In a planned change to the rotation, rookie cornerback DeAndre Baker retained his starting job against the Bears but had his workload decreased to get more time on defense for Sam Beal. Baker played 48 of the 76 snaps, and Beal played 28 snaps.
“I thought Sam had some good plays,’’ coach Pat Shurmur said Monday. “I like the fact he was healthy and able to be in the game playing corner. We get to see what we really liked about him. He got some good reps. They caught the deep-in ball on him and it ended up being a penalty. I thought he battled and for the most part was pretty effective.’’
If Baker was bothered by sharing time, he did not show it.
“You don’t see much from DeAndre in those type of situations,’’ Shurmur said. “When he’s out there playing, he’s playing and when he’s standing there, he’s watching attentively.’’
Beal is a second-year player who missed the entire 2018 season on injured reserve. Julian Love, a rookie safety, received his most extensive playing time with 42 snaps on defense and came away with his first NFL interception.
Aldrick Rosas is the first Giants kicker to miss consecutive field goal attempts in the same game in 14 years, since Jay Feely missed three in a row in an infamous 2005 overtime loss in Seattle. Rosas has missed either a field goal or an extra point in five consecutive games. Shurmur would not say whether the Giants will bring in another kicker to put some heat on Rosas.
“We’ll talk about that as we go,’’ Shurmur said. “It’s unacceptable to miss the kicks that we did, but I think it’s important the guys that are here continue to improve and in all areas become more consistent with that they do. That’s the focus with Aldrick at this point.’’
Rosas missed kicks from 42 and 43 yards in a four-minute span of the second quarter.
The season is not over but might as well be, and no one is looking forward to the slow slog through the final month. The rookies are simply trying to make it through the day. The veterans voice what no player wants to admit.
“We got what, five more opportunities to go out there?’’ linebacker Alec Ogletree said. “That’s all we got to look forward to. This is our job, this is how we feed our family and stuff. We have to go out there and battle.’’
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