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Nw York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck had a great reaction to the news that the NFL has passed a rule that it can compel a team to appear on HBO's 'Hard Knocks' if there are no volunteers.
"The NFL is trippin'. I'm serious. How are they going to pass a rule to force you to be on Hard Knocks?," Tuck said.
Well, Justin, we really don't know. But they did. So, how does Tuck think coach Tom Coughlin would handle being forced to appear on the show?
"That's hilarious. I know that's going to be a headline, there you go," Tuck said. "I know coach Coughlin, he really doesn't approve of things like that. But if the NFL makes it mandatory, I guess we have to abide by the rules of our employers."
Martellus Bennett catching on with Bears
Martellus Bennett came to the Giants as a free agent last season hoping to prove that he could be a starting tight end in the NFL. He also seemed to hope he would become a long-term fixture with the Giants. After catching 55 passes last season Bennett parlayed that into a rich contract with the Bears
"It’s a place that seemed to be a great fit for us, but you never know how things work out. There weren’t ill feelings on either side. I think we both tried to do what we could to make it happen, but it just didn’t work out," Bennett said. "I was appreciative of my time and the coaches and the organization and the people around the whole situation with the players. It helped me get better."
Bennett has already caught 25 passes in five games.
Quick Hits
The Giants expect linebacker Jon Beason, just acquired on Friday, to play a significant role Thursday. "He's ready to contribute," said Coughlin. Beason and Spencer Paysinger will switch numbers, with Beason wearing 52 and Paysinger 54.
Running back Da'Rel Scott is happy to be back after being cut a week ago. "I didn't see it coming, my family as well didn't see it coming, so they definitely had my back," Scott said. "I just thank God that I'm here and that I have another opportunity, so I have to make the best of it."
The Giants are last in the NFL on third-down conversions (16-of-61, 26.2 percent). Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride says the biggest reason is that 35 of those 61 third downs have been third-and-11 or more.
What does Chicago coach Marc Trestman think of the Giants? "We expect their best. This is a team that has a lot of championship level players. They have a quarterback who is going to go to the Hall of Fame. He's a great player," Trestman said. "We expect to feel the same sense of urgency that we're going to have to show to play this game. We wouldn't expect anything less."
Around The Inter-Google
NFL.com has posted a list of 10 players who have disappointed so far this season. Giants' running back David Wilson is No. 1 on the list and defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul No. 4, which goes a long way toward explaining why the Giants are 0-5.
Archie Manning won only 35 games in 139 career starts as an NFL quarterback, and he knows exactly what Eli Manning is going through right now. Speaking of Manning, things have been so bad for him this season that even writers from rival NFC East blogs are trying to dissect what is going on with him.
How bad are the Giants? ESPN's Dan Graziano says they are "without any question one of the two worst teams in the NFL." Football Outsiders' current DVOA ratings would back up Graziano's claim.
Harry Carson, the former Giants' linebacker who is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is prominently featured in the PBS documentary 'League of Denial.'
Former Giants' running back Ahmad Bradshaw, now with the Indianapolis Colts, will undergo neck surgery and miss the rest of the season.
More from Big Blue View:
- Tom Coughlin turns page, looks ahead to Bears on Thursday
- NFC East Notebook, Oct. 8: Tony Romo and John Elway; Nick Foles to start
- David Wilson Injury: Running back won't play Thursday
- Reasons to Celebrate: When eligible, Will Hill shines on the field
- Giants at Bears Odds: Giants open as 7.5-point underdogs
- Examining Eli Manning's interceptions vs. the Eagles
- What can the Giants do? Here are five suggestions
- NFL Power Rankings 2013, Week 6: 0-5 Giants fall to No. 30
- New York Giants' news 10/8: Simms, Gannon pile on Eli Manning
- Giants' Monday Injury Report: Wilson injury opens door for return of Da'Rel Scott