The Giants are waiting for their star defensive end to show up to camp. The 26-year-old two-time Pro Bowler lost his right index finger, and damaged his thumb in a fireworks accident July 4…but time is running out and his teammates seem to to be moving on.
For Justin Pugh, the unpleasantness of the Giants’ 27-0 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday continued long after he left Lincoln Financial Field.
“It’s like a nightmare,” Pugh said today. “When I was sleeping I wasn’t sure if I was having a nightmare or if that really just happened.”
The New York Football Giants knew this was going to be a tough business trip to Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia. It was all that and more.
They never could have imagined losing 27-0 the the Eagles and being dominated at the line of scrimmage like they were by Philadelphia.
Giants offensive tackle Justin Pugh grew up in Bucks PA, played football at Council Rock-South High School and attended Eagles games at Veterans Stadium and later at Lincoln Financial Field.
That is all behind him now.
Here are some quotes from Eagles and Giants players and coaches this week and their feelings about one the NFL’s oldest and best rivalries. The Birds and Big Blue square off on Sunday Night Football at 8:30 PM on NBC.
The Giants will learn in the next two weeks exactly where they stand in what appears to be a much-improved NFC East. Riding a three-game winning streak and owning a 3-2 record, the Giants will travel to Philadelphia and then Dallas before their bye. Both the Eagles and Cowboys are 4-1.
Odell Beckham Jr. and Andre Williams, the Giants’ first and fourth-round draft choices in the 2014 NFL Draft, led the team in receiving and rushing, respectively, and scored the Giants’ only second-half touchdowns in a 30-20 come-from-behind victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
The Giants’ consistent and unwavering response was, “we have good tight ends on the roster.” To which all of those skeptics replied, “seriously?”
Yes, seriously. The position that seemingly had more questions than any other has become a team strength four games into the season. Eli Manning has thrown nine touchdown passes this season. Seven of them have been to tight ends.
Early in the fourth quarter, it appeared FedEx Field had been evacuated, so empty were its burgundy and yellow seats. The few remaining fans were no longer singing “Hail to the Redskins,” the stadium’s chant of choice having been replaced with “Let’s go Giants!”
At 5-foot-9, Trumaine McBride is the shortest player on the Giants’ active roster. But this Sunday against the Houston Texans, he will play a big role in the secondary when he takes over for Walter Thurmond III as the team’s nickel cornerback.
