The loss of stud safety Xavier McKinney is going to be tough for at least a month. The NY Giants have once again been dealt a rough hand, but as has been the case since the summer, this team will look to attack adversity head on and find ways to overcome the battles placed in front of them. This squad has serious heart.
Yes, not having McKinney out on the field vs. the Texans this weekend is going to hurt the defense, but the pieces are in place for the unit to rise up and still help the G-Men record a win. This will have to be the case until McKinney is cleared. With that said, here’s a look at three guys in East Rutherford who must be on point until McKinney can return.
3. Dane Belton
Obviously, the first name that’s going to pop into a lot of people’s minds is safety Dane Belton. The rookie fourth-round pick is going to see a whole lot more action with McKinney sidelined. Normally you’d hate to see a rookie step in for a talented veteran like McKinney, but Belton is playing beyond his years for the G-Men. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale has a ton of confidence in him too.
"“I think that he’s a student of the game,” McKinney said of Belton. “He takes it very serious as a profession. That’s what jumps out at me. He’s a really mature kid for being a rookie. I don’t know if you all have had a chance to visit with him yet or not, but he’s very quiet. You got to get him talking louder and things like that, but I just like how he approaches the game. The plays will come for him because he keeps doing the right thing. He’s not an error repeater; he doesn’t make the same mistake twice. I think as a rookie, he’s ahead of the game."
The fact that Martindale, one of the best DCs in the game, has such confidence in Belton speaks volumes to his potential. Thus far this campaign, Belton has posted 19 totals tackles and two fumble recoveries in his seven appearances. Belton has a great chance this weekend to show the fans at MetLife Stadium how special he can be. The place will be rockin’ if he records his first INT.
2. Julian Love
There aren’t enough positive words to describe the play of safety Julian Love this campaign. He has been fantastic thus far in 2022 and the fanbase is showing him a ton of support each weekend. He’s been Mr. Reliable for Martindale’s defense and more of the same should be showcased despite McKinney not being next to him in the secondary.
Love is going to have to become even more of a vocal leader for this defense, but he should have no issues taking on that role. Things have been so good for Love this year, his reps and the NY front office have already begun talks about a possible contract extension. This is something general manager Joe Schoen must get done as soon as possible.
Entering the Week 10 tilt with the Houston Texans, Love has 58 tackles, one sack, one fumble recovery and one unforgettable interception of Lamar Jackson to his name this fall. He most definitely deserves a new deal from the G-Men and his payday could only become bigger if he puts up even more head-turning numbers over the next month.
1. Wink Martdinale
Martdinale’s first year with Big Blue has been memorable. Head man Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka have gotten a lot of praise and rightfully so. However, Martindale has transformed this defensive unit and he has his guys flying all over the field. Martindale knows how to make key adjustments, which will be needed now that McKinney isn’t able to play.
With how smart he is, Martdinale will cook up the right packages to best fit the guys he has available. He’s still going to hit opposing offenses with plenty of pressure – that’s not going to change. If anything, Martdinale sees this as a small bump in the road, and one he knows his guys can drive through.
"“I think there will be an effect,” Martdinale said when discussing McKinney’s injury. “It could be a good effect or a bad effect. We’re going to find that out. I always talk to the defensive guys about (how) we control the narrative of every situation. There’s the situations, series of events, if you will, during a game that you’ve got to handle. I think we’ve done a good job of that so far, for the most part. It’s just another injury that we’re going to have to deal with and get ready to go play the Texans.”"
Despite the Texans holding a 1-6-1 record, Martindale, Daboll and Kafka know they can’t overlook this team. Not having McKinney available is going to complicate life a little bit, but that’s not going to be used as an excuse by Martindale. The DC is going to have his men ready to rock, that’s for sure.
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