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00:00We are finally here, ladies and gentlemen.
00:03Three days until the Giants open their 2026 season,
00:07and that goes down against the Cowboys on primetime football.
00:11New head coach, new energy, new standard, or is it just the same old Giants?
00:17In today's Blue Rush preview show, we're breaking down all of the storylines
00:22and the matchups going into this Cowboys game.
00:25And, of course, we've got some next-level conversation with our Giants beat writer
00:30for the post, Paul Schwartz.
00:32Let's go.
00:39All right, Paul, three days away.
00:41It's time, game time.
00:43No more, and I like when we start these things off, whether it's the start of training camp,
00:47the start of OTAs, no more talking about the draft, no more talking about free agency now,
00:52no more preseason, what the roster is going to look like.
00:56Is Odell on the team or not?
00:57It's time to line up and play some football.
01:00But one thing for the Giants, I kind of tip my cap to both the football team,
01:05the franchise, and John Harbaugh's.
01:07They're a pretty healthy team going into this week one.
01:11Yeah, when you get the initial report of the week and John Harbaugh says everybody practice fully,
01:17it's like that's – now we know, you know, Calvin Austin, you know, was hurt earlier.
01:24But, you know, no team escapes the spring and summer with no injuries.
01:28But as far as now, I mean, Malik Nabors, we'll talk about him later,
01:33is the only one who we're thinking, you know, is he going to play?
01:35Is he not going to play?
01:37Spoiler alert, I think he's going to play.
01:40But, you know, I mean, there's guys on the injury report.
01:45You know, Andrew Thomas is on the injury report.
01:47There's a few guys on the injury report practice fully.
01:50That means they have to disclose that they have something, but they practice fully.
01:54So, yes, I mean, that's what you want, right?
01:57Go into the season with all your horses, all your guys, or as many of them as you can,
02:01and then you see may the best team win.
02:04And so the Giants have a couple more days of practice,
02:07but right now they look like a darn healthy team going into the opener.
02:10Darn healthy and a well-coached football team so far.
02:15It's night and day.
02:16I feel like the vibes around Quest Diagnostics Training Center going into this first game
02:22against the Cowboys than it was in – what was it, 2024?
02:25No, not 2024.
02:26It was the opener against the Cowboys.
02:302023, I believe, that first game, that opening primetime game against the Cowboys.
02:36John Harbaugh's Giants debut is going to come on Sunday Night Football.
02:41All eyes are going to be on some of the coaching decisions, some of the roster changes,
02:45who's going to play where, who's going to start, who's not.
02:48Everyone's talking about the depth chart.
02:50John Harbaugh kind of spoke with media yesterday about what his mindset is going into this game.
02:57And let's listen to Coach before we talk about it, Paul.
03:02Honey, you said you took some contact and some chaos, right?
03:06I'll just say this.
03:07I'll just say this right now.
03:08Let me put a stop to all these questions because I'm not going to tell you who's playing in the
03:11game.
03:12I'm not going to tell you who's starting.
03:14I'm not going to tell you what package we have in.
03:16I'm not going to tell you what plays we're running.
03:18I'm not going to tell you any of that, okay?
03:20So we can make it great and have a great press conference, or we can make it uncomfortable.
03:25But I'm not going to tell you because when you know, the Cowboys know, or every other team we play
03:30knows.
03:30And that's not in the competitive interest of our football team.
03:33Does that make sense?
03:34So I think you can reflect that.
03:36What is your takeaways from that exchange, from John Harbaugh's exchange with the media?
03:42Are you a good snapper?
03:43Are you a good snapper, finger snapper?
03:45Yeah.
03:46Yeah, that's what happened.
03:49Preseason, offseason, regular season mode, snap.
03:54That's what happens.
03:55It's like, now look, John Harbaugh, I think, got a little irritated.
04:00Not I think.
04:01You know, early in the thing, he was asked a lot of questions about Darius Slavin, right?
04:06Didn't like the tone of those questions.
04:08He had to expect the questions.
04:10He's a longtime player who got cut.
04:12Didn't like the tone of the questions.
04:13So he got a little, you know, he was a little rankled to start this thing.
04:18And then asked about Malik Nabors.
04:20Is he, is he, is he, is he, is he?
04:22And then I actually asked a question, which was not about, is Malik Nabors going to play?
04:26I said, John, you mentioned Malik Nabors and about practicing fully.
04:30And then he went into, okay, look, guys, I'm not doing this, right?
04:34I'm not doing this.
04:35I'm not going to go through who's playing, who's not playing, who's healthy, who's not.
04:38You want my game plan?
04:40You want my playbooks?
04:41You want everything?
04:41You know, we're not doing that because if you, I tell you, I tell the Cowboys, I tell
04:46the league, I get that.
04:47Every coach has some kind of version of that.
04:49Actually, after he simmered down, I then asked my question.
04:53I said, I wasn't asking about Malik Nabors availability for Sunday.
04:56I'm saying he has not been contacted because he hasn't played in a preseason game.
05:01Coming off an ACL, what can you as a coach and as a coaching staff do to get him more
05:07ready
05:07in a practice?
05:08You've heard, you've seen guys, right?
05:11They take the pads out or they tell the guys, just kind of knock them around a little bit.
05:16You know, not hurt him, just kind of give him a little thump, a little this, a little extra,
05:20you know, smack at the ball a little bit.
05:22Just get him a little more ready without hurting him.
05:24Then John Harbaugh answered the question.
05:26But look, I'm not, I'm not, I'm a big boy.
05:29I'm not too sensitive when coaches say this stuff.
05:31Um, this was his first Wednesday press conference in his career with the Giants in season mode.
05:38And I think maybe he wanted to set a little, this is, this is the standard we're going to
05:43be here.
05:44Please, you know, I don't, I don't want to have these press, you know, you've been in
05:47these press conferences when the cameras are rolling.
05:49What about this guy?
05:50Don't know.
05:51What about this guy?
05:52We'll see.
05:52What about this guy?
05:53I'm not going to talk about injuries and it gets to be uncomfortable.
05:56He said, it doesn't have to be uncomfortable.
05:58So I think he was a little too sensitive.
06:00I think we were kind of, you know, staking our territory.
06:03It's fine.
06:05From a media standpoint, how was that different?
06:08This opening one, how was that different than a Brian Dabo or Joe Judge or Pat Shermer
06:13going into their first games as Giants head coach?
06:17Well, John Harbaugh was more forceful because he's John Harbaugh, you know, a guy, look, I don't
06:22think, you know, these, those other coaches you mentioned, you know, under the withering
06:26attack from the New York and New Jersey media crumbled and said, okay, okay, you beat it
06:32out of me.
06:33He's not playing.
06:34He's probably going to not play.
06:35He, we hope we can get 30 snaps from him.
06:38And here's the top first 10 plays we've scripted.
06:40You know, people, the coaches don't tell you what they don't want to tell you, but sometimes
06:44they kind of hem and haw and, you know, manby pamby a little bit where John Harbaugh was
06:49like, look, we're not doing this.
06:51And he, he took control of it.
06:54Um, some fans loved it.
06:56You know, fans really generally don't like the media very much.
06:59So some fans loved it.
07:00Some fans said, if he's doing this now, when they're undefeated zero and zero, what's it
07:06going to be like if they lose a few games?
07:07Like I said, it's good fodder.
07:09Um, we certainly, people were certainly talking about it in the press room after it all was
07:13done.
07:15Um, you know what, if they're Oh, and one people are going to say, yeah, I don't know
07:18if they're wanting to know it's like, good, John, get on their butts again this week too.
07:23Let's go.
07:24Let's go.
07:24So we'll see.
07:26It doesn't mean a whole lot, but it is interesting.
07:27You know, he is more confident in himself.
07:30And that came across in that, in that press conference.
07:33I think it was definitely a, a tone setter I'd say.
07:37And, and, you know, I was going back and forth with someone on via text message yesterday
07:41and they're like, Oh, why is he trying to act all hard in front of the New York media?
07:45Don't you know, the New York media always has the last laugh.
07:49And I was like, well, down in training camp, he was cracking jokes with everybody, you know,
07:53during, after some preseason games, he's cracked jokes with the media.
07:57This is just one of those things where this is that type of coach.
07:59This is that old school coach that you want to bring in.
08:02That's going to keep everything tight to the chest.
08:04And we've seen that through some of the availability with, you know, some of the,
08:09how they changed up availability when it comes to players speaking and all.
08:13And then we also, we saw it from training camp when you didn't allow fans and media to take
08:21video of the competitive periods.
08:23You're trying to keep everything as close to the chest as possible as you're trying to slay
08:28a dragon in the Dallas Cowboys, who has won game after game against his football team
08:34on primetime football one, but also on season openers and home openers as well.
08:39So, I mean, I don't have a, I don't have a problem with it.
08:42It's just one of those things where you're hoping you go back to John Gruden to where
08:45it's like, just win baby, because you love it when you're winning and you're setting a tone
08:50like that, but then things can go a little left field if you're losing games and then
08:57you still have that tone.
08:58But that's that.
09:01One thing that everyone has been talking about and coach didn't talk about yesterday, we're
09:07talking about depth.
09:08What's the depth chart?
09:09Who's going to play?
09:10How much is this player going to play?
09:12Okay, everyone's talking about the Giants corners versus these Dallas Cowboys wide receivers,
09:17but seeing Taye Banks ahead of Paulson Adebo on the depth chart.
09:24Is that to you, is that a major storyline going into the game or do you think that's a chess
09:31piece or because I look at it like if you're on that depth chart, you got to think of yourself
09:37as a starter and you better be ready for George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb.
09:42Well, look, if this is indeed cornerback one and cornerback two, and it's Greg Newsome and
09:46Deontay Banks, then it's really significant.
09:49You know what I mean?
09:50If it's, well, he's going to play the first series and then we'll see, and we're going
09:54to do matchup and we'll have Adebo in on the third, on third down when, you know, he
09:58wants to match up against Pickens or something.
10:00I'm not sure.
10:01To me, it's great for Deontay Banks.
10:04If he actually won a starting job, it's incredible for him considering where he came from.
10:09Good kudos, right?
10:10But it's really alarming to me for Paulson Adebo that he did not come out of the spring
10:17and summer.
10:17And yes, you're one of the starting cornerbacks.
10:21You thought he was going to be a starting cornerback, right?
10:23Without a doubt.
10:24Yeah.
10:24And you were like, okay, is it going to be, it's probably going to be Newsome.
10:27Maybe it'll be Colton Hood, the rookie, maybe Deontay Banks, but probably not.
10:32You know, he's got a long way to go.
10:33But to me, the fact that Paulson Adebo, who, you know, quite frankly, has he shown a lot
10:39this summer?
10:40Has he really shown a lot?
10:41He's been, you know, healthy.
10:43He did miss some time.
10:45You know, he's your highest paid cornerback.
10:47He's supposed to be your number one cornerback.
10:49The fact that he did not seize it, hold on to it.
10:53He was the starter last year, is alarming.
10:55And we'll see if he's kind of like on borrowed time with his coaching staff or, you know,
11:00is he going to be pushed to the side a little bit?
11:02Look, you're going to need them all.
11:04Guys are going to get hurt.
11:05You're going to need them all.
11:05Guys are not going to play well.
11:06But I'll tell you one thing.
11:08Sunday night, if whoever he lines up against, Deontay Banks, you know, he does not turn his
11:14head or it's a little grab or it's a tug or it's a pass interference or it's a holding
11:18on third and seven.
11:19And the natives are going to get mighty restless because they're going to be like, man, we
11:25didn't trust this guy and now he won the job and we still can't trust him.
11:29So it could be a very tenuous situation.
11:32I'm with you because if it's black and white, then yeah, then it's a great thing for Tate
11:37Banks.
11:37But if there's some gray area in there, like you said, where we want to still see matchups
11:42and we still got this guy on a short leash or this guy's on a shorter leash, if this guy
11:47doesn't show effort, we'll pull him early and we'll put the former starter in there.
11:52If there's gray area, then I feel like that's not a great thing for Tate Banks just because
11:56now it's one thing to have the evaluation going on when it's camp, it's practice.
12:02Some days you're in pads, some days you're just in shells.
12:05But now when the bullets are flying and it's real, every single play matters.
12:11Now you can take a play off and practice and not run to the football and practice, but
12:15in the game, not only do you have the scouts, the coaches, the coordinators, the people in
12:20the booth with the binoculars, you've got 84, 85,000 people now watching effort and all
12:26as well.
12:27So one thing about Tate when it comes to where we were, I want to see if, all right, is
12:32this
12:32Tate Banks 2.0 is how he deals with the adversity.
12:36And it's a, look, it's a tough for, you know, look, it's, I mean, I mean, you know, CD Banks
12:44had a down year last year and missed a few games and had a thousand yards.
12:47CD Lamb, CD Lamb.
12:48I'm sorry, CD Lamb had a down year and had a thousand yards, right?
12:53You know, he has, you know, he has devastated the Giants at times.
12:56George Pickens, you know, people were like, well, we don't know, we don't know, you know,
13:00his numbers, you know, with the Steelers, he had almost 1500 yards last year, but he was
13:04tremendous.
13:05I mean, there was no doubt, you know, he was great.
13:08So this is a tough duo.
13:10Dak is really a good quarterback.
13:13So look, is Tate Banks going to get beat on Sunday night?
13:16Yes.
13:18Is Greg Newsom going to get beat?
13:20Yes.
13:20If Paulson Adebo's out there, is he going to get beat?
13:22Yes.
13:22They're all going to get beat.
13:23It's a matter of how much, how badly, how often, and do you beat them once in a while?
13:29And, you know, can you get a lead?
13:31Can you make them, you know, uncomfortable?
13:33Can you force them to throw?
13:34Can you not let them have great play action?
13:36Cause you're stopping to run all that stuff.
13:39I'm not expecting, you know, Deion Sanders out there for any of these guys, but I just
13:43think, you know, the, the big picture is Deontay Banks is, is, looks like he's going
13:47to start the, the smaller picture.
13:49Very significant is that where the heck does that leave Paulson Adebo?
13:53Who's making a lot of money and is supposed to be a starting cornerback.
13:57Um, he certainly look, Darius Slayton didn't impress this coaching staff and he was coming
14:03off hernia surgery, double hernia surgery.
14:05And he was cut.
14:06Paulson Adebo was not going to be cut, but this is a, we're going to have to learn about
14:10John Harbaugh now, right?
14:12We haven't seen him up close.
14:13If a guy plays badly, is he going to get benched?
14:15If, you know, is he going to have quick hooks?
14:17You know, it's all the learning process for all of us right now.
14:20For sure.
14:20I believe that entire corner room, that depth chart is still TBD.
14:24Everyone's still being evaluated and who is better to evaluate them up against then
14:30CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and then Puka Nakua, if he plays, if he's not disciplined
14:36and Devontae Adams to see who matches up.
14:39And it's, again, it goes back to turning, identifying the football, coming up, stopping
14:44the run, knowing your assignments, being with guys.
14:47I don't think Paulson Adebo was out of this one.
14:49I think, I look at that guy as a hard worker.
14:51He's one of those guys after practice.
14:53He's always doing something extra after practice, before practice as well.
14:57I think his head is into it.
14:59He's, if Tate Banks is the best athlete in that room, he, Paulson Adebo has the best
15:05hands.
15:05He didn't show it last year, dropped some picks last year, but in terms of training
15:08camp, everything he kind of got his hands on, he picked.
15:12It was just, there were times where you wanted him to have a little bit tighter coverage on
15:16some guys and he didn't have it.
15:18And that's why I think Tate Banks is there.
15:21But like you said, how are you going to help these DBs, this pass rush, or this pass rush,
15:27this pass rush?
15:28But like we said, a big question mark still going into this football game against the
15:32Dallas Cowboys football team that ran all over.
15:35This Giants front seven last year is, can the Giants in the trenches exploit this Dallas Cowboys
15:42offensive line, who for the longest time has been one of the top offensive lines in football,
15:49Paul.
15:49DJ Reader and Shelby Harris didn't play a snap in the preseason.
15:56So we never got a chance to see what this new revamped defensive line looks like.
16:03I guess we, all we have is guessing.
16:05I guess all we could do is guess right now.
16:07Do you think this Giants defense in this front seven in the trenches can hold up against this
16:14Dallas Cowboys offensive line?
16:16You mentioned it.
16:17You know, this offensive line was the gold standard, you know, for several years.
16:21And then the Eagles became the gold standard.
16:23You know, two teams in their division, very hard to beat.
16:27You know, there are questions about their tackles.
16:30Was it Tyler Guyton and Terrence Steele?
16:32There are questions about them.
16:33Now they lost Tyler Smith, who's a Pro Bowl guard, for the first month of the season.
16:37They have, TJ Bass is a good backup.
16:39He's a solid backup.
16:40So I don't look at it and say, OK, they got a pigeon out there that they're going to destroy.
16:44But he is a backup.
16:45And Tyler Smith is a Pro Bowler.
16:47So this should not be a matchup that overwhelms the Giants.
16:51It just should not.
16:52You know, this is not a lights out offensive line.
16:56As you mentioned, you know, Harris and DJ Reader did not play in the preseason.
17:00They have pedigrees from the NFL.
17:02So we shall see.
17:05Are these pass rushers going to be able to be unleashed?
17:09I think they can get to the passer and they can sack Dak if it's appropriate down in distance and
17:15things like that.
17:17You know, that's that's and I think the defense might have to carry this team early.
17:22You know, I don't know what to expect from the offense.
17:24I don't know if it's going to be all systems go, you know, marching up and down the field, getting
17:29the 28 or 30 points.
17:30We haven't seen it in the preseason.
17:32You know, this guy's limited.
17:33Malik Nabors, you know, is going to be on a pitch count.
17:36I think, you know, the receiver room doesn't really scare anybody.
17:40So, you know, I don't know.
17:41Are you expecting a high octane offense right away?
17:44I don't think I am.
17:45So the defense.
17:47Look, it's all got to work together.
17:48There's personnel there.
17:49I was on Dallas radio earlier today.
17:53And, you know, they're asking me about the differences and John Harbaugh stamp.
17:57And I said, look, when Dak Prescott gets out, gets out there, he's going to see it.
18:01Those two inside linebackers are massive.
18:03They're massive guys.
18:04You know, Arvel Reese and and and Tremaine Edmonds.
18:07And that's one of John Harbaugh stamps.
18:09And Dak Prescott's going to look out there and say, oh, this is different.
18:13Right.
18:13This is different than than than Bobby O'Karrake and Micah McFadden.
18:18This looks different.
18:19This is the taller obstacle to have to throw against.
18:22So if they can inflict, you know, you know, really, you know, put their will on the Cowboys.
18:27It'll be really interesting.
18:29You know, look, I think I know less about what to expect from this Giants team on Sunday night than
18:35I have in years.
18:35Because I just don't know.
18:37It's like the deep blue ocean.
18:40We know more about space than we do our own oceans, you know, because we can't travel our oceans.
18:46And that's the same thing.
18:47Like you said, when it comes to this Giants football team.
18:49Very deep.
18:50Very deep.
18:51I like it.
18:52Man, very deep.
18:54Yes.
18:55I'm a Nat Geo guy.
18:56I'm a Sir David Atterborough guy.
18:58Yes.
18:58I watch Nat Geo thoroughly.
19:02But when we talk about the trenches in the front seven, there's a name that we haven't talked about enough.
19:10And this is what I like about John Harbaugh and the staff is they're not afraid to piss someone off
19:17professionally.
19:19Paulson Debo, not putting him as the listed starter on the depth chart.
19:25Kayvon Thibodeau.
19:25If we're talking about the fifth overall pick and we're talking about someone who could be in the position of
19:31a Paulson Debo or a Darius Slayton.
19:34When he stepped in, they automatically gave Abdul Carter that starting position on paper.
19:42And although Abdul Carter is not a John Harbaugh guy either, they still gave it to him.
19:49They still put him there.
19:50I would be pissed off professionally as Kayvon Thibodeau because now I'm looking at it.
19:57You guys don't know my worth.
19:59You guys, remember, I'm the one that when I'm in the game, we do a better job of stopping the
20:04run than what we do when I'm not.
20:06It's not that much better, but it's still better.
20:09I'm looking at him where he, this is a game where he could really show between the coaching staff and
20:15the fan base.
20:16Because everyone's like, oh, why don't we just trade Kayvon for a bucket of Kentucky fried chicken so we can
20:22get some pick or we can get.
20:24If I'm this dude, I'm next in line.
20:27I'm the next one in line to be like, you know what?
20:29I'm going to force your hand to do something with me.
20:33Either you're going to start me over your third overall pick last year and allow me to have double digit
20:40sacks and show my value on this football team.
20:44Or depending on where you are at the trade deadline, whether you need something or someone really needs a DN
20:51and a run stopping DN as well.
20:54Then I'm going to force you guys hands and I think that's if I'm a player in that position, that's
20:59all you can do because they've shown they'll deal.
21:02Not only have they dealt the guy that was Gary that was supposed to make 13 million, but they've also
21:08benched on paper a high paid guy as well.
21:14It's different with this regime.
21:16So I'm looking forward to Kayvon Thibodeau in the trenches because they've professionally pissed this man off.
21:23Well, look, I mean, if all good points, if they say we have to put our 11 best run stoppers
21:28on the field and Kayvon Thibodeau is one of them, there's no question about it.
21:31No doubt.
21:32He's one of them.
21:32You know what I mean?
21:33So that's lip service.
21:34We've got to stop the run.
21:35They all say they've got to stop the run.
21:36Are you going to go for the eye candy or for the guy who's the better run stopper, you know,
21:41in that group?
21:43He might be better than Brian Burns as a run stopper, you know, I mean, and Brian Burns is good.
21:47I'm just saying Thibodeau is really good at that.
21:50Yeah, look, he's motivated.
21:52He doesn't have a contract.
21:55All that stuff.
21:56You know, you know, you athletes are different.
21:58You know, you guys are different.
21:59You know, I talked to Michael McFadden the other day in the locker room.
22:01We finally got in the locker room.
22:03The new revamped, you know, remodeled locker room.
22:05It's in a parking lot.
22:07It's a big tent in a parking lot because they're redoing their locker room, right?
22:10In two years, it'll be beautiful.
22:12It's like renovation on your house.
22:14It's going to be beautiful in two years.
22:15Here's the specs.
22:16Here's the architecture drawings.
22:18Right now, it's kind of dusty, you know, it's kind of dusty and uncomfortable.
22:21But I asked Michael McFadden, like, you know, you were a starter the last two years and now
22:26you're not.
22:27But, you know, John Harbaugh says, well, we have like three starters, but can you at least
22:31look at Arvell, Reese, and Tremaine Edmonds and say, okay, I see what they're doing here.
22:35And Michael McFadden said great things about those two players, but he wasn't like, oh,
22:39yeah, I understand why I'm not a starter now.
22:41He's like, he was not happy that he's not a starter.
22:45And, you know, so that's the way you guys are.
22:48It's like, yeah, you might have over-recruited me with bigger, stronger guys, but I can play
22:54and I should be out there.
22:56That's good.
22:56And so if he's thinking that, then Thibodeau is definitely feeling that.
23:01But yes, look, motivation is a great thing.
23:03It's a great thing.
23:04You know, Brian Burns is on a long-term deal.
23:06You know, Abdul Carter is on his rookie deal.
23:09They're not going anywhere.
23:11Let Thibodeau come out with his head on fire and, you know, wanting to prove a point.
23:17Brian Burns said this offseason, he's been the hardest worker on the defense, harder worker
23:23than I have been.
23:24Let's see if it pays off.
23:28Lastly, when we talk about these two football teams squaring up, we talk about the trenches,
23:35the interior of the linebackers have gotten better for the Giants.
23:40This rookie class looks like a lot of these guys are going to step in, play, and contribute
23:46immediately.
23:47But when we go back and rewind to draft night, and I'm doing, you know, I'm at Hudson Yards
23:55at the draft party, emceeing it.
23:59Fans wanting Caleb, Caleb Downs was the name.
24:02Caleb Downs, Caleb Downs.
24:03Now, when they selected Arvel Reese, the play still erupted because everybody knew who Arvel
24:10Reese was.
24:11But then they wanted the Giants to trade back up to like six or seven to grab Caleb Downs.
24:18They didn't.
24:19They ended up getting CeCe Maunoa.
24:21That is going to be...
24:24They ended up getting CeCe Maunoa at 10.
24:28Caleb Downs goes at 11.
24:31I want to make sure I get that right.
24:33This is a kid that is going to forever be married to the Giants for a long time because
24:40I feel like he's going to be a Cowboys legend.
24:44Your thoughts on, I guess we can talk rookie classes as a whole, the Cowboys rookie class
24:50versus the Giants rookie class.
24:52But Caleb Downs, Giants passed up on him, Paul.
24:56Do you think from day one, game one, this kid is going to make them regret it?
25:01Well, I mean, I'm sure he's happy to be a Cowboy.
25:04You know what I mean?
25:05I mean, what kid growing up doesn't want to be a Dallas Cowboy?
25:08Yeah.
25:10Yeah, it's interesting.
25:11You know, it's funny.
25:11Fans want everything.
25:12You know what I mean?
25:13You draft the receiver.
25:14Why don't we take the offensive lineman?
25:15Take an offensive lineman?
25:17Why don't we take a cornerback?
25:18So the fans, I think fans were after they got Arvel Reese, then they said, oh my God,
25:22we can have a generational draft here and completely revamp our defense by getting the linebacker,
25:29the best linebacker in the draft and the best safety in the draft, and for a decade were
25:33set.
25:33Yeah, that was certainly something that should have been considered, and it was.
25:39I think, it's funny, I mentioned that I was on Dallas radio, and those guys were saying,
25:45because we were talking about Caleb Downs and all this other stuff, and the Giants passed
25:49up on him.
25:49Look, you pass up on a lot of guys.
25:51You know what I mean?
25:51It's not, you know, it's not, they didn't take another safety ahead of them.
25:55They took a massive guard, so it's not like they just, they prioritize a different position,
26:00but these guys in Dallas said to me, I said, what do you guys think of Downs?
26:04He's great, he's this and that, but he said, all three of the guys I was on with said, when
26:08they met him in person, they were surprised how short he was, okay?
26:13And I think, I mean, he's, I don't think he's six feet, Brandon.
26:17Interesting.
26:18What is he listed as, six foot?
26:19I think he's listed as six foot.
26:21Let me go look that up right now.
26:22Okay, you know, I think he's listed as six foot, and they said, well, we don't think
26:27he's six foot, and I heard some of the Giants said, these guys, he's more like in the 5'11
26:32-ish
26:32range.
26:32Now, look, he's a terrific player.
26:35He's probably the most cerebral player in this draft, right?
26:38He's got a pedigree, you know, a family in the league.
26:41He's going to be really good, but I think the Giants looked at him and didn't think physically.
26:47This is my opinion based on some educated guesswork, I would say, from the things I've
26:55heard.
26:55I don't think they looked at him and they thought he said, physically, he's going to be
26:59a dominant player.
27:00He might be a really, really good player, a great player, based on all the things that
27:05he can do.
27:06You know, he can read a defense, decipher a defense, his instincts, his toughness.
27:10But you will be limited somewhat because you're not a great physical specimen.
27:16I think, you know, he's not a tall guy, so we'll see.
27:205'11 and 5'8 is what he's measured at, at the NFL Combine, 206 pounds, arm length, 30
27:28and 1'4, hand size, 9 1⁄2.
27:31Right.
27:32I think he's listed.
27:33He's listed at six feet.
27:35He's listed at six feet, but it said approximately 5'11.
27:38Right, yeah, so long, I mean, is a half an inch going to make or break a guy in the
27:42Hall of Fame?
27:43That's the hair, that's the hair, yeah.
27:45He's got a little afro, so.
27:46Not your hair.
27:48But Odell's hair, though, right?
27:50Give me a quick, give me a quick, give me a 30-second Brandon London-style review of
27:59the Odell Beckham 5.0, the second time with the Giants, hair-wise.
28:05It's back, it's back.
28:06Like, my thing is, I just don't want to see grown men with the same haircut like we did
28:11the last time.
28:12It's okay for children 15 and under, and teenagers 15 and under, but if you're 25 plus and you're
28:20rocking the same hairstyle as Odell Beckham Jr., we have ourselves, it's just like how the
28:27U.S. Open has an influencer problem, we have ourselves a grown-up problem.
28:30Now, the first time it was blonde, this is really more platinum, right?
28:35Yes, even worse, even worse.
28:37Okay, now, from my point of view, I can say, on my sides and things like that, I'm doing
28:42the Odell, okay?
28:44But I did them before he went up.
28:47Before.
28:47There we go.
28:48I wanted to go to, I didn't get to in a lot, I want to go to Odell and say,
28:51Odell, I don't
28:52know how much you paid for that.
28:53Look at this.
28:54This is all free.
28:55I did it for free.
28:56I get it for free.
28:56A little platinum on the sides.
28:58So don't accuse me of doing the Odell here, okay?
29:02You know?
29:02Before we close this off, does Odell score?
29:05Well, we're two-part question.
29:06Does Odell dress?
29:08Is he on the actives?
29:09And does he score?
29:11I think he's on the active.
29:13I mean, I, man, I mean, you're going to force me to do this.
29:18Neighbors will be on the active, but Neighbors is going to be on a pitch count.
29:21So they're going to need, you know, a one and one eight.
29:23Neighbors will be on the roster, you know, the active roster for game one.
29:28Fields will.
29:29I think Mooney will.
29:31Who else am I?
29:33Odell and Berrios.
29:35Berrios will.
29:37I think Odell will.
29:38You know, after all this, they're going to have, make him be a healthy scratch.
29:42After all this, on Sunday night, where they're going to be showing his great catch from his
29:46rookie year, they're going to, and they're going to be, oh, Odell's a healthy scratch.
29:50I mean, that will be, you know, the director's going to be like, cut, cut, cut.
29:54Cut away.
29:55Cut to Brandon doing something.
29:56Let them boo Brandon.
29:57Let's not boo.
29:58Yeah, right.
29:58Because you can't show that catch than show him in warm-up, like in jogging gear.
30:04No, no, no.
30:05Absolutely not.
30:06I think he's active.
30:07I don't think he's supposed to touch down, no.
30:10If they announce the starters on offense, do you announce Odell, even if he doesn't
30:18start?
30:18Oh, come on, Paul.
30:19No.
30:20Paul, Paul, just hear me out here.
30:22Because we're talking about, and I think that if they win the toss, take the ball.
30:26We're talking about that opening juju.
30:28I do not want to see you.
30:31You have to announce 13 if you announce the starters on Sunday Night Football.
30:38The opening lineup announcement, I think, is one of the most overhyped things in the NFL.
30:44There's 30,000 people in the building when they announce them.
30:47You know how it is, right?
30:48You know, then they all come later.
30:51No, no.
30:52I mean, how does that make, I mean, okay, Darnell Mooney is not, you know, Giants legacy.
30:57I get it.
30:58But just, you know, how about this?
31:00How about, you know, they said all along, Odell's getting no special treatment, right?
31:03You have to make the team.
31:05You have to earn your way onto the team, which he did.
31:08And now you're going to say, oh, by the way, you're not a starter, but we're going to announce you
31:12with the starters.
31:15You're Barnum and Bailey.
31:16You are Barnum and Bailey.
31:18You want showtime.
31:21WWE meets the NFL.
31:23Like, I'm just thinking of making my job easier as the in-game emcee.
31:28Just think of what that, and I would announce them last.
31:32I'd do it last.
31:33I don't care, Paul.
31:34I would do it last.
31:34I would tell Jackson, like, hey, are you okay?
31:37Or do it before Jackson.
31:39Do it right after Malik.
31:41Yeah.
31:42In between Malik and Jackson Dart, I would introduce.
31:46You know what's going to make your job easier as the, you know, in-game host?
31:50Winning.
31:50Not blocking, getting a field goal blocked on the opening drive and the Cowboys scoring a touchdown.
31:55How about that?
31:56How about going down the field, getting a touchdown, a field goal?
31:59How about getting a pick six?
32:00How about winning the game and beating the hated?
32:02You know, if it's a close game, the Giants are doing well.
32:05Now, you got the easiest job in America.
32:08Easiest.
32:08You know what I mean?
32:08Absolutely.
32:09Easy.
32:09And the last few years, you had a hard job.
32:13You had a hard job.
32:14I get it.
32:15So, I mean, yes, for your sake.
32:17But you don't need announcing Odell to do that.
32:19You need, you need bing, bang, boom, seven, nothing Giants.
32:23Boom.
32:23And you're set.
32:24Real quick, final thought, Paul.
32:25Finish this off.
32:27It's fascinating.
32:28It's, you know, it's John Harbaugh's first game.
32:30Every time there's a new head coach, it's interesting.
32:32This is more interesting because it's John Harbaugh.
32:34It's the Cowboys.
32:36It's Sunday night.
32:37I'm not going to say, oh, I've been through this a million times.
32:39I'm not going to hype it.
32:40It's really big.
32:41It's really significant.
32:43They have the Rams the next week on Monday night.
32:45We know that's a really tough order.
32:48So, you know, 1-0 would be great.
32:500-2 would be not great.
32:52Then the schedule lightens up.
32:53So, it will be an incredible scene there.
32:57There will be a lot of Cowboy fans, but it won't be a Cowboy takeover.
33:00But if the Giants win this game, you know, the hype is real.
33:07And it will be, you know, it'll be eight days because they play on Monday night of Harbaugh.
33:12The Giants are back.
33:13He's our savior.
33:15Jackson Dart's the real deal.
33:16Whoever played great on defense.
33:18So, you know, the first game is overhyped.
33:21And it's not as important as, you know, the Patriots lost their first game this week, this year.
33:27They lost their first game last year, and they made the Super Bowl.
33:31So, it's not a big deal, but this will set a tremendous tone.
33:35It's a big deal.
33:36I can see the hairs.
33:38Yeah.
33:38I know my arms are only three.
33:40Days away, ladies and gentlemen.
33:42Get excited.
33:43Thank you guys for watching Blue Rush for the New York Post.
33:48Blue Rush for the New York Post.
33:49Blue Rush for the New York Post.
33:49Blue Rush for the New York Post.
33:50Blue Rush for the New York Post.
33:51Blue Rush for the New York Post.
33:51Blue Rush for the New York Post.
33:51Blue Rush for the New York Post.
33:52Blue Rush for the New York Post.
33:52Blue Rush for the New York Post.
33:52Blue Rush for the New York Post.
33:53Blue Rush for the New York Post.
33:54Blue Rush for the New York Post.
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