Giants to put more emphasis on takeaways this season
Bobby Okereke of the Giants speaks at the team practice facility in East Rutherford on Monday, August 14, 2023. Credit: Ed Murray/Ed Murray
Dane Belton was seen speeding down the field en route to a practice pick-6.
That happened in a two-minute drill Monday at Giants training camp. The safety also was seen taking the ball away from a Lions runner in a joint practice last week and making an interception against them in Friday night’s preseason-opening loss in Detroit. Safety Jason Pinnock picked off a pass, too.
The Giants tied with the Raiders for last in the NFL with six interceptions in 2022. Those went with 13 fumble recoveries. The Giants stood 25th in total takeaways, and they obviously could use more. Nothing counts yet, but takeaways are on their minds.
“You can emphasize it,” said Bobby Okereke, their new middle linebacker. “You want to play as disciplined to the scheme as you can, but you always preach swarming to the ball and you preach punching out the ball.
“You’ve seen that from Dane, that two-minute series, being in conditioned shape, and that [other] play, he’s just hustling to the ball . . . So the more we get in condition, better shape, the more takeaways we’ll get.”
Xavier McKinney is expecting them, too.
“We’ve got a lot of talent, a lot of guys that have the ability to go get the ball,” the safety said. “So we’re just going to keep stacking [them up], for sure.”
Extra points
Receiver Collin Johnson (knee) left the Detroit game and didn’t practice Monday. “I don’t think it’s long term, but I’m not a doctor, either,” coach Brian Daboll said . . . DB Cor’Dale Flott (abdomen) also left the game, but he practiced . . . RT Evan Neal (concussion protocol) wore a red no-contact jersey in practice . . . DT D.J. Davidson, who tore an ACL last season, came off PUP and practiced.
