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What We Heard: 'Decisive' Daniel Jones more vocal

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The Giants continued their preparations for this weekend's preseason finale against the New York Jets.

The three coordinators spoke with reporters earlier in the day, and quarterback Daniel Jones and outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux met with the media after practice.

Here is what we learned Wednesday.

1. Wink happy about 'selfless' defense

The defense found success under Wink Martindale in his first season as defensive coordinator. The unit ranked fifth in the league in both third down and red zone defense, and also ranked in the top 10 in passing touchdowns allowed.

Following a busy offseason that saw the defense add more players at all three levels, the unit now looks to build off of last year's success. While the defense enters the season with more talent, Martindale said his unit has displayed a true sense of selflessness, putting the team's success above any individual's.

"I like the players, the people. You know what I mean?" Martindale said Wednesday. "The players themselves. It's, like I said, I know you hear the word selfless, but it truly is a selfless group who cares about our success and that is cool in today's day and age of the NFL. Like you got (cornerback) Adoree' (Jackson), who is helping those young corners out. I mean, he's a stud and he wants them to be great and I just love the people here. I think that's what Joe and Dabs and even the prior regime, there is some good people in this building that want to do right for the Giants and do right for our defense and do right for our team most importantly."

View the best photos of all the action at the Giants' 2023 training camp.

2. 'Decisive' DJ more vocal this year

Coming off his most efficient season in the NFL last year, Daniel Jones took the field at MetLife Stadium last Friday for his first preseason action and delivered. Jones completed all but one of his nine attempts for 69 yards and a touchdown, finishing with a 135.6 passer rating while adding a six-yard rush. The fifth-year quarterback spread the ball around to five different receivers, including three receptions to tight end Darren Waller, and finished the drive off with a four-yard touchdown pass to tight end Daniel Bellinger. Jones' performance earned him PFF’s Offensive Player of the Week award.

"I thought Daniel did a nice job executing," Mike Kafka told the media. "He was in there, he was really decisive. I thought he got the guys in and out of the huddle quickly, we played with some tempo. So, those are things that I think he's been doing really all offseason and training camp, just having a really good tempo with the guys. Again, it was a nice drive."

"I thought we were sharp," Jones added. "I thought each group executed well together. The guys up front did a really good job in protection and guys got open and made plays. Thought we communicated, we were in and out of the huddle well. A lot of those kind of basic things that you look for in your first time in a game situation. Thought it was good to build of off."

A common theme among offensive players this summer has been Jones' increased leadership. Following the multi-year contract extension he received during the offseason, the 26-year-old quarterback has been noticeably more open, which Kafka has been happy to see.

"I'd agree with that," Kafka said about Jones being more vocal this year. "I think he's voicing his opinions. That's a good thing because that means he's more comfortable with not only just the offense, but just with the guys around him. So, I think that's all a plus."

3. 'Bright future' for Pinnock

Coming into training camp, the Giants had several position battles to watch on both sides of the ball. One of the most intriguing ones was the competition for the starting safety spot next to Xavier McKinney, a position that was filled by Julian Love last year.

Several veterans and young players have been competing for this spot, but none have helped themselves more than Jason Pinnock. The third-year player out of Pittsburgh has made numerous plays during practice since the start of camp, and followed that up with an interception and two additional pass breakups in the first two preseason games. While a final decision has not yet been made, Martindale indicated that Pinnock is the favorite to be named the starting strong safety, a spot he's earned in the team's first three unofficial depth charts.

"I think that nothing has been set in stone yet, but it's obviously looking that way," the defensive coordinator said. "I think that what he did last year and what he's done to get in shape and get his body right and another year in the system so he's playing even faster, more reacting instead of thinking now. I think he's got a bright future."

4. Hyatt 'right on schedule'

The buzz has certainly been building around wide receiver Jalin Hyatt this summer. The rookie began training camp by making numerous deep catches at seemingly every practice. In his first game action at MetLife Stadium this past weekend, Hyatt blazed past the Lions defense for a 33-yard touchdown from quarterback Tyrod Taylor. He finished the night with a team-high four receptions.

Due to Hyatt's solid production over the past month, it's easy to forget sometimes that he is still only 21 years old. Kafka has been encouraged by Hyatt's play thus far, telling the media that the rookie is exactly where he's supposed to be in his development at this point.

"He's right on schedule where he's at," said Kafka. "Again, he's growing. He's a young player, he's learning every single day. I think that's been his mindset. For young players, you don't want to ever think it's got to be perfect every single day. Obviously, you want to have an excellence-type mindset, but it's not going to be perfect. It's not going to be clean every single day. It's just the reality of football. It's too fluid.

"So, I think what you do is you take some of the good things that happen, you build on that and then all the things that maybe aren't as clean, that's our job as coaches to make sure we get him the right information so he can improve."

5. Facing off against Rodgers

While it remains to be seen which, if any, Giants starters play in the preseason finale this weekend, the Jets made it clear one player of theirs will be suiting up. Both head coach Robert Saleh and quarterback Aaron Rodgers told the media Tuesday that the veteran quarterback will be making his Jets debut on Saturday.

"I get excited every time I am going against him because he is a titan of the league, he is one of the titans of the league and we all know that, you see the energy he brought to the city," said Martindale. "I really do like him, I want to him have a bunch of success except when we are playing against each other and he knows that and hopefully he feels the same way. I just think that he's one of the best and it's always, as players and coaches, just like you saw in London, it's fun playing that chess match with him. There is so many little things that you have got to cover when you are going against him. I know if I was a rookie, I would be jacked, you know like the two corners, to go against Aaron Rodgers because it's one of the best of the best."

"I think his resume speaks for himself," Kafka added. "Super Bowl winner, multiple MVPs, he does a nice job getting the ball out, blitzes very rarely hit him. I think he knows where his outlets are, he can get himself in and out of a good play or get him out of a bad play into a good play. I mean, he's just a really high level, elite quarterback. He's one of those guys that you look at as kind of the pinnacle of what quarterback play looks like. He's one of those type of guys."

The Giants and Jets will also face off against each other during the regular season, as the two teams will meet for a Giants home game in Week 8 (October 29).

"In the game we'll see how they adjust to certain things and try to learn as much as we can knowing that we play them down the road," Jones told reporters.

View rare photos from the local rivalry between the Giants and Jets.

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