On Monday we asked the question 'when would rookie offensive lineman Weston Richburg become a starter?' Well, the answer is that it didn't happen during Monday's New York Giants practice. That, however, doesn't mean it wasn't an intriguing day for the versatile rookie.
Richburg took some first-team snaps at right guard in place of Brandon Mosley and at left guard in place of Geoff Schwartz, the prized free-agent acquisition who had a rough game Saturday vs. the Indianapolis Colts.
Head coach Tom Coughlin didn't really want to talk about Richburg, or his plans for the offensive line.
"You’ve seen that before. How many times do we have to talk about this? Richburg has played left guard, he played right guard. He did that the other night. Schwartz has played left guard, Mosley’s played right guard. There are a lot of different combinations. There’s nothing to that. Guys are going to play. We’re trying to figure out who is on the team. Different combinations are good," Coughlin said. "I like to just keep trying to find the combination that’s the best combination. We’ve got a couple weeks to do that."
For his part, Richburg said "I don't have any indication" that a spot in the starting lineup is coming soon.
"That was my goal: to come in and compete. If you go to a team and don’t want to compete for a starting role, I think you’re cheating yourself. I want to be here, I want to be a player. I don’t want to be a guy that’s not playing. I want to contribute, be reliable, and be a guy that people can count on."
Justin Pugh: Offense took step back
Second-year offensive tackle Justin Pugh thinks the Giants took a "step back" vs. Indianapolis.
"I think in the first two games, there were some points in the games that were like, ‘hey, if we can just be on the same page, we are going to be alright.' We saw how close we were and I think this past week, to step back, we really have to make sure we get back to where we were and beyond those first two games," Pugh said.
Pugh understands the anxiety of fans and the questions being asked about the Giants struggling offense.
"Of course, you are having three and outs, one yard runs where you want to have those three or four yards runs, then that builds. So I can definitely see what the frustration is, I see what we see on film. There are corrections that need to be made and when we make those corrections. we are going to be alright," Pugh said. "I've got faith in these guys in this room and I know the type of mentality that we have. Everyone is going to come to work and I know this is going to be a good week for us and we are going to expect to play well on Friday."
Victor Cruz: Urgency, but not panic
Wide receiver Victor Cruz said Monday that the Giants "definitely" have a sense of urgency to make progress on offense.
"Offensively we know we have to play better. We have to do better, we have to execute better and we know that. There is definitely a sense of urgency for us to get better and show things better in the next game," Cruz said.
Cruz, though, said it's not time to panic.
"Mainly because we have not shown a lot. We haven't given a lot plays or tipped our hand on a lot of things that we have shown yet. It is still pretty base stuff, but we just have to do a better job of executing," Cruz said. "We just have to settle in and play the way we play when we are on the practice field when we are making plays and doing a lot of positive things out there."
Antrel Rolle talks about penalties
The NFL's insistence on calling an incredible number of illegal contact and other penalties on defensive backs is a huge topic of conversation this preseason. Here is Antrel Rolle's take on the situation.
"Once you understand that right now there is a very, very fine line as to what they will allow and what they won't allow, you just have to work it. You're going to get the call from time to time, but that's when you're going to understand and know how far you can push it. For the most part, you just have to go out there and play technique and just trust the guy beside you," Rolle said. "I think it's already an offensive league. I guess now they want to see more points scored than ever. I guess you just have to go out there and make the best of it."
Around The Inter-Google
Giants' Israel Idonije Finds Success in Comic Books - NYTimes.com
NFL expected to increase practice squads to 10 players
Interest fading among NFL owners for reducing preseason games - The Washington Post
NFC East: Time To Press Panic Button For Giants Offense?
Report: Jerry Jones' son stopped Cowboys owner right before he drafted Johnny Manziel | NJ.com
Get your story straight on key NFL season plotlines. | SportsonEarth.com : Mike Tanier Article
Hey NFL, Time To Admit Your Mistakes On Domestic Violence Policy