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5 Things We Learned

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5 Things We Learned: What we heard Thursday

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The New York Giants return to MetLife Stadium this weekend for their first of back-to-back home games, starting with a matchup against the New Orleans Saints.

The Giants' losing streak has reached seven games following their Thanksgiving loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Meanwhile, the Saints saw their two-game winning streak under interim head coach Darren Rizzi end with a 21-14 loss against the Los Angeles Rams last week.

Only five games remain on the 2024 schedule, with home matchups against the Ravens (Week 15) and Colts (Week 17) along with road outings against the Falcons (Week 16) and Eagles (Week 18) looming after the Saints.

Giants coordinators Mike Kafka, Shane Bowen, and Michael Ghobrial met with reporters prior to Thursday's practice, along with coach Brian Daboll in his weekly fly-by media scrum.

Here are five things we learned:

1. Tracy continuing to grow

Through his first 12 games, Tracy is averaging an impressive 5.0 yards per carry, taking 125 rush attempts for 619 yards and four touchdowns while adding 24 receptions for 178 yards. However, it hasn't all been positive for the young back. In Weeks 10 and 12, Tracy fumbled the ball a total of three times, one of which directly led to the Panthers' game-winning field goal in overtime. This led to Devin Singletary receiving the start against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, although Tracy wound up still being on the field for 73 percent of the team's offensive snaps.

With only five games left on the season, assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said he wants to see the rookie running back continue to develop as he wraps up his first season.

"Keep on growing, keep on learning," Kafka said about Tracy. "Every single opportunity is another day for growth. I think for him specifically, it's just the little, small details. As you become a pro and as you play longer in this league, those details start to add up, and now you can bank some more experiences for yourself. I think for him, he's doing a lot of learning, a lot of growing, and he'll continue to get better. I know (Running Backs) Coach (Joel) Thomas does a great job with him and really reeling him in and bringing him back to the basics and detailing up all his fundamentals."

Tracy is facing a positive matchup this weekend. The Saints come into this game ranking 26th in rushing yards allowed and 31st in yards per attempt allowed, while their 15 rushing touchdowns surrendered are tied for the seventh-most in the league.

View photos of the Giants on the practice field at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.

2. Opportunity for Chatman

The Giants' defense has been impacted by injuries recently, especially along the defensive line. Dexter Lawrence was placed on injured reserve on Monday due to a dislocated elbow, while Rakeem Nunez-Roches has yet to practice this week due to neck and shoulder injuries. Even D.J. Davidson (shoulder) and Jordon Riley (knee) have been dealing with their respective ailments, although they've both been limited participants in practice Wednesday and Thursday.

The injuries along the D-line should pave the way for more undrafted rookie Elijah Chatman to receive more snaps. Chatman has mostly been used on passing downs this season, but due to the depth concerns at defensive tackle, the rookie, who just turned 24 on Thursday, should be looking at increased opportunities on all downs against the Saints.

"I thought he's done some good things," defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said. "He's been in there primarily for us on passing situations, third down. He's been able to be coordinated and run some games, do some different things with (Brian) Burns and been able to get some push in the pocket for us. He's a powerful, explosive kid. So, when he's able to get out of his stance and get going, he's got some length to him despite being a little bit shorter.

"He went in there last week. We lost all those… We were down three defensive linemen, not even halfway through the third quarter. Him and Jordon really had to finish the game for us. So, they went in there and battled. Hopefully continue to take the next step with him. He's going to have opportunities this week a little bit more on first and second down just because where we're at."

3. State of the TE room

Lawrence wasn't the only player whose season was cut short during the Thanksgiving matchup. Tight end Theo Johnson was also placed on injured reserve on Monday after the rookie suffered a foot injury against the Cowboys. Johnson was in the midst of the best game of his rookie season, matching his season-high with five receptions while setting a new high mark with 56 receiving yards.

Prior to last week's game, the Giants added another player to the tight end room when they claimed Greg Dulcich off waivers from the Denver Broncos. With Johnson done for the season, Dulcich joins Daniel Bellinger and Chris Manhertz as the three tight ends on the active roster, while practice squad tight end Jordan Murray rounds out the room. Bellinger now takes over for Johnson in the starting lineup, but all of the tight ends on the roster could be called upon in the final five games.

"Just next man up," Kafka said about Johnson's injury. "And Bellinger's been here. He knows the system well. He'll step into that role. Obviously, (Tight Ends) Coach (Tim) Kelly does a great job getting all those guys in. We've got new guys with Dulcich in the room now and getting him kind of caught up a little bit. So, things are progressing really well. We like where that room's at."

4. Okereke deals with back injury

Linebacker Bobby Okereke has stepped up his game over the last month and a half. After not topping eight total tackles in any of the first seven games of the season, the veteran linebacker has recorded no fewer than nine tackles in any of the last five games, with 52 tackles total during that span. In last week's game against the Cowboys, Okereke registered nine tackles (five solo), including two tackles for loss, along with a pass defensed. However, he appeared to pick up a back injury that has forced him to miss the first two practices of the week.

"I think he's been good," Bowen told the media Thursday about the linebacker. "He's been solid for us. Leader. Runs the show for us. Gets guys lined up. Makes plays when they're there for us. He's done a good job lately here attacking the football. I think he's got three forced fumbles recently and the one last week was inches away, on the goal line, from being a forced fumble. So, he's taking advantage of opportunities to get his hands on the football and use his length. We'll see where he's at here these next couple days."

Okereke is tied with Tyler Nubin for the most tackles on the team, but trailing not too far behind the two is fellow inside linebacker Micah McFadden. The third-year linebacker has 80 tackles on the season (42 solo) to go with two sacks, three tackles for loss, five quarterback hits, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and three passes defensed. While he hasn't seen as much playing time as McFadden, linebacker Darius Muasau has also flashed at times during his rookie campaign. If the Giants need to pass the green dot to one of these two young linebackers on Sunday due to Okereke's injury, Bowen is confident that both can handle the added responsibility.

"If Bobby can't go, I feel comfortable with both of them," the defensive coordinator said about Muasau and McFadden. "They both have had to be able to do it. They both battled injuries throughout the year. So, they've always been kind of the next guy, whether it was Darius out and Micah was the next guy that would have to take that role. Or Darius has been out throughout the season and Micah would have to take that role. So, I feel comfortable with both those guys."

5. Slayton nominated for Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year

Wide receiver Darius Slayton has been selected as the Giants' 2024 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee.

Presented by Nationwide, the NFL Man of the Year Award is named for former Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton, a Pro Football Hall of Famer who died in 1999. The award recognizes an NFL player for outstanding community service activities off the field as well as excellence on the field.

Each of the 32 teams has a Man of the Year who is eligible to win the league award. Last year, Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward won the award. In 2016, Giants quarterback Eli Manning was named a co-winner – with Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald - of the Man of the Year Award. Manning is the only Giants player to receive the award in its 54-year history.

Saquon Barkley was the Giants' nominee each of the previous two seasons.

"It's hard to even put into words," Slayton said of his reaction to learning he was the nominee. "It's not something that I saw coming at all. Even as a kid, you see all these things the players do, and you never know. (Now retired tackle) Andrew Whitworth won (in 2021) and I remember he got up there and was telling a story about one of his last years in the league. He said a guy came up to him and (said), 'I was one of those kids at the Boys and Girls Club and I made it big.' To me, that's the ultimate. There's not really much you could do in your career, or anything, that would top that, having someone come up and say, 'You inspired me and here I am.' Even if it wasn't the NFL, that would be the biggest accomplishment in the world.

"I think the award itself speaks to that. That's why I think it's a tremendous honor to be a part of it. I'm very grateful and humbled that I was selected."

View photos from the all-time series between the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints.

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