*The Giants are finished with the distraction caused by the Janoris Jenkins suspension: *
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. –The Giants today moved past the issue of the day to focus on the game of the week.
Coach Ben McAdoo and several players were peppered with questions about the indefinite suspension of cornerback Janoris Jenkins, which was announced yesterday. They did so after a practice that McAdoo called "spirited," as the Giants began full-scale preparations for their home game Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams.
The media was more concerned with Jenkins' suspension, and whatever ramifications it may have for the team.
"It's my responsibility to take action and when you have discipline that needs to be taken care of, you have to handle it," McAdoo said. "If you don't handle it, that's a poor reflection. I think for the best of the program, the decision had to be made."
Jenkins did not return after the team's bye on Monday, as the players were instructed to do. Two other players - Eli Apple and Paul Perkins - did not report Monday, for reasons McAdoo said were "travel-related." He declined to discuss specifics regarding Jenkins, though he did say in announcing the suspension of the 2016 Pro Bowler, "I did not speak with him directly until Tuesday morning."
McAdoo made it clear travel-related issues were not acceptable excuses.
"The players had five days off," McAdoo said. "I communicated to the players in our team meeting today – I didn't have to give them five days off. I chose to give the players five days off because I felt we needed to get away from it. That's important at this time of year at the midpoint and the bye week. With that, I expected all the players to be here ready to go Monday morning. No excuses."
McAdoo suspended a cornerback for the second time this season; Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie did not play in Denver on Oct. 15 – the Giants' lone victory this season – but was reinstated the day after the game. The coach called them "isolated incidents," and said in response to another question, "you have to take them on a case-by-case basis."
The players acknowledged Jenkins is an important piece to the defense – he returned an interception for a touchdown against the Broncos – but his absence does not affect their objective this week, which is to defeat the 5-2 Rams.
"It happens," quarterback Eli Manning said of the disciplinary measures. "We got to handle our business. We got to make sure we're doing things right. I think everybody knows the reasoning for why they're occurring and we got to, obviously, go about our business. And then when guys come back, you don't think about it and you keep going."
Has the 14-year veteran seen this many players getting disciplined in the past?
"I don't think we think much about it," Manning said. "We got to play a game. We got to go. Guys understand there's rules. You have to follow them and we have to handle our business."
Safety Landon Collins, who is close to both Jenkins and DRC, was asked if he was frustrated with teammates putting him in a position to have to answer questions about suspensions.
"No, stuff happens," Collins said. "I don't look at it as that. There's two different things that happened with the two suspensions that happened this year. Like I said, things happen within the organization that you have to just face and coach just has to keep his foot down. If he's going to keep his foot down and be stern, you have to just follow the rules.
"I wish (Jenkins) was here. We need him. We need every guy that we have on this team. But I mean, that's coach. Coach makes the rules and we have to abide by them."
McAdoo will review the status of Jenkins' suspension next week. For now, the coaches and players are concentrating on their preparation for the game against the Rams.
"We had a spirited practice," McAdoo said. "Guys were flying around. We got better out here today and, when Janoris gets back, we'll welcome him back with open arms. There'll be no grudges and he's one of us. He's one of our teammates."
*Devin Taylor has not played football since the Giants' final preseason game on Aug. 31. The Giants released him two days later. Taylor was jobless until yesterday, when the Giants signed the five-year veteran defensive end to replace Cap Capi, who was placed on injured reserve.
It was the first time since he was a youngster that Taylor was not playing football at this time of year.
"I would say it was different," said Taylor, who played the previous four seasons for the Detroit Lions. "It's almost like whenever you do have that transition and you don't play anymore. But then you're not really sure what you're supposed to feel like. You're doing stuff, but you don't really know what you're going to do yet.
"Honestly, when you don't play, you do miss it a lot more than you realize you think you do. You find out if you miss it or if you love the game or not by how much you miss it. So that's one of those things I was traversing through."
Taylor split his time the last two months between Michigan and Florida.
"I felt like I was going to be somewhere, I just didn't know where specifically," said Taylor, who has 15.0 career sacks. "I always just kept my body, kept my mind mentally ready."
*Seven Giants did not practice today: defensive ends Olivier Vernon (ankle) and Kerry Wynn (knee), linebacker B.J. Goodson (ankle), offensive lineman Justin Pugh (back), center Weston Richburg (concussion), safety Nat Berhe (calf) and tight end Rhett Ellison (not injury related).
Four players were limited: wide receiver Sterling Shepard (ankle), linebackers Jonathan Casillas (neck) and Calvin Munson (quad), and defensive tackle Robert Thomas (calf). Running back Paul Perkins (ribs) was a full participant.
