Azeez Ojulari makes Pro Football Focus' Team of the Week
Rookie Azeez Ojulari has already found his way into the record books.
With another on Sunday against the Falcons, Ojulari is the first Giants player with a sack in each of his first three career games. He is also the first NFL player with at least 1.0 sack in each of his first three career games since Cleveland's Myles Garrett in 2017. His sack of Matt Ryan in Week 3 also forced a fumble, which was recovered by teammate Lorenzo Carter.
Pro Football Focus recognized Ojulari for his dominant performance against Atlanta, naming him to its NFL Week 3 Team of the Week. Ojulari played 31 defensive snaps and earned a team-high 92.2 overall grade, aided by his elite 92.2 pass rush grade. The rookie was also solid against the run, receiving a 70.2 run defense grade. Assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Patrick Graham praised the rookie last week for his impact in the run game.
"The thing that's encouraging (to) me with Azeez for these young edge guys, is his ability to play the run," Graham told the media. "He's playing stout in the run game. You think about a young edge player, they're thinking about, 'Okay, I've got to get sacks. Everybody wants to know how many sacks I'm going to have.' He's playing stout in the run game, that's what's encouraging for me."
Through the first three weeks of the season, Ojulari has earned a 77.5 pass rush grade, good for the 23rd-highest mark among all edge defenders. It is also the highest pass rush grade among edge defenders from the 2021 draft class, and the third-highest among all rookies. His three sacks currently lead the 2021 rookie class.
"I'm just doing whatever they want me to do," the rookie told the media Monday. "Playing my heart (out), playing my best, playing my heart out (out) there. Just whatever comes to me, make the plays that come my way. I'm just trying to do what I've got to do and do my part."
LB Blake Martinez suffers torn ACL; out for season
The Giants announced Monday afternoon that middle linebacker and defensive leader Blake Martinez suffered a torn left ACL yesterday against the Atlanta Falcons and will miss the remainder of the season.
Martinez was hurt on the game’s fourth play as he pursued running back Cordarrelle Patterson on an eight-yard reception. The six-year veteran remained on the ground for several minutes before two members of the team's medical staff helped him walk off the field.
Martinez is the second of the team's seven 2021 captains to suffer a season-ending injury in as many weeks. Offensive lineman Nick Gates fractured his lower left leg at Washington on Sept. 16 and subsequently underwent surgery.
When Gates was hurt, he owned the Giants' longest active starting streak at 19 games. When he went down, that designation shifted to Martinez – who was also hurt in his 19th consecutive Giants start.
The Giants also lost a captain and valuable player early last season when running back Saquon Barkley tore his ACL.
Martinez joined the Giants as a free agent in 2020 and bolstered his reputation as one of the NFL's most prolific tacklers. He was the only player in the league with at least 140 tackles in each of the previous four seasons (the first three with the Green Bay Packers). Last year, Martinez started all 16 games for the fourth consecutive season and led the Giants and was third in the NFL with 151 tackles (86 solo). He posted double-digit tackles in eight games, including a season-high 14 (eight solo) vs. Washington on Oct. 18.
View photos of the New York Giants' active 53-man roster as it currently stands.
RB Saquon Barkley
RB Devontae Booker
CB James Bradberry
G Ben Bredeson
RB Gary Brightwell
LB Lorenzo Carter
WR Pharoh Cooper
DB Keon Crossen
LB Tae Crowder
OT Korey Cunningham
P Riley Dixon
TE Evan Engram
QB Jake Fromm
K Graham Gano
FB Cullen Gillaspia
QB Mike Glennon
WR Kenny Golladay
G Will Hernandez
DT Austin Johnson
WR Collin Johnson
DL Raymond Johnson III
QB Daniel Jones
LS Casey Kreiter
DL Dexter Lawrence
DB Julian Love
G Wes Martin
LB Benardrick McKinney
S Xavier McKinney
TE Chris Myarick
LB Azeez Ojulari
DB Steven Parker
OT Matt Peart
FB Elijhaa Penny
C Billy Price
LB Reggie Ragland
DB J.R. Reed
LB Quincy Roche
TE Kyle Rudolph
DB Logan Ryan
DT Danny Shelton
WR Sterling Shepard
OL Matt Skura
WR Darius Slayton
LB Elerson G. Smith
OT Nate Solder
OT Andrew Thomas
DT Leonard Williams
Giants sign OL Wes Martin off Washington practice squad
The Giants filled the opening on their roster by signing guard Wes Martin off the Washington Football Team's practice squad.
Martin, 6-3 and 315 pounds, played in 25 regular-season games with 10 starts and played in one postseason game for Washington in 2019-20.
Last year, he played in all 16 games, including starts at left guard in each of the first five games. Martin also played in the NFC Wild Card Game against Tampa Bay.
As a rookie in 2019, he played in nine games with five starts at right guard. Two of those games were against the Giants, the opponents when he was a starter in his NFL debut on Sept. 29
Martin was a fourth-round draft choice, No. 131 overall, in the 2019 NFL Draft from Indiana. With the Hoosiers, Martin played in 50 games with 43 starts – including a start in each of his final 37 games – at left guard.
The Giants had an opening on their roster since placing offensive lineman Nick Gates on injured reserve last week.
View photos of former Washington offensive lineman, who recently signed with the Giants.
Washington Football Team offensive guard Wes Martin (67) block during an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020, in Cleveland. The Browns won 34-20. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Washington Football Team offensive guard Wes Martin during an NFL preseason football game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium, Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021 in Foxborough, Mass. (Winslow Townson/AP Images for Panini)
Washington Football Team offensive guard Wes Martin (67) in an offensive stance during an NFL preseason football game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021 in Landover, MD. The Washington Football Team won, 17-13. (Ric Tapia via AP)
Washington Football Team offensive guard Wes Martin (67) and offensive tackle Saahdiq Charles (77) line up before a play during an NFL preseason game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Aug. 12, 2021 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots defeated Washington 22-13. (Kevin Sabitus via AP)
Washington Football Team guard Wes Martin (67) walks out of the tunnel prior to an NFL game against the Dallas Cowboys, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020, in Arlington, Texas. Washington beat the Cowboys 41-16. (Cooper Neill via AP)
Washington Football Team offensive guard Wes Martin (67) in an offensive stance during an NFL preseason football game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021 in Landover, MD. The Washington Football Team won, 17-13. (Ric Tapia via AP)
Washington Football Team offensive lineman Wes Martin (67) is shown on the sideline before a preseason NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Thursday, August 12, 2021 in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots defeated the Washington Football Team 22-13. (Damian Strohmeyer via AP)
Washington Football Team offensive guard Wes Martin (67) runs during the NFL game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020, in Detroit. The Lions defeated the Washington Football Team 30-27. (Scott Boehm via AP)
Washington Football Team offensive guard Wes Martin (67) blocks during an NFL preseason game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Aug. 12, 2021 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots defeated Washington 22-13. (Kevin Sabitus via AP)
Washington Football Team offensive guard Wes Martin (67) runs during the NFL game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020, in Detroit. The Lions defeated the Washington Football Team 30-27. (Scott Boehm via AP)
Washington Football Team offensive guard Wes Martin (67) warms up before an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Monday, Dec. 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)
Washington Football Team offensive guard Wes Martin (67) in an offensive stance during an NFL preseason football game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021 in Landover, MD. The Washington Football Team won, 17-13. (Ric Tapia via AP)
Washington Football Team offensive guard Wes Martin (67) and offensive tackle Saahdiq Charles (77) block during an NFL preseason game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Aug. 12, 2021 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots defeated Washington 22-13. (Kevin Sabitus via AP)
Washington Football Team offensive guard Wes Martin (67) block during an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020, in Cleveland. The Browns won 34-20. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Washington Football Team guard Wes Martin (67) blocks during an NFL game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020, in Landover, MD. The Ravens defeated the Washington Football Team 31-17. (Al Tielemans via AP)
Washington Football Team guard Wes Martin (67) blocks during an NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Landover, MD. The Rams defeated the Washington Football Team 30-10. (Al Tielemans via AP)
Washington Redskins offensive guard Ross Pierschbacher (72), Washington Redskins offensive guard Wes Martin (78) and Washington Redskins offensive tackle Geron Christian (74) during an NFL preseason football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019 in Atlanta. The Redskins won, 19-7. (Ric Tapia via AP)
Washington Football Team offensive guard Wes Martin (67) walks the locker room following the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the New York Giants, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, in Landover, Md. (Michael Owens via AP)
Washington Football Team offensive guard Wes Martin (67) and center Chase Roullier (73) stand on the field during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Landover, Md. The Rams defeated Washington 30-10. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Washington Football Team center Chase Roullier (73) prepares for the snap next to offensive guard Wes Martin (67) during an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020, in Cleveland. Cleveland won 34-20. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Washington Redskins offensive guard Wes Martin (67) prepares to block against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Washington Football Team offensive guard Wes Martin (67) blocks during an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020, in Cleveland. Cleveland won 34-20. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Washington Redskins offensive guard Ross Pierschbacher (72), Washington Redskins offensive guard Wes Martin (78) and Washington Redskins offensive tackle Geron Christian (74) during an NFL preseason football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019 in Atlanta. The Redskins won, 19-7. (Ric Tapia via AP)
Washington Redskins guard Wes Martin (78) runs next to wide receiver Kelvin Harmon (13) during an NFL football rookie camp, Saturday, May 11, 2019, in Ashburn, Va. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Football Team offensive guard Wes Martin (67) during an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Washington Football Team offensive guard Wes Martin (67) block during an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020, in Cleveland. The Browns won 34-20. (AP Photo/David Richard)
This is a 2020 photo of Wes Martin of the Washington NFL football team. This image reflects the Washington active roster as of Friday, Aug. 28, 2020 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Washington Redskins center Ross Pierschbacher, from left, guard Wes Martin and tight end J.P. Holtz walk to a practice at the team's NFL football practice facility, Monday, May 20, 2019, in Ashburn, Va. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Washington Redskins guard Wes Martin (78) stands on the field during an NFL football rookie camp, Saturday, May 11, 2019, in Ashburn, Va. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Redskins offensive guard Wes Martin (78) does a warm up drill during the Washington Redskins NFL football training camp in Richmond, Va., Wednesday, July 31, 2019. Redskins rookie guard Wes Martin isn't just a strong NFL prospect who built his strength growing up on a dairy farm. He started a dog rescue foundation and raised money for it at his pre-draft pro day. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Washington Redskins guard Wes Martin (78) and wide receiver Kelvin Harmon (13) run during an NFL football rookie camp, Saturday, May 11, 2019, in Ashburn, Va. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Redskins guard Wes Martin (78) takes part in a drill during an NFL football rookie camp, Saturday, May 11, 2019, in Ashburn, Va. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
🎥 Highlights: Atlanta Falcons 17, New York Giants 14
View the video below to check out the top plays from the Giants' Week 3 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
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