2 of the 2018 NFL (and college) seasons, highlighting the positive of Duke’s Daniel Jones, Georgia’s Deandre Baker, and the Giants’ Saquon Barkley, B.J. Hill, Lorenzo Carter and Cody Latimer.
The Giants fell to 0-2 with a 20-13 loss at Dallas, but there were signs that could foreshadow success for the 2019 season — both in the Giants’ defeat and in NCAA victories of their eventual draft picks.
It’s the Big Blue Kool-Aid Rewind.
CHAPTER TWO: DAN’S THE MAN.
1. DANIEL JONES GOES DEEP
Week 2 for Jones, of course, was Duke’s second game of the 2018 season at Northwestern, and Jones was an efficient 16-of-22 for a 72.7 completion percentage, 192 yards and three touchdown passes. He threw all three TDs in the second quarter of a 21-7 Blue Devils win.
That included this deep play-action pass out of shotgun to Jonathan Lloyd for a 52-yard touchdown. These are the GIFs Giants fans should be watching on repeat in hopes that their future is way brighter than the franchise’s recent past.
2. ZO AND B.J. SHOW POTENTIAL
Carter and Hill will be critical starters on the Giants’ 2019 defense, so this highlight is especially relevant from early in their rookie years.
In this clip, in just their second career NFL game, Hill and Carter teamed up on a stunt to pressure Dak Prescott into a third-down throwaway late in the first quarter. The Cowboys settled for a field goal and a 10-0 lead.
Hill showed a powerful upfield rush splitting three-time All-Pro guard Zack Martin and right tackle La’el Collins. Carter’s speed helped flummox the linemen, and both Carter and Hill continued after Prescott to help force the incompletion.
This highlights some of the strengths the Giants will be counting on in 2019, from Hill on the defensive line and Carter as an edge rusher and outside linebacker.
3. SLIPPERY SAQUON
Barkley broke about 14 Cowboys tackles, by my count, rewatching the game film. This included nine defenders Barkley shed off his body, and five other guys that he juked into the atmosphere.
He started immediately on the Giants offense’s first play from scrimmage by losing linebacker Damien Wilson for a six-yard gain (see GIF).
Barkley’s 14 catches for 80 yards and 11 carries for 28 yards ultimately amounted to, as NBC’s Al Michaels put it on one play, “dancing and spinning and going nowhere.” But that wasn’t Barkley’s fault, and his consistent ability to break tackles is special, especially as a receiver.
Many of his jukes came on catches in open space, where the first Dallas defender often had no chance.
4. BAKER THE BULLDOG
Baker, a corner and the third of the Giants’ three first-round picks this April, intercepted a pass for the second straight game to open Georgia’s 2018 season. In the first quarter of this 49-7 win, Baker sat on a fourth-down pass by Middle Tennessee State QB Brent Stockstill and then showed speed up the sideline on a respectable return.
Baker’s physicality and ability to jam and lock receivers down early is considered his No. 1 strength, but this interception and return shows how good Baker looks in the open field, including with the ball in his hands.
The Giants will need strong coverage and could use playmaking and turnovers from both presumed starting corners, Janoris Jenkins and Baker.
5. I SEE YOU, C-LAT
Latimer’s first catch as a Giant is a great example of what he did well in 2018 when he was healthy and had the opportunity: stretching the field and winning one-on-one battles/50-50 balls on those downfield grabs.
Latimer played in only six games due to injury and had 11 catches, but three of them went for 30-plus yards, including this 37yard catch down the right sideline defended by Cowboys corner Chidobe Awuzie.
The Giants re-signed Latimer, and he will compete with the likes of Corey Coleman and Darius Slayton to be among Eli Manning’s top targets down the field in 2019.