Giants news, 11/11: Game previews, Thomas, roster signing, more headlines

Good morning, New York Giants fans!

Giants vs. Texans: 5 questions with Battle Red Blog | Big Blue View

Cory De La Guardia of SB Nation’s Battle Red Blog gives a scouting report on the Texans, which includes an overall view of Houston's roster, the status of WR Brandin Cooks, the strength of the team and where they can be attacked (spoiler alert: fantasy owners of Saquon Barkley should be happy on Sunday afternoon)

More from Big Blue View

• Giants’ roster move: Safety Terrell Burgess added to practice squad
• Former Giants’ linebacker Blake Martinez retires from the NFL
• Giants-Texans: When the Giants have the ball
• Giants vs. Texans, Week 10: What to expect when Houston has the ball
• NFL Week 10 picks, predictions: Will the Giants defeat the Texans?

Other Giant observations

PFF’s 2022 NFL Midseason All-Pro Team | PFF

Andrew Thomas’ transformation is complete. He has gone from a struggling rookie all the way through to being the best left tackle in the game, practically unassailable. He has allowed nine total pressures in eight games this season.

The 33rd Team’s Midseason All-Pro Team | The 33rd Team

LT Andrew Thomas is the starter, earning five votes. San Francisco’s Trent Williams received the other two votes.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens in theaters today

Giants sign former Rams DB Terrell Burgess to practice squad | Giants.com

Originally a third-round selection by the Rams in the 2020 NFL Draft, Burgess played in 30 regular-season games with three starts for the team until he was released two days ago. The 5-foot-11, 202-pounder played in four postseason games during the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI championship run last season and made starts in the wild card and divisional rounds.

Wink Martindale still awaiting a head-coaching shot | New York Post

If there is any coaching lifer in the NFL who had every right to feel insulted at Jim Irsay’s shocking hiring of Jeff Saturday as the Colts interim head coach, it is Wink Martindale.

Asked how long has he felt he has been qualified to be a head coach, he thought about it for a short while and said: “Probably eight years. The last eight years.”

New York Giants roster: Midseason strengths and weaknesses| ESPN

Kayvon Thibodeaux missed the first two games but has come on in recent weeks. His 17 pressures is second on the team, per Next Gen Stats. The No. 5 overall pick has not disappointed, despite recording just one sack.

"Everyone is excited how he gets better week to week and part of that was health," outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins said.

Giants’ Wink Martindale thinks highly of Texans RB Dameon Pierce | USA Today

“I don’t know who said something to him or did something to him to make him so angry, but that might be the angriest runner in the league,” Martindale told reporters. “He is, I’ll give you my comparisons again: Old, old school, Earl Campbell, Jamal Lewis. He’s one of those big power backs that has great balance. Runs mad every time he touches it. Has quick feet. It’s going to be (a) tough assignment.”

Giants need Dane Belton to be loud, clear as he assumes Xavier McKinney’s role | nj.com

Don’t think. Just play. That’s the advice Julian Love is offering Dane Belton this week as the rookie safety prepares to fill the shoes of Xavier McKinney Sunday when the Giants play the Houston Texans.

Giants second-half predictions: Daniel Jones leads N.Y. to playoffs, complicates looming decision | The Athletic

Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said this week they’ll be looking to create more explosive plays both in the run and pass games. If Jones can have success generating them, that will only make the decision about keeping him that much tougher on Schoen and company, given how many other things he’s doing well. Time will tell, but Jones has shown he’s going to make whatever decision is ultimately made a much more difficult one than was initially expected entering the season.

5 things we learned (11/9): Kafka on Jones | Giants.com

It's clear that the coaching staff is confident in Jones and his ability, due in part to the constant communication between the quarterback and the offensive play-caller.

"There's definitely a lot of trust between me and Daniel," Kafka told the media. "We talk multiple times a week about the install. At the end of the week, we go through every single play on the call sheet, rank it, talk about it, see how we're going to use it within a game. If a game goes one way, we'll go this direction. If a game goes the other way, we'll go this direction. We definitely talk a lot about that. He does a great job with it, he's a pro and he's been around here for a few years now and has seen a few things. It's been good to lean on him and get his comfortability with the offense."

Mr. Jones and me, We’re gonna be big stars

1st-Round Rookie Report Card Grades at NFL’s Midseason Mark | Bleacher Report

We’ve reached the midpoint of the 2022 NFL season, which means, of course, that it’s time to fairly and definitively declare whether this year’s top 32 selections are perennial stars or total busts, jokes B/R’s Kristopher Knox. For the two Giants picked in the first round, Knox gives Kayvon Thibodeaux a C and RT Evan Neal a C-.

Surprising Giants have playoffs in their sight coming off bye week | FOX Sports

“The margin for error is tight, for sure,” said Giants safety Julian Love. “But I always go back to what Wink [Martindale, the Giants defensive coordinator] told us right before the season started: In moments, like sudden change moments [where] a turnover happens and normally guys are like, ‘Oh, man, we’ve got to go back on the field.’ He said ‘You should be excited to go back on the field to showcase who you are.’”

This week’s opponent

Texans running back Dameon Pierce was on the practice report for the second day in a row, limited with shoulder and chest injuries.

Brandin Cooks: I'm frustrated; I want to win now | ProFootballTalk

Texans receiver Brandin Cooks is back with the team, but is he fully committed? Cooks spoke to the media for the first time since leaving the team and missing last Thursday’s game against the Eagles. On Thursday, Cooks admitted his frustration at not being traded before the Nov. 1 deadline.

“How I’m feeling right now, take a day-by-day process,” Cooks said. “I’m here now for the time being. As far as everything else, getting worked out, we’ll keep that internal.”

Houston Texans OL Laremy Tunsil's leadership has been recognized throughout the locker room | HoustonTexans.com

Against one of the best defenses in the NFL, Tunsil was part of an o-line that paved the way for a season-high 168 yards rushing on 32 carries, averaging 5.8 yards per attempt. According to Pro Football Focus, Tunsil has posted an 86.4 grade, the fourth highest among tackles between Weeks 1-9.

Texans trying to fix worst run defense as Giants, Barkley loom | ESPN.com

If you look up the two biggest rushing performances by a team this season, the Houston Texans will appear twice, but not for the right reasons.

The Texans' defense was on the receiving end of those performances: Once in a Week 8 loss against the Tennessee Titans (314 yards) and again a Week 3 loss against the Chicago Bears (284). If you search for the most rushing yards for a player in a single game this season, the answer, again, involves the Texans, as Titans’ running back Derrick Henry finished with 219 yards on 32 carries in Week 8.

Around the league

Jeff Saturday vows not to 'back down' while passionately defending his qualifications | CBSSports.com

"I spent 14 years in a locker room. I went to playoffs 12 times. I got five dudes in the Hall of Fame that I played with. You don't think I've seen greatness you don't think I've seen how people prepare, how they coach, how they GM, how they work? I mean, won Super Bowls, been to two. Here's the deal, man. None of us are promised a good job. I may be terrible at this. And after eight games, I'll say, God bless you. I am no good. I may be really good. I got no idea, but I dang sure ain't gonna back down. I can tell you that."

Bills' Josh Allen doesn't practice; playing status uncertain | ESPN.com

Josh Allen again was not practicing Thursday because of a right elbow injury, leaving his status for Sunday's game vs. the Vikings up in the air.

D.C. Attorney General takes aim at NFL, Commanders investigation coverup | ProFootballTalk

District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine announced on Thursday that his office will file a civil lawsuit against the Commanders, owner Daniel Snyder, the NFL, and Commissioner Roger Goodell. The lawsuit, arising from Racine’s jurisdiction over matters of consumer protection, will allege that the defendants “collud[ed] to deceive residents of the District of Columbia” about the investigation conducted by the NFL.

NFL Expands Partnership to Measure On-Field Head Impacts | NFL.com

The National Football League announced an expansion of its partnership with top research universities to collect data from on-field head impacts—through novel mouthguard sensors—to inform injury reduction efforts at the professional and collegiate level, including through rules changes and the development of higher-performing equipment like position-specific helmets. Joining the program this year are The University of Florida, The University of Georgia, The University of Pittsburgh, and Vanderbilt University, joining The University of Alabama, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, The University of Washington, and University of Wisconsin.

BBV mailbag

Have a Giants-related question? E-mail it to bigblueview@gmail.com and it might be featured in our weekly mailbag.

BBV podcast

You can find and subscribe to Big Blue View radio from the show’s home page

BBV social platforms

BBV on Twitter | BBV on Facebook | BBV on Instagram | BBV Radio (available on all of your favorite podcast platforms) | BBV on YouTube