The football was flying through the bright blue skies and five times it came down in the hands of the wrong player.
Or the right player, depending on your perspective.
“Defense was pretty good today,’’ Tom Coughlin observed after Monday’s practice at Giants training camp. “They were in the right spot and they made a nice play and hopefully we can grow with that, we can get better because of that. It’s a good thing to see the people make plays.’’
Indeed, there was loads of Giants who got into the act, as Jayron Hosley, Tyler Sash, Aaron Ross, Junior Mertile and Laron Scott all came away with interceptions. Rookie Ryan Nassib threw two of them, Curtis Painter threw two of them and David Carr threw one. Oh, a guy named Eli Manning didn’t throw any interceptions.
One of the best defensive plays of the day wasn’t a turnover but it was effective, as CB Prince Amukamara leaped and was just able to get a hand on a pass that nearly fell into Rueben Randle’s hands in the end zone.
“Prince competed like heck,’’ Coughlin said. “He really did and that’s what we’re trying to get there and he’s rising to the occasion. He’s being more and more competitive.’’
It was one of the rare times when Randle was contained. The second-year receiver had a sensational practice, looking like the most dynamic player on the field. He jumped to catch a pass against Amukamara on the left sideline, hauled in a 60-yarder from Manning after just beating CB Corey Webster and in a red zone drill beat Aaron Ross for a touchdown.
Other notables:
– WR Hakeem Nicks practiced on a limited basis after tweaking his groin on Sunday. Coughlin said he doesn’t think Nicks is being too cautious as he returns following offseason knee surgery but he is anxious to get him on the field for a full workout more than one day in a row.
“We just want him out there competing and practicing,’’ Coughlin said. “The guy has not practiced and he really needs to get out there. We’ll have to see the extent of which we have an issue here. ‘’
– LB Jacquian Williams spent some time working with the starting defense, replacing Keith Rivers. This figures to be an ongoing and fluid situation at linebacker at all three spots. Williams got his hands on two passes for breakups.
– There was some gadgetry in the red zone, as WR Louis Murphy on an end-around threw a pass intended for Rueben Randle, but Corey Webster broke it up.
– Attendance on the sun-splashed afternoon was 1,058. Attendance on Saturday was 943 and Sunday’s Autograph Day crowd was 7,439.