Injuries mount for Giants in final stretch

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – At least the quarterbacks are healthy. Well, mostly.

It’s never good when the first few minutes of an NFL coach’s news conference is dominated by injury news, as Brian Daboll’s was today. While listing the group of players who missed practice, and later detailing their injuries, Daboll announced Drew Lock will be the starting quarterback when the Giants face the New Orleans Saints Sunday in MetLife Stadium. Lock started the Giants’ Thanksgiving Day loss in Dallas because Tommy DeVito had suffered a forearm injury four days earlier against Tampa Bay.

DeVito has improved, was limited in practice, and could be the No. 2 quarterback vs. the Saints. He was inactive as the third QB last week.

“I think Tommy’s improving,” Daboll said. “He’ll throw out here today, probably do some show team reps. Drew’s going to take all the reps with the ones today, and he’ll be the quarterback this week. And if Tommy is well enough to be the second quarterback, he will be, and if not, it’ll be Tim (Boyle). But I think he’s trending in the right direction. We’ll see where he is today.”

Daboll was asked if the quarterback decision was based on DeVito’s health or Lock being the better quarterback.

“I’d say Drew did some good stuff in Dallas,” Daboll said. “He also did some things that he can improve on. I want to give him a full week of preparation, practice, to let him go out there and play this week.”

That latter point is significant. Lock hasn’t had full practices with the starters since the spring, well before the players put on pads. Daniel Jones took the first-team reps in training camp and in the first 10 weeks of the season, and DeVito assumed them before the Week 11 clash with the Buccaneers. Lock was limited to walk-throughs before the short-week game in Dallas.

“I think the reps help a ton,” Lock said. “I’d say anybody in this position would say the same thing. Getting back out there, letting them hear your cadence, letting them hear you calling it in the huddle, rhythm and timing with the receivers, even rhythm and timing for me with my feet on certain plays, whatever we’ve got up this week, it helps tremendously. I’m excited and appreciative of getting a little practice time with these guys.”

“He’s been preparing since he’s been here in terms of understanding the plays, but he made some good plays,” Daboll said. “He made some loose plays, plays with his feet, made some loose plays…