Here are some tidbits from the New York Giants' post practice press conferences today. Click the links to read today's full transcripts, as well as a host of other daily interviews.
Defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan seems to be looking for a sizable contribution from Michael Boley, who will be active Sunday after serving his one-game suspension and recovering from hip surgery. (full transcript).
Q: It seems like they split their two tight ends wide a lot and last week created a couple of mismatches against the Buccaneers. Is that something you have told your guys to be careful of?
A: Oh yeah. I think that in their mind that is their best personnel group is to get the two tight ends on the field; when they put their fullback on the field they are a little conventional. You see that every week. We call them ‘two-back sets' when you get a mix of run and play action. But I think they really like Bennett and they are going to try to get him on the field. In their minds they probably can do some of what they do in three-wide receivers and that personnel group. Because they extend them out in what looks like three wide receivers groups. And they try to do the same thing in the passing game. So yeah, they have expanded a little bit. And in our minds that is their number one grouping from a personnel standpoint, especially on first and second down.
Q: Will Boley be able to help out against that formation?
A: Yeah, we are counting on it. I'm assuming that he is going to be healthy enough to actually play. But yeah, he is a very athletic kind of kid. And as much as anything, our motivation for acquiring him in the offseason was because he is an athletic kid in space and can really cover. So you might not feel as compelled to go to nickel on first and second down for some of those groupings if you could play a guy like that.
Q: You have only really seen him in two practices. How has he been?
A: He has been fine. He is what we thought he was. When you evaluate a guy on free agent film - he is real athletic - he can run. He will definitely help our talent pool if he is capable and when he gets in the lineup because he is just a really good athlete. I remember that he was like that coming out of college - the same way. So he looks good out there running around.